SUMMER'S LAST BLAST - August 29, 2012

 August 28, 2012 - Summer's Last Blast

Greetings to all the great family and friends of Rosalie Serving Cookbooks.  Can anyone out there tell me where this year has gone?  Here we are at the end of August with our kids back in school, moms running around the malls in liberation, and Christmas displays going up at the department stores.  I'm still back in March celebrating the start of Spring.

 

Nevertheless,  as the great orator stated…"Time Waits for no Man."   With the Labor Day celebrations right around the corner, many will be celebrate this last barbecue holiday the same old way, with pork steaks and potato salad.   Now, I don't know about you, but how many pork steaks can one eat before getting a little bit bored?  And after grilling everything from corn on the cob to Twinkie's, what else can one think of to shock the grill?  From Memorial Day to now, every holiday including Graduation and Father's Day, have more than likely been surrounded by traditional barbeque.

 

How about using my Rosalie Serving Italian Cookbook, and cook up a big pot of Rosalie's Red Sauce loaded with juicy meatballs and serve it over penne.  To be a little different on the grill, how about my father's Grilled Modiga Strip Steaks served with Peppermint Sauce.     For the chicken lovers,  try my Italian Pan-Fried Chicken Culets ( this recipe is the Breaded Italian Chicken Rolls...just fry up the breaded cutlets before stuffing and rolling them.)

 

For the salads, try my Sicilian Green Bean Salad with Italian Vinaigrette.   This salad is perfect for this time of year with having an abundance of fresh green beans and fresh tomatoes.   And finally,  let me give you one of the greatest deserts to really end with a blast... Rosalie's Rocky Road Ice Cream Cake.  This recipe is right out of my upcoming new cookbook, Rosalie Serving Holidays, and I must say that it is over the top. Everyone will ooh and aah the minute you bring it out of the freezer.  This ice cream cake is big and round,  layered with Oreo cookie crumbs and chocolate sauce.  It is topped with candied pecans and drizzled with more chocolate sauce.  What a blast!

 

So have fun with your family and friends and end your summer with a blast of good food!  See you at one of my cooking classes, whether at Dierbergs School of Cooking, or maybe at Rendezvous Café, located in O'Fallon, MO.   Just look on my newsletter for the upcoming dates.  Also call me for a private cooking class party at your home, it will truly be a blast!

 

God Bless,

Rosalie

 

ROCKY ROAD ICE CREAM CAKE - August 29,2012

Rocky Road Ice Cream Cake

TIME:   20 MINUTES prep-6 hours freezing time

 

NOTE:  Everyone loves ice cream cake, and this is the over-the-top recipe.  You will absolutely love this!

 

1 ( 9-inch) spring form pan

 

3 1/4 cups chocolate cream-filled cookies, crushed and divided

1/3 cup butter, melted

 

1 (16-ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup evaporated milk

 

1 1/2 cartons (1.5 quart carton) rocky road ice cream

1 carton (1.75 quart carton) vanilla ice cream

 

1 cup chopped pecans

1 tablespoon sugar

 

Caramel or chocolate sauce

 

 

1. Place cartons of ice cream on counter to melt slightly.  Place cookies a few at a time in a blender and crush until cookie crumbs measure to 2 1/4 cups.  Place the crumbs in a large bowl and stir in melted butter.  Place the crumbs on bottom of spring form pan and press crumbs over bottom and up the sides of pan, about 1-inch.   

 

2. Make the chocolate sauce by placing chocolate chips in a small saucepan.  Add the milk, and over low heat, melt the chips into the milk slowly.  Stir constantly until the sauce thickens and appears dark and shiny.   Place 1 cup chocolate sauce over the cookie crumbs and carefully spread over bottom.  Place pan in freezer for 10 minutes.

  

3. Remove pan from freezer.  Spoon out the rocky road ice cream in chunks and place over the frozen cookie crust; press down tightly with a spoon.  The ice cream should be mostly solid.

 

4. Next, add the remainder 1 cup cookie crumbs over the rocky road ice cream and top with the remainder  1 cup chocolate sauce.

 

5. Next, add as much of the vanilla ice ream as your spring form pan will take.  If you have a deep pan, you will be able to use the full carton of vanilla.

 

6. Lastly, toast pecans in a dry skillet with sugar for about  2 to 3 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Remove from pan and spread over the vanilla ice cream layer.   Top with caramel or chocolate sauce to garnish. Place the ice cream cake in freezer for about 10 hours, or over night.  If planning to leave in freezer longer, cover top with clear wrap to avoid freezer burn.

 

7. When ready to serve cake, run warm butter knife around sides of cake to loosen.  Place warm towel over latch on side of pan to loosen;  unlock latch and remove outer pan.  Next, run knife under cake to loosen and remove bottom of pan.   Place cake onto large round platter and serve immediately.   Makes 16 slices