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

Recipe ~ Fresh Squeezed Peach Sangria

-
 

Fresh squeezed peaches? That's right -- the secret to this light and refreshing summer sangria, with the flavor of  ripe and juicy fresh peaches, is in the technique -- hand squeezing.


The recipe starts by making homemade peach nectar.  Ripe, peeled peaches are simply squeezed in a bowl to release their golden juice.  A small amount of sugar is added to the peaches to help release the rest of the juices.  Rested, then strained, the end result is pure ambrosia.  Here's how it can be used to make a delicious peach sangria:


Fresh Squeezed

Peach Sangria

yield:  8 servings

  • 10 large peaches (ripe, but firm enough to peel)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup peach schnapps
  • 1.5 liters white wine (the Riesling from Barefoot is a perfect compliment to the peaches)

Step 1:  Peel and pit 8 of the peaches.  Place in a large bowl.  Gently squeeze, with clean hands, to release the juices and to break into small pieces.  Stir in the sugar. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

 Step 2:  In a fine mesh strainer, over a medium bowl, strain the peaches.  You may want to use a small whisk to keep the mixture moving in the strainer, allowing the juices to flow into the bowl.  Discard the pulp that is left behind.  The nectar is ready to use or can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

 Step 3:  To assemble the sangria, start by pouring the wine into a large jar or pitcher.  Add the nectar and the schnapps.  Stir to combine.  Slice the remaining two peaches.  Add to the sangria.  Serve over ice. 



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