Potatos, Peas & Mint Salad

1 1/4 pounds baby red potatoes (I just use regular red potatoes)

• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup chopped mint leaves
• 3/4 tsp coarse salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• Scrub the potatoes and remove any eyes. Cut into half-inch cubes. Cover with water and cook just until they lose any crunchiness. Drain and set aside. Cook the peas and save the liquid. Mash the peas with a fork, or use a food processor if you wish. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil (I like to use half EVOO and half lemon-infused olive oil) and 1/4 cup of the liquid. Toss potatoes with pea mixture and remaining ingredients. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil.

It may sound scary, but it's amazing! I like it best when it's slightly warm, but it's good cold too. Be warned that it only keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days. Here's where I got it.

Ice Cream Cake

The Cake

Make Wacky Cake, and divide batter into two greased and floured 9" round cake pans. Bake (duh), then remove from pans and cool on rack. Wrap cakes in plastic wrap and freeze for several hours or overnight.

The Ice Cream
Choose your ice cream. I chose a delicious coconut gelato, and I think it was one of those 1.5-quart containers. You know, the kind where you feel a little ripped off. Using one of the cake pans you used for the cake, take some more plastic wrap and put it inside the pan. Then take your chosen ice cream, which is now slightly softened, and press it all into the pan. I'm guessing you could fit up to 2 quarts into a pan like that. Cover with the plastic wrap and freeze for a couple of hours.

The Frosting

Put into small saucepan:

5 Tbsp flour

1 cup milk

Stir constantly over medium heat until you have a think paste. Let cool to room temperature.

Add:

1 tsp vanilla

Stir, baby.

Cream together:

1 cup butter

1 cup granulated sugar (not powdered/icing/confectioners sugar!)

When this mixture is light and fluffy, add the other mixture and whip it into a delightful frosting.

Here's the original recipe for the icing. Of course, you can never go wrong with Anna Mae's(ing) Icing either.

All of the following must be done quickly: Put one round of cake on whatever serving vessel you have. The ice cream goes on next, and then the other cake. Drown that cake in frosting (quickly!). I toasted some unsweetened coconut flakes in the toaster oven until they were slightly browned and then sprinkled them all over the cake. Freeze again. I didn't cover the cake from when I put it together in the afternoon until we ate it in the evening, and it didn't hurt it at all. It served about 15 adults and 13 kiddos and there was a chunk leftover. Good stuff.

I can't wait to try more flavor combos, like peanut butter ice cream with this. And Rhonda and Robyn, I know you make ice cream cakes, so you should post what you do too.