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Showing posts with the label FOURTH OF JULY

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

4th of July DIY: Star Spangled Beverage/Party Tub

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    Here's a nice little 4th of July project I came up with for The Home Depot for a summer campaign a few years back.   Inspiration struck when I found a 16 3/4 gal. Galvanized Utility Tub at Home Depot for around $20. I knew it would be the perfect vessel from which to ice and serve a selection of Sonoma County microbrews, Napa Valley wines, and retro soda pops on the 4th of July! Moreover, it can pull double-duty as a patriotic pedestal for a dessert table, or to hold bags of popcorn, party favors, water balloons, etc.   Star Spangled Beverage/Party Tub DIY   Materials List (All of my supplies were purchased at The Home Depot) Galvanized Tub White spray primer Red spray paint Blue spray paint Painters tape Contact paper (shelf paper) or a star stencil Masking paper Step 1:  Remove any stickers or labels from the tub.  I used Goo Gone to remove the left-over adhesive.  Wipe any dust or dirt

Fourth of July Craft & Recipe Round-up -- A Little Birdie Told Me...No. 27

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Our 3rd Annual 4th of July Chili Cook-off was a big success!  There were FIFTEEN incredible chilis ranging from beef and chicken classics to chili verde, Portuguese sausage, and a vegetarian sweet potato-black bean.  The WATERMELON MARGARITAS from Yesterday on Tuesday were a huge hit!  The  recipe is simple, delicious, and is a definite crowd-pleaser!   I look forward to sharing all the details on how to host your own 4th of July Chili Cook-off, and share some of the winning recipes as well. As a salute to all of the creative 4th of July recipes and projects linked-up last week, I've put together this star-spangled round-up of features: ------------------------------------------- FABULOUS 4TH FOODS 1.   FIRECRACKER CUPCAKES from Inside BruCrew Life 2.   GEORGE WASHINGTON TRIBUTE TABLE from Jac o'lyn Murphy 3.   FESTIVE FOOD FLAGS from The Seven Year Cottage 4.   PATRIOTIC SONG SILLY STRAWS from Jac o'lyn Murphy 5.   RED, VINE

Vintage Ephemera Cameo Wreath

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The summer has been flying by so fast that the Fourth of July, and our annual Chili Cook-off, snuck up on me like a neighborhood bully with handful of firecrackers!  I had decided not to stress about decorations and go easy and casual...that is, until the night before the big event.  It was at about 9:00 p.m. that I felt a sudden drive to decorate.   Once again, forced to use only what I had on hand, creativity was pushed to the max and some nice little projects were born. Whew!  My favorite is the wreath I created with just a handful of old book pages, a scanner, my trusty glue gun, and some inspiration from "Poor Richard". What I like best about this project (besides the repurposing/upcycling aspect) is its versatility.  You can make the little "cameos" to suit any theme:   Favorite Authors, Family Tree, Great Thinkers, Famous Women, Poets, Artists, etc.   Because it was the 4th of July, and since I have a collection of old engravings of

FOURTH OF JULY CLIPART & A CREPE PAPER CRAFT

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Hit hard by the economy, our city cancelled the fireworks over the bay last year and added the Fourth of July Parade to the chopping block this year. So, we felt it was important to wrassle up some fireworks of a different kind for our friends and family. For the second year, we'll be hosting our Fireworks in your Mouth Chili Cook-off . More than a dozen families bring crock-pots full of their signature chilis for a chance to win a medal and bragging rights. We have tasting cups at every station, and provide all the fixin's & accompaniments~ burgers, hot dogs, tater tots & Fritos, bacon, chives, sour cream, guacamole, cheddar cheese, nacho cheese, tomatoes, jalapenos...you get the point. We have a big jug of raspberry lemonade and plenty, oh yes, plenty o' good beer! This year's categories are "Best Turkey Chili", "Best Vegetarian Chili" and "Best Beef Chili" and "Grand Champion". I hope to share the winning recipes h

SNICKERDOODLEDOO ICE CREAM ~ I don't mean to be cocky, but this recipe's worth crowin' about

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Apple Pie, Fourth of July, Mount Rushmore . . . Snickerdoodles?   Unlike Apple Pie, this American icon is one that we can truly claim as our own.  Around the turn of the century, the good folks of New England developed a peculiar penchant for giving whimsical and often silly names to their baked goods.  Snickerdoodles comes from a tradition of this ilk that includes Graham Jakes, Jolly Boys, Branble, Tangle Breeches, and Kinkawoodles.  Most would agree, it doesn't matter what you call 'em, these chewy little sugar cookies, rolled in cinnamon sugar -- by any other name they'd still be delicious!  Did you know, however, that Snickerdoodle was the name of a tiny folk-tale hero from American folklore?  I didn't, until I did some research and found a great article HERE .  Turns out that this pint-sized pee-wee was delighting children, teaching sound moral lessons, and making his way via oral tradition throughout the American South and on West in his tiny peanut car!