I scream you scream

I don't have grand plans to throw a party anytime soon, but if anyone is looking to get me a hostess gift anyway, I can't stop thinking about these ice cream ball makers.

You just fill them up with your ingredients and throw them around like a stinkin fun game, and 20 minutes later - voila! Ice cream!

For other fun hostess gift ideas, check out my post on Freshly Rooted today.

Sundae Sunday

Yesterday was the ice cream sundae's 119 birthday, and since it fell on a Sunday, I felt it was wrong not to celebrate. Jim and I made some of our own after dinner and it was the perfect way to start off this beautiful week.

I love having Sunday Fundays.

PS: I didn't actually fulfill any of Matchbook's weekend ideas, but I thought making a sundae could work instead of making lemonade. Whadyasay?

via

It's Friday, Friday

And my weekend goal is to find the Yum Yum Cupcake Truck in Atlanta. Although I imagine I'll still prefer it's classic, older sister, the ice cream truck, I'm on a mission to find this hot pink commodity.

I'll report back Monday, hopefully with full details and a list of flavors.

i could go for some chocolate milk...

With a fun straw.

And maybe ice cream.

And really anything from this happy site.

ice cream a go go

When it comes to sweets, I have a well-developed hierarchy: ice cream reigns, sprinkles are the queen and frosting is the prince (very manly).

Then come your less valuable, but still tasty, friends like Candy (the princess) and strawberry shortcake, who serves as the king’s right hand man, but is only called upon at certain times.

Somewhere, far down the line, possibly at jester status, comes cookie cake. While I’ll eat, it’s primarily to get to the frosting, and it holds no trump value.

However, on Valentine’s Day, I made an iron skillet cookie cake that rocked my monarchy. It’s unbelievably thick, with crispy edges and a chewy center. I topped it with vanilla ice cream (the king of kings) and – oh wow. Let’s just say, I’m considering some promotions.

i scream

Last night, I just couldn't quite shake my extra playful feelings.  And after being cooped up all day, I was itching for an activity.

Due to my constantly-growing desire for warm weather, I decided to make ice cream sandwiches.

Although my supplies were dwindling (aka not enough butter for the cookies) I managed to make peanut butter cookies, with chocolate and peanut butter chips.  Then I put chocolate ice cream in between them.  Needless to say, they were insanely rich, but Jim and I managed to choke down one. Or two.

What they had in flavor, they lacked in beauty, but that didn't stop us. However, it did stop me from posting photos, so instead I'll leave you with my inspiration...

Cool Haus ice cream sandwiches via LA mag. Dear Cool Haus, if you're reading, please come to Atlanta!

Won't you join me?

In celebrating the start of a beautiful month of October. It's seventy one degrees, the sun is shining, and it's Friday!

I'm headed to Atlanta tomorrow and planning on attending my very first Oktoberfest.  I almost can't think of a better way to kick-start the month.

And while I am, of course, looking forward to the festivities and planning to accomplish a number of my fall goals, this summer-like weather has me craving ice cream.  All day I've been lusting after these Coolhaus ice cream sandwiches.

And, as if the world of ice cream couldn't be more perfect, I just learned today that Ben & Jerry's is currently working to develop anti-aging ice cream.  

Isn't it a wonderful Friday?!

Photos via Wiley Valentine

Peanut butter pepper berry bar

"Sally: I'd like the chef salad, please, with the oil and vinegar on the side. And the apple pie a la mode. But I'd like the pie heated, and I don't want the ice cream on top, I want it on the side. And I'd like strawberry instead of vanilla if you have it. If not, then no ice cream, just whipped cream, but only if it's real. If it's out of a can, then nothing.
Waitress: Not even the pie?
Sally: No, then the pie, but not heated." When Harry Met Sally

My family always jokes that I'm the world's longest food orderer. I can never just order an item off the menu. I always have to remove this, add that, and swap something else.

I like to think it's because I know what I want in life, and I'm not afraid to ask. However, others might just call it pickiness.

Either way, I've recently found two Web sites that cater to people like me. The first is Chocomize, a site where you can design your own candy bars.

You choose from a base of dark, milk or white chocolate. Then you can pick from 100 ingredients - ranging from peanut butter chips to potato chips to chipotle peppers (no joke). They have almost everything you can think of.
The second site is My Mixed Nuts. It's the same concept as the candy bars, except with trail mix instead. If you're like me (picky and habitual) it's likely that your candy bar and trail mix might end up looking surprisingly similar...

Both of these sites make me think my idea for a create your own ice cream flavor site might be taken if I don't act quickly.

Coincidentally, the two ice cream flavors I've been dying to create are Ants on a Log and Trail Mix. Maybe I could join forces with My Mixed Nuts?

Tie dye and ice cream

I was a horrific softball player when I was little. Between tee ball and softball, I think I gave it three or four good years. Also between the two, I think I hit zero balls. It is not my forte.

This week when I was babysitting, I had the pleasure of going to a first grade softball game.

After a few minutes it became very apparent that almost nothing has changed. The girls still bop around in the outfield, more focused on the cheers (which are the same ones we chanted) than the game, while the father coaches still take it pretty seriously. Everyone still gets a chance to bat and within a few minutes it is clear who will excel (AKA they hit it) and who will most likely follow in my footsteps and choose sports like running and swimming.

However, what has certainly changed are the uniforms. The teams all have different colors of tie dyed shirts with a peace sign, a heart, and a baseball on the front. They also having matching neon socks, which are covered in peace signs. Is the Lions Club producing little hippies? Or are they just in on the tie dye trend this season? And are kids getting cooler at a younger age?
After the game, I continued my time warp when I took Allie and Emma to Dairy Queen. Again, after neglecting DQ for quite a few years, I was shocked at how little has changed: the same red tile, the same visors, the same ability to mess up my order (vanilla with sprinkles...). I also quickly realized that no matter how old I get, nothing says summer bliss like ice cream. And that makes me very happy.