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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

BUY HANDMADE ~ TAKE THE PLEDGE

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WE ACCEPTED THE CHALLENGE AND SIGNED THE PLEDGE TO BUY HANDMADE. TAKE A STEP TOWARD KEEPING OUR WORLD CREATIVE AND CONNECTED BY SUPPORTING INDEPENDENT ARTISTS AND CRAFTERS WHEN YOU MAKE GIFT PURCHASES. BABY STEPS TOWARDS BIG CHANGE... VISIT http://www.buyhandmade.org/ TO SIGN THE PLEDGE

FREE STUFF FOR CRAFTY BIRDS AND THEIR CHICKS

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There's simply no excuse for being bored this summer ~ not with all the easy click and print projects you can find free-of-charge from generous artists and crafters all over the internet. Many of the leads below were brought to us by Amy Locurto of Living Locurto , a graphic designer and mom of two. Visit her blog to see why we're LOVING LOCURTO! FUN AND FREE JUST CLICK ON ANY OF THE PROJECTS BELOW TO GET STARTED ICE CREAM CONE FAVOR BASKET FROM TANGARANG - - - - - - - - - - - - - OWL THANK-YOU CARD FROM BLUE FINCH STUDIOS - - - - - - - - - CUTE STUFF FROM CANONS CREATIVE PARK THIS PAPER MOUSE IS JUST ONE OF DOZENS OF AMAZING ANIMALS YOU CAN CLICK AND PRINT - - - - - - THIS WHIMSICAL CASTLE IS ONE OF MANY STRUCTURES YOU CAN FIND AND MAKE. THEY ALSO HAVE VEHICLES LIKE FIRE TRUCKS AND AIRPLANES. - - - - - - DO YOUR KIDS LIKE ORIGAMI? HERE YOU'LL FIND DOZENS OF AMAZING ORIGAMI PATTERNS TH

MONKEY SEE, MONKEY DO?

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GRANOLA CRUNCH BANANA MUFFINS Got a bunch of bananas sitting on your counter looking sad, soft, and lonely? Don’t toss ‘em. Instead, mix up a batch of these quick and delicious muffins. They’re light and fluffy with a contrasting sweet crunch from the granola topping. Dare we say your family will go bananas for them? 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour ¾ cup granulated sugar ¾ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon table salt 3 very ripe bananas, soft, darkly speckled, mashed well ¼ cup plain or honey yogurt (we prefer greek style) 2 large eggs, beaten lightly 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted & cooled 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ cup (approx.) granola ¼ cup (approx.) raw or turbinado sugar 1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Line two muffin pans with 18 paper baking cups; set aside. 3. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in large bowl; set aside. 4. Mix mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla with wooden spoon in medium bowl.

OLLALLIE, BY GOLLY!

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IT'S OLLALIE PICKING TIME AT GIZDICH RANCH ! TAKE A STEP BACK FROM THE RUSHED PACE OF LIFE, PACK UP THE FAMILY AND HEAD TO WATSONVILLE FOR A FUN DAY OF BERRY PICKING. WHAT TO BRING SUNSCREEN AND/OR A HAT WEAR COMFORTABLE CLOTHES THAT YOU DON'T MIND GETTING BERRRY-STAINED YOU CAN BRING BASKETS OR BUCKETS FOR PICKING, OR CAN USE THE ONES THEY HAVE THERE. A CAMERA OPTIONAL: A LARGE COOLER LINED WITH ZIPLOC FREEZER BAGS OF ICE. BUY ONE OF THE BERRY FLATS AT THE BOOTH FOR ONLY ABOUT $1 AND TUCK IT RIGHT IN TO YOUR ICE-LINED COOLER TO KEEP THOSE BERRIES FROM COOKING IN YOUR HOT CAR. MORE FUN AFTER BERRY-PICKING... DON'T MISS THE PIE SHOP BACK AT THE MAIN RANCH. HERE YOU'LL FIND BATHROOMS, A NICE GIFT SHOP, AND A BIG RED BARN WHERE YOU CAN PURCHASE A PIECE OF ONE OF THEIR PHENOMENAL PIES AND SANDWICHES TOO, TO ENJOY OUT IN THE PICNIC ORCHARD. WHILE THERE THE KIDS CAN PLAY ON THE HAYSTACK STRUCTURE AND OLD TRACTOR ~ GREAT PHOTO OPS! IN THE GIFT SHOP Y

LOCAL SPOTLIGHT

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LOOKING FOR WAYS TO SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES? AVOID THE BIG-BOX STORES? GET GOOD VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY? TIRED OF GIVING THE SAME OLD JUNKY TOYS AS BIRTHDAY GIFTS, KNOWING THAT THEY'LL BE AT THE BOTTOM OF A CLOSET BY NEXT WEEK? TRY ROOK NO. 17'S TOP PICKS FOR DOWNTOWN PACIFIC GROVE BUSINESSES THAT YOU SHOULDN'T MISS: A NICHE IN TYME ~ 588 Lighthouse Ave, Pacific Grove, 831.643.9931 ~ FROM THE STREET YOU MAY JUST THINK YOU'RE PASSING ANOTHER HIGH-END JEWELRY STORE. DON'T YOU DARE WALK BY WITH YOUR SNOOT IN THE AIR, OR YOU'LL BE MISSING OUT! FROM THE MOMENT YOU WALK IN YOU'LL BE GREETED BY THE ZEN-LIKE PATTER OF THE INDOOR FOUNTAIN AND THE EVER-FRIENDLY AND HELPFUL OWNER. AS YOU LOOK THROUGH THE NUMEROUS CASES YOU'LL DISCOVER UNIQUE JEWELRY MADE BY LOCAL ARTISTS, SPECTACULAR ESTATE PIECES, GEMS, ROCKS AND MINERALS. THERE IS SOMETHING HERE FOR EVERYONE! TRULY. MY DAUGHTER'S CLASS HAS BEEN LEARNING ABOUT FOSSILS AND GEOLOGY THIS YEAR, SO AS

I, DARIA...

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EARLIER THIS YEAR A FRIEND SENT A "FORWARD"-- YOU KNOW THE TYPE~ SLIDESHOW OF PRETTY SCENES, CHILDREN AND FUZZY LITTLE BABY CRITTERS, SENTIMENTAL MUSIC AND MOVING MESSAGES. AT FIRST, MY INNER PUNK REBELLED AGAINST THE SUGARY SWEETNESS OF THE PACKAGE. I SQUIRMED. I WAS IRRITATED. APPARENTLY I HAVE A LOW THRESHOLD FOR MOVING VISUAL IMAGERY COMBINED WITH SHOW-TUNES PLAYED ON A HARP, BUT STILL I WATCHED THROUGH TO THE END. MY FRIEND HAD TRULY SHARED SOMETHING GREAT AND I ALMOST POO-POOED IT IN TO MY TRASH BIN (FOR SHAME!). THE MESSAGES WERE SIMPLE, YET PROFOUND. I COULDN'T EVEN BRING MYSELF TO DELETE THE FILE AFTER I READ IT. I FELT AN URGE TO SHARE IT, BUT HOW? SO FOR ANYONE WHO STILL HARBORS SOME TEENAGE ANGST THAT PREVENTS THEM FROM FALLING UNDER THE SPELL OF HALLMARKIAN SENTIMENTALITY, HERE IS THE SUGAR-FREE VERSION. ENJOY! · Take a 10-30 minute walk every day and while you walk, smile · Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes a day · When you wake up in the morning, compl

HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM APPLES?

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EVERY YEAR MY GIRLS AND I PREPARE A BATCH OF CARAMEL APPLES TO HAND OUT TO TEACHERS AND STAFF ON THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL. WE'VE BEEN EXPERIMENTING WITH VARIOUS RECIPES, BUT THIS YEAR WE FINALLY FOUND A KEEPER, COMPLIMENTS OF OUR FRIENDS AT DIVINEDINNERPARTY.COM (CHECK THEM OUT). THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS RECIPE IS THAT THE CARAMEL CAN ALSO BE PUT IN TO A MASON JAR AND SAVED IN THE REFRIGERATOR TO REHEAT FOR SENSATIONAL ICE-CREAM TOPPING. AFTER REMOVING FROM HEAT, YOU CAN STIR IN SOME DARK RUM FOR A KNOCK-YOUR-SOCKS-OFF CARAMEL RUM SAUCE ~ YOU HAVEN'T HAD APPLE PIE 'TIL YOU'VE HAD APPLE PIE WITH CARAMEL RUM SAUCE! CARAMEL APPLES  WITH REAL HOMEMADE CARAMEL adapted from divinedinnerparty.com This caramel apple recipe makes enough caramel for about 8 to 10 medium sized apples. I  recommend Fuji apples for the perfect combo of tart and sweet and lovely color. Ingredients 1 cup unsalted butter  2 cups dark brown sugar, packed  1 cup light corn syrup  1 14oz. ca