Posts

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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Retro ABC Graphics ~ Vintage Alphabet Block Images

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Cleaning up and reformatting these vintage images was a lot of work, but printing them up and coming up with creative ideas for them will be as easy as A-B-C! I'm imagining an adorable set of wooden nursery blocks, a colorful bunting, and personalized gift tags just for a start.  How about you?   What will you make with them?   Be sure to show off your creations on the Rook No. 17 Facebook page!    Download the full set of 2x2 blocks in a PDF HERE for free.      Or, you can download each image individually and size to suit your project HERE for free. Enjoy!
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A is for America ~ Vintage Graphic

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  Just a little something to share in honor of the day.
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Showcase 500 Beaded Jewelry ~ Book Review
(and an autographed copy giveaway)

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Do you love jewelry?  Beautiful beads? Are you like a kid in a candy store at the sight of colorful, wearable art? Yes? Well, have I got the book for you!   This breathtaking gallery book from Lark Jewelry & Beading celebrates beaded jewelry with a dazzling kaleidoscope of eye candy from innovative artists all over the world.  It is simply delicious! Showcase 500 Beaded Jewelry takes you on an inspiring visual journey with 500 full-color photographs of beaded jewelry, necklaces, rings, bracelets, pins and earrings from more than 200 artists.     Author and Editor Ray Hemachandra explains that Showcase 500 Beaded Jewelry , " tells the story of a now fully developed artistic community with both striking design visions and ambitions and an irrepressible yet heart-centered personality.  I think it will be a mainstay on the coffee tables and bookshelves -- including yours -- of many beaders, jewelers, crafts and art fans for years to come. &
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Pesto Panini with Italian Ham and Cheese

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I  grilled up a cheese sandwich today. It was great! So, I wanted to share... This sandwich is layered with the flavors of Italy -- Taleggio cheese from the Alpine region,  Pesto from the Genoa region, and Sweet Capocollo from Southern Italy. Pesto Panini with Italian Ham & Cheese  2 slices Sourdough Bread Butter  Pesto Taleggio Cheese (grated) Sweet Capocollo (aka Capicolla, Coppa)   Lightly butter both sides of bread. Spread the opposite side of the bottom half with Pesto. Set butter-side down on a grill pan or panini press. Arrange a layer of warm Capocollo. Top with grated Taleggio, then the top piece of bread. Grill or press until golden brown on both sides.
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Santa Fe Sliders and a Gourmet Getaway with World Market!

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Love to travel? Enjoy gourmet foods and wine? Then please join me... One of the wonderful things about travel is having the opportunity to sample the local cuisine.  Recreating some of the culinary specialties from your travels is a fun way to share a taste of your adventure with friends and family back home.   I may not have the ability to hop on a plane on a whim, but I love being able to jump in my car and enjoy the adventure, culture and flavors of an international marketplace right in my own backyard at Cost Plus World Market .  Any time I'm cooking, entertaining or decorating on a theme, World Market is always my first stop. My childhood memories of trips to New Mexico are swathed in sunset colors, rich in art and culture, and full of vibrant flavors.  With Santa Fe as my inspiration, I headed to World Market this past week to get everything I needed to share a bit of the magic of the southwest with my family. When I spotted the Delux
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A Little Sunday Nosh ~ Oil Cured Cheese with Fresh Herbs

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Here's a wonderful little nosh for cheese lovers that's easy to make.  Treat yourself to an artful melange of  flavors when the mood strikes; serve with antipasti, or give as a hostess gift! When you're done with the cheese, you have an exceptional flavored oil that is perfect for salad dressing or for dipping pieces of crusty French bread. Oil Cured Cheese with Fresh Herbs (makes a one- pint jar)  8 oz. hard or semi-hard cheese*, cubed 1 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 3 garlic cloves, peeled and pressed with the side of a chef's knife to release flavor 1 sprig fresh rosemary 4 sprigs fresh thyme Step 1:  With the back edge of a chef's knife, lightly bruise the herbs on a cutting board to release the essential oils. Step 2:  In a one-pint sterilized mason jar, stir together oil, smoked paprika, crushed pepper and garlic.    Step 3: Add herbs, then cheese. 
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Banana Bread Biscotti Recipe Redux ~
A Tale of 3 Bad Bananas

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What do you do when a banana goes bad?   Several years ago I addressed this culinary conundrum by creating a recipe for Banana Bread Biscotti .  Today, confronted by yet another unseemly trio of bananas that had gone to the dark side, I decided to revisit my original recipe and made a few improvements in the process.   So, without further ado, here's Banana Bread Biscotti, take II. Banana Bread Biscotti makes approx. 4 dozen 5 1/4 cups all purpose flour 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup light brown sugar (loose, not packed) 1 Tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 overripe bananas (the blacker the better) 3 Tablespoons canola oil 1 Tablespoon vanilla 3 large eggs 1 cup toasted & finely chopped pecans 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar   8 oz. good quality chocolate, chopped and melted at low heat Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugars, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Set aside
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