Banana Split Ice Cream Sandwiches

BANANA SPLIT ICE CREAM SANDWICHES

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 cup LAND O LAKES� Butter, softened* 3 large (1 1/2 cups) ripe bananas, mashed 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 cups strawberry, vanilla or Neapolitan ice cream 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet real chocolate chips 1 teaspoon shortening 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

Instructions:

Heat oven to 350�F. Combine brown sugar and butter in large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add bananas, eggs and vanilla. Continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add flour, oats, baking soda and salt. Beat until well mixed. Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls 3 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten dough to 3-inch diameter with bottom of glass dipped in sugar. Bake for 14 to 19 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely (15 minutes). Transfer cookies to resealable small plastic freezer bags. Freeze until firm (2 hours). Let ice cream stand at room temperature until slightly softened (10 minutes). Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips and shortening in small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and smooth (2 to 3 minutes). For each sandwich cookie, spread 1/4 cup ice cream over flat-side of 1 cookie; top with another cookie, flat-side down. Press cookies together slightly. Spread 1 tablespoon chocolate over top of each sandwich cookie; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon walnuts. Place ice cream sandwich onto ungreased baking sheet; freeze (2 hours). Repeat with remaining cookies, ice cream, chocolate and walnuts. When chocolate has set, place ice cream sandwiches into resealable small plastic freezer bags. Store in freezer.

the refrigerator.
 * Substitute LAND O LAKES� Soft Baking Butter with Canola Oil right from

TIP: Use a small (2-inch) ice cream scoop to portion the cookie dough into 1/4 cupfuls and to scoop the ice cream for each sandwich.

Yield: 1 dozen sandwich cookies

Contributed by:

 * Catsrecipes Y-Group