Ice Cream Social

     August's Better Homes and Gardens Magazine had a spread on a woman named Jeni Britton Bauer who has perfected homemade ice cream making.  There were ideas for adult ice cream socials, which I thought was great especially since I love ice cream.  My book club was due for a meeting and although we all aren't up to date on the same books at the moment, we decided to meet-the perfect opportunity for an ice cream social.  I loved the photos from the spread in BHG and all of the treats looked delicious.  There was plenty of inspiration for a summer gathering of friends.

     One idea I got was pie crust cookies and different fruit sauces that you can make to accompany them, instead of making an actual pie.  The cookies on their own were kind of plain but combined with fresh peaches heated on the stove with a little brown sugar and some vanilla ice cream, they were pretty good.

Pie Crust Cookies

Ingredients
2 cups flour
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, cold
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces
1 tsp lemon juice or cider vinegar
6 tbsp ice cold water
3 tbsp cinnamon sugar

Method
Preheat oven to 400 degree
1. Mix flour, sugar, and salt together.
2. Cut in shortening and butter until the consistency of the mix looks like crumbs.
3. Mix in the vinegar and the water.  The dough should just begin to cling together.
4. Cover the mixing bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
5. After chilling the dough, roll it out on a lightly floured surface until it is about 1/8 inch thick.  Cut into desired shapes.
6. Place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet.
7. Bake 9-11 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

      The magazine also featured the prettiest little ice cream sandwiches that I envisioned being a big hit at our book club meeting.  Unfortunately, my cookies were super soft and most of them ended up in a bowl to be used as a topping for ice cream sundaes.  There was no way these cookies could be used for a sandwich.  I'm not sure what went wrong.  They tasted delicious but didn't hold together very well at all.

Oatmeal Ice Cream Pies
Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp molasses
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Method
1. Beat butter on low in a large mixing bowl until it is soft and creamy.
2. Beat in both sugars and the salt.  Next beat in the molasses and vanilla and then the eggs, one at a time.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, and baking soda.  Then fold it into the butter mixture, one half at a time.  Be careful not to overwork the batter.
4. Line baking sheets with parchment paper before scooping tablespoon sized drops of batter about 2 inches apart.
5. Bake for 7 minutes and then turn the pans in the oven and cook for an additional 4-6 minutes.  The edges of the cookies should be golden brown while the center is barely set.  Allow the cookies to cool a bit before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. After cookies have cooled, sandwich vanilla bean ice cream between two cookies to make ice cream sandwiches.  Store in the freezer prior to serving.

     It wouldn't be an adult ice cream social without some adult beverages.  Sticking to the summer theme, I made Strawberry and Orange Sangria.  It was sweet and refreshing.

Strawberry and Orange Sangria

Ingredients
2 oranges
1 pint fresh strawberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 bottle sparkling white wine, chilled
3 cups seltzer water, chilled

Method
1. Cut one orange and strawberries into small pieces and place in a large pitcher.
2. Juice one orange and add the juice to the pitcher.
3. Mix in the wine, seltzer, and sugar.

     In addition to my almost peach pies and the oatmeal cookie crumbs, I had several different ice cream toppings in pretty bowls ready for ice cream sundaes.  The toppings I included were mini chocolate chips, Heath Bar bits, chopped almonds, chocolate and butterscotch sauce, and of course whipped cream.  Unfortunately my camera is in need of a repaid and I didn't get shots of all of these fun toppings.  I guess we'll have to have another ice cream social again soon!

     By the way, our book club is currently working through The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls.  Choosing our next book is always a challenge!  If anyone has read something great recently, all recommendations are welcome.  Just leave a comment below and I'll keep you updated on what we pick next.