There is nothing – absolutely nothing – that resembles the sense of sheer panic caused by the words: “I’m having a little impromptu holiday get-together. Could you cook something…say, dessert?”
Symptoms of the ensuing panic include: stammering for an answer, saying “Yes” without thinking, and kicking yourself about it later.
So, to save yourself the trouble, it pays to have some quick and easy, crowd pleasing, prefect for any holiday, go-to recipes on hand. Shift, then, from panic mode to the role of cool and collected super chef…and add these scrumptious creations to your recipe box.
Oreo Ice Cream Cake
3 squares Baker’s Semi-Sweet Baking Squares
1 cup Sugar
1 (5oz) can Evaporated Milk
2 tbs. Margarine
1 (16oz) bag Oreo Cookies
1 ½ sticks Melted Margarine
½ gallon Vanilla Ice Cream, softened
1 (12oz) carton Cool Whip
1 jar Maraschino Cherries
½ cup Nuts (optional)
Crumble Oreo cookies. Pour 1 ½ sticks melted margarine over the cookies, and mix until the cookies are well coated. Press gently into bottom of a 13x9x2 inch, freezer-proof pan. Spoon softened vanilla ice cream over cookie layer. Place in freezer while you make the chocolate sauce.
Mix chocolate squares, sugar, evaporated milk, and two tablespoons of margarine together in saucepan until melted. Let chocolate sauce cool, then pour over ice cream layer. Place pan back in freezer, and allow the chocolate sauce to freeze.
Then spoon on thawed Cool Whip and top with Maraschino cherries and nuts. Place back in freezer until ready to serve.
Peanut Butter Bars
Peanut Butter Layer:
1 (18oz) jar Jif Creamy Peanut Butter
1 Stick Melted Butter
2 ½ cups Confectioner’s Sugar
½ cup Dark Brown Sugar
½ tsp. Vanilla
Mix all ingredients and press in pan. (Almost any size casserole dish or pan will do. Just choose the size that will allow you to make the peanut butter layer as thick or thin as you please.)
Chocolate Layer:
1 (12oz) bag Milk Chocolate Chips
1 Stick Melted Butter
Mix the chocolate chips into the melted butter until smooth. Spread over the peanut butter layer and refrigerate. Later, cut into squares and store in refrigerator.
Blueberry Pies (2 Regular Pies or 1 Deep Dish)
1 (12 oz.) carton Cool Whip
1 (8 oz.) package Cream Cheese
1 cup Powdered Sugar
1 tablespoon Almond Flavoring
1 can Blueberry Pie Filling
Allow Cream Cheese to come to room temperature. Take softened Cream Cheese and stir in one cup Powdered Sugar. Add the tablespoon of Almond Flavoring. Fold Cool Whip into Cream Cheese mixture until mixed well. Spoon mixture into baked pie shells. Top with one can Blueberry Pie Filling. Refrigerate.
(Option: you may add a layer of sliced bananas and chopped pecans on the bottom of the already baked and cooled pie shell before you spoon in the Cream Cheese and Cool Whip mixture).
Chocolate Éclair Dessert
Filling
2 (3.5oz.) boxes Vanilla Instant Pudding
3 cups Milk
1 (12oz.) carton Cool Whip
Graham Crackers
Combine vanilla pudding with milk and beat together. Stir in Cool Whip. Place a layer of Graham crackers in the bottom of a 13x9x2 inch baking dish. Spread half of the pudding mixture over the Graham crackers. Repeat with a second layer of Graham crackers and pudding. Top with final layer of Graham crackers.
Topping
1/3 cup Cocoa
1 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Milk
1 stick Butter (or Margarine)
1 teaspoon Vanilla
Bring cocoa, milk, and sugar to a full rolling boil. Boil for about 1 minute, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Cool for 1 minute. Add butter and vanilla. Stir until butter is melted. Pour chocolate layer over the top layer of Graham crackers. Refrigerate overnight.
Chewy No-Bake Cookies & Cream Bars
1 (16oz) bag Oreos
5 cups (1 bag) Large Marshmallows
4 tablespoons Butter
Line an 8×8 inch baking dish with aluminum foil, allowing the foil to hang over the edges, and set it aside. Crush Oreos until crumbly, but not ground. (Either pulse the cookies in a food processor or crush them in a large Ziploc bag with a rolling pin). Melt marshmallows and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl until puffy (about 1½ to 2 minutes). Remove mixture from microwave and pour in ground Oreos. Quickly stir to combine. Transfer to baking dish. Allow to set for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove bars from pan by the foil edges. Cut and serve.
Planning of Party and Events 