Anise-scented Ice Cream w/ Candied Fennel Seeds

What’s Galentine’s Day? Oh, it’s only the best day of the year. Every February 13th, Leslie Knope and her lady friends leave their husbands and their boyfriends at home and just kick it breakfast style. Ladies celebrating ladies. It’s like Lilith Fair, minus the angst. Plus, frittatas!

Today, some of my food blogging lady friends and I have done just that. We've left our husbands and boyfriends at home, and we're kickin' it around the table, sharing stories of other awesome ladies who have inspired or influenced us in some way over the years. I don't think any of us will go as far as Leslie's 5000 word essay today, but...

Today, I'm remembering my grandma (my dad's mom). I never got the chance to know her as an adult, since she passed away when I was a freshman in high school. Fortunately, I have lots of good memories of her through the years. Red-headed, fiesty (that combination of Irish and Native American blood running through her veins made sure that was a trait), independent, and opinionated as all get out.

"Oh Fuuuuudge" Pops + 8 other dishes inspired by A Christmas Story | #FoodnFlix

I know Christmas is over, but I'm guessing I'm not the only one with a tree still twinkling in the corner. And since I had a hard time getting in the spirit this year, it's only been up for about a week now. We'll probably take it down on New Year's eve. In the same spirit, I'm bringing you a bit of an afterthought (though not really, because it was planned) today—what's four days in the grand scheme?

Now, I say it was planned. It's true. You may remember me mentioning earlier this month that I was hosting the current round of Food 'n Flix with my pick, A Christmas Story. I didn't actually make the entries due until yesterday, so I knew I'd be posting food with a bit of holiday inspiration behind it after the fact. And can I just say, I had so much fun coming up with something inspired by the movie!

I actually had a hard time narrowing it down. This is one of those movies that I watch at least once (usually more) every December; the whole family does. And I've been doing it for 30 years. I'll go ahead and call it a tradition. Though it's not a typical "foodie" flick, there is plenty of inspiration throughout. From the most basic inspiration, the holiday itself, to actual movie scenes. I'm not going to lie, the meatloaf and mashed potatoes that make regular appearances at the Parker's dinner table left me hungry for some good comfort food. Even the pot of red cabbage boiling on the stove got me thinking (you'll see a salad featuring red cabbage soon that I almost used for this post).

Black Garlic Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream #NationalGarlicDay

The day that I've been promising you for the past 4 or 5 years has finally arrived. The day that I share with you a big bowl of GARLIC ICE CREAM! I've made a few garlicky desserts in my day. One that I've mentioned, but never actually shared with you, Pineapple-Garlic Upside Down Cake (imagine roasted garlic cloves in place of the maraschino cherries). And then couple of years ago, I shared an Apple Spice Cake with Roasted Garlic and Honey-Poached Garlic Sauce.

I can't help it, I'm drawn to the unusual!

But not only the unusual, as pretty much anything with garlic is good in my book. My old standby and perennial favorite is Chicken with 40 Cloves. Garlic Soup in pretty much any form is also something that I can't get enough of. One of my favorite treats is topping a round of Brie with as many roasted garlic cloves as I can fit on top, and then sliding it into a hot oven until the brie is soft. Give me that, a loaf of crusty bread, and a bottle of wine...good lawd, call it a day.

Strawberry Cheesecake Pops {#SummerOfThePopsicle}

Well, summer is winding down.  Though summer doesn't seem to realize that...it's been mid to upper 90's so far all this week.  And today is not the exception.  So yeah, summer is supposed to be winding down.  But it's not going without a fight.  I prefer to believe that that's because it hasn't seen enough popsicles yet!  I can hardly argue with that.

Yes, today is Wednesday.  And during this Summer of the Popsicle, Wednesday has meant that a guest-popsicler would be stopping by to share a tasty creation with us.  And after 15 amazing weeks of even more amazing guests, I'm jumping in with a pop of my own!  I decided to nestle myself...and these ice pops I've been sitting on all summer long (wouldn't that be a glorious mess)...into this Wednesday slot.

Now, it's funny.  I've been testing out new ice pop, popsicle, and paleta recipes all summer long, but this is one I made way back towards the end of May.  At the beginning of summer.  And since then, I've noticed a trend.  A CHEESECAKE POPS trend!  Must be something in the air this year.  Three of my guest popsicles have shared cheesecake-inspired frozen pops.  Even more people have linked some up to the Summer of the Popsicle.

Turtle Cheesecake Popsicles {#SummerOfThePopsicle Guest Post: Barefeet In The Kitchen}

Who's Holding the Stick: Rah-rah-sis-boom-bah...it's Wednesday!  My favorite day of the week all summer long, because I invite one of my talented blogging friends to take over my space...and they come in full-force.  Bearing popsicles!  So today, please help me welcome Mary from Barefeet In The Kitchen!

When Heather from girlichef invited me to guest post for her Summer of the Popsicle series, I immediately had visions of popsicles running through my head. I couldn't resist the chance to come up with a truly indulgent treat.

I started with creamy cheesecake ice cream, swirled caramel into it and then froze the mixture into popsicles. Once frozen, they are dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with nuts. I loved this combination and the kids have already requested that I make these again.

If you don't happen to have a popsicle mold lying around the house, grab some dixie cups next time you are at the store. A small square of foil over the top will help support your sticks. Of course, if your kids have used every popsicle stick in the house, you'll need to be a bit more creative. Find some plastic spoons and break off the spoon portion. The handles will work just fine on their own.

Turtle Cheesecake Popsicles

by a guest post from Mary Younkin of Barefeet In The Kitchen

Prep Time: 10 minutes (+ time to freeze)

Cook Time: 2-3 minutes (to melt chocolate)

Keywords: dessert snack vegetarian soy-free chocolate cream cheese sour cream frozen popsicles summer

Ingredients (varies)

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 - 1 cup caramel sauce, cooled (I'm sure store-bought would be fine as well)
• 1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
• 3 tablespoons refined coconut oil
• Optional: 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Instructions

Combine the cream, sour cream, cream cheese sugar, lemon zest and salt in the blender. Puree until completely smooth. Add the caramel and pulse to combine. Adjust the caramel amount to taste, depending on how rich you would like the popsicles to be.

Pour into your popsicle molds and freeze 6-8 hours until firm. In a small, wide mouth jar or glass bowl, combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil. Warm the chocolate and the coconut oil in a glass bowl in the microwave at 50% power. Start with 1 minute and then add 30 second intervals, stirring to combine. It should take 2-3 minutes for the chocolate to soften. Stir to combine. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature.)

Let the chocolate cool and place the chopped pecans in a shallow dish. Line a small tray or baking dish with wax paper or parchment and set next to the chocolate and nuts. Remove the popsicles one or two at a time from the freezer. Carefully peel the cup off of the popsicle. (If you are working with a full mold of popsicles, I'd recommend removing all the popsicles from the tray. Then set them on the prepared lined tray and put them back in the freezer while you dip each one.)

Dip the popsicles into the chocolate as much or as little as you like. I made all of mine different, just because I could. Place each coated popsicle on the lined tray and keep the tray in the freezer as you are dipping the rest of the popsicles. Store in the freezer until ready to serve. Enjoy!

*note:

I prefer refined coconut oil for this recipe, because there is no coconut flavor or aroma at all. However, refined or unrefined will work equally well.

As usual on Wednesdays...my heart feels full, but my hands feel empty!  Yes, much like Garth Brooks, I want "one for each hand"!

So, while I go check my fridge and pantry for the ingredients, why not visit Mary at her blog, Barefeet In The Kitchen.  You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google+!

Thanks so much for being here today, Mary! 

Birthday Ice Cream Bombe {#IceCreamWeek}

Welcome to #IceCreamWeek! Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Jen of Juanita’s Cocina have teamed up with more than 20 of their blog friends to bring you a week full of ice cream treats, including a special ice cream giveaway! Prepare to have your taste buds tempted with some of the best ice cream treats around! 

Today we are celebrating with a Birthday Ice Cream Party extravaganza for our friend Jen of Juanita's Cocina!  We love Jen noodles and brunches!  If you know Jen, then you probably adore her as well, so why not head on over to her website today to wish her the happiest of birthdays (or stop by her Facebook wall to wish her a Happy Birthday there).

Oh hey, why not grab a slice of this over-the-top Birthday Bombe before you go?  Doesn't it look insane?  And totally worthy of a birthday celebration!  And it is about 100x the size of the treat I originally intended to make for the party.

It's true.  I started out with the intention of making bonbons.  I mean, a frosty glass bowl piled high with them...but still bonbons.  I thought it would be simple.  I mean, little nuggets of ice creamy goodness in any flavor under the sun.  Right!?

Wrong.  Those buggers gave me a run for my money.  Before catching up and overtaking me.

It's really just a perfectionist sort of thing.  I wanted 'em how I wanted 'em, and I wasn't settling for anything less.  In my mind I pictured little domes.  I thought maybe I could use a small scoop and then turn them out and freeze them.  They didn't look pretty.

Okay, fine.  Next up, I dumped all the mini ice cubes form their (domed) tray and filled the holes with ice cream.  Promising.  Until I couldn't get them out.  They were just too soft, and wouldn't hold their shape.  What I need is a silicone mold that I can just turn inside out once they're frozen, but I wasn't going to be getting one in time.

So, I scrapped those deformed little nuggets (right into the little baby bird mouths chirping at me from behind).

I wanted festive.  And apparently I wanted something dome-shaped, darn it all!  So a giant, layered version was born.  An ice cream BOMBE!  Why yes, it is French in origin.

Ice Cream Bombe

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 8 hours

Cook Time: n/a

Keywords: dessert ice cream New Year birthday frozen ice-cream

Ingredients (serves 10-12)

• 1-1/2 - 2 pints (or so) Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, divided
• 10 Nutter Butter cookies
• 1/2 (7 ounce) bottle of Reese's Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sauce
• 1 pint (or so) Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream
• 1/2 of a frozen Sara Lee Pound Cake
• 4 ounces milk chocolate chips
• 1 ounce coconut oil
• SPRINKLES - LOTS OF 'EM

Instructions

Line a freezer-safe bowl (~1-1/2 quart size) with plastic wrap, leaving extra hanging over each end (to wrap back over).

Scoop about 2-3 cups of vanilla bean ice cream into the lined bowl and press it against the sides and bottom, so that it is fairly even and about an inch or so thick. Gently fold in the plastic wrap and set a smaller bowl inside, pressing gently to "smooth out" the insides. Remove smaller bowl. Freeze for at least 2 hours.

Place Nutter Butters and Peanut Butter sauce into a food processor and pulse until no large chunks remain, just small, wet crumbles. Remove plastic wrap from over the ice cream, and spread the Nutter Butter crunch in an even layer over the ice cream. Replace plastic and freeze for at least 2 hours.

Peel back the plastic, and scoop 1-2 cups of Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup ice cream into the concave dome, pressing gently into sides and bottom, forming about a 1-inch layer. Loosely set plastic back over and press a smaller bowl in to "smooth out" the insides. Freezer for at least 2 hours.

Peel back the plastic. Add another cup or so of vanilla bean ice cream to form a layer that is about 1/2-inch thick. Use a round cutter the size of your "center hole" to cut a circle from the pound cake. Gently, but firmly squeeze the pound cake into the opening. Put the plastic back over and freeze for at least 2 hours.

When you put the bombe back into the freezer for the last time, combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a glass bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Stir until smooth, and then set aside and allow to cool to room temperature while the bombe is freezing.

To finish it all up, peel back the plastic wrap and set a serving plate upside down over the bowl. Carefully turn the bomb over onto the plate, giving it a couple of good whacks on the counter to get it out of the bowl. Peel off the plastic wrap.

Pour the chocolate mixture (cooled to room temperature) over the top of the bombe, allowing it to run down the sides. Give it a little help with the back of a spoon, if needed. Immediately release a shower of sprinkles and/or jimmies over the top.

If not serving immediately, place back into the freezer (cover with plastic once the chocolate shell has completely hardened, if you wish).

To cut, run a long, sharp knife under hot water between slices.

note:

Switch this up with any type of ice cream or cake to make different variations. Use a jam layer or a chocolate crunch instead of peanut butter. Use white chocolate or dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate in the shell. The possibilities are endless!

Happy, happy birthday, Jen!

If you’d like to check out the final day of #IceCreamWeek recipes, drool over the blogs below:

• Mint Chocolate Chip Brownie Ice Cream Cake by Cravings of a Lunatic
• Ice Cream Crunch Cake by Juanita's Cocina
• Birthday Ice Cream Bombe by girlichef
• Japanese Yuzu Citrus Ice Cream by Ninja Baker
• Coconut-Key Lime Pie Ice Cream Cups by The Kitchen is My Playground
• Salted Caramel Ice Cream by Cookistry
• Chocolate Malt Ice Cream Cake by Food Babbles
• Funfetti Ice Cream Krispie Cupcakes by The Spiffy Cookie
• Brownie Fudge Ripple Ice Cream by Poet in the Pantry
• Wild Blueberry Ice Cream Smoothie by Foodness Gracious

Please join us today, Saturday, August 17th at 2 p.m. (EST) for our PinChatLive Event happening simultaneously on Pinterest and Google+. We have ice cream cookbooks up for grabs. We also have 10 Ben & Jerry's Swag Prizes up for grabs. So check out our Pinterest Board, #IceCreamWeek during the event at 2 p.m. today to win one of these amazing prizes. We'll be announcing the winners of our giveaway and talking ice cream -  see you at the Ice Cream Social!

Malted Milkshakes {#IceCreamWeek}

Welcome to #IceCreamWeek! Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Jen of Juanita’s Cocina have teamed up with more than 20 of their blog friends to bring you a week full of ice cream treats, including a special ice cream giveaway! Prepare to have your taste buds tempted with some of the best ice cream treats around! Make sure you enter the giveaway for a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker and two fabulous ice cream cookbooks so that you can join in on the ice cream fun!

Chocolate Malts have been my favorite milkshake since the beginning of (my) time.   To this day, one of my favorite meals consists of 50's-style diner food.  As in, those super-thin, super-wide double cheeseburgers stacked on a buttery bun in a basket with shoestring fries, and alongside, a chocolate malt taller than the metal napkin dispenser sitting next to it on the table.

The absolute best places to get a meal like this are the old 50's diner-style restaurants, complete with red leather booths, black and white checkered floors, and mini-jukeboxes at your table.

We used to have a couple of them in the area when I was in high school.  One particular high school boyfriend-slash-best-friend and I used to ALWAYS drive to one the next town over.  I'm pretty sure it was called Sh-booms (Shabooms?  I don't remember).  I have no idea what happened to it.  It must have disappeared sometime when I was away for college, because I don't remember seeing it since we went so many years ago.  I would order the exact same thing every single time we went (see above).

There was another one in the area (actually I think they had at least two locations) called Alley-Oops.  Same diner-style, complete with personal jukeboxes filled with hits from the 50's.  I remember the one in South Bend closing when they tore the mall down, since it was built off the side of the mall.   Actually, the one a couple of towns over was built on their mall, as well.  I think I took my oldest to eat a few times when he was still pretty tiny.  And yes, I ordered the same thing every time.  I don't think that one is around anymore either.

Sigh.  The disappearance of Americana...

I'll admit, I order the equivalent at Steak 'n Shake.  But it's not quite the same.  I mean yes, it's good.  Particularly the chocolate malts.  I think it's just the ambiance that I'm missing.

So yes, I adore a good chocolate malt (and I even like a not-so-good one).  Fortunately, so does my whole family.  They tend to get other kinds when we go out, while I'm happily sucking on the straw stuck into my chocolate malt - but they are more than happy to clean out the blender when I make a big batch at home!

Warning: These malts may be addictive!  And also, they may be fattening.  Maybe.

Malted Milkshakes

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 30 minutes (mostly unattended)

Cook Time: n/a

Keywords: beverage dessert low-sodium nut-free soy-free vegetarian dairy milk frozen ice-cream American summer

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 cup whole milk, divided
• 3 heaping tablespoons Malted Milk powder
• 3 heaping tablespoons Chocolate Malted Milk powder
• 1 quart vanilla ice cream, divided
• malted milk balls, to garnish

Instructions

Place 1/2 cup of the milk into a blender with 3 tablespoons of malt powder; blend until powder is dissolved. Add 1 cup of the ice cream and blend until smooth. Add another cup, a little at a time, until it is smooth.

Pour two glasses halfway full with the vanilla malt, and pour the rest into a glass measuring cup. Place them all into the freezer for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, add the remaining 1/2 cup milk to the blender, along with the chocolate malt powder; blend until malt is dissolved. Add 1 cup of the ice cream and blend until smooth. Add the last cup, a little at a time, until it is smooth.

If you like, crush a few malted milk balls over the first layer of vanilla malt in the frozen glasses. Top off the 2 glasses with chocolate malt. Fill 2 empty glasses halfway with the remaining chocolate malt. Freeze everything for 10 minutes. Stir the vanilla malt that is left in the glass measuring cup, and then top off the 2 glasses that are halfway full with the chocolate malt (adding crushed malt balls in between, if you wish).

Serve garnished with a few more cut/crushed malted milk balls and enjoy immediately!

note:

Obviously, you don't have to make these two-toned if you don't want to. Make all vanilla or all chocolate (or go any flavor, using the plain malted milk powder).

adapted from Martha Stewart

If you’d like to check out today’s #IceCreamWeek recipes, drool over the blogs below:

• Peanut Butter, Chocolate and Banana Ice Cream Banana Splits by Cravings of a Lunatic
• Peachy Vanilla Ice Cream by Juanita's Cocina
• Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Pie by Cook the Story
• Malted Chocolate Ice Cream by Foodness Gracious
• Malted Milkshakes by girlichef
• Ice Cream Social Week: Roasted Pineapple Coconut Ice Cream by Poet in the Pantry
• S'mores Ice Cream by Food Babbles
• Healthy Chocolate Coconut Milk Ice Cream by Quarter Life (Crisis) Cuisine
• Manischewitz Ice Cream Sandwiches by What Jew Wanna Eat
• Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches by 52 Kitchen Adventures
• Nutella Ice Cream with Granola Topping by The Spiffy Cookie
• Chocolate Chip Caramel Swirl Ice Cream by It's Yummilicous

Make sure you stop by our Pinterest board #IceCreamWeek 2013 to answer today's question which enters you in our bonus prize draw.

Cherry Almond Crunch Ice Cream {#IceCreamWeek}

Welcome to #IceCreamWeek! Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Jen of Juanita’s Cocina have teamed up with more than 20 of their blog friends to bring you a week full of ice cream treats, including a special ice cream giveaway! Prepare to have your taste buds tempted with some of the best ice cream treats around! Make sure you enter the giveaway for a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker and two fabulous ice cream cookbooks so that you can join in on the ice cream fun!

I'm still working my way through 10 pounds of cherries.  And yes, they are still my favorite fruit.  I don't think I could get sick of them if I tried.  I'm quite sure that a couple of pounds have easily been eaten out of hand.  I mean, since we took the time to pit them, they're now easy-pickins {ba-dum-bum} in the fridge!

But plenty of them have made their way into the food, as well.  Now, I had it in my mind to make a pie or a cobbler.  But really, I make my pies and cobblers using tart cherries.  Sure, you can cut back on the sugar and use sweet cherries and they'll still be one of the best pies out there, but personally, I couldn't do it.  I don't ever like to think of myself as a food snob...but I'm thinking that I have to admit to being a cherry pie snob.

But how about turning that summertime favorite into an ice cream flavor?  I know, right!  Sometimes I amaze even myself.  The only thing better than Cherry Pie a la Mode is A la Mode Cherry Pie.

Now admittedly, this doesn't taste exactly like I envisioned it would.  Yes, it has the cherries and the almond...and even the pie crust.  And while it is pretty durn kick-ass if I do say so myself, it wasn't close enough to bear the name "A la Mode Cherry Pie".   Between licks, and extra spoonfuls (for testing purposes), my oldest said it tastes more like a "Cherry Almond Crunch".

And so it was.  And so it is!

Cherry Almond Crunch Ice Cream

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 3 hours (mostly unattended)

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Keywords: dessert almonds cream cherries ice-cream frozen American summer

Ingredients (~1 quart)

for the Almond Crunch:

• 4 ounces pie dough (homemade or store-bought)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/3 cup (~1 ounce) sliced almonds
• 2 teaspoons sugar

for the Cherry Swirl:

• 12 ounces fresh pitted & stemmed cherries (sweet or tart)
• 1/2 cup (2-1/4 ounce) sugar

for the ice cream base:

• 2 cups heavy cream, cold
• 1 cup whole milk, cold
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond emulsion or extract
• 2 big pinches sea salt

Instructions

making the almond crunch:

Preheat oven to 450° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll out your pie dough to 1/4-inch thickness (it doesn't matter what shape it is in). Set onto the prepared baking sheet. Brush with a thin layer of the beaten egg. Scatter the sliced almonds evenly over the dough, and then scatter the sugar over the top.

Use a pizza cutter or metal bench scraper to score the dough in 1-inch sections both vertically and horizontally. It's okay if the almonds break...and they will.

Slide into preheated oven and bake until golden and crips, 10-12 minutes. Set aside, and allow to cool completely. Use score lines to break the crunch apart. It's okay if it doesn't break evenly, the score lines were more of a guide.

making the cherry swirl:

While the almond crisp is baking, combine the cherries and sugar in a medium pot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, pushing down on the cherries with a wooden spoon to break them up a bit and help them release their juices. Simmer gently until thick, mashing and stirring occasionally, 12-15 minutes. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool completely. Once they have cooled down enough, stick them in the fridge to chill.

making the ice cream base:

Place a quart-sized metal (or sturdy plastic) container in the freezer.

Whisk all of the ingredients together until the sugar has dissolved. Pour into the base of an ice cream maker and turn it on; churn according to manufacturer's directions. Once the machine stops, you should have a thick, soft ice cream (like soft serve).

putting them all together:

Scoop half of the ice cream into your chilled pan/container. Dot it with half of the chilled cherry mixture, and half of the almond crunch. Scoop the rest of the ice cream on top of that and smooth the top the best you can using a rubber scraper/spatula. Dot with the remaining cherry mixture and the remaining almond crunch. Run a thin-bladed knife back and forth, or in a swirling motion through the ice cream from one side of the pan to the other; this will swirl in the daubs of cherry and almond crunch.

Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving. You can keep any extra, covered, in the freezer for up to a week (maybe longer...you'd have to test that for yourself...ours was gone by then).

Check out today’s #IceCreamWeek recipes:

• Cookie Dough Ice Cream Sandwiches by Cravings of a Lunatic
• Butter Pecan Ice Cream by Juanita's Cocina
• Cupcake Milkshakes by Cook the Story
• Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Waffle Sandwiches by Food Babbles
• White Chocolate Copycat Ice Cream by Quarter Life (Crisis) Cuisine
• Manischewitz Ice Cream by What Jew Wanna Eat
• Blue Moo Cookie Dough Ice Cream by The Spiffy Cookie
• Cherry Almond Crunch Ice Cream by girlichef

Frozen Treats = Summer Eats {#IceCreamforUnilever}

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Unilever Ice Cream. All opinions are 100% mine.

SUMMER!  Okay, I've written a few posts over the years on the foods and memories that I associate with summer.  I've talked plenty about ice pops and fruit bars, popsicles and paletas, ice cream and ice cream bars - but always of the homemade variety.

The truth is, growing up, the only type of frozen treats that I ever remember making at home were frozen Kool-Aid pops.  You know the kind I'm talking about, don't you?  You pour the liquid into an ice cube tray, then you cover the tray with plastic wrap (or foil if you were out of plastic wrap), and then you stick a toothpick through the plastic and wait for them to freeze.  Please tell me that you made those, too.

But the frozen treats we always looked forward to were the ones preceded by the strains of tinny music echoing down the street.  Or the boxes and cartons lined up and beckoning from behind glass doors at the grocery store.  And if I'm being entirely honest (which I totally am), I still supplement with these pre-made treats today.  Because as much as I'd like to say different, I am not superwoman, and I cannot make every single meal, snack, treat, and dessert all by myself.

Growing up, we always had Breyers Ice Cream in the freezer because it was my dad's favorite.  And it was almost always Vanilla Bean or Neapolitan.  I still have a soft spot for Breyers, I mean, isn't that the way it goes?  We get all nostalgic about the things we ate often as kids.  Now that I'm the grown-up, I get to choose the flavors.  In our house, you can almost always find two types of ice cream in the freezer at all times.  Vanilla Bean being one.  Because vanilla goes with everything from hot fruit pies and cobblers to birthday cake to hot fudge and sprinkles.  But we also get a "flavor".  It always changes.  Usually I let the hubs or one of the kids choose it.  If it's the hubs, it'll be strawberry.  The kids choices range from Cookies 'n Cream to Mint Chip to Cookie Dough (and beyond).  My favorite is Blue Moon, but I have lots of other "close favorites" - one of them being the new Breyers Blasts! Girl Scout Cookies Thin Mints.  Two of my favorites in one.

Now, let's just say that setting 3 kids loose in the freezer section with the only direction being "pick whatever you want", you get a good laugh.  But you also get some delicious frozen treats.  My daughter is a HUGE York Peppermint Patty fan, so when she spied the Good Humor York Ice Cream Bars (peppermint ice cream dipped in dark chocolate), they went straight into the cart.  They were the first pack to vanish completely!  So good.

Next up was a box of Fruttare Mango Frozen Fruit Bars, which were also a hit with everybody in the house.  Basically, pure, luscious, mango taste.  And a box of Popsicle Scribblers, chosen by my youngest son.  They're pretty cute...thin, crayon-shaped popsicles.  The kids loved them and they made a great anytime snack (while they lasted).

Now, my oldest loves the classic goodness of a Klondike Bar (another thing that I grew up with in my childhood freezer).  A thin chocolate shell surrounding a thick square of creamy ice cream.  He's got good taste, I tell ya.

And then on to my absolute favorite treat of them all, Magnum Ice Cream Bars.  In our house we call them "Mommy Bars".  Because mommy gets livid if you try to take one.  Mine, mine, mine!  ALL MINE!  Luscious, silky vanilla bean ice cream encased in a blanket of Belgian chocolate...mine.  Commercials that feature Alcide Joe Manganiello...MINE!

So, how about you?  What are your favorite frozen treats? What do you like to fill your freezer with ?  Since I was lucky enough to receive one free coupon for each of these Unilever Brand products (Fruttare, Magnum Ice Cream, Klondike, Breyers, Popsicle, Good Humor), I thought that maybe YOU would like to receive the same!  That's right, Unilever provided me with an extra set of coupons.  How about it?  Do you want to ponder the frozen treats aisle with 6 free coupons in  your hand?

GIVEAWAY

If so, here's what you'll need to do:  Leave a comment on this post telling me which of these Unilever Brands of Ice Cream that YOU would like to try, and why!?  That's it!  Plus, you'll have a few more chances to enter to win once you've completed this mandatory entry.

This giveaway is for one winner of 6 coupons (delivered via postal mail) good for free Unilever Brand Ice Cream products.  These coupons expire in February of 2014.  This giveaway is open to those with mailing addresses in the USA only.  Submissions will close at the end of the day on July 24, 2013.  Winner will be notified via email within 48 hours of the close of the giveaway, and given 24 hours to respond.  If I do not receive a response in 24 hours, I will draw a new winner.

You have many chances to enter to win, but the first and mandatory entry is to leave a blog post comment below letting me know which Unilever Brand Ice Cream product that you would most like to try, and why.  Entries are being collected in the Rafflecopter widget below, and will be verified. Good Luck!  
a Rafflecopter giveaway