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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

CARDS FOR KIDS ~ HOME EDITION...

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If you haven't already read about the wonderful "take-action" group " CARDS FOR KIDS ", please read the post below. The girls had some friends over today and I decided that it was a perfect opportunity to put my money where my mouth is, so to speak (i.e. make some cards... for kids). Here's the "recipe": 1 very worthy cause 2 8-year old girls 2 4-year olds, assorted 6 glue sticks 1 glue gun 1 Martha Stewart ballpoint-tip glue pen for fine glitter detail cardstock and scrapbooking paper glitter, buttons, doodads and plastic spiders muffin cups & doilies Halloween printouts (thanks to Matthew Mead , Martha Stewart , and my favorite: Emily at Inside a Black Apple ) Miscellaneous ephemera (old sheet music, schoolbook and dictionary pages) The kids had a great time creating from the craft table smorgasbord, and were excited about the fact that their creations are going to other children.

CARDS FOR KIDS ~ CREATE, GIVE, MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIFE OF A CHILD

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I HAD SEVERAL INSPIRATIONS come to mind for articles today. My head was thinking, “TGIF! How about a weekly Happy Hour post featuring seasonal cocktail recipes?” I was getting all toasty just thinking about my favorite Fall beverage: The Hot Apple Pie. But my heart was thinking something entirely different. And I felt pretty warm and toasty thinking about it too… …Despite a genuine desire to get involved and be an agent of change, we’re sometimes discouraged by the magnitude of the worlds’ problems. Personally, I often get so wrapped up in my little world and mini-dramas that I forget the power of the butterfly effect ~ that often a small, good gesture can have potent results. I was delighted yesterday, when my dear friend Sara forwarded me some information about a cause called “CARDS FOR KIDS”. The goal of “CARDS FOR KIDS” is to make and deliver cards, goodies, etc. to children who are in the hospital or living in shelters at holiday time. Their latest drive is for Halloween che

PARCHMENT TULIP CUPCAKE LINER TUTORIAL

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Did you know that you can make those fancy little parchment cupcake/muffin liners that you see in fancy French bakeries quite easily at home? Peaches and Little Lu are here to show you how. Peaches and Lu were passed on to me by my grandmother, Catharine. Catharine wasn't known for her cooking, but what she did give to me, besides Peaches and Lu, is an appreciation for things from yesteryear. She was a scrapbooker, a collector, and inspired my nostalgia for family history and ephemera. So, without further ado, we give you: THE FANCY SCHMANCY PARCHMENT TULIP CUPCAKE LINER TUTORIAL Step 1: Cut Parchment Paper (available in grocery and craft stores) in to 5.5" squares Step 2: Lay parchment square evenly over cupcake opening on your cupcake pan Step 3: Using a drinking glass or jar, the same diameter as the cupcake opening, gently press to mold parchment to pan. (note: "Has this glass gotten smaller?" Peaches regrets eating that extr

NEED A LITTLE VALIDATION?

I've often sung the praises of fellow blogger Melissa at Operation Nice for her inspiring posts, stories, ideas, and projects promoting the idea that "a little NICE goes a long way." When I stopped by OPERATION NICE this evening I was treated to wonderful gift in the form of a short, but powerful film titled "Validation". Four minutes into the film I was already feeling uplifted and inspired to start my own mobile "Validation" booth. The beginning packed such a powerful punch that I wondered, "with twelve more minutes to go, can the rest of the film deliver?" It did. With style, wit , charm and a catchy soundtrack, "Validation" reminds us all what a big difference a little bit of sincere kindness can make. P.S. Melissa, loving the blue hair!

APPLESAUCE CAKE WITH BOURBON BROWN SUGAR SABAYON

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Fall is apple picking, brisk air, a warm fire, spice … My humble cupcakes were inspired by those things I love best about the season. The applesauce cake is moist and tender, with delicate spice. It marries beautifully with the richness of the brown sugar Sabayon. The Bourbon Lace Crunch adds a dimension of texture ~ a light buttery crunch that takes the experience to another dimension. I was initially stumped when it came to the garnish. I wanted something attractive, yet delicious. Rather than something that simply acted as "window dressing", I wanted a garnish that would add even more "WOW" to the marriage of flavors and textures from the cake and the Sabayon. What resulted from my musings was a new take on the old classic lace cookie. The hint of molasses added richness and complexity. The bourbon provided a note of continuity. The crunch is delicate, buttery, and starts to melt on your tongue with your first bite of creamy Sabayon and tender cake.

THE WRITING ON THE BLACKBOARD

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And the winner of the Sprout Boutique merchandise giveaway is: Sydney of Diapers and Deadlines: Musings of a Media Mom ! A very special thanks to " This Stop Willoughby ", Julie, Amanda of " I am Mommy ", Amy, Marina of " Energizer Bunnys Mommy Reports ", Natalie Jane of " Natalie's Sentiments " (and a few other wonderful blogs), Holly of " 504 Main" and " Hip, Stylish & Totally Cool Weddings ", Iris at " Tales of a Modern Mommy ", and the 5th Sister for leaving comments and/or entering! It really means a lot to this bird! Please help me show some love for these supportive ladies by visiting their blogs and letting them know you stopped by. Stay tuned for new additions to the Sprout Boutique line. For information on where to purchase the Chalkboard Tees, visit them HERE .

i (HEART) bloggers!

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I am frequently struck by the generosity, creativity, sincerity, and altruistic nature of my fellow bloggers. The number of giveaways, free tutorials, recipes, patterns, projects and original ideas is positively staggering! It's a breath of fresh air to find a group of people so dedicated to community, positivity, and "paying it forward". It makes the world feel smaller in a really nice way! I am honored to announce that my new BlogAmiga, "This Stop Willoughby" has awarded me "THE FRIENDS AWARD". I'm giddy with glee, really! THE RULES TO THIS AWARD ARE: This award is bestowed on to blogs that are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. (They are not interested in self-aggrandizement.) Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to other bloggers who must choose others to pass it on to and include this

PROJECT RUNWAY..PLAYGROUND EDITION...

WANNA WIN ONE? ENTER OUR GIVEAWAY...WHY NOT? IT'S QUICK, EASY AND PAINLESS! PROMISE WE WON'T SPAM YA, SELL YOUR INFO, OR FEED YOUR DOG FROM THE TABLE. WINNER WILL BE DRAWN AT RANDOM THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4, 5:00 PST HERE'S HOW TO ENTER: Visit the Sprout Boutique page on Facebook and join the group. -- AND -- Visit the Rook No. 17 discussion board on Facebook and post your answer to the baby related question Leave a comment at the end of this post to let us know that you've stopped by and have done the above. If you're not a member of Facebook, here's an alternative: Visit the Sprout Boutique website and take a look at the Chalkboard Tees section. Then, Post a comment on this post and tell us which Chalkboard Tee design you like best. WANT AN EXTRA ENTRY TO WIN? Simply "follow" this blog by clicking the "Follow with Google Friend Connect" button and following "publicly". Then leave me an additional comment to let me know you did it.

AND THE WINNER IS...EVERYONE!!!

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WELL, IT FELT A BIT LIKE PULLING TEETH TRYING TO GENERATE SOME ENTHUSIASM FOR THE "FLOWER FAIRY KIT GIVEAWAY". Perhaps I should have made them into "tooth fairies". Hmmm, actually not a bad idea (note to self: add little silk tooth pouch to flower fairies...call them "tooth fairies"). Getting back to the subject at hand, I want to extend a tremendous THANK YOU to Holly, Felicia, Rachel, Jaime and Julie for entering. I am happy to announce that you have ALL WON ! I will be sending each of you a flower fairy kit with enough supplies to make two fairies each. All you need to do is email me your mailing address. Ladies, thanks again for your participation and support! Happy crafting! ~ Jenn

SKINNY PUMPKIN SOUP

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Happy October! Although it involves my complete resignation to the fact that we're 3/4 of the way through the year, I always greet October with a measure of excitement. Many years ago my husband and I started the tradition of celebrating the arrival of October with a bowl of homemade pumpkin soup on October 1. This year, I have embraced my self-proclaimed title of "foodie" with a bit too much zeal. On a subconcious level I must have been trying to find a very personal way to pay homage to the October "squash of the month". No need for a Halloween costume this year. I already look like a pumpkin. Of course I've decided to pick October as the month to start a healthier eating program, since there's little temptation in the months ahead (insert canned laughter here). My first assignment ~ transform my traditional "October Celebration Pumpkin Soup" recipe into a "Skinny Pumpkin Soup" recipe without sacrificing flavor, richness, and

ATTACK OF THE 65 POUND ZUCCHINI

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The world's largest zucchini, to date, is a whopping 65 pounds ~ the average weight of an eight-year-old boy. Wow! "Why the fascination with giant zucchini," you ask? Well, it all started back in around 1981 when my family decided to turn our side yard into a vegetable garden. After several weekends of sifting rocks and debris from the sandy soil (my brothers and I didn't mind...we were pretending to be 49ers panning for gold), adding in some good ol' manure (remember this was back in the days before organic soil and compost were readily available), and hoeing some rows, we we were ready to "grow". Please pardon the garden puns ~ I clearly can't help myself. We planted carrots, tomatoes, strawberries, corn, an assortment of herbs, and zucchini. I should probably mention that I grew up in Pebble Beach, California (simple little ranch home, not an estate) ~ an area not typically know for it's sunshine or good climate. We lived in the part of Pebble