Susan McClanahan: Decadent desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth

Over the weekend I was assigned by my sister to bring a dessert to my Mom's house for the family Mother's Day get-together. I knew I would need at least two desserts to feed everyone and at least one of them had to be an ice cream dessert because my Mom loves ice cream. I found an old cookbook that I had not used in a long time and turned right to this decadent ice cream dessert, and it was just that: decadent.

Decadent Ice Cream Dessert

2 1/4 cups crumbled macaroons, divided

3 cups chocolate ice cream, softened

4 (1.4-ounce) chocolate-covered toffee candy bars, coarsely chopped, or packaged Heath Bits 'O Brickle

1/4 cup chocolate syrup, divided

3 cups vanilla ice cream, slightly softened

1 (1.4-ounce) chocolate-covered toffee candy bar, coarsely chopped

Press 1 1/4 cups crumbled macaroons into an 8-inch springform pan. Spread chocolate ice cream evenly over macaroons, and sprinkle with 4 chopped candy bars. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons chocolate syrup. Freeze 30 minutes. Spread remaining 1 cup crumbled macaroons over top. Layer vanilla ice cream, 1 chopped candy bar, and remaining 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup over macaroon layer. Cover and freeze at least 8 hours. Place on a serving plate; remove sides of pan. Yields 6 to 8 servings.

I doubled this recipe, give or take a little with each ingredient, and used a 9-by-13-inch glass dish. I did add another layer of crumbled cookie crumbs on the top, then added chocolate syrup and candy bar. I also used a large package of Heath Bits 'O Brickle in place of crushing up the candy bars.

Margarita Coleslaw

While thumbing through this cookbook I found that I had marked several recipes that I had either tried or wanted to try and so I will share a few of those here with you today.

1 (10-ounce) can frozen margarita mix, thawed and undiluted

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon celery seed

9 cups shredded green cabbage

3 cups shredded red cabbage

2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped

1 cup sweetened dried cranberries

Whisk together first five ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and chill. Combine green cabbage and remaining ingredients. Add desired amount of dressing to coleslaw, and toss gently to coat. Serve immediately. Yields 8 to 10 servings.

Mediterranean Couscous Salad

1 (14-ounce) can vegetable broth

1 cup uncooked couscous

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained

1 cup sliced green onions

1/2 cup dried cranberries, raisins or chopped dried apricots

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon grated orange rind

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in couscous and remove from heat. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Transfer couscous to a bowl, and fluff with a fork. Add chickpeas and next three ingredients; toss gently. Whisk together orange rind, juice and oil in a bowl. Add dressing to salad and toss well. Sprinkle with feta cheese just before serving. Serve immediately. Yield 4 servings.

Chilled Creamy Peach Soup

6 ripe peaches (about 2 1/2 pounds), peeled and sliced

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups half-and-half or whipping cream

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Process first 4 ingredients in a blender 2 minutes or until smooth. Add half-and-half; process on low until blended. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Ladle into serving bowls. Top with almonds just before serving. Yields 5 1/2 cups.

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup flour

1 cup uncooked quick-cooking oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup flaked coconut

Beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Combine flour, oats and baking powder. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed until a soft dough forms. Stir in white chocolate chips, cranberries and coconut. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 9 to 11 minutes or until set. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes; remove to a cooling rack to cool completely. Yields 3 dozen cookies.

Orange Honey Pork Tenderloin

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

3 tablespoons grated orange rind

1 teaspoon pepper

2 (14-ounce) pork tenderloins

2 cups fresh orange juice

1/2 cup rice vinegar

Vegetable oil

1/2 cup honey, divided

Hot cooked rice

Orange slices for garnish, if desired

Combine first four ingredients and rub mixture evenly over tenderloins. Place tenderloins in a large zip-top plastic bag. Combine orange juice and vinegar. Pour orange juice mixture over tenderloins. Seal bag securely; marinate pork in refrigerator eight hours, turning bag occasionally. Brush a 9-by-13-inch pan with oil. Heat pan at 425 degrees for 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Remove tenderloins from marinade, reserving marinade. Place tenderloins in prepared pan. Drizzle 2 tablespoons honey over each tenderloin. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove tenderloins from oven and drizzle with remaining 1/4 cup honey. Bake 14 minutes more or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of the tenderloin registers 160 degrees. Transfer tenderloins to a platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing. Pour reserved marinade into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil marinade 17 minutes or until reduced to 1 cup. Slice tenderloins and serve with rice and orange sauce. Garnish if desired. Yields 8 servings.

Have a great week and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by Southeast Missourian staff.