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Showing posts from May, 2009

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

LITERARY LULLABYES

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MAGICAL BOOKS FOR BEDTIME Here are some of our favorite stories to share with our little ones at bedtime, sure to set their imaginations in motion for a magical journey to dreamland. Good Night, Fairies , by Kathleen Hague~ “Children enamored with the notion of fairies will drink up Kathleen and Michael Hague's lush picture book like nectar. When a mother is asked by her child about how fairies spend their days and nights, she embarks on a dreamy account of these mysterious, magical creatures. For starters, fairies hang the stars in the sky each evening "so every child will have a night-light." They also teach birds to sing, paint the wings of butterflies, comb mermaids' hair, and sleep "on leafy beds in secret gardens." The wondering child falls asleep to these poetic musings, welcomed to dreamland by the fairies. Lyrical colored-pencil and watercolor illustrations, filled with elaborate detail, accompany this gentle bedtime story. Readers are challe

EAT YOUR SPINACH!

Greek “Meatball” Pitas Trying to find clever ways to get your kids to eat their veggies? These Spanakopita inspired turkey meatballs are devoured by kids and grown-ups alike. The meatballs are also great as a warm or cold appetizer ~ just add toothpicks and a bowl of our greek yogurt dip (TZATZIKI). They pack well in lunchboxes too! 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling 1 tablespoon butter 2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely chopped 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped 1 10oz. box frozen spinach, defrosted and well drained 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 pound feta cheese, finely crumbled 1 package ground turkey breast (approx. 1 – 1 1/3 pounds) 2 teaspoons salt 1 package pita or flat bread Tzatziki 1/3 cup seedless cucumber peeled, trimmed and chopped 1 garlic clove, pressed or finely chopped 1 1/2 to 2 cups Greek Yogurt 1/2 lemon, juiced 1 tsp oregano Salt and pepper to taste Toppings Chopped lettuce Chopped tomatoes Chopped cucumber Kalamata olives Thinly sliced re

BLUEBERRY CRUMB-CAP MUFFINS

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Blueberries are in season, so make a batch of these perfectly delicious muffins today... Ingredients: 4 TB (1/2 stick) butter, melted and cooled slightly 2 cups (10 ounces) AP flour 1 TB baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1 large egg 1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar 1 1/4 cups (10 oz) sour cream 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed Crumb Cap Topping (See step 12 below) Powdered sugar for dusting Preheat oven to 350. Adjust rack to middle position. Line muffin tin with paper liners. Melt butter in a small bowl and set aside. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl to combine. Whisk egg in a second medium bowl until well-combined and light in color (approx. 20 seconds). Add sugar and whisk until thick and color lightens to a pale yellow. Add melted butter in 2 or 3 additions, whisking to combine after each addition. Add the sour cream in 2 additions, whisking just to combine. Add the berries to the dry ingredients. Gently toss to coat berries. Add the wet mixture and fold with

Beyond Checks & Cherries...BRINGING OILCLOTH IN TO THE 21ST CENTURY

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Today, Rook No. 17 compadre Ahnalisa M. (a fantastic artist and all around cool chica) asked if we had any leads on sources for oilcloth with modern prints. Most of what's out there tends to be the same old checkers, fruit and other things often sported by the cast of Hee Haw. Well Ahna, here are some alternatives Check out Mendel's Far Out Fabrics ( http://www.mendels.com/ ). Of course they have the standards, but check out the print called "San Miguel", my Frida lovin' friend. Fabricworm on Etsy has some great Japanese imports http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5973558 , search under "oilcloth" R&R Mexico Supply on Etsy has some great Mexican imports: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7073924&section_id=6018357

GREAT BOOKS TO READ WITH YOUR KIDS THIS SUMMER

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Since J.K. Rowling released the first of her Harry Potter series in 1997, children's literature has been reinvigorated by a new breed of children's novel ~ sophisticated, complex, sometimes dark...sounds like we're describing a new kind of chocolate bar. But the point is that the dumbed-down stories with plot lines flimsier than a Hollywood marriage are no longer the only books on the shelf. Kids weren't the only ones lined up in front of stores at midnight awaiting the next adventure of Rowling's boy-wizard. And you needn't be the age where overalls still look cute to enjoy any of the following books on our list. In fact, if you make these books a part of your family reading over the summer (and we hope you do) you may just find it hard to stop from reading on even after your kids have fallen asleep. The Inven tion of Hugo Cabret , by Brian Selznick: This beautiful "novel in words and pictures" tells the story of young Hugo Cabret , an orphan l

FAB FABRIC RESOURCES

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DO YOU KEEP FINDING THE SAME OLD TIRED FABRICS EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK? CHECK OUT ROOK NO. 17'S PICKS FOR THE BEST FABRIC RESOURCES ONLINE: SUPERBUZZY ~ http://www.superbuzzy.com/index.php ~ adorable kawaii fabrics, notions & trims, tools and kits OILCLOTH ALLEY ~ http://www.oilclothalley.com/ ~ incredible selection of oilcloth fabric THE FABRIC FAIRY ~ http://www.thefabricfairy.com/index.php/retail/ ~European & Japanese fabrics, organic, sustainable and bamboo fabrics THE FABRIC HOUND ~ http://www.fabrichound.com/store/index.php ~ European & Japanese fabrics, twill tape, nifty iron-ons J CAROLINE CREATIVE ~ http://www.jcarolinecreative.com/ ~ great selection of fabrics, patterns, trims and ribbons REPRODEPOT FABRICS ~ http://reprodepot.com/ ~ amazing selection of vintage reproduction fabrics, plus Japanese imports and much more SWEETFLAVOR ETSY SHOP ~ http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5111444 ~ Here's an etsy shop from California

KIDS-IN-MIND

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HAVE YOU EVER TAKEN YOUR KIDS TO SEE A MOVIE THAT LOOKED SWEET AND INOFFENSIVE ONLY TO FIND THAT IT CONTAINED LANGUAGE, SITUATIONS, OR BEHAVOIR THAT YOU THEN HAD TO AWKWARDLY EXPLAIN ON THE DRIVE HOME? HAVE YOU EVER WISHED THAT THERE WAS A PLACE YOU COULD GO, BEFORE VENTURING OUT TO THE THEATRE, WHERE SOMEONE HAS DONE ALL PRE-SCREENING FOR YOU? THE RESOURCE EXISTS. IT IS EASY TO USE AND COSTS NOTHING. INTRODUCING: KIDS-IN-MIND Their Mission: "The purpose of kids-in-mind.com is to provide parents and other adults with objective and complete information about a film's content so that they can decide, based on their own value system, whether they should watch a movie with or without their kids.It's like a food labeling system which tells you what a food item contains. That's it. We make no judgments about what is good or bad or anything else. Indeed, we do not "condemn," "critique" or "criticize" movies. And we don't "p