Let the Summer Long Weekend Season Start with Ice Cream Cake by Helen Carpenter...

The month of May ushers in the start of the long weekend season for Canadians and Americans. Ah, warmer weather and longer days await! First up is Victoria Day weekend, followed by Memorial Day weekend. These two back-to-back holiday weekends may celebrate differently, but you can be sure ice cream is on the menu at some point over these holidays. So, I've virtually flown in my author friend Helen Carpenter up from Florida to whip up a little something sweet and cool to enjoy with family and friends. The best part? This recipe is no bake. That's another reason to celebrate! The kitchen is all yours, Helen...

If you like to have dessert on hand for those daily ice cream craving family members or guests, this cake keeps well in the freezer. It’s expandable, too. Just use a bigger pan, more ice cream and extra whipped topping. When it comes to ice cream, more is better, right?

No Bake Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

What you’ll need:
One package (12 bars) of ice cream sandwiches
One container (8 ounces or larger) of whipped topping (or make your own with a pint of whipping cream and 3 tablespoons of sugar)
Garnish of your choice: Sprinkles; chopped nuts; caramel, chocolate or other syrup
Glass or plastic pan with a lid

Directions:
Arrange six ice cream bars in a crisscross pattern in the bottom of the pan. (You may have to cut the bars to make them fit. Of course, then you’ll need to eat those little left-over pieces—who said chefs have an easy life?)

Spread a layer of whipped cream over the bars. *

Crisscross the remaining six ice cream bars on top of the whipped cream.

Slather another layer of whipped cream over the top and sides.

Decorate with sprinkles or chopped nuts, or drizzle with caramel or chocolate syrup.

Cover and freeze 2-3 hours or overnight.

Remove from freezer 10-15 minutes before serving to soften.

*For a richer cake, add a layer of syrup and/or chopped nuts over the whipped cream.

Once upon a time there was a mother/daughter author duo named Helen and Lorri, who wrote as HL Carpenter. the Carpenters worked from their studios in Carpenter Country, a magical place that, like their stories was unreal but not untrue. Then one day Lorri left her studio to explore the land of What-If, and like others who have lost a loved one the magical place lost much of its magic. But thanks to family, plus an amazing group of wordsmiths named Authors Moving Forward (AMF), the magic is slowly returning.

Helen Carpenter loves liking and sharing blog posts from other authors. She lives in Florida with her husband of many years and appreciates every day, especially those without hurricanes.

Stay connected on her blog and Facebook.

Come Celebrate Canada’s Civic Holiday in Cottage Country…

Pretty much every province or state has an area tourists flock to during the warmer summer months and long weekends. You know what I mean. A town or place where travelers arrive to put up their feet and let their hair down for the holidays. In my home province of Ontario in Canada, we have plenty of those nostalgic vacay spots. Towns swell to almost ten times their size when the kids get out for the summer until they return to reality at the beginning of September. However, there’s one town that’s near and dear to my heart they’ll never find on any map or GPS system: Fairy Falls—the setting for my teen psychic mysteries series.

I actually envisioned Fairy Falls from what I remembered of a tourist town during the early 1970s, while we were visiting a friend’s cottage. This town has since grown, but some small cottage towns never grew much, and when major highways were built to take on more traffic, these towns were bypassed, and much of their economy suffered. Call it the pros and cons of progress, but I think much of the innocence was lost to those quaint, tourist towns when change was forced upon them.

I didn’t want to lose that ‘small, tourist town feeling’ when I created Fairy Falls. True, change is good, but there’s something about going to a tourist town and connecting with the people living there that somehow leaves you feeling better than you did before you arrived. I also wanted to be realistic in the fact that growth is a necessary part of life, and Fairy Falls will have to deal with all kinds of challenges that will create conflict and divide the residents, believing that they are doing what’s best for their hometown.

So what would I recommend tourists see or do in Fairy Falls? When we used to live in cottage country, we’d visit the local bakery in the tiny town five minutes south of us. The smell of fresh baking does something to a body. Sometimes it takes you back to when life was simpler. The downtown core of Fairy Falls hosts such a bakery, and is situated so you can sit at one of the ample tables beside the Vista River and enjoy your sweet treat, while watching the boats slowly putt by. Or better yet, book a boat tour to go on a three-hour cruise that takes you through a lock system, and into Blueberry Lake. Don’t forget to wave at Gertie Ellis if you catch a glimpse of her on the shoreline while she’s inspecting her blueberry bushes.

Other draws to this tourist haven include The Court Jester, the local bar and grill, serving up down-home, mouth-watering food that you can’t get anywhere else. I suggest you try their Jester Burger, topped with a slice of Canadian back bacon and pepper jack cheese, piled high with onions, garlic, and mushrooms, all fresh from the Fairy Falls Farmers’ Market. Add a pint of locally brewed Blackfly beer, and this meal will bring tears of joy to your eyes! Sit on the patio and enjoy the view of the Vista River where it may transport you to back to those good old days, and happy childhood memories. Oh, and make sure you don’t forget to stop by the Fairy Falls Farmers’ Market on Saturdays to score a deal from one of the crafters, produce, or food stands. Tell them Sharon sent you…

Before you go, I’ve got a bonus treat for you that you can enjoy for the rest of the summer and beyond. Most of the ingredients can be found at any tourist town farmer’s market, but trust me, Gertie Ellis’s maple syrup and blueberries are to die for! Plus, the fact that fresh fruit is in season makes this tasty delight a lot easier to create. Happy holidays and enjoy wherever you vacation!

Maple Blueberry Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 cup blueberry yogurt
• 3/4 cup low-fat milk
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups frozen or fresh blueberries

Materials:

• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Blender

Directions:

In a blender, combine the yogurt, milk, syrup and cinnamon. Add blueberries and blend until smooth. Garnish with fruit. Cheers!

Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls Teen Psychic Mystery Series:

Lost and Found, Book One Buy Links:

MIRROR WORLD PUBLISHING ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Blackflies and Blueberries, Book Two Buy Links:

MIRROR WORLD PUBLISHING ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀