Cookies 'n cream brownies

Cookies 'n cream is my favorite ice cream flavor in all the world. Oh, wait. Make that, my favorite ice cream flavor right alongside Ben & Jerry's Half Baked and Cherry Garcia and also the Butterfinger "tornadoes" my dad used to make for me growing up. Ok, so cookies 'n cream is one of my favorite ice cream flavors. Nonetheless, I adore it. So when I ran across this recipe (thanks, lovefromtheoven!), it took me less than a second to realize I was going to make it. ASAP.

Start by making a batch of brownies in a 9x13 pan, prepared according to the package directions.

Once the brownies have cooled, use the rim of a glass to "cut" out twelve brownie rounds. Don't toss the brownie remnants! I have an idea that I'll tell you about in a bit.

Place the brownie rounds on a serving platter or cookie sheet, and prepare a batch of vanilla buttercream frosting.

Spoon the frosting into a large ziploc bag and snip 1/4 inch from one of the corners of the bag. Squish the frosting down and through the snipped hole and cover each brownie with a layer of the frosting.

Place 12-15 Oreo cookies in a large ziploc bag and smash them. I prefer fairly big smashed cookie chunks, but if you prefer a finer cookie texture, process them in a food processor or just do a lot of smashing.

Place the crumbles on top of the frosting and enjoy!

Then grab your brownie scraps and whip together a batch of Cookies 'n Cream Brownie Chunk ice cream! And after that, eat nothing but lettuce and water for 5 days.

Click here for a printable recipe!

Cookies 'n cream brownie chunk ice cream

My relationship with ice cream is complicated. Most of the time I avoid it as if I might contract a terrible disease by being within 50 feet of it. I shun it at the grocery store, on my way down the frozen foods aisle as I head toward the edamame. Not even a glance in its direction. It's comparable to refusing to acknowledge someone after an ugly break-up. It's too tempting and scary all at once, so it's best to feign disinterest.

Then there are those times when I become weak. Weak = pregnant or supremely stressed. I not only allow ice cream back into my life, but I shower love upon it, letting it know how sorry I am to have been so cold. I truly love you, Ice Cream! I'll never leave again! But my friend has a wounded heart. I've caused too much pain, too many times.

And so it goes, this dysfunctional yet functional relationship that I love to hate. Recently I found myself in a weak state (stressed, not pregnant) and thought it would be a great idea to make my very own ice cream concoction. I call it Cookies 'n Cream Brownie Chunk Ice Cream. Could anything sound more wonderful? And it was wonderful. I'm now back in the state of ignoring my delicious companion, but our recent stint certainly was good while it lasted.

Here's what I did. I threw my brownie scraps from this recipe into a bowl along with:

3/4 of a half gallon container of vanilla ice cream

12 crumbled Oreo cookies

1/3 cup of vanilla buttercream frosting

I tried to talk myself into walking away, but I was too weak. Instead, I stirred.

And I let all of the sinful ingredients mingle with one another.

Then I scooped myself a giant bowl and indulged, momentarily free of guilt.

Thankfully, stress comes and goes. Imagine how much trouble I was in when I was pregnant. I wouldn't let my husband take a picture of the inside of our freezer because it was really. really. embarrassing.

Click here for a printable recipe!