Jack In The Box Oreo Cookie Shake

If you live in one of the 15 Western states served by Jack in the Box, you have no doubt cracked a gut from the hilarious TV ads produced by this popular hamburger chain. In the spots a suit-wearing "Jack" runs the company, even though he's got a bulbous antenna ball for a head with a giant smiley-face painted on it. He has a private jet, plays golf, even has kids with mini antenna-ball heads.

Jack also has a featured shake flavor that, it turns out, is very easy to make at home with a blender, ice cream, milk and a handful of Oreo cookies. Sure the drive-thru is convenient and easy. But if you don't feel like getting out, now you can enjoy this clone at home from the first fast food chain in the country to use a drive-thru window way beck when.

Recipe Ingredient

3 cups vanilla ice cream

1 1/2 cups milk

8 Oreo cookies

1. Combine the ice cream and milk in a blender and mix on low speed until smooth. Stir the shake with a spoon to mix, if necessary.

2. Break Oreo cookies while adding them to the blender. Mix on low speed for 5 to 10 seconds or until cookies are mostly pureed into the shake, but a few larger pieces remain. Stir with a spoon

if necessary to help combine cookies.

3. Pour shake into two 12-ounce glasses.

Serves 2.

Cinnabon Icescape

In a blender, Cinnabon adds concentrated flavoring, some ice and a curious secret ingredient referred toonly as a "dairy product." When blended smooth, out comes these thick, refreshing drinks that look and taste like they were made with ice cream.

For this clone we just need a little half-and-half (that's half cream and half milk for those of you across the pond). It gives this version the exact same creamy consistency as the original with its custom"dairy" ingredient. Strawberry is the most popular ofthe flavors, but the other two are tasty as well.

The Mochalatta version recipe uses the TSR clone of the Mochalatta Chill from last week and produces as thicker blended version of the drink, similar to Starbuck's popular blended Frappuccino.

Strawberry

1 cup water

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 cups crushed ice

1/3 cup frozen whole strawberries (about 4 large strawberries)

1/2 cup half-and-half

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup Hershey strawberry syrup

1. Combine the water and sugar in a cup and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

2. Add this sugar syrup to other ingredients in a blender. Blend on high speed until the drink is smooth. Serve in two 16-ounce glasses.

Makes 2 large drinks.

Orange

3 cups crushed ice

1 cup water

2/3 cup orange juice

1/2 cup half-and-half

3 tablespoons Tang orange drink mix

1. Mix all ingredients in a blender set on high speed until smooth and creamy. Serve in two 16-ounce glasses.

Makes 2 large drinks.

Mochalatta

3 cups crushed ice

1 1/2 cups TSR version of Mochalatta Chill

1/2 cup half-and-half

2 tablespoons chocolate syrup

1. Mix all ingredients in a blender set on high speed until smooth and creamy. Serve in two 16-ounce glasses.

Makes 2 large drinks.

Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream Cake

Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream Cake

Traditional white birthday cakes are pretty boring by themselves. Scoop a little ice cream onto the plate and I'll perk up a bit. But, hey baby, bring a Baskin-Robbins ice cream cake to the party and I'll be the first one in line with a plastic fork.

This 4500-unit ice cream chain stacks several varieties of pre-made ice cream cakes in its freezer, but I've discovered the most popular version, over and over again, is the one made from white cake with pralines and cream ice cream on top. So that's got to be the version we clone here. But don't think you're locked into this formula - you can use any flavor of cake and ice cream you fancy for your homemade masterpiece.

Just be sure the ice cream you choose comes in a box. It should be rectangular shape so that the ice cream layer stacks up right. Then you'll want to find a real sharp serrated knife to cut the ice cream in half while it's in the box. And check this out: That white stuff that coats the cake is actually softened ice cream spread on a thin layer like frosting, and then re-frozen.

After it sets up, you can decorate the cake any way you like with pre-made frosting in whatever color suits your festive occasion. Voila You've just made an ice cream cake at home that looks and tastes like those in the stores that costs around 35 buck each.

Cake

1 box white cake mix

1 1/4 cups water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 egg whites

1/2-gallon box pralines and cream ice cream

4 cups (2 pints) vanilla ice cream

1 12-ounce container white frosting

Optional

colored frosting

A sharp bread knife makes box slicing easy

Ice cream on top of the cake, and all the trimming

1. Make your cake following the directions on the box. If you are making the white cake you will likely blend the cake mix with water, oil, and 3 eggs. Pour the batter into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. This will make a thin cake for our bottom layer. When cake is done, let it cool to room temperature.

2. When the cake has cooled, carefully remove it from the pan and place it on a wax paper-covered cookie sheet, or a platter or tray that will fit into your freezer.

3. Use a sharp serrated knife (a bread knife works great) to slice the ice cream lengthwise through the middle, box and all, so that you have two 2-inch thick sheets of ice cream. Peel the cardboard off the ice cream and lay the halves next to each other on the cake. Slice the edges of the cake all the way around so that the cake is the same size as the ice cream on top. Work quickly so that the ice cream doesn't melt. When the cake has been trimmed, place it into the freezer for an hour or two.

4. When you are ready to frost the cake, take the two pints (4 cups) of vanilla ice cream out of the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes to soften. Sitr the ice cream so that it is smooth, like frosting. Use a frosting knife or spatula to coat your cake with about 2 cups of ice cream. Cover the entire surface thoroughly so that you cannot see any of the cake or ice cream underneath. Pop the cake into the freezer for an hour or so to set up.

5. When the cake has set, fill a pastry bag (with a fancy tip) with white frosting to decorate all around the top edge of the cake. Also decorate around the bottom of the cake. Use colored frosting and different tips to add inspired artistic flair and writing on the cake, as needed. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and keep it in your freezer until party time.

6. When you are ready to serve the cake, leave it out for 10 minutes before slicing. Cut the cake with a sharp knife that has been held under hot water. This recipe makes 1 large cake (16 - 20 servings).

Tidbits

You may wish to use another flavor cake mix such as chocolate or devil's food for this dessert - even low-fat cake mix works. It's up to you. Just follow the directions on the box for making the cake in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. You can also use any flavor of ice cream. Just be sure to get it in a box.

Baskin-Robbins B.R. Blast

Baskin-Robbins B.R. Blast

Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins' idea to franchise their ice cream stores for rapid growth was so inspired that the company's former milk shake machine salesman, Ray Kroc, adopted the technique to successfully expand his new chain of McDonald's hamburger outlets.

Ice cream is this chain's staple. So this coffee drink, unlike the Frappuccino made famous by Starbucks, requires adding ice cream for a creamy texture and rich taste.

If you've got a blender you can clone either of the two varieties of this refreshing coffee beverage. For chocoholics bent on everything mocha, just add some chocolate syrup to the mix.

Cappuccino

1 cup double-strength coffee (see Tidbits)

1 cup milk1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 heaping cup vanilla ice cream

2 cups crushed ice or ice cubes

Garnish

whipped cream

cinnamon

1. Combine the strong coffee, milk and sugar in a blender and mix on medium speed for 15 seconds to dissolve sugar.

2. Add ice cream and ice then blend on high speed until smooth and creamy.

3. Pour drink into two 16-ounce glasses. If desired, add whipped cream to the top of each drink followed by a sprinkle of cinnamon.

This recipe makes 2 large drinks.