Kids Cuisine

As the weather finally begins to warm up, my daughter has started laying on the puppy dog eyes when it comes to snack time. Claiming heat exhaustion, she assures me that only an icy cold treat will get her through the steamy hot afternoon. We’ve already begun stocking the freezer with juice pops and frozen yogurt, but sometimes they want something just a little bit different. In the frozen novelty aisle at the grocery store, they are constantly being inundated with bright colors and large portions, and really, who needs all that?

One of our favorite frozen treats is the ice cream sandwich; those simple chocolate wafers surrounding vanilla ice cream are always a welcome sight. Unfortunately for little hands and little tummies, one ice cream sandwich is far more than they need to be eating any time of the day. While looking at the cookie selection one day, I became inspired by a simple box of vanilla wafer cookies. Why not make our own? Then we can make them whatever size we like, and we can also make them whatever flavor we like.

Zander got to choose the ice cream filling, which actually ended up being orange sherbet. Sherbet is bright, refreshing, and also happens to be a healthier alternative to ice cream. We took one wafer cookie and topped that with a small scoop of orange sherbet. A second wafer was pressed onto the sherbet, and then the whole assembly was wrapped tight with plastic wrap and placed in the freezer for two hours to allow the flavors to meld together. It worked beautifully, and the kids were ecstatic with their new frozen treats. One apiece was plenty for them, while Mom and Dad nibbled on a few each,and didn’t feel near so guilty about the indulgence. Quick and easy, these will be a new standard warm-weather treat for us, and will make an excellent addition to a birthday party or two as well.