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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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Recipe: Easy Peaches & Cream Baked Oatmeal Casserole

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This recipe is a great alternative to a bowl of mushy old oatmeal. The oats on the top retain their chewy, nutty consistency, and the fruit makes the flavors bright and fresh.   The casserole can be prepared the day before (my kids love to do this), so all you have to do is stick it in the oven in the morning.  It also reheats beautifully as leftovers.  I enjoyed the last square this morning, heated up for a minute in the microwave, drizzled with a little milk and sprinkled with just a touch of brown sugar. Peaches & Cream Baked Oatmeal 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 1/3 cup chopped pecans 1/2 tsp. baking powder 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon Pinch of salt 1/4 cup honey 1 cup milk 1 large egg, lightly beaten 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract 3-4 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced 2 cups diced peaches or nectarines  Preheat the oven to 375F. Lightly grease a 9x13 glass casserole dish.  Step 1:  In a medium bo
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Recipe ~ Easy Oven Roasted Pork Carnitas for a Crowd

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Tender Juicy Flavorful Crispy Caramelized Pork  Love CARNITAS! Carnitas are the stuff of Mexican food magic. I've been experimenting for ages, trying dozens of recipes, techniques and tips from online, friends, cookbooks, and through shady back-alley dealings to find a way to make knock-your-socks-off restaurant quality pork carnitas at home.  I have a big, hungry family, and  I like to be able to make big batches of food that will last beyond a single evening's meal. With the glee of a taco lover on Tuesdays, I'm pleased to share that I've perfected my own recipe for family-style carnitas that come out beautifully every time and taste just as good as the ones I've had at my favorite Mexican restaurants.  So, without further ado, here's my recipe for carnitas for your tacos, enchiladas, burritos, tostadas, breakfast scrambles, and more.  Enjoy! California-Style Pork Carnitas (yield:  3 pounds) 6-7 pound boneless pork
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Recipe: Banana Bread Waffles with Bourbon Pecan Maple Syrup

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When I go grocery shopping, I always buy two bunches of bananas -- one for the kids to snack on and one to just sit and go nearly black with brown-sugary overripeness.  That way, we're always ready to make our favorite banana bread on demand (recipe HERE ).   A few weeks ago, the family was in a waffle mood, so I grabbed one of my on-the-verge-of-decay bananas and set to work on creating a banana bread inspired waffle.  A few Sunday breakfast's worth of tinkering proved a success.  Here is my recipe for light, crispy, banana-bready waffles with a delicious pecan syrup to gild the lily.  Enjoy! Banana Bread Waffles (makes approximately 12 individual Belgians) 1 large egg, separated 1/4 cup butter, softened  1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 overripe banana 3/4 cup cake flour pinch of salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder a pinch of ground cinnamon 1 Tablespoon brown sugar 1/4 cup buttermilk Step 1:  Whip egg white to medium pe
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Recipe: The Best, Foolproof Scalloped Potatoes Au Gratin

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This recipe is a favorite of my culinary students.  It is so easy, and makes the perfect, quintessential, creamy, cheesy potato casserole of American comfort-food fame. True scalloped potatoes consist primarily of thinly cut potatoes in a white cream sauce, whereas potatoes au gratin feature buttery potatoes beneath a cheese and/or breadcrumb crust.  Scalloped Potatoes Au Gratin is a hybrid -- the best of both worlds.  It is what many of us in the U.S. grew up with and knew as Potatoes O' Gratin. So, without further ado, here is the easiest and most delicious recipe I think you'll find for the creamy, cheesy, golden, bubbly potato dish of legend: Scalloped Potatoes Au Gratin Prep Time: 15 minutes Baking Time: 45-55 minutes  1 1/4 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes, washed, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick (approx. 2 large)  3 Tablespoons butter, plus 1 Tablespoon for buttering the pan  2 Tablespoons diced sweet yellow onion  1 Tablespoon all-purp
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Recipe: Spicy Avocado Crab on Wonton Chips

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Here's a little recipe I came up with over the holidays while brainstorming quick, easy and delicious appetizers to teach at my Holiday Appetizers Workshop .  I was inspired by classic California Roll Sushi that features crab, avocado and cucumber.  Instead of cucumber, I used fresh chives for just a hint of onion to offset the sweet crab and avocado. The crab salad comes together in just a few minutes and can be portioned on top of crispy wonton chips or served in a bowl as a self-serve dip. Spicy Avocado Crab on Wonton Chips 8 oz. package imitation Crab, flake style* 1 small avocado, peeled and cubed  1/2 teaspoon sesame oil  3-4 Tablespoons Sriracha mayonnaise** A squeeze of fresh lime  1 Tablespoon finely chopped chives, plus more for garnish  1/2 package round wonton wrappers (or square wrappers trimmed with a circle cookie cutter)  black sesame seeds for garnish  Step 1: In a food processor, pulse crab until fine (approx. 15 seconds).  
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Free Kids Superhero Valentines -- Stuck on You

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I have four kids, which, come Valentine's Day, means bucketloads of candy and junk find their way home from school. *sigh* To help cut down on cavities and landfill, I decided to come up with a fun, but sneakily practical valentine for the kids to give to all their classmates last year. These Marvel superhero bandaids came from the Dollar Tree, so they were very budget-friendly. The kids loved them because they're superhero-themed and they sure beat the icky old skin colored bandaids that we grew up with. My parent-friends appreciated them, because they were one of the few things their kids got that they didn't toss in the trash as soon as the novelty of the Valentines Day haul had worn off (around 10 minutes). Win * Win Here's how you can make your own: Stuck on You  Bandaid Valentines FREE hang tag (Download HERE ) Cardstock or Photo Paper Plain cellophane treat bags (4x6)** Bandaids (3 per
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My Family's Favorite Soup: Chicken Corn Chowder with Wild Rice

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  Soupety, Soup, Soup Soup! It's a comfort food for all seasons. This soup is  a cozy sweater, a warm blanket, a hug. This soup is what happens when  mom's homemade chicken pot pie kicks off its crusty exterior and gets comfortable in a bowl. Make it! Chicken Corn Chowder with Wild Rice Prep time: 15 minutes Total time: 1 hour Yield: 6-8 servings 1/2 Tablespoon Onion powder 1/2 Tablespoon Garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon Dried thyme 1/2 Tablespoon Dried parsley 1/2 Tablespoon Seasoned Salt (like Lawry's or Penzey's) Pinch of Smoked Paprika 1/2 Tablespoon Kosher Salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 2/3 cup long grain rice 1/3 cup wild rice 6 cups chicken stock or broth 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, ¼” dice 10 Tablespoons salted butter 1 cup peeled and diced (¼”) carrot 1 cup diced (¼”) celery 1 cup diced (¼”) onion 1 can (approx. 15 oz.) corn, drained 3 cups whole milk Step 1: In a small bowl, combi
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