Easiest cake ever: ice cream sandwich cake

This recipe is based on one by Stephanie Gallagher published at About.com

Materials:

• baking dish approx 7" x 12" x 2" (Any shallower than this and the cake will rise above the edges of the pan.)
  

Ingredients:

• 16 ice cream sandwiches
• approx 200mL chocolate syrup
• approx 200mL Cool Whip, thawed
• approx 2 cups chocolate frozen yogurt (softened in the fridge for an hour or so)
• decorations for cake (sprinkles, icing etc)
  
  

Method:

1. Line bottom of baking dish with ice cream sandwiches (you may need to get creative and cut one up to get complete coverage).
   
   
   
2. Drizzle chocolate sauce on this layer.
   
   
   
3. Add softened frozen yogurt. (Be mindful of the depth of your pan. If you add too much here, the final product may extend over the top of the pan.)
   
   
   
4. Cover with a layer of ice cream sandwiches. (Cut as required for complete coverage.)
   
   
   
   
   
5. Top with whipped topping.
   
   
   
   
   
6. Freeze, uncovered for 2 hours.
   
   
7. Cover with foil and freeze at least another hour. (I left it in the freezer overnight.)
   
   
8. Decorate as desire. (Should you want to decorate it well ahead of when you're going to serve it, you may wish to take a small amount of the whipped topping and put some of your decorations on it and leave it in the freezer to see if the colours will run into the whipped topping.)
   

Makes 16 servings.


Notes:

• The sandwich wafers were a little dry in the final product. The more you let the ice cream melt while making it, the less dry the wafers will be.
• Alternately, putting cool whip between the layers may help to soften the wafers.
• Of course, after being served the ice cream does melt and the wafers don't stay dry for long!
  

Lemon meringue kisses

This recipe is based on one that originally appeared in the Toronto Star on Tuesday April 6th, 2004 by Susan Sampson in "Cooking 101."

Ingredients:

• 2 egg whites at room temperatures
  (discard if there is even the slightest trace of egg yolk as the mixture will not stiffen -- no matter how long you beat it!)
  
• pinch salt
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar (sifted)
• 1 tsp grated lemon zest (I like a pinch more)
  (one medium lemon provides about 2 teaspoonsful of zest)
  
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  

Method:

• cover baking sheets with parchment paper
• preheat oven to 250 F
  
  
• in a large bowl, beat egg whites and salt with electric mixer until soft peaks form
• add sugar about 1 tablespoon at a time, beating to blend well after each addition
• mixture should have stiff peaks
• gently fold in lemon zest and vanilla
  
  
• drop by heaping teaspoonfuls on to baking sheets
  
  
  
• bake until dry but not brown, about 40 minutes
• cool 5 minutes before removing from baking sheet
  
  
• makes 40 - 50
• (makes about 18 if dropping by tablepoonsfuls)
  

Whole wheat blueberry pancakes

Modified from "Andre's Whole Wheat Pancake Recipe" originally found at 24hourfitness.com (but I can't find it online at this time).

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 whole egg
• 1/8 cup applesauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup frozen wild blueberries
  

Method:

• combine all ingredients (except blueberries) and mix well
• cover a large, nonstick frying pan with a thin layer of your favourite cooking oil
• heat frying pan over medium low heat until hot
• add frozen blueberries to batter and mix (If you add the blueberries earlier than this, the batter turns all blue!)
  
• pour batter on frying pan 5ml to 15ml at a time (1tsp - 1 tbsp), ensuring edges don't touch (You can make them larger ... 1/3 cup at a time. We like small "toonie" sized pancakes -- no cutting involved!)
  
  
  
  
• cook until golden brown and bubbles appear on top of the pancakes
• flip and continue cooking until other side is golden
  
  
  
  

Makes 3-4 servings of 2 (1/3 cup batter) pancakes.