What to do this weekend. . .from my column on South Whitehall Patch

The holiday weekend has arrived, and many people will be heading to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services, or to homes to celebrate with family and friends. Here are some other ideas to keep the weekend full of fun.
 1. Head to the movies with the family.  Tangled, Yogi Bear, Tron: Legacy and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader are all playing at the AMC Tilghman Square 8 Theatre on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

2. Build a gumdrop house at The Da Vinci Center's brand-new Winter Candyland. Colorful characters lead visitors through fun-filled experiences like tasting candy 'glass' with Golly Jolly, creating a puppet show with the Candyland characters and helping Frosty Fluff blow-up and mash-up Marshmallow Peeps. Candyland activities are included with paid Da Vinci Science Center admission. It is open on Sunday, Dec. 26, from 1-3 p.m.

3. Visit the Lehigh Valley's premier Transportation Museum, America on Wheels. On Sunday, Dec. 26, from 12-5 p.m. their Train Time Charity Holiday Exhibit will be open. Admission price is $9 for adults, $6 for seniors and students age 13-16 and children 12 and under are free.

4. Let the kids bounce out some pent up energy at the "Holiday All-Ages Open Bounce" at Bounce U Allentown on Sunday, Dec. 26. There will be two sessions: 12:30-2 p.m. and 2:30-4 p.m. It's $9.95/child and adults are free with each paid child. Reservations are suggested so call 610-841-7088 to reserve your spot.

For more ideas of things to do (since I won't tell you EVERYTHING on here), information about different things going on in the area or just to check out something good to read, head to South Whitehall Patch and Hellertown-Lower Saucon Patch

Merry Christmas!

Welcome Santa!

It's Christmas Eve and you know what that means - the last minute rush to shop, wrap and bake. One of my most favorite cookies are Lemon Angel Wings. They're almost like candy in that they're coated in sugar before they're baked so it caramelizes while baking and then hardens like a nice thin sweet and sugary shell. YUM.

They're not difficult to make either! I found the recipe on Taste of Home a few years back and they're a tradition now - Santa LOVES them. ;)

Note: I'm stealing the photo from Taste of Home until I upload my own later today. I'm also making chocolate covered marshmallows and possibly Hungarian Angel Wing Cookies that have rum in them and are fried! How's that for a happy holiday combination?!



Lemon Zest Angel Wing Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cold butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 10 tablespoons sugar, divided

Directions

• Place flour in a large bowl; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in sour cream and lemon peel until well blended. Place on a piece of waxed paper; shape into a 4-1/2-in. square. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Cut dough into four 2-1/4-in. squares. Place one square on a piece of waxed paper sprinkled with 2 tablespoons sugar. Cover with another piece of waxed paper. Keep remaining squares refrigerated. Roll out dough into a 12-in. x 5-in. rectangle, turning often to coat both sides with sugar.
• Lightly mark center of 12-in. side. Starting with a short side, roll up jelly-roll style to the center mark, peeling paper away while rolling. Repeat rolling from other short side, so the two rolls meet in the center and resemble a scroll.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Repeat with remaining squares, using 2 tablespoons sugar for each. Chill for 1 hour.
• Unwrap dough and cut into 1/2-in. slices; dip each side in remaining sugar. Place 2 in. apart on foil-lined baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 14 minutes or until golden brown. Turn cookies over; bake 5 minutes longer. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: 3 dozen.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 each) equals 84 calories, 6 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 16 mg cholesterol, 53 mg sodium, 8 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 1 g protein.

Let's Cook ~ Mexican Wedding Cookies

First of all an apology. I'm sure there is a more PC name for these cookies but I have no idea what that may be. Everything from my favorite Girl Scout Cookie to a holiday event in Philly seems to have undergone a PC renaming over the years. My Aunt used to make these cookies (20+) years ago and the recipe book I found with them is even older so please forgive my 'unPC' cookie but they are tasty so keep that in mind. They're also not exactly 'healthy' as you'll see when you look at the recipe. Again, the recipe comes from a Women's Day Christmas Crafts & Food book from the early 1970's when people smoked at work and fondue was fun. It was a different time.

Mexican Wedding Cookies

                

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
Confectioners' Sugar (as specified)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.


In a medium bowl, cream butter, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, vanilla and salt until fluffy. Stir in flour until well blended and then chill 30 minutes or until firm enough to handle.

Shape into 1" balls and place 1" apart on an un-greased cookie sheet; bake 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove to rack set over waxed paper and dust heavily with confectioners' sugar; cool.

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Dust with additional confectioners' sugar before serving.

* I personally cut the salt to just under 1/4 tsp. and used unsalted butter. I only cooked them 12 minutes rotating the cookie sheet halfway through because sometimes my oven doesn't seem to heat evenly. I also let my dough chill for over an hour and it was hard as a rock. It wasn't a big deal - I just let it sit out until it was more the consistency of play dough. These are actually really easy to make, yummy and if you don't pay attention to the ingredients you can enjoy them guilt free. :)

Happy Holidays!

A Bit of an Update

So it has been an amazing few months between starting this blog and actually acquiring a 'job' writing. I'm a contributor for the Hellertown-Lower Saucon edition of Patch.com and not that I'm biased but it's pretty cool. Thing small town newspaper online with breaking news and reviews and all kinds of good stuff. Check it out - there may be one for your neck-of-the-woods! Patch.com

And in lieu of that little intro I'll now mention an article of mine that was just posted today because it's the kind that gives you the warm fuzzies this time of year. . .Area Theater Troupe Knows 'How to Keep Christmas Well' 

Happy Holidays to one and all! More Crafting and cooking updates to come. I'm hosting a cookie exchange so I'll be taking photos of a new cookie I'm going to attempt that my Aunt (who lived in another state) used to make and send to us over the holiday season. I was never so happy to see a coffee tin than when it arrived in the mail. . .

Run Santa Run

Greenawalds Fire Company will have someone special returning to their crew for one evening only. On Saturday, Dec 18 Santa Claus will be riding along with them for their annual Greenawalds Santa Run.

Mr. Claus will personally makes the rounds dropping off gifts to all of the good boys and girls in South Whitehall Township.

If you would like to have him visit your home for a certainly little one you can drop off a present for them at the fire station on Tuesday, Dec 14 or Wednesday, Dec 15 between the hours of 5:00pm and 9:00pm each evening.

Santa is scheduled to deliver presents anytime between 1:00pm and 9:00pm. If you need to make special arrangements and/or request a certain delivery time they'll meet it to the best of their ability.

Be sure to include the child's name (first and last), address and phone number on the gift.

What a wonderful tradition to start with your family and a great way to kick off the holiday season.

Greenawalds Fire Company is located at 2500 Focht Avenue.You can call them at 610-432-0065 with any questions.

Paint up some Holiday Fun and Gifts at Paintsome Pottery

Paintsome Pottery located at 4610 Broadway in the Tilghman Square Shopping Center in Allentown has a calendar full of fun for December.

Make a lighted Christmas Tree for $55 on Thursday, December 2nd. Pet day is the 5th from 12:00pm - 5:00pm. On Friday the 10th you get 20% if you paint in your jammies! 

Santa's stopping by on Sunday the 12th to get crafty, and bring the family and friends along on Monday the 13th for 20% off with parties of 4 or more after 3:00pm. 

Are you a competitive crafter? There is a cookie plate contest on Saturday the 18th. And if you're a last minute shopper their ornaments are 20% off on Sunday the 19th and the 22nd is the last day to paint for Christmas Eve pick up when they are open from 12:00pm - 3:00pm. 

Get crafty this holiday and make some one-of-a-kind gifts for family and friends this year at Paintsome Pottery.

For more information check out their website - http://www.paintsomepottery.com.