‘Fore’ Father

There really doesn't have to be a lot of fuss and bother about Father's Day, does there?  If you live with, or live close-by,  (and get along!!),  you can keep plans simple and fun, for the whole family to celebrate Dad.  Cheaply enough too!  I really don't know many fathers who want a new tie or a power tool or a $500  3-wood for Father's Day.  They'll get it themselves!  Instead of the store-bought gifts plan a special day! 

My girl made something at school and a card at home… Dad always loves something like that!  And, seeing as we've got to eat anyways, we'll plan his favourites for breakfast, lunch and Sunday dinner. Dessert? Yes!!  At our house, Dad usually does the cooking on weekends.  We may give him the day off or else involve the whole family in planning and preparing certain steps or courses.

I know we will also plan on 'doing' something special.  Maybe hike some of the  'Explore the Bruce,'  hit a round of mini-golf, plant a garden or perhaps go to an actual movie theatre if the weather's rainy.  Perhaps we'll just let him pick what DVD to watch.  On Mother's Day he had the chance to go golfing with some buddies in the morning.  He chose to stay home!  This Sunday,  we just might let him go play 9 holes, (if he promises to be home by lunch)!

What does my Dad want?  Likely a visit from his out-of-province daughter!  That, however, really takes some planning. He got some home-mixed music CD's and a gabby letter.  I know he likes to reread them when he gets bored or lonesome.  He's never had 'hobbies' we could feed, but through most of his working years he wore suits… I'd hate to think of the wild colourful things we would've picked out for him!..then again he wore some wild colourful suits over the years!!

Ours is a cool guy, and doesn't have a sugary sweet tooth so this dessert  recipe is one he likes!  I'm hoping the weather will stay hot, but I can eat ice cream sitting on an iceberg in -40'!!

ICE CREAM LOAF

Ingredients;

• chocolate or butterscotch (ice cream topping), sauce, room temperature…. or both!!
• 1 tub frozen whipped topping or a couple envelopes of whipped topping, prepared
• 1 package instant pudding, (chocolate or butterscotch)  DRY!  Don't make it up.
• 1 cup cookie crumbs, (chocolate, vanilla or graham)
• 12 ice cream sandwiches

Preparation:

• Line a loaf pan with a sheet of waxed paper, so there's over-lap on the long sides.  Unwrap 4 or 5 ice cream sandwiches and arrange them in the pan to fit.  This may take more, or even some cutting… line them up the same direction- you have to imagine serving this as sliced bread!
• Make up the whipped topping, gently add 1/2 cup of sauce, the dry pudding mix and the cookie crumbs.  Spread half of this over the sandwiches, then arrange another layer of sandwiches, and finish with the rest of the topping. 
• 'Pretty it up' with finely chopped toffee-chocolate bar bits,nuts, shaved chocolate, or cookie crumbs and a drizzle of the sauce! 
• FREEZE for 4 hours.  Lift the loaf out by the waxed paper and slice it like bread.  Return any left-overs it to the freezer for later!

Quicker Variation:

• I did this!  It's just about as good, and took less time to prepare as I'd forgotten about the pudding mix and crumbs 
• Waxed paper the loaf pan, layer in the ice cream sandwiches, add a layer of whipped topping,  spoon some sauce all over, then repeat the layers again.  It set in 2 hours! I maybe sprinkled some graham crumbs over top…
• You could add frozen berries to a layer easily…. and use Neapolitan ice cream sandwiches!