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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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Vintage Folk Art Style Paper Mache Snowman Tutorial

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With the Christmas tree curbside, and the ornaments all neatly packed away, I'm thankful for my small collection of winter decorations that can be left out a bit longer to grace my home with their snowy sparkle and winter whimsy. I would have loved to have had the time to share this sweet little tutorial earlier in the season, but the holidays were busy (as they always are).  Now that things have slowed down, this may be, perhaps the best time of all to fix yourself a mug of cocoa or coffee and enjoy the process of creating a vintage style paper mache snowman at your leisure.  He is sure to bring smiles to all that behold him, all winter long! This is the snowman that my 7-year old made. The real stick arms were her wonderful idea! This is a fun project t o do with children as well. The process is very simple , versatile, and inexpensive.  The fram e for the figure is ma de from aluminum foil which can be worked into the shape of characters for any occasion .  I&#
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New Year's Craft ~ 1930s Style Crepe Paper Party Hat Tutorial

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During the first half of the 20th Century handmade paper hats were de rigeur for evening parties, costume parties, church, school and society events. In the 1920s, it was not uncommon to see beautifully crafted paper hats, fans and parisols on the pages of fashion magazines. According to Dennison, a major crepe and tissue paper manufacturer throughout the century, " these hats can be very simple or as picturesque as a Parisian extreme ." By the early 1930s, crepe paper skull caps gained popularity and were often adorned with crepe paper bouquets, pinwheels and butterflies.     While the pointed party hat may be the standard in our modern times, I thought it would be fun to revive one of the most versatile and fanciful paper hats from the last century.  The method is basic -- just a few folds and snips.  The materials are simple -- just crepe paper, scissors, some heavy stock for the band, glue and embellishments.  The results are fabulous!   How
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Milk Chocolate & Peanut Butter Truffles (garnished with Banana Dust)

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After the success of the Dark Chocolate Raspberry Truffles with Raspberry Dust that I made over the holidays, I decided that one more melt-in-your-mouth truffle confection was in order.  This time, I played with the classic combination of milk chocolate and creamy peanut butter and topped it all off with just a light sprinkling of banana dust.  The banana dust (finely ground freeze-dried bananas) adds a very subtle taste and banana bouquet to the silky truffles. The peanut butter makes the truffle ganache very soft, which is exactly what you want for a truffle that melts on your palette.  It makes the chocolate dipping process a bit more tricky, however.   So, I 've made a f e w alter ations to my typical truffle tutorial to help make the process go smoothly. Milk Chocolate & Peanut Butter Truffles (garnished with Banana Dust)  makes approx. 40    For the truffle ganache centers 1 2 /3 cups Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Chips 1 cup heavy cream   1/
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Party-Size Candied Bacon Churros

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Mini Candied Bacon Churros ~ perfect little bite-sized puffs of deep fried, candied bacon laden, cinnamon-sugar-rolled goodness.  They're easy and fun to make and are a delightful diminutive dessert for your fiesta!   Yesterday I shared my review and giveaway for Tiny Food Party! Bite-size Recipes for Miniature Meals by Teri Lyn Fisher and Jenny Park of SpoonForkBacon.com .  You can enter to win a copy HERE (through December 31, 2012). Today I'm pleased to be sharing one of my favorite recipes from Tiny Food Party! :  Itty-Bitty Candied Bacon Churros .  They were a big hit as a late-night treat at my girls' sleepover last night! Itty-Bitty Candied Bacon Churros (from Tiny Food Party! Bite-size Recipes for Miniature Meals by Teri Lyn Fisher and Jenny Park) Yield:  Approx. 24 Active Time:  Approx. 20 minutes 1 quart vegetable oil, for frying Batter 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar 1/4 teaspo
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The Ultimate New Year's Eve Party Food Book ~ Tiny Food Party!
{Review & Giveaway}

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  It's cute.  Oh yes!  It's very, very cute.  It's artful, clever and lots of fun too.  But most importantly (for it's a cookbook after all), the food tastes as delicious as it looks.  Sometimes novelty foods can be merely a treat for the eye, but fall short where taste is concerned.  Not so with the "Adorable Appetizers", "Itty-Bitty Entrees", Sweet Somethings, and "Darling Drinks" in Teri Lyn Fisher and Jenny Park's Tiny Food Party! Bite-size Recipes for Miniature Meals from Quirk Books .    Just imagine a party with all of your favorite foods from around the globe, miniaturized into bite-sized treats!  Around the globe?  Indeed!  Tiny Food Party! contains diminutive dishes from Italy (Caprese Skewers), Korea (Pajeon), India (Potato Samosas), Portugal (Bolinhos de Bcalhau), Brazil (Coxinha), Venezuela (Arepas), the United Kingdom (Baby-size Shepherd's Pies), and more.   Kimchi Deviled Eggs (Made with Quail e
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Recipe ~ Lemon Meringue Pie Fudge {Made with Real Lemons}

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This post is titled "Lemon Meringue Pie Fudge {Made with Real Lemons}".  You may be saying to yourself, "Of course 'Real Lemons'.  Isn't that overstating the obvious?"  Alas, I have found that that is not always the case.  While looking for inspiration for a non-chocolate confection for my holiday candy boxes, I came across a delectable-looking photo of Lemon Meringue Pie Fudge online.  Perfect!  Well, almost.  It turns out that the recipe, as well as all the others I was able to find online call for all manner of lemon-flavored substances, except, of course, real lemon.  Determined to make Lemon Meringue Pie Fudge a part of my seasonal candy repertoire,  I dashed to the kitchen and concocted a sweet, tart, and melt-in-your mouth buttery recipe of my own.  Enjoy! Lemon Meringue Pie Fudge {Made with Real Lemons} Active t ime: approx. 20 minutes Chill time:  approx. 6 hours Yield:  approx. 2 lbs.  6 Tablespoons butter 2 packa
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