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Showing posts with the label REVIEWS (BOOK)

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
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DIY: Pumpkin Pompom Garland
A crafty workshop inspired by Pom-Poms! from Quirk Books (review and giveaway)

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Pom-Poms! They're the classic handicraft on which many creatives cut their first DIY teeth. Colorful, whimsical, and so easy to make, pompoms are all at once vintage, retro and oh so NOW! As  a child, I made pompoms with my grandmother by winding yarn around the lid of a margarine tub.  When I received a review copy of Pom-Poms! 25 Awesomely Fluffy Projects , the latest crafting title from Quirk Books , I felt a surge of nostalgia and inspiration to share the art of making pompoms with my friends and family.  So, with the help of my friends at Quirk, I organized a cozy little craft night for some of the fabulous women in my community (with all different levels of crafting experience).  Quirk supplied copies of Pom-Poms! for all the guests, I provided the materials, hot cider and wine, and the gals brought some tasty treats to share. The party came together effortlessly, and everyone enjoyed an evening of crafting and conversation.  The garlands
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Better With Sprinkles: Fall Pinwheel Icebox Cookies
{PLUS a Sprinkles! Cookbook Giveaway}

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There are two sights that will never fail to send me into fits of girlish glee -- sprinkles and glitter. Wherever they are sprinkled, joy is sure to follow.  So it was with childlike delight that I greeted the arrival of an advanced copy of Sprinkles! Recipes and Ideas for Rainbowlicious Desserts by Jackie Alpers (release date October 15, 2013). photo source: Jackie Alpers Playful and creative, this book of sugary sweet recipes and eye-popping photography is a delight to behold.  An award-winning photographer, Alpers brings an artist's eye to the table as she presents dozens of ways to liven up breakfast sweets, cookies, cakes, pies and party snacks with sprinkles.  For the super sprinkle smitten, she's even included a tutorial for how to create your own sprinkles from scratch! photo source: Jackie Alpers Here are some of my favorite selections from the 143-page book: Embroidered Sugar Cookies, page 63 Starry Night Fruit Leather, page 121
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After School Snacks for Picky Eaters
{Sponsored by Cooking Light} #BTSatSafeway #ad

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This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group ™ and Cooking Light , but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #BTSatSafeway   http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO . In the spirit of the Back-to-School season, here's a pop quiz: True or False? 1. My child is hungry when they come home from school. 2. My child is a picky eater. 3. I prefer to feed my child foods that are minimally processed and have nutritional value. 4. I enjoy trying new recipes. If you answered True to any of the above, we have something in common. Shortly before school started last week, I had the opportunity to apply for a campaign to work with CookingLight Magazine on a Back-to-School post focusing on quick, easy and healthy recipes for picky eaters. Since I'm a longtime fan of CookingLight recipes, shop at Safeway , and have two very picky eaters starting school this month, I knew that this campaign would have real value for me and my readers. I
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Flip Dolls & Other Toys That Zip, Stack, Hide, Grab & Go
{Book Review & #Giveaway}

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You're going to "flip" for this book! A stuffed toy can be a child's boon companion and greatest treasure. And often, a  stuffed toy hand-made by a loved one endures long after commercial toys have fallen out of favor. Flip Dolls are one such toy that goes beyond mere cuddliness to the realm of interactive, fascinating, and even magical.  Perhaps it's because, as a child, I was captivated by my friend's doll that flipped from Little Red Riding Hood to the Big Bad Wolf (a gift from her Nana).  It "may" have ended up in my backpack for a few minutes until my conscience caught up with me.  Just sayin'.   So, it was with childlike glee that I greeted the arrival of Flip Dolls & Other Toys That Zip, Stack, Hide, Grab & Go by Laura Wilson (Lark Crafts, August 2013, ISBN 978-1-4547-0248-1).  Wilson's playful spirit is evident in this clever, inventive and charming book of interactive plush toys.  One can't help but smi
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Paper Pups: The Ultimate Craft Book for Dog Lovers {REVIEW & GIVEAWAY}

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Do you craft with your Corgi... Bead with your Bulldog... Sew with your Scottie... Decoupage with your Doxie?  As for me, I do a lot of mixed media with my mutts.  Whether you're a fan of the big breeds or the teacup tinies, if you're a creative person with an affinity for canine companionship, I have a book for you:  Paper Pups   by Hiroshi Hayakawa ( Lark Crafts, May 2013 ).    Paper Pups has 35 fun paper projects for making three-dimensional paper dogs using a combination of origami and kirigami techniques.  The best part about this book ( besides all the irresistible canines ) is that the projects don't require a lot of special equipment or supplies.  The templates that you need are included in the book and are already to scale.  All you do is photocopy the desired template on to a piece of paper.  Then, use your scissors, a craft knife, and a bone folder (or straight edge) to bring your pup to life!  No glue or tape required! The proj
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