Chonky Boys: The Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches that Scream Summer!

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Featuring my thick and nuggy Chonky Boy Chocolate Chip Cookies, these ice cream sandwiches are the stuff that summer dreams are made of.  If you've ever had the Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich at Disneyland , you are going to LOVE these!  These big and bold chocolate chip cookies are based on a recipe from my culinary school studies at Auguste Escoffier, but with a few modifications to give them that Jennuine touch.  They make the perfectas book for a fat slice of real vanilla bean ice cream.  And those mini chips?  You just gotta have that extra cronch! Thank goodness this recipe only makes 8 sandwiches, otherwise I would be eating them for breakfast lunch and dinner.  This way, my big family can help save me from my inner child diet-saboteur.   Print With Image Without Image Chonky Boy Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches Yield: 8 Author: Jenn Erickson Loaded with chocolate chips and buttery, brown-sugary vanilla flavor, these mall-sized cookies form a perfect partnership with a

LUNCHBOX HEROES REVISITED ~ starring YOU!

Back in August, my friend Jill inspired me to put together an article taking on the issue of picky eaters vs. school lunch. It's an issue I can relate to. Packing a healthy lunch for my eight year old daughter is a daily challenge. It's involved much trial and error and a lot of uneaten food. I think I have it figured out for now, but my formula alone was not enough to solve the woes of all the other parents out there. So, I consulted the EXPERTS: my dream team of amazing mom friends. Thanks ladies!

I started off the discussion with one of my daughter's lunchbox favorites:

HOMEMADE TRAIL MIX: What's great about this is that it's a fun activity as well. We start out by picking healthy items from the grocery store ~ nuts, dried fruits, seeds, whole grain cereals, etc... Have the kids pour all the ingredients into a large zip-loc bag and shake to combine. Instead of buying all of those prepackaged snacks that are loaded with preservatives and sugar, you have a fun and delicious snack that will last for weeks, is packed with protein, omega 3s, and whole grains.

The next great idea came from one of the hippest mommies I know ~ Ahnalisa, who said:

"My kids love soup of any kind. Noodles, vegtable, bean you name it. It is quick to heat on the stove in the morning and we pack them in a stainless steel thermos we picked up at Rite aid. Trader Joes has great soup selections. I have them pick a fruit and this usually does it."

Fellow foodie, Iris offered:

"For easy stuff I don't have to make, my kids LOVE Hummus with pita and veggies. Also, grilled cheese with tomato and black forest ham."

School chum Jacqueline (now an elementary school teacher herself) took the hummus concept in a fun new direction:

"Big pretzels and hummus!"

Emily, a very creative and crafty Mompreneur, added:

"black olives and dill pickles-not together but they are a great "something else" when I feel like the lunch is lacking."

Geri, who never fails to put a smile on my face said:

"Wraps! When I feel like it's time for a little change in the ol' lunch pail, I use whole wheat flatbread instead of whole grain bread. You can spread all kinds of things (cream cheese, mustard, hummus, you name it!) then add whatever kind of meat you like (or not), then lettuce, dill pickle, the possibilities are endless, then roll it up, press down to flatten just a bit and cut in a diagonal and presto...a really cool sandwich!"

Jill, the gal who started it all, chimed in with:

"We like to make our own version of healthy lunchables. I put my own spread with a kid friendly knife (p.b, cream cheese, whatever) and then cut out our own shapes of cheese, nitrate free turkey and whole grain crackers"

It was my friend Catherine, however, that had me wishing that she was packing my lunch!

"Sliced cucumbers with a dash of rice vinegar. Rice & black beans with corn, shredded cheese, tbl spoon of salsa verde. Dried fruit & nut mixtures. Whole wheat naan bread & hummus or edamame dip. Almond butter-honey sandwiches. Frozen mango chunks mixed with berries. Whole Wheat pasta w/ Parm cheese. Salmon salad sandwiches. Ham or turkey roll-ups. Small, whole apples. Melon slices. Oatmeal-raisin-walnut cookies."

Kristen, another childhood pal offered several delicious ideas:

"My son LOVES strawberries or bannana slices with vanilla yogurt to dip them in. Plus celery with cream cheese, cinnomon & sugar. He also loves pita bread with cream cheese & ham slices..Then I cut in funny shapes"

Sarah Henry of "
Lettuce Eat Kale" did a wonderful feature on "Beating the Brown Bag Blues a.k.a. Taking the Stress Out of School Lunch". Check out her article HERE.


HAVE SOME GREAT TIPS OR LUNCHBOX TRICKS OF YOUR OWN?
PLEASE SHARE BY LEAVING A COMMENT BELOW.

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