No Bake Oreo Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS:

1 Oreo Crust (or store bought)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 container (8 ounces) Cool Whip, plus more for garnish
10 Oreos, divided

DIRECTIONS:

1. Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with a hand mixer in a large bowl.
2. Chop 8 of the Oreos into coarse pieces. Add to mixing bowl and mix in with the mixer until combined. This will break up some of the chunks into smaller pieces. Fold in the Cool Whip.
3. Spread filling into prepared pie crust. Chill at least 2 hours before serving.
4. Before serving, crush the remaining 2 Oreos. Top with more whipped topping and the crushed Oreos.
5. Store covered in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Sweet Cream Shooters

INGREDIENTS:
1 ounce vanilla vodka (may substitute regular, whipped, or cake vodka)
1 ounce kahlua
Splash of International Delight Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer
Whipped Cream and cocoa, for garnish, optional

DIRECTIONS:

If your ingredients are all cold, you can just add them in the order listed to a 2.4 ounce shot glass. Otherwise, add the vodka and kahlua to a shaker with ice, shake, then strain into shot glass. Add a splash of coffee creamer. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkling of cocoa (optional).

NOTES:
Can't find the Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer? Use your favorite flavor!

Tiramisu Mousse

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee (I use the Starbucks Via packs)
1/4 cup hot water
1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold (see note)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (see note)
8 ounces marscarpone cheese or cream cheese (low fat cream cheese is fine)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ounce semi-sweet baking chocolate

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the instant coffee in the hot water and stir. Let cool for 5 minutes.
2. Beat heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Chill until ready to use. (Alternately: you can use an 8 ounce carton of whipped topping. See note.)
3. Mix powdered sugar and marscarpone/cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth. Mix in vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of the coffee. Add up to the entire amount of coffee, depending on how strong you want your tiramisu. (I added all of it because that’s how I roll.) Mix in vanilla.
4. Fold whipped cream into coffee mixture gently. Place the tiramisu in a gallon size ziploc bag that is fitted with a large round or 1M tip.
5. Pipe a small amount the bottom of each of 4 serving glasses (my glasses were 6 ounce size). Top the layer with a dusting of cocoa powder. Continue layering the tiramisu and cocoa powder. Once you get to the top layer, grate the 1 ounce of semi-sweet baking chocolate over the tops of the serving dishes (instead of the dusting of cocoa powder). This gives a sweet first taste instead of being bitter from the unsweetened cocoa. Chill, covered, in the fridge until ready to serve.

NOTES:
Whipped cream note: you can substitute whipped topping for the 1 cup of heavy whipping cream. Use about 8 ounces, no whipping needed. Just skip step 2.

I used cream cheese because I can't always find marscarpone at my store. It's often in the specialty cheese section and is basically an Italian cream cheese. Use whichever you can find!

Coffee note: mine was strong instant coffee and I added a lot. Taste as you go and make this as strong as you like it. The color will vary depending on the amount of coffee used.

Powdered sugar note: if you use whipped topping and/or less coffee you may need less powdered sugar. Start at 1 cup and increase as needed.

Matcha Green Tea Truffles

INGREDIENTS
8 oz (about 1⅓ cup) white chocolate, finely chopped
2½ tsp matcha
⅓ cup heavy cream
4 tbsp unsalted butter
pinch of salt

Dusting:
1 tsp matcha
1 tsp powdered sugar
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INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Set aside.
2. In a saucepan over low heat, heat the cream and butter. Sift in the matcha powder and salt. Heat until the mixture just comes to a small boil and the powder has thoroughly incorporated.
3. Pour the hot cream mixture over the white chocolate and stir until the mixture is smooth and the chocolate has melted.
4. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, (preferably overnight) or until the chocolate has firmed.
5. In a small bowl, combine the 1 tsp matcha and 1 tsp powdered sugar.
6. Using a teaspoon, shape the chocolate into balls. (If you’re having trouble, lightly powder your hands with the matcha powdered sugar mix and very quickly work it into balls with your fingers!)
7. Roll each ball in the matcha powdered sugar mixture. (You might have to re-roll upon serving if the powder melts into the truffles.) Store in the refrigerator. Enjoy!!

Beer Ice Cream Float

Ingredients

• 1 bottle (12 oz.) chocolate stout beer
• 1/2 cup Tipsy Scoop Vanilla Bean Bourbon ice cream

Instructions

1. In a glass mug or pint glass, add two scoops of vanilla bean ice cream.
2. Tilt the mug or glass slightly and then slowly straighten it while you pour. The beer will settle in around the ice cream. Once three-quarters full, stop and allow the beer to settle, about 90 seconds. Then fill the glass the rest of the way and top off with another scoop of ice cream if you want to really treat yo self.
3. Serve immediately with a spoon or straw.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich

Ingredients

Chocolate Chip Cookies (video recipe here)

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cups brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Ice Cream Sandwiches

Chocolate chip cookies
Vanilla Ice Cream (about half gallon)
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions

Chocolate Chip Cookies
1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat on medium speed the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about four minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl when necessary. Add the egg and vanilla. Beat until combined, 20 to 30 seconds.
4. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the dough. Careful not to over beat. With a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate chips by hand.
5. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough, shape into a ball, and place onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat placing each ball of cookie dough about 1- to 2-inches apart. Bake for about 12 minutes or until the edges start to turn brown. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Transfer to the freezer for 20-30 minutes.
Ice Cream Sandwich Assembly (video below)
6. Take one cookie and place a scoop of ice cream (about 1/4 cup) on the flat side of the cookie. Top with flat side of second cookie to make a sandwich.
7. Place mini chocolate chips in a bowl or on plate. Roll sides of the sandwich in the chips. Serve immediately or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze.

Notes

*Transferring the chocolate chip cookies to the freezer is essential. If you try to make the sandwiches with warm or room temperature cookies, the cookies will break when you press the ice cream between them. You will also get chocolate chips all over your hands!

Patriotic Cheesecake Popsicles

Ingredients

1 cup fresh raspberries (1/2 pint)
1 cup fresh blueberries (1/2 pint)
One 8 ounce package of cream cheese (about a cup), room temperature
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons low-fat milk

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, mash raspberries with a spoon or using your hands until a jam-like consistency is reached. Set aside. In a separate medium bowl, repeat the same process with the blueberries and set aside.*
2. In a food processor, blend cream cheese, sugar and milk together. Divide the mixture into three separate bowls (one for red, one for white and one for blue). Each bowl will contain about 3/4 cup of cheesecake mixture. If there is any remaining, add it to your "white" bowl.
3. Pour the raspberry mash into one bowl and stir to create the red. Pour the blueberry mash into another bowl and stir to create the blue.* There should now be three bowls—one raspberry cheesecake mixture, one regular cheesecake mixture and one blueberry cheesecake mixture.
4. Spoon raspberry cheesecake mixture into each popsicle mold about a third of the way up. Place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes (this will ensure the colors don't mix together). Next, spoon the regular cheesecake mixture into each popsicle mold another third of the way up. Place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Lastly, spoon the blueberry cheesecake mixture into each popsicle mold until almost full. Leave about 1/4-inch at the top as popsicles will expand as they freeze. Place popsicle sticks into each mold.
5. Place popsicle molds in the freezer for at least 5 hours or overnight to fully harden.***

Notes

Don't like raspberry seeds and blueberry skins? Simply place a bowl beneath a mesh strainer and place the raspberry mixture in the strainer. Using the back of a spoon, press the mixture against the strainer to separate the juices from the seeds. Repeat with blueberry mixture to remove skins from the juices.
*The red bowl will probably be pink in color and the blue bowl may be purple in color. They will darken up in the freezer!
***To remove popsicles, fill a pan or container that is at least as tall as your mold with warm (not hot) water, and briefly dip the mold in until the pops loosen, about 20 seconds. Remove the mold from the water and place it on a sturdy surface. Gripping the handles, pull gently upward to get nice, clean pops. If it feels like a struggle to unmold, leave the pops in the warm water a little longer. You can leave pops in their molds for several days, though it's best to unmold within a day so they don't discolor or change texture.