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

Game Day Gourmet: Cranberry Balsamic Party Meatballs {be #CartonSmart}

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Carton Smart for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.


In this sponsored recipe post, you'll learn about:
  1. A great way to make use of a common holiday leftover
  2. How to add a gourmet twist to a classic game day party food
  3. How to make your parties more earth-friendly with a primer on how to Be Carton Smart
Ready?


1.  What can I do with leftover cranberry sauce?

Every time we've hosted a holiday dinner, we always end up with at least one container of leftover cranberry sauce.   Sound familiar? If so, you're going to love this delicious and easy recipe for slow-cooker party meatballs.  In fact, with New Year's Eve and Super Bowl parties just around the corner from your holiday feast, you're probably going to wish you had more leftover cranberry sauce once you've tried these saucy little beauties. 


2.  Party Food ≠ Junk Food

You can still serve delicious party foods without sacrificing nutrition and good taste.  Nor do you have to be a classically trained chef.  If you can open a few containers and turn on a crockpot, you  have all the culinary skills necessary to make these Cranberry Balsamic Party Meatballs.  The classic cocktail meatball recipe typically calls for a jar of high-fructose laden grape jelly.  For my recipe, I chose Pacific Foods Organic Jellied Cranberry Sauce.  It's organic, tastes great, and doesn't contain any HFC.  Plus, I love the earth-friendly Tetra Pak carton, but more about that later.  Let's get cooking...

Cranberry Balsamic Party Meatballs

  • 14-15 ounces jellied cranberry sauce (I recommend Pacific Foods Organic)
  • 1 12oz. bottle of Chili Sauce (the popular commercial brand contains HFC, so I chose a brand with healthier ingredients)
  • 1 32 oz. bag frozen meatballs (beef, turkey or chicken)
  • 3 Tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
Combine the frozen meatballs, grape jelly and BBQ sauce into your slow cooker and stir well until combined.  Cook the mixture on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 2 – 2 ½ hours until completely cooked through (stirring occasionally.)  When they are ready, just set your crock pot to the "keep warm" setting and let guests serve themselves. Just place small bowls and toothpicks next to the meatballs.  Everyone is going to love these!
Read more at http://www.thecountrycook.net/2011/02/party-meatballs-slow-cooker.html#UpxzqasereYlrGtQ.99
Combine the frozen meatballs, grape jelly and BBQ sauce into your slow cooker and stir well until combined.  Cook the mixture on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 2 – 2 ½ hours until completely cooked through (stirring occasionally.)  When they are ready, just set your crock pot to the "keep warm" setting and let guests serve themselves. Just place small bowls and toothpicks next to the meatballs.  Everyone is going to love these!
Read more at http://www.thecountrycook.net/2011/02/party-meatballs-slow-cooker.html#UpxzqasereYlrGtQ.99
In a slow-cooker (crockpot), whisk together the jellied cranberry sauce and chili sauce.  Stir in the frozen meatballs.  Cook the mixture, covered, for 2-2 1/2 hours on high, stirring occasionally.  When meatballs are done, stir in the balsamic vinegar.  Set crockpot to "warm" and let guests serve themselves.


3.  Go Team Earth!

What is Carton Smart?  Simply put, it's making the conscious choice to buy products in packaging that is earth-friendly and sustainable.  Here's how my sponsor, Tetra Pak explains it:

"Imagine if everyone made one small, smart decision a day. How much would it help our planet and our own personal worlds? As an individual, it feels small, but as a collective, the small, smart decisions add up. Tetra Pak applauds the thousands of small acts of smartness that add up to make a big difference. Our Tetra Pak carton packages, designed for maximum efficiency and environmental friendliness, are one small way to live smarter."

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Here's why Tetra Pak cartons are pantry stables for those that enjoy living smart:

• Tetra Pak® cartons are made of 70% paper, a renewable resource, from selectively harvested, re-grown trees that are FSC-certified (Forest Stewardship Council)
• Cartons use 1/3 of the packaging compared to cans…or even an egg!
• Cartons are space saving, easy to store and open. Keep your pantry neat and toss your can openers. , stackable and space saving.
• The unique packaging process preserves the flavor and nutrients of food without the use of preservatives.Product quality is exactly the way it was intended to be.
• Recycleable and in fact result in 60% less landfill waste than cans
• Cartons are re-closable so you can use what you need and save the rest for later.


Here are some of my favorite pantry staples that are available in Tetra Pak cartons:




I saved my absolute favorite for last:


My whole family LOVES Pacific Organic Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup.  We eat it at least once a week and buy it by the caseload.  It makes a perfect lunch or dinner alongside a toasted cheese sandwich.

Being #CartonSmart isn't about making a huge change overnight.  It's about making small, conscious choices like trying recipes that use ingredients in environmentally friendly cartons or following "smart" entertaining tips that produce great tasting food with little waste.  Visit becartonsmart.com for inspiration and links to where you can find more carton products.  Stay up to date with CartonSmart by following them on Twitter Tweet @CartonSmart and Pinterest Follow #CartonSmart on Pinterest.



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