Apple Pie Casserole...à la Mode

Uh...what? You're probably scratching your heads at the post title, wondering just what in the heck that could be and "where's the picture?" Sorry for not capturing any photos of this delight; I'll try harder next time, I promise!

Ice cream sandwich cakes/casseroles are gaining popularity these days, owing to their ease of preparation and potential for variations. The classic ones involve ice cream sandwiches layered with some type of syrup (chocolate, caramel, strawberry--take your pick), maybe some nuts or toffee bits, more ice cream sandwiches, and topped off with whipped topping and garnish. Neapolitan ice cream sandwiches + sliced bananas + whipped topping + cherries = banana split! The possibilities are endless!

My original intention for this casserole involved lining up ice cream sandwiches and layering them with apple pie filling, caramel sauce, and whipped topping. However, after a fruitless three-store search I was unable to find any vanilla wafered ice cream sandwiches. Am I dreaming here, or do they only make the chocolate wafer-vanilla middle variety? I could swear I've seen vanilla-vanilla at some point. For this recipe I suggest seeking out a small-diced apple pie filling...big frozen apple chunks can be hard to handle!


Apple Pie Casserole à la Mode

• 24 cinnamon graham cracker sheets
• ½ gallon vanilla ice cream, softened*
• 21 oz. can apple pie filling
• 1 tsp. apple pie spice (optional)
• 12 oz. jar caramel sauce
• 8 oz. non-dairy whipped topping, thawed

Free up some space in your freezer to hold a 9 x 13" baking dish. This next part is messy, so wash your hands first. Pour apple pie filling into a medium bowl. Fish out apple slices, leaving behind as much of the gel part as possible in the bowl, and chop into small pieces. Return apple pieces to bowl with pie filling gel and stir in apple pie spice, if using. Wash those goopy hands!

Begin layers in the 9 x 13" dish:

• graham crackers
• ice cream
• graham crackers
• apple pie filling
• caramel sauce
• graham crackers
• ice cream
• whipped topping

Freeze uncovered for about 15 minutes, or until whipped topping has hardened. Cover with foil and store in freezer until serving time. Serves 24.

*If you live anywhere in the South, I highly recommend you seek out and purchase a tub of Blue Bell Homemade™ Vanilla Ice Cream. Once you've tried it, nothing else will do!