Grouchy On the Outside, Sweet In the Middle

Two weeks ago I celebrated my birthday and despite the fact that my husband was away and also had not planned ahead before he left, it was a wonderful day. Last week, my husband arrived back home. One night after work, he brought home a gift: Baskin Robbins mint chocolate chip ice cream and 4 cookies. Hmmm, he had my attention! Before I continue, lets look at the background information. We live in Okinawa, Japan. Though we have lots of military bases and shop mostly there, almost all the employees are Japanese and saying they know English is often a stretch. If you live in Okinawa, you understand.

Okay, now your ready for the rest. Brad explained that the cookies and ice cream where to make Oscar Sundaes, my absolute favorite from my childhood (10 brownie points getting my favorite ice cream and 20 for remembering my favorite dessert growing up)! My next question was, how on earth did he get the cookies?! Brad purchased everything from Baskin Robbins on base..... from Japanese people. He not only thought of the idea all by himself but he endured countless attempts to communicate with a very nice Japanese man that he wanted only the cookies and not the whole ice cream sandwich (30 additional brownie points for going to the trouble to get the right cookie tops for Oscar!).

I find it ironic that this yummy, sweet treat pays tribute to such a grouchy character. Despite his bad attitude, Oscar sure does taste good! We all struggle with a bad attitude some days. Each of us can be grouchy. How do we change our attitude? Look to your sweet center! Christ who's alive and active in you! Look to Jesus to shine through your bad attitude and see the sweetness that he made you to be.

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

1Thessalonians 5:16-18

Oscar Sundae

You will need:

Mint chocolate chip ice cream

Chocolate cookies

Buttercream frosting recipe

Brown, black and green food coloring

4 piping bags with couplings

Tips 7 (round), 12 (round), 16 (star) and 67 (leaf)

Ramekins: one for each Sundae

Place one scoop of ice cream into each ramekin then top with one cookie angling at about 45 degrees. Allow to harden in freezer while preparing frosting.

Make one recipe of buttercream frosting. Add coloring to the frosting and place in pastry bags with the needed tip.

    Color:                Body Part:                   Tip:              

                                               green                                fur                                     #67                                   

                                               white                               eyes                                    #12

                                               black                              pupils                                  #7

                                              brown                          eyebrows                            #16

Remove one bowl from the freezer at a time. Working with the green frosting first, make fur on top of the ice cream. It shouldn't look perfect. The frosting will not want to stick to the ice cream. Press down with your tip just before pulling it away from the completed leaf. 

Add hands to Oscar by making a long leave coming out of the ramekin and then adding small leafs on top to create his fur.

Use the white frosting to make his eyes close to the cookie. Make his pupils with the black frosting.

The last touch is his eyebrows. Use your brown frosting with the star-tip to make rough eyebrows. Give them an upward slant for that grouchy look!

Freezer your Oscar Sundae until your ready to enjoy or eat immediately. Enjoy!