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

Smart Thinking Lifestyle Tip: Make Your Own Salad Dressing ~ featuring 4 delicious & easy recipes


Thanks to Tervis for sponsoring my writing. Visit their website http://www.tervis.com to learn more about the world’s first smart cup. In the spirit of 'smart' ideas, here's one of my favorite Smart Thinking Lifestyle tips:

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A classic balsamic vinaigrette should have 5 ingredients or less.  It shouldn't read like the back of an oven cleaner bottle.


Have you looked at the ingredient list on a bottle of store-bought salad dressing lately?  Modified Food Starch, artificial flavor, and powdered cellulose are just some of the items you may find in many commercial dressings.  Not familiar with cellulose?  It's a food additive made from wood pulp to prevent clumping, add creaminess, and boost fiber.  Eek!

While there are a handful of  junk-free dressings to be found in most grocery stores, it can be more delicious and far more economical to make your own.  Just grab a mason jar, a few ingredients, and I'll guarantee you'll never go back to pouring wood pulp on your greens ever again!

All four recipes take less than 5 minutes and make about a pint of dressing.
Enjoy!

This simple and versatile dressing is good on any type of leafy greens, but is especially delicious on a baby spinach salad.
Perfect Balsamic Vinaigrette
adapted from Cook's Illustrated

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/3 cups olive oil

Add first four ingredients to a quart mason jar.  Stir to combine.  Add olive oil, tighten lid, then shake vigorously for 3 minutes.

Can be used & refrigerated for up to 6 weeks.

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This is a perfect dressing for salads served with pears or crisp apples, warm goat cheese and candied walnuts or pecans.

 Honey Shallot Vinaigrette


1/2 cup rice vinegar
2 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon table salt
1 1/2 cups walnut oil

Add first four ingredients to a quart mason jar.  Stir to combine.  Add olive oil, tighten lid, then shake vigorously for 3 minutes. 
Can be used & refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

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A lightened up version of the classic.
Blue Cheese Buttermilk Dressing

2/3 cup lowfat buttermilk
1/4 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup light sour cream or nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup crumbled blue cheese, divided

Pulse first 6 ingredients with half the blue cheese in a blender or food processor.  Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the remaining blue cheese.  Store in a mason jar.

Can be used & refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

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You'll swear there's avocado in here, but there's not. This dressing is delicious with crisp Romaine, fresh sweet corn, black olives and tortilla chip crumbles in the place of croutons.  It also makes a wonderful dip!

Southwest Buttermilk Dressing
adapted from The Homesick Texan Cookbook

2 fresh jalapeno chiles, stems & seeds removed, chopped
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup cilantro
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika (I prefer smoked)
zest of one small lime
juice of 1/2 a small lime
1/4 cup lowfat buttermilk
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
salt and black pepper to taste

1.  In a blender or food processor, combine the first 9 ingredients.  Blend until it's a smooth green puree.
2.  Pour the green puree into a bowl and gently stir in the sour cream and mayonnaise.  Add salt and black pepper to taste.  Transfer to a mason jar. 

This dressing gets better as it ages.
Can be used & refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

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