Sweet Summer Treats

 What's a good way t  end a summer meal or  offer relief a hot day? Try a summer treat.It could be homemade ice cream or an ice box cake. These help when those days get sweltering and sticky.

Homemade ice cream is actually a simple male. You don't even need an ice cream maker. One that's been on my radar is Melissa Clark's vegan peanut butter. It's cooking creamy peanut butter with simmered maple syrup and unsweetened oat milk creamer. The last is what gives it body and that plush creamy mouth feel. Ms. Clark adds vanilla and sea salt too. I'm leaning towards adding a handful of dark chocolate chips too for Reese's Peanut Butter cup vibe. It's then pureed with an immersion blender and then put into a pan Freeze for four  to six hours before serving. I can see making a sundae with this,  chocolate syrup and vegan whipped cream. If you're still going the vegan route, then try the ice cream made with just frozen bananas. This is a ridiculously simple recipe that just uses four or five of the fruit. The slices are frozen overnight and then whiled in a blender. The result is a creamy treat that can be jazzed up with chocolate sauce,and sprinkles.Another cook treat is an old fashioned egg cream.This is a blend of any kind of milk with chocolate syrup. Seltzer is added for fizz and froth. Serve this in a tall glass with a straw.It's just a refreshing treat on a hot day.

People still love cake during these blazing months and one of the best is the icebox cake. Everyone grew up on the Nabisco chocolate wafer one that has the wafers mortared together with either freshly whipped cream or Cool Whip. There are some variations on this with home chefs adding mint flavoring to the cream or sprinkling the log with shaved chocolate. Slices can be served with sliced strawberries for a fancier look. You could also create a strawberry one that has the berries layered with graham crackers and a mix of whipped cream, powdered sugar and cream cheese. Sub in chocolate graham crackers for a slightly more decadent treat. You could also layer the chocolate graham crackers with ganache and whipped cream. Sub in marshmallow for the cream and you have a s'mores cake (remember to lightly toast it with a small blow torch).Frozen pound cake makes another excellent base for this type of treat. It can be sliced lengthwise into layers and stuffed with summer fruit like blueberries,blackberries or peaches.Whipped cream is also added.

There's nothing like a sweet treat to perk you up during a heat wave. It could be homemade ice cream, an egg cream or an icebox cake. They're all perfect for a blistering summer day.

An Icebox Cake With Snap

Icebox cake is the de rigeur dessert of the summer. It 's the perfect end for a barbecue or even better  a warm weather birthday. It's a cool creamy treat, easy to assemble with already made ingredients. Now there's a new recipe with a snap to it.

Melissa Clark wrote about her creation - strawberry gingerbread icebox cake in her A Good Appetite column in yesterday's New York Times Food section. Usually America''s icebox cake consists of the ultra chocolate wafers mortared together with Cool Whip. Her version subs in Nabisco gingersnaps  "glued" together with a strawberry mascapone creme and topped with more strawberries, this time macerated with sugar, lime and ginger.Home chefs can use the chocolate wafers,also made by Nabisco. The taste is that of a chocolate covered strawberry - just omit the ginger and lime.Just remember, she warns, don't use any sandwich cookie like an Oreo. The middle stuffing will not soften and the cake will have hard, sugary pockets standing out in a sea of fluffiness. Another cookie that is good to use is the Nilla wafer. The effect is the same as the gingersnaps. Most of these cakes are held together by heavy whipped cream but marscapone. It's sturdier and mixes well with the strawberry puree. The final touch is  the macerated berries , with them being marinated them in white sugar, ginger and lime.The last adds a zing to a normally sweet treat.

One of the best aspects of making any icebox cake is that it doesn't require any skill. It's just layering  and building it up like bricks and mortar (not so with the Famous Chocolate Wafers. These have to be stood up to form a log)You could even increase the amount.Ms Clark has eight snaps per layer and the cake is four layers high. It could easily be expanded to serve a large crowd.Could graham crackers be used? Maybe not for this recipe but they can be a component for other icebox creations. Could home chefs change the fruit? Yes, but I'd use a tart fruit like blackberries simply because the cream is very sweet  thanks to the addition of a quarter of a cup of confectioner's sugar. Raspberries are another good choice thanks to their tartness.  What about mascapone? Many grocery stores only stock it occasionally. A good substitute is a homemade mix of  sour cream, cream cheese and heavy whipping cream.Blend together until smooth and use as the recipe directs.

A strawberry gingersnap ice box cake is a cool way to usher in the summer.It's different and fun full of spice and kick. Make this new hot weather classic to end a barbecue or celebrate a summer birthday.
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Easy Summer Desserts

The last thing any home chef wants to do during hot weather is bake. Yet there's something about homemade desserts that finishes a meal . what to do. Have a no bake treat.   . They easy to assemble  and even easier to eat.

The thought occurred when reading about Eton Mess, that quintessential English dessert the other day in David Tanis' A City Kitchen in the New York Times Food section on Wednesday. This is a fun and easy make, taking store bought meringues and breaking them  and then mixing then with freshly whipped cream and another mix or mess of  strawberries and rhubarb. The only effort is prepping the berries and stalks, marinating them in lemon juice , sugar and water to get rid of the rhubarb's bitter taste. They can be layered with the meringue , cream and fruit to make the Aussie favorite Pavlova, named for the great Russian prima ballerina Anna Pavlova. Eton Mess can be varied, Try blueberries or more more tartness blackberries. Take advantage of the season and add a cup or two of chopped peaches or even better - pitted and sliced cherries. Many home chefs have paired the last with chocolate chunks for an even decadent dessert. Use chocolate meringues too, if you can find them. If you can;t find meringues, make them yourself using egg white or aquafaba - bean water.

Trifles are also easy desserts that can be made in an elegant deep dish bowl or even in a dessert dish.it's kind of like an ordered Eton Mess with layers. Start with a bought angel food cake and then cut it into chunks, Layer with cream and then a layer of strawberries or blueberries. Repeat a second time and chill. A colorful one is a blend of different berries ,using raspberries and blackberries. A fun decadent one is a blackberry trifle with blackberry brandy soaked pound cake, layered with freshly whipped cream and crushed blackberries.The all time favorite, tirimisu, is really a trifle of sorts. An easy one involves layering coffee soaked  lady fingers with sweetened marscapone cheese and topped with a dusting of cocoa powder. Truly easy desserts are American at heart. Think of the chocolate logs, a marriage of chocolate wafers and Cool Whip (or fresh whipped cream if you want to put more effort into it. ) Vanilla wafers can be layered with canned pineapple chunks and cream for a tasty, tropical treat. Vanilla ice cream can be subbed in for the cream for an even cooler treat.

Desserts can still be made in the heat of summer. Just go the easy no-bake route and create tasty treats and decadent desserts. All without the fuss or muss of a hot oven or kitchen.

Honoring Our Vets With A Good Meal

Today is Veteran's Day , the only day pf the year when we truly honor our vets. Why take only one day? There are ways to honor them all year long, whether ith a gathering or raising money for them.

This particular day should  be a special day for any vet in your life.Nothing beats a good meal with good conversation. Many restaurants are offering freebies and discounts for our brave men and women. They will need some proof of military service such as a military  ID or VA card but it could also be  a current leave and earnings statement or LES, other IDs that work are a driver;s license with veteran's designation.There's also a new federal veterans ID card  too that's accepted at many eateries. Applebee's is always good with giving discounts and makes vets and  their families welcome. Bonefish Grill is giving our brave and courageous a free plate of their famed Bang Bang Shrimp while Boston Market has free cookies. City Barbecue is offering a free sandwich.  Krispy Kreme is
letting vets try  their luscious doughnuts and coffee while Olive Garden is graciously allowing
 our vets pick out a free entry of their choice. Military families will get a big kick of getting a blooming onion at no cost at their many Outback Steakhouses or a Castle Combo at White Castle. Urge the smaller restaurants in your neighborhoods to do the same, not only on Veteran's Day but all year round.

As for the military people in your orbit, honor them with a home cooked meal or even a  basket of home baked treats.Find out their favorite foods and treat them to it. After all there's nothing like a scratch meat loaf covered in gravy with a side of mashed potatoes or a roast chicken or turkey with all the trimmings.They'll enjoy fresh from the oven chocolate chip cookies or an apple pie. Don't  just make them for this day but all year long.We never really think of our veterans in the Spring and summer yet we should. Think of throwing  barbecues fo them  at your local VFW for those ho have served in wars from the second World War to our current conflicts.  Have stores donate everything from hot dogs and hamburgers to ice cream and soda. Another idea is an old-fashioned potluck picnic where everyone brings everything from macaroni and cold slaw to icebox  cakes and watermelon. Kids can also help the military during the summer months by having lemonade stands and donating the proceeds to local families for a dinner out or a day at their local  amusement or water park. They can also help out with delivering meals to elderly housebound vets as well.

We should celebrate our  veterans all year long,Yes, today is special but so are the other days in the year. Treat them and their families to good food and good conversation every day not just today.