Sweet Treats to Beat the Heat

Today is National Ice Cream Sandwich Day!!  Did you even know such a thing existed?  In honor of this auspicious occasion, here are some recipes to delight your family and beat the heat in the process.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Wafter Ice Cream Sandwiches (from allrecipes.com)

1 9oz box chocolate wafer cookies

1 quart ice cream, softened

1 12oz package mini chocolate chips**

On a cookie sheet, place 15 chocolate wafers flat side up.  Working quickly, top each wafer with a small scoop of ice cream.  Top each sandwich with another wafer, flat side down.  Gently push the top wafers down until the ice cream comes to the edge of the wafer cookies.  Freeze for one hour, or until firm.  Roll each ice cream sandwich in mini chocolate chips so that all the exposed ice cream is covered.  Cover and freeze until ready to serve.

**I bet you could use sprinkles or mini MandMs, too!

Snickerdoodle Ice Cream Sandwiches (from bhg.com)

1 roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough

1 tbsp sugar

1tsp ground cinnamon

1 1.75-qt container vanilla ice cream

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut, toasted

2 cups cornflakes, coarsely crushed

Slice cookie dough into 1/4 inch thick slices and arrange on cookie sheet.  Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and generously sprinkle over dough slices.  Bake at 350 degrees for 9 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet and then remove and cool completely on wire racks.

Let ice cream soften slightly and then stir in coconut (optional).  Scoop ice cream mixture onto flat sides of half the cookies.  Top with the remaining cookies and press together gently.  Place cornflakes in shallow dish and roll edges of sandwiches in cornflakes to coat ice cream.  Wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap and freeze 2 hours or until firm.

Makes 14 sandwiches.

Easy Chocolate-Mint Ice Cream Sandwiches (from myrecipes.com)

2 pints vanilla ice cream, softened

15 mint-and-cream filled chocolate sandwich cookies*, chopped

1 8.5oz package large chewy chocolate cookies

Stir together softened ice cream and sandwich cookie pieces.  Freeze 30 minutes.  Spread ice cream evenly on 1 side of 5 large chewy cookies; top with remaining large chewy cookies. Place in plastic or wax paper sandwich bags and freeze at least 1 hour.

Makes 5 servings.

*Try Oreo Double Delight Mint 'n Creme cookies

photo by Tina Cornett

Blueberry "Delish"

Hello, friends! I'm still catching up after being in Texas visiting family and friends.  We had a great time and I'll share a few things from our trip soon, but in the meantime I'm reposting this blueberry salsa recipe from last summer, so I hope you don't mind.  Try it out and leave me a comment letting me know what you think.  It's a favorite of ours and the blueberries look awesome right now!

If you are an avid Southern Living reader, you have probably seen this Blueberry Salsa recipe before (it's been around a long time!), but I decided to share it today, as it's a tried and true favorite in my household and at my parties.  Plus, with blueberries at the height of their season, this is an economical crowd pleaser to whip up for your next gathering. Try it with chips or as a garnish for fresh fish off the grill.  Your guests will envy your gourmet taste and prowess!

Enjoy this sweet summertime taste!

Blueberry Salsa

2 cups fresh blueberries, coarsely chopped

1 cup whole fresh blueberries

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

2 jalepeno peppers, seeded and minced

1/3 cup diced red bell pepper

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Toss together all ingredients in a large bowl.  Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 8 hours.**

**I prefer this chilled, when all the flavors have had time to mingle!

Recipe from Southern Living, July 2010 (most recently).  Click here to view other fabulous blueberry recipes!

Photo by Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Beautiful Hamptons Tablescape

These gorgeous images came to me via One Kings Lane's Facebook page, but I had to share!  A beautiful tablescape sets the tone for your party and makes your guests feel special.  These tables were for a luncheon hosted by One Kings Lane at the 2010 Hamptons Designer Showhouse.  Created by Geoffrey Ross (of Dransfield and Ross) and Hillary Thomas (Hillary Thomas Designs) these gems are the perfect illustration of attention to detail and inspired accessories.  Don't you just want to pull up a chair? 

Love the layered place settings with the fans! "Classic Hamptons Meets Malibu Chic" is the theme.

A centerpiece with coral accents? Who'd have thought!! Genius by Jennifer Houser.

The blue stemware is an inspired contrast.

The big picture...8 seats at square tables are perfect for more intimate and inclusive conversations.

My favorite touch: One Kings Lane striped totes as party favors!

If you haven't already visited One Kings Lane for designer decor at bargain prices, click here to be enlightened!

Hydrangea Heaven

This summer is the first in several years that my hydrangeas actually bloomed.  I suppose years of the South's drought kept them in hiding, even though I managed to keep the foliage alive.  But the right amount of water and dappled sunlight revived them-- blooms and all-- late this spring.  I had almost forgotten how much I adore their delicate colorful showpieces!  I clipped several along the way to brighten my kitchen island or powder room sink.  I sadly clipped the last seasonal bloom last week.  Our heat wave has taken it's toll and no matter how hard my soaker hoses are working, even their leaves are wilted by the day's end.  I'm wishing I had photographed them while they were blooming, but I naively thought it would go on and on.  So for my homage to hydrangeas post today, Southern Living comes through with these beautiful images.  Click here to see more images and instructions on how to root and share your treasures.

What's your favorite summertime flower?

Nikko blue...I love the sculpture nestled among the blooms.

Tokyo Delight... the contrasting petal shapes, sizes, and colors, all in one bloom fascinate me!

Photos by Joseph De Sciose

Fresh Looks for Fall Coming from Willow House

Ok, again, a shameless plug for my home-based business, formerly Southern Living at HOME, but I was taught to share and to keep this to myself would be selfish. :D

My new Willow House catalogs arrived a few days ago and I am thrilled to say they are AWESOME.  Lots of old favorites but some fresh new looks, too-- a great mix of the two, I think.  Couple of things I'm happy about:  lower price points on many of our old favorites, lower shipping rates, and some really clean looks.  I'm especially excited about some of the new holiday products and it's something to be excited about the holidays when we're in the middle of summer!

My company website will be changing on August 4th and once it goes live you can view the entire new catalog there.  In the meantime, here's a sneak peek at the cover.  Have a beautiful weekend!

Happiness Is... my Elle Decor newsletter in my inbox

Elle Decor has one of the best e-newsletters around... and lord knows, I get plenty in my inbox.  They just seem to pick the most lucious, enticing photographs and stories highlighting chic decor around the world, design and redesign tips, favorite new decorative accessories, even home and garden ideas.  For the creative spirit, it is pure happiness to open it up each week.

This week's bliss? Dennis Basso's Hamptons escape.  Can't you just see yourself entertaining in this fabulous outdoor living space?  I would not only entertain endlessly, but waste away many hours poolside as well.  How about you?

Photographs by Eric Piasecki

C'est Magnifique!!

There is something about vintage French posters that just speaks to me.  Maybe because they're one of the earliest forms of advertisement, but one in which the artists could showcase their individual talents.  These artworks are usually highly sought-after at art auctions, but you can get your hands on a budget-friendly reproduction at One Kings Lane.  I'm picturing one in a child's room or in your creative work-space...or on the walls in my friend's Upper East Side apartment. :)