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Showing posts from May, 2012

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

Four Creative Cakes You Can Make for Summer!

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Every summer my girls and I have fun coming up with new summertime-inspired sweets! Here's a round-up of some of our sandy, beachy and cool creations.  Click on the photos to visit the tutorials!    Sandcastle Cake  Oyster & Pearl Madeleine Cakes Sno Cone Cupcakes and this year's creation... -------------------------- This post has been shared with: Catch as Catch Can at My Repurposed Life BFF Open House at The Answer is Chocolate Making it with Allie at What Allie's Making Now Crafty Soiree at Yesterday on Tuesday Mrs. Fox's Sweet Party Tickled Pink at 504 Main Think Pink Sundays at Flamingo Toes

The Hottest New Band of the Summer~
Fun with Kids, Instagram and Picasa

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It's been quiet around here, I know.  It's my girls' first week of summer vacation and I couldn't help but unplug and head outside to make some memories with my two favorite girls in the world! Yesterday the girls and some friends went to see a movie.  After, we ran amok at the mall.  The girls got decked out in matching shirts and specs from Forever 21 and found a pack of pink mustaches at Claire's.  Using Instagram, I captured some of the hijinks and highlights, lending a hipster oeuvre to the photos.  The shot above reminded me so much of an album cover that I decided to add some text back at home with Picasa, then used the movie-making function to turn the whole lot of photos into a slideshow (running time: 60 seconds). This summer's gonna rock! Thanks for bearing with the mellow vibe here at the rookery this week. I have lots of great recipes, crafts and giveaways lined up for the coming weeks.   Howza'bout some stellar citrus marg

The Sweetest Summer Cake ~
Beach Bucket Cake Tutorial

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This is a cake that anyone can make no matter what your level of baking or cake decorating skill!   It's fun, whimsical, and very versatile!    It takes little time and little money, but makes a big impression! Perhaps you've noticed that things around here have been pretty quiet lately.  That's because it's the last week of school for my girls, and the year-end activities have my head spinning -- 5th grade play, teacher gifts, class parties, and the school carnival just to name a few.  Every year the school carnival has a cake walk, and since I'm a cake artist, my girls have come to expect me to donate something fabulous to the event.  So what's a busy mama to do?  We got home from the school play at 8:30 last night and I still had homework to do.  Thank goodness I have a few tricks up my sleeve for occasions just like this! All wrapped up for the "Cake Walk" The Beach Bucket cake is the perfect cake for any occasion

Vintage Images & Etchings ~
A Little Birdie Told Me...No. 73

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 It means so much to have you take the time to perch here and feather the nest with your creativity each week! -------------------------------------- Welcome to "A Little Birdie Told Me..." Tuesday No. 73! If you're here to share a craft, recipe or project post, you'll find the linky and the specifics on how to  join the party after the features below. -------------------------------------- You're a swell bunch of birds!  This week's features are a collection of vintage images and "etchings" that were shared last week.    --------------------------------- Vintage Puzzle PDFs from My Shae Noel A collection of 10 Vintage Children's Puzzles    8x10 Vintage "Summer" Print from Printabelle     Personalized Etched Pyrex from Sweet Anne Designs   A wonderful hostess, housewarming, shower or wedding gift! ---------------------------------

Ombre Swimsuit DIY ~
Easy Summertime Tie-Dye with Tulip

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   Summer Fun with Tulip Tie Dye !  Summertime -- it's almost here and I can practically taste those cooling-down-by-lemonade afternoons, soft serve cones dripping all the way down my arm, the faint flavor of sunscreen-kissed foods and the salty sea air!  Will you be spending some time poolside or on sandy banks or shores this summer? Why not make a creative splash into summer with an afternoon of easy tie-dye, customizing your own bathing suits and beach towels?     A glance into current catalogs, magazines, and stores reveals that apparel with a chic color gradient ( ombre ) is one of the hottest trends in summer fashion!  With a Tulip Tie Dye kit from Walmart, Walmart Canada, Michaels, JoAnn, A.C. Moore, Hobby Lobby, Hancock Fabrics, or Meijer ( Tie dye kit contents and colors may vary by store) you can create your own designer looks at home! Saks Fifth Avenue, $134 Tulip dyed suit, less than $20 With the Tulip Tie Dye Kit, you'

Inconceivable Sundaes: A Princess Bride Ice Cream Party

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Does your family have a favorite movie that you enjoy watching together time and time again? For us, that movie is 1987 film,   The Princess Bride It's the perfect blend of clever storytelling, memorable heroes and villians, swordplay and rapier sharp wordplay,  and a sly parody of the fairytale genre presented in a way that only Rob Reiner can. When presented with an opportunity by Smart & Final and Collective Bias ™ to host a family movie night complete with movie-themed ice cream creations, my mind was off and running with ideas for Princess Bride themed sundaes. Brainstorming the sundaes with family and friends was an exercise in hilarity.  There were so many clever ideas. There's just so much great material to work with.  We could have made ten times the sundaes.  Ultimately, we decided to go with the combinations that were most... ..."INCONCEIVABLE" Once we narrowed down our me