1 graham cracker crust
2 pints ice cream, different flavors
1 bottle magic shell chocolate fudge
1 container cool whip
sprinkles

1. The day before, take the ice cream out of the freezer and put on
the counter to soften.
2. From one container, scoop the soften ice cream into the graham
cracker crust, gently cover the bottom half of the piecrust.
3. On top of the 1st layer of ice cream, squeeze out the chocolate
fudge magic shell coating to cover the entire pie of ice cream.
4. Then add your second flavor of soften ice cream on top of the magic
shell coating. The ice cream may be a bit higher than the crust.
At this point cover the pie and freeze overnight.
5. Just before serving, remove pie from the freezer, and decorate the
top with cool whip, using a decorating bag, and garnish with
sprinkles. Serve immediately.
6. Enjoy – The best NO-BAKE dessert!

My mother and her sisters were like peas in a pod. Back in the day it was quite common for relatives to live together; and there we were, my aunt, uncle and their kids sharing a two family house. Another aunt and uncle lived 10 blocks away. We did everything together, and the beauty of it was that I felt as if I had three mothers and three fathers. When I married and had kids I lived 30 miles away instead of 30 blocks, but home is where the heart is, and I kept in close contact with my mom, her sisters and their families. In fact, my home became party central as I hosted most family and holiday celebrations.

Fast forward to today, and I am the mom, the grandma, and the aunt. My home seemed to grow smaller as my family grew larger; however, my dining table would always magically accommodate whoever showed up at the door. But there came a time when even my magical table could hold no more, forcing me to begin hosting two parties a year in order to entertain all my relatives. In February or March, I have my sister-in-laws and their husbands for a formal sit down dinner. Come June, I host a nieces and nephews party on my deck, which now includes their expanding families!

No one lives downstairs or a few blocks away anymore, so we can’t see each other as often. I so enjoyed having my aunts and uncles close by while growing up that I wanted to create a similar relationship with my nieces and nephews.

This year it rained. We survived anyway with the kids downstairs playing in the basement and the adults in the living room. There’s always room for those you love.

The true hit of the party this year was my ice cream pie. I bought ice pops for the kids and baked brownies, but it was the ice cream pie that everyone loved. Ignoring the misty, miserable rain, we sat on the deck talking, laughing and enjoying my ice cream pie. When you try this recipe, I bet you’d happily eat it come rain or shine!