SWEET LAND OF LIBERTY

I love an ice cream cookie sandwich! Especially one that I does not heat up my kitchen in the middle of summer.  :]  I live in one of the HOTTEST parts of the country.  On the 4th of July our main objective is to have as much fun as possible without getting heat stroke.  Much of our time will be spent by the pool trying desperately to keep cool.  I like to make treats for the kids that keep them cool and does not make a blazing night mare of my kitchen.   This was something fun I did with the kids today.  They like to help in the preparation for the up and coming festivities.  We made them today, and will keep them in the freezer until the 4th of July. 

This time of year Chips Ahoy puts a little pizazz to their cookies by adding red and blue colored chocolate candies.   We sandwiched our favorite "homemade" Oreo Cookie Ice Cream (RECIPE WILL FOLLOW) by two of these patriotic little guys.  Then dipped them into colored sprinkles.  The kids love this part.  However, this is the part that I have the hardest time with.  I want to dip the cookies myself.  It is so hard for me to relinquish control over the sprinkles!  I am very proud of me this time as I was able to stand by silently and not take over the dipping.....SO HARD!

When I was a child, there was not such a thing as "Oreo Cookie"  ice cream...YA, YA...I am old! SO WHAT!?! IT HARDLY BOTHERS ME AT ALL!!!!  :]   So my blessed Mother would make a simple yet amazingly fantastic mixture of her own.  I actually think it use to be quite popular with a lot of women way back when.  I keep this tradition going because I believe it is better than any Oreo Cookie ice cream you could ever buy in the store.

OREO COOKIE ICE CREAM
1/2 Gallon Vanilla ice cream, soft
1 Package roughly chopped Oreo Cookies
1 large Container Cool Whip

Mix above ingrdients and freeze until serving.
I know it sounds simple but...I seriously like it better than any other I have tried! 

The next sweet thing we made was candy fire crackers.  I bought Sweet Tarts and Mentos, and we wrapped them in fun papers.  I then broke off the toothpick part of these little cupcake picks and used them as the "fire" part. 

I  made several treats this year that the kids can take with them when they watch the parade or wait for the fire works to begin.  There always seems to be some messing around while the little ones wait for the show to begin.  I am hoping these treats will help. 

 Rocket Red Vines.  You know those bags that are used for chocolate dipped pretzels?  They hold 5 pieces of red licorice perfectly.  I attached a folded paper triangle for the top, which actually is the bottom of the plastic bag.  The opening of the plastic bag I tied together and added pieces of tinsel garland and knots of ribbon for the "fire".

 When I was making these my nephew walked in and you should have seen the look on his face when I told him I had made one of these Red Vine Rockets for him. The toothless smile on that kids face was a mile wide.  I am pretty sure for a moment I won the "Best Aunt EVER Award".  It was brief, his heart was crushed when I told him he had to wait until the 4th of July. 

One last little treat I made for the kids is a little pack of "Freedom Fish".  A weird nod to the 4th, I admit.  But, COME ON!!...they are red.  Red goes with the patriotic theme.  Anyone who knows me knows I love a theme.  Plus I had extra paper had tiny bags.  What else was I suppose to do!?!