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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Toast the New Year with Homemade Almond Liqueur ~ Liquore Alle Mandorle

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Homemade almond liqueur -- so delicious and so, so easy to make!  This classic Italian liqueur, with its hints of orange, vanilla, and spice, makes a wonderful after-dinner aperitif, or the basis for any cocktail calling for amaretto.  Decanted in a lovely little bottle, it makes a wonderful gift! While preparation takes under 20 minutes, the flavors needs some time to develop and blend (4-6 weeks), so you'll want to start yours right away to have it done in time for New Years! Homemade Almond Liqueur Liquore Alle Mandorle (makes 2 liters) 10 ounces raw almonds (approximately 2 cups) 2 teaspoons coriander 1 star anise 1 clove  2 liters vodka zest of 2 medium oranges 1 vanilla bean, split 2 1/2 cups water 2 cups granulated sugar 2.5 - 3 liter glass jar Cheesecloth 1.  Blanch the almonds by bringing 4 cups water to boil on the stovetop.  Add almonds, then immediately remove from heat.  Let sit for two minutes.  Drain, then rinse with cool
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My Set, My Take on Classic American Comfort Foods
Or, Calphalon in My Kitchen ~ A Love Story

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Have you ever wished you could customize a cookware set for the way you love to cook? Well now you can, with Your Set by Calphalon . I was lucky enough to receive two incredibly versatile pieces, and I used them for some of my favorite dishes. See how I used the AccuCore Stainless Steel 3-quart Sauté Pan and the Unison Non-stick 10" Omelet Pan to make a One Pot Chicken Pot Pie and a Whiskey Apple Upside Down Cake.  Click here to read my post and enter for a chance to win one of 16 prizes worth $8,500! You can win a $1,000 cash gift card or one of 15 $500 Your Set by Calphalon gift cards so that you can build your own perfect set! Click here to start customizing Your Set right now! I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective , and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own. For me, cooking and baking are an absolute passion.  So, when I discover something new for the kitchen that truly knocks my socks off, I want t
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Holiday Side Dish ~ French Onion Cauliflower Gratin

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How was your Thanksgiving holiday? Did you add anything new to your feast this year? Inspired by a box of good ies that I received from the nice folks at Lo eb's Onion Crunch , I created an all-new holiday side-dish to bring to the fami ly table -- French Onion Cauliflower Gratin .   Delicious, 100% Natural and only 4 ingredients:  Onion, Palm Oil, Wheat Flour, Salt Those delicious little cris py, crunchy fried onions are typically the star of the traditional green bean casserole at this time of year.  I took my inspiration from this classic dish, pairing th e toasty onions with sweet and mellow cauliflower instead of green beans.  In the place of the canned soup, I whipped up a bechemel cream s auce, loaded with Gruyere cheese, in just minutes .  The finished casserole evokes the flavors of a fine French Onion Soup.     French Onion Cauliflower Gratin Yield:  8-10 servings Prep Time:  20 minutes Baking Time:  30 minutes   1 large head
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Get Your Bead On with Lark Jewelry & Beading!
2 New Books for the Beading Enthusiast (Giveaway)

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  Yodelay-hee-hoo!  I'm calling out to all of my bauble bedecked, jewelry making, bead lovin' artist friends out there.  CAN you right angle weave? CAN you herringbone? Well, whether you're a beginner or an advanced beader, I have two new workbooks from  the "I CAN" series from Lark Jewelry & Beading that will inspire you to take your beading skills to the next level.  Released just this month, I CAN Right Angle Weave by Mabeline Gidez and I CAN Herringbone by Melissa Grakowsky are filled with hundreds of illustrations and step-by-step tutorials for making dozens of exquisite and inspiring beaded pieces. First up... In I CAN Right Angle Weave , Mabeline Gidez, a renowned jewelry designer and teacher from Southern California, shares 25 projects (supplemented by nearly 500 diagrams) involving one of beading's most popular stitches -- the right angle weave! The Sunny Flower Earrings on page 97 are one of my favorite projects f
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Lunch with Leftovers ~ Sesame Turkey Tea Sandwiches

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Every year I enjoy making a batch of these dainty little tea sandwiches with leftover turkey for a light, casual lunch in the days that follow the big feast!     Sesame Almond Turkey Tea Sandwiches  Makes approx. 40 tea sandwiches Approx. time:  15 minutes   3 cups turkey finely chopped 1/3 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted 3/4 cup mayonnaise 1/3 cup celery (the topmost, thin pieces and leaves) minced 2 tsp sesame oil Salt & Pepper  20 slices soft sandwich bread (I prefer wheat) More mayonnaise for sesame garnish Toasted sesame seeds (black, white or a combination of both) Makes approx. 40 tea sandwiches To a medium bowl, add turkey, mayonnaise, celery, and sesame oil.  Crush almonds in your palm and add to bowl.  Stir to combine.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Place a small scoop of turkey salad on a slice of soft sandwich bread.  Top with another slice of bread, lightly press, then remove crusts.  Cut into quarters diagonally.  Using
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Crystal Pendant Family Photo Ornaments

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I treasure my collection of family photos that have been passed down through the generations.  Rather than keeping them hidden from the world in a stuffy old trunk or shoebox, I love to have them out and about where they can be enjoyed.  My dining table is graced by an oversized vintage wooden tool caddy that is filled with photos for the family to enjoy.  In my living room, you'll find a vintage-style postcard rack stocked with old photo cards of our ancestors.  And on the front d oor , guests are greeted by a wreath circled by tiny portraits , family surnames and crests.   That's why, when a box filled with incredible crafting supplies arrived from Plaid, I knew in an instant what direction I'd take with my holiday crafting campaign with Blueprint Social!   I'd been dying to try Plaid's Mod Podge Dimensional Magic, so I developed a project based around this versatile product.  Using inexpensive chandelier crystals , some beads and be
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