New Year’s by the Fire . . . With the Kids

We long for a simple New Year’s Eve--a celebration at home by a fire. It is not a night we want to get a baby-sitter or drive any distance. Any party for us needs to revolve around the children and friends with children, who can walk, drive a short way or stay overnight in a guest room.

This year, after a simple meal, we’ll follow up with a late-night dessert table of ice cream pies and leftover Christmas cookies. The dessert sauces and crusts can be done in easy steps and take just minutes, but time should be allowed for freezing--one hour to overnight.

The best part about these desserts is that even the littlest kids can help prepare the crusts, so they feel part of the celebration from beginning to end.

MUD PIE

1/4 cup butter

1 1/3 cups chocolate wafer cookie crumbs (about 23 cookies)

1 1/2 quarts vanilla or coffee ice cream, softened

Hot Fudge Sauce

Place butter in 9-inch microwave-proof pie plate. Microwave on MEDIUM (50% power) until melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cookie crumbs and stir to mix well. With back of spoon, press mixture against sides and bottom of pie plate to form even crust. Microwave on HIGH (100% power) until set, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Let cool, then refrigerate crust 15 minutes to chill.

Spoon ice cream into prepared crust and smooth top. Cover and freeze at least 3 hours or overnight, until frozen solid. (If ice cream isn’t solidly frozen, sauce will slide off when you try to spread it on.)

When frozen, evenly spread 3/4 cup Hot Fudge Sauce over pie and freeze again at least 2 hours, or until ready to serve. Serve with remaining fudge sauce.

To heat sauce from room temperature, pour into 2- or 4-cup glass measure and microwave on MEDIUM (50% power) 1 to 2 minutes. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Hot Fudge Sauce

6 ounces semisweet chocolate pieces

1/2 cup half and half

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine chocolate, half and half and corn syrup in 4-cup glass measure. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH (100% power) 2 minutes, then stir. Microwave on HIGH (100% power) until smooth, 1 to 3 minutes more, stirring each minute. Stir in vanilla and serve. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.

LEMON ICE CREAM PIE WITH WARM BERRY SAUCE

1/4 cup butter

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cup finely ground nuts

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest

1 lemon, thinly sliced, optional

Warm Berry Sauce

Place butter in 9-inch microwave-proof pie plate. Microwave on MEDIUM (50% power) until melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add crumbs, nuts, sugar and cinnamon. Stir to mix well. With back of spoon, press mixture against sides and bottom of pie plate to form even crust. Microwave on HIGH (100% power) until set, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

Allow to cool, then refrigerate crust 15 minutes to chill.

Remove cover of ice cream carton. Place paper or plastic carton in microwave and heat on DEFROST until ice cream is soft enough to spoon easily, about 1 minute. Spoon ice cream into large bowl and fold in lemon juice and grated lemon zest. Spoon ice cream into prepared crust, rounding top. Cover and freeze at least 1 hour or overnight, until frozen solid.

Just before serving, garnish with lemon slices. Serve with Warm Berry Sauce. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Warm Berry Sauce

2 cups fresh ripe berries

2 tablespoons raspberry or currant jam

2 tablespoons fruit liqueur, optional

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Place berries, jam, liqueur and lemon juice in 4-cup glass measure. Microwave on HIGH (100% power) until just heated through, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring once. Makes 2 cups.

SNICKERS ICE CREAM PIE

1/4 cup butter

1 1/3 cups chocolate wafer cookie crumbs

1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream

2 standard-size Snickers, Heath or Milky Way bars, chopped into 1/2-inch chunks

Hot Fudge Sauce

Place butter in 9-inch microwave-proof pie plate. Microwave on MEDIUM (50% power) until melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add crumbs and stir to mix well. With back of spoon, press mixture against sides and bottom of pie plate to form even crust. Microwave on HIGH (100% power) until set, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Allow to cool, then refrigerate crust 15 minutes.

Remove cover of ice cream carton. Place paper or plastic carton in microwave and microwave on DEFROST until ice cream is soft enough to spoon easily, about 1 minute. Spoon ice cream into large bowl and fold in candy bar pieces. Spoon ice cream into prepared crust, rounding top. Cover and freeze at least 1 hour or overnight, until frozen solid.

Serve with Hot Fudge Sauce. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Note: To make graham cracker crust, substitute 1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs and 2 tablespoons sugar for cookie crumbs.