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

Making the Cut: Christmas Trees -- Keeping it Sustainable, Green and Local

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First, I'd like to say that however you choose to make merry this season, I wish you joy and pass no judgement on how you do it. There is no place for critics when it comes to celebrations of peace and happiness. I offer up this post about the tradition of cutting down a Christmas tree to share one of my family's favorite holiday traditions, and for those on the fence about what type of tree to have this year, to offer my perspective and encourage you to embrace a new adventure and find your inner lumberjack!


Since I was very little, the experience of walking in the crisp mountain air, the crackle and snap of small twigs underfoot, and the heady smell of pine has had a special magic and place in my heart. To me, this annual trip to the mountains to select the perfect tree officially heralded the start of the holiday season. My parents would bundle us up in our down parkas and mittens (just about the only time we would wear them, since it rarely dropped below 40 where we lived on the coast), and we'd head out for a day of adventure, getting thwacked in the head with pine boughs, and, "If you kids don't cut it out I'll turn this car around right now".  


Now that I have children of my own, I'm happy to be able to share the tradition with them (and we've never had to turn the car around). Every year we pack up the old picnic basket, a thermos of hot cocoa, and head out to a wonderful Christmas Tree farm in the Santa Cruz Mountains. We're greeted warmly by the family that owns and works the farm, and enjoy a steaming cup of their delicious cider as we wander through the acres of beautiful trees.

It's a nice little tradition, right?  But what are some of the other points in favor of cutting a live tree?

GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY:  It supports small & local business.  I dig that!

GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT:  "Christmas tree farms stabilize soil, protect water supplies and provide refuge for wildlife while creating scenic green belts. Often, Christmas trees are grown on soils that could not support other crops."*


GOOD FOR THE AIR:  "A benefit to the atmosphere, real Christmas trees absorb carbon dioxide and other gases, emitting fresh oxygen. This helps prevent the earth-warming "greenhouse effect". One acre of Christmas trees produces the daily oxygen requirement for 18 people."*


RECYCLABLE:  "Real Christmas trees are an all-American, recyclable resource. Artificial trees, most of which are manufactured in Korea, Taiwan or Hong Kong, consist of plastics and metals that aren't biodegradable. Real trees are usually disposed of not in landfills but by being chipped up for landscaping or put into lakes and ponds for smaller fish to survive."*

BUDGET FRIENDLY -- Cutting a live tree is usually less expensive than purchasing a plastic one (Ours was $55).  Plus, you get the bonus of experiences a day of fresh air in the country, rather than a stressful shopping experience at a stuffy store.



To be fair, there are some downsides too.  Along with the fresh pine smell comes those ever-dropping pine needles.  The tree needs to be properly balanced in a stand (which can sometimes be tricky) and it must be watered regularly.  Most seriously, any type of tree can be a fire hazard.  But for my family, we've decided that the pros far outweigh the cons.  We look forward to carrying on this tradition for years to come and were so happy to share it with some dear friends this past weekend.



WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY TRADITION?

*These statements were taken directly from the Christmas Tree Farm Network website.  They summed it up a lot better than I felt I could do on my own.  If you're looking for a Christmas Tree farm in your area, you can visit their map HERE.



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