by Natasa Shepherd

Created on: July 25, 2009   Last Updated: December 12, 2010

Summer crowds are more about tasty convenient to eat treats than anything. Armed with ice cream as a base to your desserts you can easily tackle any size crowd without breaking a sweat...or your budget. Go to your local grocery store and get a gallon tub of plain vanilla ice cream. It doesn't have to be a big brand name like Ben & Jerry's, your store brand will do just fine. This will cost you around four bucks versus about five bucks for a pint of brand ice cream, not bad huh? So if you need a couple of ideas on how to make crowd pleasing desserts read on.

How to make homemade ice cream sandwiches:

- First you will need some cookies, it is best to make them yourself either from scratch or by buying the dough at the store, however if you are really that pressed for time and don't mind spending more money buy some already made cookies. As far as the flavor goes it is up to you whether its chocolate chip, Macadamia nut, sugar cookies, etc.

- If you are baking your cookies you will need two for each sandwich you plan to make. Once baked let them cool completely.

- Take the ice cream out of the freezer for a few minutes, you want it to defrost and be workable but solid enough not to run. While you wait for the ice cream get a plastic tray (or some other container that can go into the freezer) for your sandwiches ready.

- Now you will spoon or scoop ice cream onto one cookie (have the bottom up), and then cover it with another. Do so for each sandwich.

- When your ice cream sandwiches are done throw them into the freezer for a couple of minutes and they will be ready to eat!

You can make these ice cream sandwiches as plain or as fancy as you want, from mixing the cookie types to adding bits and flavors to your ice cream, to decorating. The sky is the limit.

How to make an ice cream fruit salad:

- You will need a few different fruits. I make this with bananas, strawberries, mango and sometimes kiwi. You can substitute any of those (or all) for your favorite fruits.

- In a bowl slice up half a banana, a few strawberries and chop a mango into bite size pieces. Stir a little so its all mixed up, just careful you don't want it all mushed up.

- Take a scoop of vanilla ice cream and place it on top of the fruit. You can add some Nesquik, or other flavoring to your ice cream.

- Drizzle with chocolate syrup.

The reason this dessert is so great, other than being super quick and yummy, is it is healthy and a good way to get more real fruits into your child's diet. It is also very presentable and easy to decorate for more adult, sophisticated crowds.

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