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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
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WAS THE HATTER TRULY MAD? OR WAS HE JUST ABSINTHE-MINDED?

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Welcome Participants in the Mad Tea Party 2010 hosted by A Fanciful Twist This story will take you down a rabbit hole, through the looking glass, to the cafes of Paris in the 1800s, will have you feeling "curiouser and curiouser" about green fairies, and will end with a madly marvelous cocktail ~ and that's no Jabberwocky.  I was enchanted with Agatha Christie's great detective Hercule Poirot from the very first time I read a story featuring the famous Belgian detective.  And thus began my romance with many of the earliest "criminal psychologists" in literature; among them, Edgar Allen Poe's Auguste Dupin and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. "What?'" says you.  "Surely you have the wrong story!  The wrong author!  Everyone knows that Lewis Carroll wrote Alice in Wonderland !."   I ask that you p lease bear with me, gentle reader.  It wasn't long after adopting a nightly routine of reading P
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iCarly Culinary Challenge: Spaghetti Tacos

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If you  have a son or daughter between the ages of seven and thirteen, you're probably familiar of with Nickelodeon's hit show iCarly .  If you've experienced your share of Random Dancing , know that Sam loves ribs more than life itself, and have developed a maternal affection for Gibby , read on...  If you enjoy spaghetti and garlic bread, and are always up for trying something new (even if it's a little unorthodox) stick around for the ride... Being huge iCarly fans, it was only a matter of time before my girls made their plea for "Spaghetti Tacos" ~ one of the wacky culinary creations of Carly's older brother, Spencer -- an artist and loveable goofball.  The gauntlet was thrown down, the challenge raised:  To create a Spaghetti Taco that would be enjoyed by kids and grown-ups alike, would have ease of preparation, but great flavor, and that you wouldn't be entirely embarassed to tell other people that you made and actually enjoyed them!
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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
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KEWPIE CLIPART AND DARLING DOLLIES

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"Dot" I've had an affinity for kewpies ever since I purchased my first one at yard sale when I was six years old.  There's something about their cherubic little faces and plump bodies that I find irresistibly charming.  The Kewpies first appeared in the Ladies’ Home Journal in 1909 and were the creation of illustrator Rose O’Neill. Her comic-strip like features were so popular that in a short time dolls and toys and other merchandise based on her characters were being produced and sold all over the world. The time capsule at the 1939 New York World’s Fair contained a Kewpie doll. A Kewpie doll was mentioned in Anne Frank’s diary, and made an appearance in John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men . The first Kewpie dolls were made of bisque, then of celluloid. In the 1960s and 70s, the kewpie had a resurgence of popularity, and were made of rubber and soft plastic. Here are a few images of kewpies I've put together from my collection of dolls.  I've also i
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PECAN PRALINE FRENCH TOAST

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This year, we spent Fathers' Day up in Crescent City, visiting my dad and step-mom.  On our drive over the river and through the woods, we stopped in Ukiah and purchased a beautiful loaf of Challah bread at Schat's Bakery.  On Saturday night, I sliced into the golden loaf, buttered a glass baking dish, and prepared the Pecan Praline French Toast for the next day.  Sunday morning, I had only to preheat the oven, pour the pralines over the prepared bread, and bake.  The smell wafting from the kitchen was heavenly!  We served the French toast with warm maple syrup, and fresh blueberries (which added a nice tart contrast to all the cinnamonny sweetness). Some things are just too good not to share!  Here's the recipe: Baked Pecan Praline French Toast
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HAPPY FATHERS' DAY ~ AND THE RESULTS OF THE FATHERS' DAY GIVEAWAY

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HAPPY FATHERS' DAY!!! My favorite photo of my dad and my grandfather "Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance." -- Ruth E. Renkel "By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he's wrong." -- Charles Wadsworth "When I was a kid, I said to my father one afternoon, 'Daddy, will you take me to the zoo?' He answered, 'If the zoo wants you, let them come and get you.'" -- Jerry Lewis Congratulations to commenter #40, Julie , who won the Diaper Dudes Diaper Bag Giveaway! Tremendous thanks to everyone who participated!
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URBAN BABIES WEAR BLACK PART II ~ and a chance to win a Diaper Dude diaper bag for DAD!

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GIVEAWAY HAS CLOSED I stand at the threshold to the upstairs bathroom, silently observing my daughter's morning ritual:  calm and composed, she stands atop the bathroom vanity , smooths her hair (left side, then right);  dons her black pinstripe fedora, gives herself a wink, a tip of the hat, and is ready for PRESCHOOL!  This little child has more cool in the tip of her pinky finger than I've amassed in all my thrity-eight years combined.  Some people, I believe, are simply born with it!  And for those rare little souls who come pre-loaded with a sense of identity, intrinsic chill, and an eye for style,  Winnie the Pooh "just 'aint gonna do!" I don't mean to poo-poo Pooh, but for for 'rents and their hanging-on-the-hip-sters whose style is more cool than cutesy, funky than foofy, Doc Marten than Disney, well....this one's for you! With Fathers' Day just around the corner, let's begin with something for Dad!  I discovered the
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Bake-ins: Baking Cupcakes in Origami Paper Tulip Cups DIY

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Can you bake cupcakes in origami paper? YES, YES YOU CAN!   A generous gift of several packs of origami paper from my friend Janis have kept my girls busy and creative for days, and were the inspiration for this bit of cupcake ingenuity. You can whip up a dozen of these beautiful and unique cupcake/muffin liners in a matter of minutes, once you have your technique down.  There is no need to grease or spray, provided that you don't overbake.  Try them with your favorite cake recipe or mix, or continue the theme with a batch of green tea cupcakes (click here for a wonderful collection of recipes)!
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