“Is tonight Treat Night?” I can almost guarantee that this phrase will be chirped by my 5-year-old as he leaves the dinner table no matter what day it is.
"Treat Night" — known as family home evening to the rest of us — is the highlight of his week. Family home evening at our house does include more than just treats, but that one part most impresses the 5-year-old. Still, if treats keep him excited for family home evening, then I am all for them.
Because our children are small, and we have a half dozen of them, we try to keep things simple. One of our family’s favorite desserts to share is a simple cheesecake.
In a large bowl, whip together 8 ounces of cream cheese, 1 cup of powdered sugar and 8 ounces of whipped topping. Blend these until they are smooth. Note that all the ingredients in this recipe are white, so it goes great with a lesson on the temple, purity or repentance.
Scoop the mixture into a graham cracker pie shell. Chill for about an hour, and then cut and serve with fruit topping.
Another treat our family loves to share is homemade ice cream. We don’t have an ice cream maker, but we don’t let that stop us. In a zip-seal plastic bag, let each person add ½ cup cream or whole milk. Next add one heaping tablespoon of sugar. Be sure your bag is TIGHTLY sealed, or even double bag it. (This is an important step to prevent your ice cream from tasting salty.)
Everyone will now need a gallon-size, zip-seal plastic bag. Put a handful of ice cubes in this larger bag and sprinkle those with several tablespoons of salt. Place the small baggie inside the larger bag, zip the big bag closed, and start to shake and squeeze it. We like to turn on an energetic song and dance around the living room while we do this.
After a few minutes of mixing, your hands will be freezing cold. The good news is your ice cream will be too. Let everyone top their treat with a favorite candy or flavored syrup.
Although there is much more to family home evening than simply sharing sugary dishes, a tasty dessert can always make the evening sweeter. With any luck maybe “Treat Night” will remain a favorite in our family for a long time to come.
Melissa DeMoux is a stay-at-home mother of six young children who lives in West Valley City, Utah. You can e-mail her at mddemoux@gmail.com or follow her adventures in motherhood at demouxfamily.blogspot.com.
