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

Warm Pear Cider Recipe
and the Muy Bueno Cookbook Review & Giveaway


Welcome friends.  Have a seat and enjoy a cup of warm spiced pear cider.  I'll tell you how to make it in just a bit, but first, I'd like to tell you all about the wonderful cookbook where I discovered the recipe!  At the end of this post, you'll have an opportunity to win a copy of your very own.


Muy Bueno:  Three Generations of Authentic Mexican Flavor is a beautifully assembled collection of recipes and stories from the three ladies behind the popular blog of the same name (muybuenocookbook.com).  Yvette, Veronica and Evangelina were born and raised in El Paso, Texas, where they learned to cook from the family matriarch, Jesusita.  Jesusita's hospitality and cooking were legendary among family and friends, and now her daughter and granddaughters are sharing Jesusita's gift with the rest of the world.

Photo source:  Muy Bueno Cookbook, Jeanine Thurston, photographer

Inside the pages of the Muy Bueno Cookbook you're not going to find a bunch of one-bowl, shortcut recipes.  This isn't that kind of book.  This book celebrates a rich cultural heritage, traditional Mexican holidays and customs, and comfort foods that are steeped in history and made with heart and soul.

Photo source:  Muy Bueno Cookbook, Jeanine Thurston, photographer
Throughout the book, the ladies of Muy Bueno have shared heartwarming stories and family history that transport you right into their kitchens and celebrations.  Not only are the recipes wonderful, but so is the "conversation".  

Clockwise from left:  Mexican Chorizo and Cheese, Bruschetta Topped With Apricot, Melted Brie, and Pomegranate Seeds, Homemade Flour Tortillas, Persimmon Mojito.  Photo source:  Muy Bueno Cookbook, Jeanine Thurston, photographer
From basics like homemade tortillas and salsas to exotic cocktails and traditional homestyle dishes like chicken mole and stacked red enchiladas, this cookbook contains page after page of mouthwatering, soulful recipes accompanied by captivating color photographs.  


Over the course of the past few weeks, I've had a chance to try many of the recipes from the Muy Bueno Cookbook as part of the Muy Bueno Cookbook Spotlight & Cook-off from Hippocrene and girlichef.  They were keepers, every one.

Clockwise from left:  Scallop Avocado & Cucumber Cocktail (recipe HERE), Mexican Bread Pudding (recipe HERE) and Salsa de Hongos y Jalapenos (recipe at girlichef HERE)
That brings me to the warm pear cider.  Not as sweet as its apple cousin, and delicately spiced, this cider is the perfect drink for a crisp autumn evening.  The best part is sinking your teeth into the Asian pear "cup" once you've finished the cider.

 Warm Pear Cider ~ Calientito

from the Muy Bueno Cookbook
makes 4-6 drinks

  • 3 1/2 cups pear nectar*
  • 1 or two cinnamon sticks (plus more for garnish)
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 4 whole anise stars
  • 3/4 cup tequila gold or reposado
  • 4 to 6 Asian pears (optional)

Combine pear nectar, cinnamon sticks, cloves and anise stars in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.  Add tequila and stir to incorporate.

Cut off the pear tops and with a sharp knife, carefully outline a rim on your pear cups.  With a melon baller or spoon, hollow out the pears, making sure to leave about 1/4 inch at the bottom and around the edges, creating a cup.

Pour warm nectar into pear cups and enjoy! 

*I had a tough time finding pear nectar at our local grocery stores.  I ultimately found it at our Mi Pueblo Mexican grocery along with the whole line of other Kern's nectars.

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Giveaway! 

 Compliments of Hippocrene Books, one lucky Rook No. 17 reader will win their own copy of  Muy Bueno:  Three Generations of Authentic Mexican Flavor.  Enter below.  Good luck!


Tremendous thanks go out to Heather of girlichef.com and Hippocrene for the opportunity to take part in this cookbook spotlight and cook-off.



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