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

-
Image
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

I, DARIA...

-

EARLIER THIS YEAR A FRIEND SENT A "FORWARD"-- YOU KNOW THE TYPE~ SLIDESHOW OF PRETTY SCENES, CHILDREN AND FUZZY LITTLE BABY CRITTERS, SENTIMENTAL MUSIC AND MOVING MESSAGES. AT FIRST, MY INNER PUNK REBELLED AGAINST THE SUGARY SWEETNESS OF THE PACKAGE. I SQUIRMED. I WAS IRRITATED. APPARENTLY I HAVE A LOW THRESHOLD FOR MOVING VISUAL IMAGERY COMBINED WITH SHOW-TUNES PLAYED ON A HARP, BUT STILL I WATCHED THROUGH TO THE END. MY FRIEND HAD TRULY SHARED SOMETHING GREAT AND I ALMOST POO-POOED IT IN TO MY TRASH BIN (FOR SHAME!). THE MESSAGES WERE SIMPLE, YET PROFOUND. I COULDN'T EVEN BRING MYSELF TO DELETE THE FILE AFTER I READ IT. I FELT AN URGE TO SHARE IT, BUT HOW? SO FOR ANYONE WHO STILL HARBORS SOME TEENAGE ANGST THAT PREVENTS THEM FROM FALLING UNDER THE SPELL OF HALLMARKIAN SENTIMENTALITY, HERE IS THE SUGAR-FREE VERSION. ENJOY!

· Take a 10-30 minute walk every day and while you walk, smile
· Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes a day

· When you wake up in the morning, complete the following statement, “My purpose is to…today”

· Live with the three Es…Energy, Empathy, Enthusiasm, and the three Fs…Family, Faith, Friends

· Spend more time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6

· Dream more while you are awake

· Try to make at least 3 people smile each day

· Realize that life is a school and that you are here to learn, pass all your tests. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

· Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good

· Life is too short to waste time hating anyone

· Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

· You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagreements.

· Make peace with your past so it won’t mess up the present

· Don’t compare your life with others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

· Burn the candles, use the nice sheets. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
· No one is in charge of your happiness except you
· Forgive everyone for everything

· What other people think of you is none of your business

· Time heals almost everything. Give time, time

· However good or bad a situation is, it will change

· Get rid of anything that isn’t beautiful, useful or joyful

· No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up

· Do the right thing

· Call your family often

· Each night before you go to bed, complete the following statements, “I am thankful for…” “Today I accomplished…”

· Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed
· Enjoy the ride. Remember that this is not Disney World and you most certainly do not want a fast pass. Make the most of it and enjoy the ride.

The content from this list of life lessons has been attributed to the following:

Jon Gordon: http://www.jongordon.com/newsletter-010708-20tipsforapositivenewyear.html
Pulitzer Prize- winning columnist Regina Brett of the Cleveland Beacon Journal in her article "45 life lessons and 5 to grow on": http://blog.cleveland.com/pdextra/2007/09/regina_bretts_45_life_lessons.html .

Popular posts from this blog

Nostalgia Food: Old Fashioned Apple Hand Pies

-
Image
Who doesn't love a pie that you can eat with one hand while vacuuming, updating a resume, getting a child down for a nap, helping another child with a history report, and folding laundry with the other?  Clearly, only people who don't like pie, and this isn't for them.  This is for us: Pie People. For me, the pocket pie obsession started in childhood with the iconic, mouth scalding  MacDonalds apple pies.  If you were around in the 1970s, you'll remember: crisp & flaky, buttery & slightly salty, with blistered crusts that concealed a molten center of perfect apple pie filling.  If you possessed the willpower to wait for the lava interior to cool, you were rewarded with the greatest American invention since the fast food burger AND the apple pie together, which in a weird sort of way, they were; after all, they were fried in beef fat.  Those things were pure magic (or at least that's what my 6-year old self thought). These days, I'
Read more

Garlic Toast Points with Marbled Beet Chevre and Edible Flowers

-
Image
Our valley is simply bursting with wildflowers and foliage at this time of year.  I've been making  point of getting outside a little bit every day for for a nature walk around our property, identifying various flora and finding ways to use them to add beauty, whimsy and flavor to the foods my family enjoys. Enter:  The Blue Fiesta Flower, a member of the Borage (Baraginaceae) family.  These are larger than the Borage blossoms typically used for garnish, but they have a similar lemony-cucumber flavor with a touch of sweetness.  They bloom March through May in Central through Southern California and as far South as Nevada and Western Arizona.  They can be found on mountain slopes, streambanks, woodland, coastal bluff and desert scrubland.  Contrary to their name, they are purple. To enjoy the Blue Fiesta Flower, gently wash in cold water before use.  Remove the bit of bristly green just behind the petals (sepal & receptacle).  Keep refrigerated if not using immedia
Read more

How to Host a Game of CLUE Party for Kids
+ Printable/Customizeable Invitations

-
Image
When I was a kid, my favorite board game was CLUE .  I loved the mystery, the intrigue and taking on the role of amateur sleuth.  I've passed my love of the game down to my two girls, and I was excited when my youngest expressed an interest in having a CLUE party for her birthday this year.  Here's what we did: The Invitations To set a dramatic tone for the party, I created invitations inspired by the playing cards from the original board game.  The invitations came in two parts -- a Character Card that introduced the character assigned to the guest and a Party Card that included all the details for the party.  To further link the party to the game, we glued a weapon piece from the board game to each party card (which we were able to purchase as a lot from Ebay). You can download the invitations for free below: Party Card, side A Party Card, side B * I created a mystery party experience that was child-friendly, and the kids all had a blast
Read more