OREO®

When I think about the American staple for dessert, well, that is processed—and nestled in hermetic packages so that some four year old in the child's seat of a grocery cart can drool all over the outside without being able to open it—I think of Oreos. I guess we all tend to go "gaga" over these little chocolate and cream sandwiches...at least us Americans.
These perfect treats have the right amount of contrasting textures, with a crunchy chocolate cookie on either side of a thin layer of smooth cream filling. As much as I love the standard Oreo, I absolutely despise double stuffed. Too much cream is like an overstuffed pillow—miserably uncomfortable. Too much filling overpowers the cocoa taste of the outer cookie and throws off the well-balanced textures.
I've tried Oreo Cakesters, vanilla Oreos, mini Oreos, mint Oreos—the list must end there... because as long as Nabisco provides my local grocery store with standard Oreos, my taste buds and I aren't budging.

Now if you are a "cookies n' cream" ice cream fan...here's an easy ice cream cake recipe. In the name of Sandra Lee, this cake entails "semi-homemade cooking":

1 quart of cookies n' cream ice cream (semi-melted)**
1 chocolate cake mix
1 container of Cool Whip
9 X 13 pan

Bake chocolate cake. Let cool and freeze for a few hours (this enables you to easily spread the ice cream layer). When the cake is semi-frozen, pour (semi-melted) cookies n' cream ice cream over the cake—use a spatula spread it out. The amount of cake should be equivalent to the amount of ice cream. Cover with foil. Put in freezer over night. Take cake out of freezer, cover the cake with a thin layer of cool whip (like frosting). Add decorative writing if you wish and serve.

**if you wish to "make" the ice cream layer (instead of buying cookies n' cream ice cream), take vanilla ice cream and blend with Oreos. Be sure you don't let the ice cream melt completely.

Bon Appétit!!