Saturday, December 17, 2011
Thumbprints and Sweethearts have holiday appeal.
Gingersnap Thumbprint cookies DOUGH: 2: Make the cranberry apricot filling: Place jam in a small bowl. If there are any large pieces of apricot chucks pull them out and chop into fine pieces and add back into the bowl. Add cranberries. Set aside. 3: Mix the gingersnap thumbprints: Mix the flour, spices and salt together in a medium bowl. Stir in crystallized ginger, taking care to break apart any pieces that may be clinging to one another. Set aside Place the butter and sugar I the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the molasses, egg yolks, and vanilla extract, and beat until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure …
Baking cookies is a tradition and an art for St Louisan Julia Usher, author of the "Cookie Swap" and "The Ultimate Cookie" cookbooks.
Julia Usher is one smart cookie, especially when it comes to baking Christmas cookies. “I love to bake Christmas cookies, but cookie-baking and cookie swaps are something I think people should do all year round,” said Usher, of Webster Groves, whose love for cookies served as the inspiration for her two cookie cookbooks, The Cookie Swap and her latest release, The Ultimate Cookie, both published by Gibbs Smith Publishing. Usher began commercially baking cookies and other sweet delights after relocating to St Louis several years ago. She opened a confection company here after working first as a a Yale educated engineer. A few years into the busincess she made the decision to close the company to focus on writing cookbooks and demonstrating…
Friday, December 9, 2011
Patch rounds up 12 places you can visit Santa in the area.
Whether your kids are clamoring to see Santa Claus or afraid of that big fuzzy beard, here is a guide to help you find or avoid him this holiday season. Just hover over a snowflake on the map to see Santa's location, and click on it for more event details. Hazelwood Santa Claus will visit with kids of all ages at the Hazelwood Community Center in White Birch Park, on Sat. Dec. 10 from 10:30 am until noon. Santa has also set up shop at the St. Louis Mills Mall in Hazelwood near the Play Area. Maryland Heights Santa Claus will visit Westport Plaza on Dec. 10 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. The event, co-sponsored by Westport Plaza and the City of Maryland Heights Parks & Recreation Department features: Santa will also appear at the Edward Jones …
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Culinary gifts made in your own kitchen are sure to be a hit.
The following recipes are from my holiday classes presented at St Louis Community College and Dierberg's School of Cooking. Black & White Sesame Seed Lovash In a large mixing bowl combine butter, water and one cup of the flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Stir in enough flour to make a stiff dough. Turn dough out on a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly greased bowl and allow dough to rise for 20 minutes. Punch down and divide dough in 12 ñ14 pieces. Spread sesame seeds on work surface. Roll each piece of dough over seeds; rolling dough out as thin as possible. Place on ungreased baking sheets and bake on the lowest oven rack at 400 degrees for 8 in 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove and cool lovash on…
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Patch offers up a guide and suggestions from the experts.
The National Christmas Tree Association offers tips on how to find the perfect tree: And if you’ve never cut down a tree, here are some guidelines: Try one of these nearby spots for your tree: Chaminade College Preparatory School Open November 26-December 19 (while supplies last) Hours: Monday-Friday - 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sundays 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. Address: 425 South Lindbergh Boulevard, Creve Coeur, MO 63141 Phone: 314-993-4400 Trees: Frasier Fir (other items, i.e. wreaths, available) De Smet Jesuit High School Open November 25- December 18 Hours: Monday-Friday 3 p.m.-8 p.m., Weekends 10 a.m.- 7 p.m. Address: 233 N. New Ballas Rd. St. Louis, MO 63141 Phone: 314-567-3500 Trees: Frasier Fir, Balsam Fir (other …
Thursday, November 24, 2011
The stores, sales and strategies you need to optimize your all-night shopping blow-out.
Here’s a new holiday tradition to try: Say grace, eat turkey, head to the mall. Black Friday sales start at midnight this year at some of the regions biggest stores, including Walmart, Target, Kohl’s and Best Buy. We’ve read through the ads and compiled everything you need for the best all-night holiday shopping blow-out possible. And for each sale, we've highlighted the items we think would make the best gifts (at the best prices!) Check back on Black Friday for updates and tips, and if you hit the sales, tag your tweets with #BlackFridaySTL or mention @StLouisLindsay. And don't forget: Black Friday sales are already starting online at popular big box stores. Best Buy said they've already sold out of popular $80 TVs and $150 laptops, but …
Monday, November 21, 2011
Use our holiday light guide map to plan a night of family fun.
Each blue point on our holiday light guide map represents a particularly beautiful light display in the St. Louis region. Click on the blue points to find addresses, hours and details. As more parks, businesses and neighbors begin to deck the halls, send us your pictures of beautiful holiday light displays. We'll add them to the map so families can plan light-viewing outings. Send pictures, addresses and impressions of light displays to your local Patch or to Lindsay.Toler@patch.com. If you're on the road, tweet about it @StLouisLindsay.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
We're asking St. Louis moms and dads to tell us how they would sort out conflicting family dinners for a prominent U.S. holiday.
In preparation for Thanksgiving, we're asking St. Louis parents this week to weigh in on the subject of conflicting family gatherings. Suppose your family is invited to two Thanksgiving dinners. Your spouse's grandparents are hosting the first, and your closest cousin is hosting the second. They overlap in time. Both will feature lavish sit-down turkey dinners with all the trimmings. So onto this week's question: How do you make this decision for your family? Who goes where, and why?
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Buy your annual holiday cards from a local charity this year.
Every holiday season, families across the country send cards to their loved ones, filling them in on the last year and wishing them a happy new one. For families planning to buy holiday cards this year, nonprofit organizations around the area are offering unique cards that benefit their missions. That way, each card sends holiday cheer while supporting a worthy cause. Here is our round-up of holiday cards for charity. The Salvation Army – St. Louis Smiling bell-ringers in front of Downtown St. Louis’ Peabody Opera House greet recipients of this 2011 holiday card. Pick up yours at The Salvation Army office near Forest Park and support youth programming and homeless assistance throughout Missouri and southern Illinois. Cost: $10 for 10 …
Fourth-generation family farm shares pumpkin pie recipes.
The owners of Stuckmeyer's Farm Market and Greenhouse, Fenton, a fourth-generation family-owned vegetable farm, share its recipes for pumpkin pie, including tips for how to turn a whole pumpkin into a cooking ingredient. There are two methods for preparing pumpkin: the oven method and the stove method. Stuckmeyer’s uses the oven method. First, wash the pumpkin and remove the seeds. Halve the pumpkin and bake it at 325 degrees with the cut side down on a cookie sheet until they pierce easily. When cool, quarter the pumpkin halves and peel off the outer skin. If the skin doesn’t peel off easily, it should bake a little longer. Mash or puree the pumpkin pulp. The stove method also works. Wash, peel and remove the seeds. Cut the pumpkin into …
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Kalen Ponche
10:52 am on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
I have always wanted to do this... but we have a fake tree. Looks like fun though! more ›