It is so hot and sometimes it's nice to have a nice refreshing dessert. To be honest with you - when it's too hot - I prefer very light meals, something sweet and lots of iced tea and ice water!

Here's a few "coolers" to help keep you cool - and you needn't bake your own cakes, cookies or brownies, nor make your own ice cream, etc. - you can cheat all you want when making these:

A graham cracker/cookie crust filled with softened ice cream or yogurt - swirl with any sauce you want; add chocolate chips, nuts, chopped fresh fruit (or frozen berries) - return to freezer and enjoy when you want.

A brownie topped with ice cream is so good. Drizzle with sauce and sprinkle with chocolate jimmies, 100,000's or nuts, whipped cream and a cherry!

Make your own ice cream sandwiches using ice cream, ice milk or frozen yogurt (softened) between 2 cookies - chocolate, chocolate chip - any kind you want to use. Wrap in waxed paper and freeze.

Easy parfaits - cubed brownies, cakes, pound cakes, angel food cakes layered in parfait glasses with ice cream or frozen yogurt (softened) or pudding - add a layer of fresh or frozen fruit or nuts. Top with whipped cream or cool whip, sprinkle with nuts and enjoy.

Make strawberry shortcake desserts (you can thaw frozen strawberries in sugar to make it really easy if you dont want to clean, slice and sugar fresh ones) using a brownie, a blondie, a scoop of ice cream or yogurt, a slice of pound cake, a square of white, yellow or chocolate cake, angel food cake - anything - don't be afraid to experiment.

Warm a flour tortilla in a skillet, lightly butter, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, place softened yogurt or ice cream down the center, roll and freeze.

Enjoy a refreshing fruit smoothie if you don't want a milkshake!

Make a nice trifle using mini jelly rolls or regular jelly rolls and puddings, top with whipped cream or cool whip. Even Twinkies work for this one!

Soften ice cream and add cut-up Zingers, HoHo's etc. and re-freeze.

Any leftover dessert (cakes, cookies, brownies/blondies, cheesecake, pies, cupcakes - homemade or other) can be made into a "new" and different frozen delicacy - use your imagination!

I made a nice summery trifle just the other day, with angel food cake bought at the store, cool whip, and fresh strawberries. It was delicious and so easy, and nice and light for summer.

oh that sounds so good right now!! I love strawberries with angel food cake! I made something similar a couple weeks ago - sliced the angel food cake horizontally, spread with vanilla pudding, topped with sliced fresh strawberries, repeated layer (I cut the angel food cake in 3 layers) and served with strawberries in syrup (sugar) and whipped cream - it was just soooo good!

nice cool desserts do sound good since it's getting so hot out. Those are all good ideas for July 4th too....simple and refreshing!

it's so hot here today that I feel like I am going to pass out!

I don't even want to see food - but a cool dessert and iced tea sounds good!