Posts

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

Valentine Party Treats & Sweets~
A Little Birdie Told Me... No. 55

Image
"I still love to kiss you goodnight The thrill of you holding me tight Grows ever sweeter, the long years between Since first I kissed you when we were sixteen I still love the touch of your lips I can't get too much of your lips I know when your hair is snowy white I'll still love to kiss you goodnight" "I Love You" ~ Bing Crosby ---------------------------------------- Welcome to  "A Little Birdie Told Me..." Tuesday No. 55! If you're here to share a craft, recipe or project post, you'll find the linky and the specifics on how to  join the party after the features below. -------------------------------------- If you're planning a Valentine's Day Party, you won't want to miss the $30 Gift Certificate Giveaway to my favorite party boutique  Shop Sweet Lulu . Indeed, love is in the air... ...so this week's features are all about making sweet

$30 Sweet Lulu GC Giveaway --
Make your Valentine Party Pretty!

Image
    If you've ever taken a glance to the right of the posts at Rook No. 17, you may have noticed a button for my favorite online source for charming party accoutrements, decor, finery and fancies -- Shop Sweet Lulu ! Perhaps you caught a glimpse of the striped and polka-dotted paper straws I bought from Shop Sweet Lulu for my daughter's summer beach party in September... ...or the farmhouse milk bottles we used at the Toy Story Birthday party . When I'm planning a party, I always know I'll find something extra special at Shop Sweet Lulu !    Pictured above are some of my favorite items (clockwise): Farmhouse Milk bottles, paper straws in colors and patterns for every occasion, push-up pop containers, and a kaleidoscope of baking cups! If you're planning something sweet for Valentine's Day, you won't want to miss the party essentials and decorative whimsies at Shop Sweet Lulu .  GIVEAWAY I'm so de

Warm Fuzzy Valentine Luv Bugs~
A cute & easy Valentine idea

Image
I love to put together Valentines with a little something special for the recipient to keep as a token of the holiday.  So last year, my girls and I made these sweet little "Luv Bugs".     If you were in a child in the 70s' these googly-eyed pompom critters with big feet might evoke some nostalgia.  Back then we called them Weepuls and Warm Fuzzies.  They  have the same charming effect on kids today as they did back them. This year, we found our critters at Michael's crafts  in a bag of 18 for just $2.99. The Valentines are simple to put together.  You can download the tags for free HERE : Print on cardstock or photo paper, then cut out.  Use large glue dots to affix the Luv Bugs to the tags.  That way, you don't use up the adhesive on the feet (they're stickers) and the kids can put them on their shoulders later! Your child can sign the back of the tag. And there you have it!  Adorable little Luv Bugs!

Don't Wait Till Next Holiday Season to Try:
The Perfect Chewy Ginger Cookie

Image
I thought I was all cookied-out after the holidays. But these cookies changed that. Since she was around 4-years old, my youngest daughter has loved to bake. One day she asked if she could start making up her own recipes. With supervision, we let her loose with whatever ingredients she was inspired to use, and in any quantity she saw fit.  Each time she concocted, we took careful notes. There were plenty of flops, especially in the cake department. Suffice to say she wouldn't yield to our advice about minimizing the use of cinnamon. Then, one day, at the age of 5, the stars aligned and the little turkey came up with a real winner -- a chewy spice cookie that she named "Chyler Chews".  We made them many times over, much to the delight of friends and family. With that Everest climbed, my daughter went on hiatus from mixing and baking...until last week. Over the school vacation, my daughter, now almost 7, got her second wind.  Her first requ

Ninja Birthday Party, Part I ~
Ninja Water Bottle Wraps

Image
  My daughter asked for a Ninja themed party for her birthday in January.  We've been having lots of fun these past few weeks planning all the details for her "Shadow Ninja Academy" where each guest will "Enter a child ~ Depart a Ninja"! I had to start somewhere, so I started by creating my own little Ninja graphic to use as our mascott throughout the party.  Here he is: Feel free to use him as you'd like (for non-commericial purposes, of course). If you create anything with him (or her), feel free to share on my Facebook page. Once we had our Ninja mascot, I created some water bottle labels. You can download them for FREE through Google Docs by clicking HERE . If you have trouble with the download, please email me and I'll send you a PDF. Once you've downloaded the PDF you can print the sheet of labels on adhesive backed paper. I like the opaque Avery full-sheet labels because you don't have to take the original

4 Ways to Cook Chicken ~
A Little Birdie Told Me...No. 54

Image
Vintage French Playing Cards (courtesy of Agence Eureka ) ---------------------------------------- Welcome to  "A Little Birdie Told Me..." Tuesday No. 54! If you're here to share a craft, recipe or project post, you'll find the linky and the specifics on how to  join the party after the features below. -------------------------------------- Delicious chicken dishes were a recurring theme in last week's party. I wonder which one my grandpa George would have liked best.   -------------------------------------- Mediterranean Style Spinach & Sun Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken From Shugary Sweets -------------------------------------- Would you believe this recipe came from "Master of Horror" Vincent Price? Champagne Chicken From The Garden of Yum -------------------------------------- Cooked outdoors in a Dutch