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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

Gevalia, Take Me Away ~ New Gevalia Single-Serve Coffee Cups #CupOfKaffe

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I'd love to be able to say that it's been quiet around here these past few weeks because I've been on holiday ~ exploring the natural beauty of our rocky shores, enjoying good food, great coffee, and the company of my family ~ sand between our toes s ea air leaving salty kisses on our skin. Alas, the reality is that I've been up to my eyes with textbooks, term papers and final exams. I've seen my share of late n ights . My steady companion through the wee a.m. hours -- my cup of coffee.     The timing couldn't have been better to give the rich, never bitter taste of Gevalia single serve coffee a try.  ( You can take a tour of my path to purchase in this Go ogle+ Gallery .)           Gevalia...take me away! Perhaps any old cup of Joe could have helped me power through the paperwork and late night study sessions, but why sacrifice quality when you don't have to?     With the N

{Reduced Fat} Fluffy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Apple Dip

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I'm so happy to announce that I'm finished with my graduate classes until  August.  I have just a few more days of papers and projects, and then I'll be free to resume crafting, concocting and sharing ideas for making everyday life a little sweeter.  Thanks for bearing with me. Like a true mom, I can't just leave you hungry while you wait patiently for "dinner".  So, I made a little something to hold you over:  {Reduced Fat} Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Apple Dip ! You've probably seen a lot of wonderful recipes for apple dip online.  The concept is nothing new. What's different about this recipe is that I've taken some steps, in the creation of my original recipe, to reduce the fat.  I'm still not going to recommend that you eat it every day ( even though you'll probably want to ), but if you get the occasional sweet tooth and would like to squeeze in some nutrition -- protein, calcium, fresh fruit -- without sacrificing t

The Best Gluten Free Cookies ~ Oatmeal Chocolate Chip with Coconut & Apricot

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I am so, so excited to be sharing this recipe!  These cookies are chewy, toasty, buttery, and have the perfect balance of flavors.  What's more, they're packed with protein and whole grains.  Best of all -- they're GLUTEN FREE!   The creation of this recipe has been a labor of love.  A childhood friend came to me last week and asked me to look after her daughter while she was out of  town for a family emergency.  My girls were excited about having a sleepover during the school-week.  We decided that baking cookies should definitely be on the agenda.  "But, Mama," my little one chimed in, "our friend is hot-toast-intolerant" ( her way of saying allergic to gluten ).     I wasn't going to let a little 'ol ingredient get in our way of having a fun evening, so I set right to work on creating a gluten-free cookie so delicious that it might join the ranks of "best cookie", not just "best gluten-free cookie".  The

Lilies for Mothers Day ~ Victorian Boot Planter DIY (and $25 VISA gift card giveaway)

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This post brought to you by iBulb . All opinions are 100% mine.  I love lilies ! They're beautiful, easy to care for and smell divine!  They're perfect for every occasion from classic to modern casual to formal anniversaries, birthdays... ...and even when you need to apologize for forgetting one of those occasions. Did you know that there are hundre ds of types of lilies   and that they're considered a s ymbol of refined beauty? It's no wonder that they wer e the inspiration for my Mother s Day Lily Bouquet! Don't these Asiatic lilies look elegant in this Victorian ladie s' lace-up boot? I'm excited to show you how to transform a modern pair of thrift store boots into a vintage looking Victorian Boot Planter for the refined b eauty in your life!          Victorian Boot Planter with fresh Lily arrangement For the boot planter:    1 lace-up boot , leather or vinyl

Retro Graphics: FREE Vintage Flashcard Images (Camera, Plume, Bicycle, Ball, Apple, Rotary Telephone, Fern, Bird Cage & Goggles)

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This ride has not come to a complete stop. Do not unbuckle your safety harness.   I've been a candle-burning-at-both ends graduate student mom taxi Leprechaun Easter bunny private tutor full-time classroom aide zombie  these past few weeks. There's light at the end of the tunnel though: My college classes end in a few short weeks, and I should be back to more regular posting ~ sugar-shakin', bakin', crafting and creative knoodling very soon! In the meanti me, do something amazing with one o f these charming retro graphics that I pulled from my vintage flashcard collection .  I can't wait to see what you come up with!              

Recipe: Homemade Super Seed Matzoh Sticks

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Matzoh! It's the thin and crispy unleavened bread eaten at Passover (but delicious year-round) As a child in a mixed-faith home, I grew up noshing on boards of butter matzoh as an after school snack, learning to make matzoh brie from my Gentile dad, and looking forward to the perfect little matzoh meal pancakes that my grandmother would make when she came to visit. I've always been curious about making matzoh from scratch, and this year a conversation with my mom inspired me to come up with a party-style matzoh : A chic compliment to wine and cheese at happy hour Or a dramatic presentation for your table setting.       Here are my Super Seed Matzoh Bread Sticks. They ta ke less time to make from start to finish than it takes to run to the store for a box of the premade stuff.   My family loved them. I hope yours does too.   Super Seed Matzoh Bread Sticks adapted from the New York Times Olive Oil Matzo recip