A Retro Tablescape Thursday and a Favorite Summer Dessert!

Oh. My Gosh.

Is it really Thursday already?? I am SO behind schedule here.

We're linking up to Susan's fabulous party at Between Naps on the Porch and looking forward to some down time tonight to browse all the wonderful inspiration.

Unfortunately, the table I had planned had to be put on the back burner as this week spun out of control.

It started last weekend with the kitchen painting I showed you in our last post, and waltzed right into the "last week of school chaos"!!

It's been a week of class trips, class parties, sleepovers, work, and tomorrow is the day the photographer is coming to take a picture of the resident bloggers here (that would be one harried mama and one hysterical 16 year old who's panicking over her hair and skin tonight- and just decided she HAS to wear something that's in the laundry). 

So-o-o-o, this is going to be another reality post 

A look at our kitchen table set for dessert tonight.

What's for dessert, you ask??

By special request of our readers....

Yep! Chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches!

My family found it very amusing that so many of you asked for this recipe considering how I always try to find more "interesting" dishes to post. :)

Our placemats and napkins tonight are vintage 1950s

What can I say? I'm a retro kind of girl!

Square dinner plates act as chargers and pick up all the cool blues and greens

Turquoise bubble glasses and tall vintage green glasses for water and crushed fruit ice

These large glass dessert dishes have been around as long as the placemats!

I brought some mercury glass candle holders in from our porch because the colors worked so well

and always a cup for coffee

even ice cream needs a pretty table...

Chocolate Chip Cookies for Ice Cream Sandwiches

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 TBLS unsalted butter, melted

6 TBLSP butter flavored shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the shortening, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended.

3. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Beat in the melted butter. Mix in the sifted ingredients until blended.

4. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time for giant cookies ( I use a small ice cream scoop) about 3 inches apart.

5. Bake larger cookies for about 17 minutes until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Soften a container of vanilla ice cream for about 10 minutes and put a scoop between 2 cookies. Roll edges in sprinkles if desired. Freeze till solid

I also want to take a second here to thank a very special reader/ follower. Emelia has been a devoted reader and commenter and we've become email friends- this has been one of the greatest bonuses of blogging- the wonderful friendships that we've been able to form.

Emelia and I had been "talking" about a couple of wonderful Greek recipes that I had managed to lose in our last move. This wonderful lady sent us a Greek cookbook compiled by her church! I am so excited! I have always collected community cookbooks when I find them- what's better than traditional recipes actually used by families like us!

Thank you so much Emelia!!!!

Join us tomorrow for Foodie Friday at Gollum's- we're working on a yummy treat for our photographer!

As Always,

Buon Cibo, Buon Amici,

Pattie and Allie