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Happy Wednesday Reader!

It's hot out, kids.

Here are three of my favorite, oh-so-refreshing chill desserts...

First, the ice cream to end all ice cream: Brown Sugar Caramel Crunch Ice Cream. 🍨 I make this one every summer, multiple times and it hits every single time. The people love it. They request it. And yes, you should absolutely make it.

And also yes, it uses my favorite ingredient: hard caramel (aka burnt sugar...that's not really burnt). When I fall for an ingredient I fall hard. See: five-spice, caramel and brown butter just to name a few!

Next, prepare yourself for my take on the iconic It's-It: Chocolate-Dipped Oatmeal Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches. 🍪 These babies are just plain delish!

My recipe has you making giant, It's-It-sized sammies, but hey, feel free to downsize if you want more of them!

As I'm typing this I think you should consider some other cookie-ice cream-sandwich combinations. I reckon these Levain bakery knock-off Coffee Toffee Cookies would be insane sandwiching (a verb) vanilla (or coffee?!?) ice cream.

Lastly this Lemon Gelato is so damn good. Period.

No Ice Cream Maker? No Problem!

For my ice cream and gelato recipes, you can definitely use an ice cream maker (for reference, this is the ice cream maker I use and love!) for that silky smooth texture.

But if you don't have one, don't fret! You can totally use an immersion blender (and/or a whisk) to break up those pesky ice crystals that form as your base freezes.

I've got more detailed instructions on this in the Notes section below the Lemon Gelato recipe, so be sure to check that out!

Pimento Cheese!

When we were in Seattle for Stella's graduation 👩🏻‍🎓 we had late-night snacks and drinks at the Mountaineering Club (such as great view!). Their Negroni was PERFECTION and my mom and I (that's us in between sips and bites, hi mom! 💕) couldn't get enough of the Pimento Cheese...which naturally caused me to come home and make my own version.

I store the dip in these cute jars (I have an older pastel set, but I'm loving this bright, new edition!).

Excited to share my pimento cheese recipe as it's a great way to while away the hot summer days...

Pimento Cheese Recipe

INGREDIENTS

8 oz sharp cheddar finely-ish grated

I jar pimentos, drained

4 oz mayo

3 oz cream cheese, softened

1 small onion, finely grated

1/2 teaspoon cayenne (or more for a bigger kick!)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. I used my food processor to finely grate the cheese, then transferred it to a large bowl.
2. Next, I pulsed the pimentos, mayo, cream cheese, onion, and cayenne until everything was combined, but there were still some chunks of pimentos.
3. Finally, fold that creamy mixture in with the cheese, and voilà! You're done!

Serve at room temp and I've been eating it with Mary's Gone Crackers. Not traditional...but I like the flavor combo!!

Don't know what to make for dinner? Nosh on that while you think about it.

I don't know if my southern friends will find this diabolical but I've been wanting to added diced chives and crispy bacon to it. Sooo...that's where my head is at...

Listened to this podcast with Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd and it gave me laugh. Again, an excellent moment to eat pimento cheese.

Currently re-reading Wuthering Heights while sitting outside, in the shade and you guessed it...eating pimento cheese.

I have THREE (3) ice-cream-based recipes coming up...so stay tuned!

In a world as vast and wide as the World Wide Web I'm happy we get to share this small space together. Cheers to a happy rest of the week!

Have fun!

PS Don't sleep on ice cream simply drizzled with caramel sauce and/or hot fudge!

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​Brown Sugar Caramel Crunch​

This salad has so much goodness! Ripe avocados, charred corn, figs, microgreens and pistachio-crusted goat cheese balls are not to be missed!

​Chocolate-Dipped
Oatmeal Ice Cream Sandwiches

The wee Stella (years ago!) taking some photos with these gems!

​Lemon Olive Oil Gelato​

The epitome of summer refreshing. See the comment section regarding some curdling some people have experienced. I give tips to avert this...but also, I recommend to forge ahead if that does indeed happen!

​ "Following up on her acclaimed debut, The Cookie Book, writer, photographer, and recipe developer Rebecca Firth tackles cake in her new book. You may have trouble picking which recipe to start with: Chocolate Stout Cake with Champagne Buttercream or a tart, sticky Glazed Tangerine Donut Cake?” ― Epicurious, 25 New Baking Books for Cozy Fall Treats THE CAKE BOOK

​ "Writer, photographer and queen of cookies, Rebecca Firth teases my sweet tooth and I am not mad about it. Love following her and her tempting creations and can't wait to see what she comes up with next." ―Tiffani Thiessen, actress and author of Pull Up a Chair ​ ― Food & Wine, Best Baking Cookbooks to Own Right Now THE COOKIE BOOK