Mint Oreo Rice Krispy Treats

It was obviously a low-key Easter weekend in these parts.  Saturday, I went to the gym and ran some errands.  Sunday, I went for a walk with a friend and did some things around the house to prepare for another week (food prep, etc).  Scott, on the other hand, had a weekend.  He had just finished over three weeks of work without a day off, so with his 3-day weekend, he tromped around Vienna and Budapest...and when he called me, I got to share that I was at the commissary.  Life is hard. And I swear I'm not bitter...(well, we know that's a lie).  I'm reading a book about WWII right now.  That's as close as I've gotten to Austria.

Recipe challenge, week fourteen.

This isn't the grandest or most inventive of recipes.  In fact, some would argue that it's not a recipe and is terribly boring and I'm not a creator of anything.

But that's okay.   Because I believe that Mint Oreos are quite close to heaven on Earth.  Like, I don't know what they put in these things, but I won't let myself buy them unless I have a special purpose in mind.  Mint Oreo Ice Cream Cake, for example.  In this case, I just combined Rice Krispy treats, one of my favorite desserts, with mint and Oreos.  If you would like an amped up version of a classic treat, try this.  They are especially tasty the day after you make them because the flavors have had time to mesh.  And I don't know that there is anything better than a pot of melted marshmallow, broken up Mint Oreos, and rice krispies.  Makes for a fantastic Friday night.

Mint Oreo Rice Krispy Treats

makes an 8x8 pan

1 10 oz. bag marshmallows

4 T. butter

1 t. vanilla

1 t. peppermint extract

12 (or so) Mint Oreos, crushed

6 cups Rice Krispies cereal (save money, buy generic)

In a large pot, melt the butter.  Add the marshmallows and stir.  When they are melted into the butter, add the extracts and then begin folding in the cereal one cup at a time.  Lastly, fold in the Oreos.  

Press into an 8x8 pan.  You can use a bigger pan; they'll just be thinner.  Cover tightly to store.

Hey, look.  I made Rice Krispy treats last Easter too...

I am SO glad I wasn't able to find those M&Ms this year.  Holy cow did I eat a lot of those things last year.  I kept them in my desk at school and everything.  Memories...

Peppermint Ice Cream Cake

I have a history with ice cream cakes.  I love them.  I love ice cream.  Regular cake: I could take or leave.  Pie: I'll more often than not just leave.  Cookies are good and all.  Fudge is great.  But ice cream is best.

I've had this ice cream cake idea in my head for over 2 years.  I try to just make ice cream cakes for occasions.  Not for a regular old Tuesday.  Because we will eat the whole thing all at once and that will be it. So, every time an opportunity appears, I ask Scott what kind of ice cream cake he wants.  I give options.  Red velvet or peppermint? Vanilla or peppermint? Birthday cake or peppermint? And he never, ever picks peppermint because…well, I guess he doesn't like peppermint? I don't know.  But for Christmas tomorrow, I decided I'd had enough.  We would have Peppermint Oreo Ice Cream Cake and that would be that.  I have a feeling he'll enjoy it.

This cake can be put together many different ways.  You could layer cookies and hot fudge between the ice cream and Cool Whip, instead of just putting them on the bottom and top.  You could throw some peppermint brownie chunks in there.  Or peppermint fudge.  Or you could top it with crushed candy canes (I don't like candy canes, oddly enough).  Also,  you could switch up the ice cream..stores always have a freezer case full of peppermint and candy cane ice cream this time of year.  I just don't happen to like pepperminty pink ice cream.  However, if you do, go for it.  The sky is kind of the limit with this recipe.  Let me know if you try it and tell me what you did!

Another selling point:  You can make one of these and store it in the freezer (covered well) forever.  Though, it probably won't last very long if you remember that it's there.

Peppermint Oreo Ice Cream Cake
makes a 9x13 pan (I used a 9x6 pan this time and it was just a little thicker)

1 container (1.5 quarts) vanilla or peppermint ice cream, softened (I used vanilla and stirred in a teaspoon of peppermint extract)
1 container Cool Whip, softened
1 package of Candy Cane Oreos, crushed (or those candy cane JoJos I saw at Trader Joe's the other day)
2 T. butter, melted
Peppermint hot fudge (see yesterday's recipe)
Crushed candy canes or peppermint candies, optional

Stir the crushed Oreos with the 2 T. of butter and press into the bottom of the pan.  You may want to reserve some for sprinkling or layering.  Drizzle with a few tablespoons of the hot fudge. Freeze the "crust" in the pan for about 20 minutes so it sets.

Spread your softened ice cream onto the Oreo crust.  Drizzle with a few more tablespoons of hot fudge.  Put the pan back in the freezer for 20-30 minutes.

Spread your softened Cool Whip onto the ice cream layer.  Drizzle with a few final tablespoons of hot fudge and sprinkle crushed Oreos or crushed peppermint candy on the top.  Freeze for at least another hour, covered.

Remove from the freezer at least 15 minutes before serving so it has time to soften just bit.

Candy Cane Cookie Fudge

I don't like candy canes.  Not even a little bit.  I think they are a waste of sugar and peppermint extract.

In fact, I love the quote from Elf…

..but since I don't like candy canes, I can't say that quote describes me all that well.

I do like Candy Cane Oreos, and last year I made Candy Cane Oreo Ice Cream.  

It's not so much that I want to eat the Oreos plain (there's Oreos at Wal-mart for that..and these are only sold at Target it seems), it's that I want to create things with them.  This time, I added them into my peppermint fudge, instead of soft buttermint-style peppermints.

Is it incredibly over-the-top inventive?  Eh.  Probably not.  Will it be a tasty and welcome addiction addition* to your cookie tray?  Probably so.

Candy Cane Cookie Fudge
makes an 8x8 pan

1 1/4 cups sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 t. vanilla
2 T. butter
1/4 t. peppermint extract
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups mini marshmallows OR 1 1/2 cups marshmallow fluff (I used the fluff.)
10-12 Candy Cane Oreos, crushed

In a large saucepan, heat together the sugar, milk, and butter.  Let it come to a rolling boil and let that go, stirring constantly, for 4 minutes.  Take off of the heat and add in the vanilla, peppermint extract, chocolate chips, and marshmallow.  Stir very well to combine.

Spread into a greased 8x8 pan.  Press the cookie pieces into the fudge.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until set.

*I accidentally typed "addiction" the first time and left it because, hey, it fits.

Birthday Cake Ice Cream Cake

We're car shopping.  We had it in our head that we wanted a GMC Terrain.  However, I have it in my head that I need 4-wheel drive.  Or all-wheel-drive.  Or something because the idea of not being prepared for winter slightly terrifies me.

Let's be honest: what I really want are studded tires.  I'm pretty sure they're a little bit illegal in the lower 48.  I'm having trouble adjusting to the idea that I won't have them this year.  My car + studded tires = unbeatable winter driving combination.

We are adamant on not spending more than we spent on our truck.  So AWD Terrains are out.  Since we do like my Hyundai (the brand is doing well, according to Scott-the-mechanic, but my car is losing steam fast), but the Hyundai Santa Fe that we want is crazy expensive.

We think we've settled on the idea of a Toyota Rav 4 with AWD.  He tried to talk me into a Subaru.  I vetoed that one pretty quickly.  Buying new cars gives me a horribly sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.  Truth be told, I'm probably putting it off because I'm not ready to part with my "Alaska" car.  Like my phone, that car and I have been through a lot together.  We'll see how this plays out…

Anyway, I very well could end up putting this off until January, and Scott could call it a birthday present (though it is a necessary purchase…my car has an awful lot of miles on it and it was our primary vehicle for the last 4 years).

I also have plans for an ice cream cake for my birthday.  This is the one I made for Scott's birthday last week.

I had a grand plan to make a vanilla ice cream cake with Golden Oreos.  I also thought of doing a peppermint one.  I asked Scott what he would prefer for his birthday.  He said "vanilla" without even hesitating.  When I brought up the idea of Golden Oreos, he said they were gross. Now, I wouldn't call them gross…I mean, I'd choose another flavor over them but, still, not gross.  He wanted regular Oreos.  (Actually, he wanted PB ones, but that wasn't going to work with the theme…).  I settled on Birthday Cake Oreos.

Birthday Cake Ice Cream Cake

makes  a 9x13 pan

1/2 gallon (1.5 quarts) vanilla ice cream, softened

1 container of Cool Whip, softened

Approximately 6 frosted vanilla cupcakes, frozen and diced (I used this recipe for cake and store-bought frosting)

1 package of Birthday Cake Oreos, crushed

2 T. melted butter

Sprinkles

Crush the Oreos using a Ziploc bag and a heavy pot or rolling pin.  Mix them with the melted butter and press into the bottom of an 13x9 pan.  Freeze for 20 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the softened ice cream and cupcake chunks.

Pour the softened ice cream mixture into the pan.  Freeze for another 20-30 minutes.

Spread the softened Cool Whip over the ice cream and top it off with sprinkles.  Freeze until ready to eat.  Take it out of the freezer about 15 minutes before serving so it will be easy to cut.

Mint Oreo Truffles

Another pre-scheduled dessert post...this is a good one.


Guess who made a dessert in September and has decided to blog about it now in May?

ME!

I made these when my mom and dad were visiting last September and they helped me eat them all.  I just found the pictures on my computer and figured better late than never.  (It's never too late for Oreos.)

While my parents were here, they did a lot of sight-seeing on their own while I was at work.  I did drive us out to the Matanuska Glacier one day though.

That is as far as I'd let them get to the glacier.  Apparently, you can go walk on it.  *SHUDDER*.  Nothankyou.  I will never get close enough to a glacier to fall in.  It's a personal rule.

Let's not talk about glaciers anymore. Oreos are much more interesting.

I must say that despite my deep-seeded love for chocolate/peanut butter, mint Oreos are my favorite kind of Oreos.  I imagine, however, that you could create these with any kind of Oreo.  Oh, the possibilities.

Mint Oreo Truffles

1 box cake mix (I used Pillsbury Triple Chocolate Fudge.)
1 cup water
1/3 cup oil (I used half applesauce/half oil.)
3 eggs
1 can buttercream frosting (I used buttercream to keep it from being too chocolate-heavy.)
1 package Mint Oreos, crushed, and divided 
1 package almond bark (I had the green that I bought on clearance way back when, but vanilla or chocolate would work.)

Bake the cake according to package directions.  The ingredients above are what I added.  The ingredient amount may depend on the brand of cake mix.

Let the cake cool, then crumble it up.  Stir in the can of frosting and half the crushed Oreos until you have a thick dough.

Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Melt the candy melts in the microwave.  It will take about 2 minutes total.  I used 45 second intervals.

Dip the frozen truffles into the candy coating and then place on wax paper to set.  Decorate with the other half of the crushed Oreos.  You have to be quick, dipping just a few at a time, because candy coating hardens really fast.  I like to store these in the freezer because I think they taste best that way.

Oreo and PB Sundae (Plus Suri's Burn Book news...)

First.  The important news.  

The genius behind Suri's Burn Book has another blog.  She's real!  (I totally didn't think 6-year-old Suri Cruise had a blog...totally not at all.)

And THAT, friends, was the highlight of my week.
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I hope you guys like me for me.  And not for my recipes.  Because this isn't even a recipe.  It's a process.  As in, every night, when looking for ice cream sundae inspiration, I take stock of the ingredients in my pantry.  (Yeah.  Every night.  You read that correctly.)

Moving on...

I've been dipping my Oreos in peanut butter since the 1998 version of The Parent Trap came out.  (You know, when Lindsay Lohan was still a human being?).  If you don't "get" this reference, it has to do with the Lindsay Lohan character eating Oreos dipped in PB.  I put a scoop of PB in a bowl, pour a glass of milk, and eat at least half a row of Oreos.  Don't fear for my health.  It's skim milk.

I started melting peanut butter into my ice cream a few weeks ago and crumbling a frozen Reeses' egg on top.  On this particular night, I pulled out the O-reos and used those instead the Reeses' egg.  (I did not use both toppings.  Though that's an idea...)

It filled the void in my Monday night.  May it do the same for you!

Oreo and Peanut Butter Sundae

3 scoops ice cream
3 T. peanut butter
4-5 crumbled Oreos (I actually used the mini ones here.)
Chocolate syrup/hot fudge/whipped cream, all optional

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the peanut butter.  Top with the ice cream and Oreos.  Swirl it around a bit, add your toppings, and eat while watching The Office re-runs*.

*Or whatever it is you watch on a Monday night

Thin Mint Oreo Ice Cream Cake

I've. got. to. lay. off. the. Oreos.

I made the mistake of telling my husband about the Birthday Oreos.  He was jealous when I bragged about eating a package of them in a week.  (Note:  not really proud of that)  Then, he changed his tone when I said, "I can send you some."  He said, "Send two."

So I was that person.  In Wal-Mart, buying three packages of Birthday Oreos.  (Duh.  One for me too.)  And I just happened to be out of milk...soooo...I'm sure, to that cashier, I looked like I was going home to have a giant Oreo party.  I also bought some tofu.  Sometimes I wonder if the cashiers judge me on my purchases...

 
Anyway.  Later that same day, I remembered that St. Patrick's Day was coming up.  Back for more Oreos I went.  I've been looking for an excuse to make this cake.  So, please.  Forgive me.  Even I can't justify two ice cream cakes being posted in the same week.  Just take it for what it's worth.  It's not my fault the Oreo has so many uses.

Thin Mint Oreo Ice Cream Cake
makes a 9 inch pie pan (double for a 9x13 pan)

20 Mint Oreos, crushed
2 T. butter, melted
4 cups mint ice cream (mint cookie, mint chocolate chip, whatever you prefer), softened
1 cup Cool Whip + the rest of the container, softened
10 Thin Mints, crushed OR 10 more Mint Oreos, crushed

In a bowl, stir together the crushed Oreos and melted butter.  Press into the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan to form a crust.  Freeze for an hour.

In a large bowl, stir together the mint ice cream and the 1 cup of Cool Whip.  Pour into the pie pan over the now-frozen crust.  Freeze for about 20 minutes.

Sprinkle the top of the ice cream with the crushed Thin Mints (or extra Oreos).  Kind of press them into the top.  Spread with the rest of the Cool Whip.  Freeze for at least 2 more hours before serving.

Happy Green Beer Day!
(Coincidentally, my students asked me about the origins of St. Patrick's Day.  I told them it was/is a Catholic holiday, but now people use it as an excuse to dye food and beverages green and have a party.  I may have thrown the word "beer" in there.  Then I showed them a video about St. Patrick and ended up explaining the difference between Christianity and Catholicism. They ask so many questions!  Parents, you're welcome.)

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