2022 Christmas at Triangle Park Euclid Holiday Lighting Event

 Here's my contribution to the 2022 Euclid Holiday Lightning event at Triangle Park at the intersection of Lakeshore Blvd, Babbitt, and East 222nd St.

2019 Christmas

Pic Spam!

Santa Claus Sighting in Euclid, 2017!

I heard a noise outside, so I pulled up the cameras on my tablet and lo and behold... it was SANTA I heard!



Merry Christmas!

2017 Christmas Cookies!

It's time for the yearly Christmas Cookie lineup!

Cookies made last year that are a yearly tradition are Raspberry and Almond Shortbread Thumbprints, Double Chocolate Treasures, and Viennese Specials.

This year, a host of new cookies are "in the mix".

Christmas Sprinkle Cookies

Cook Time: 9 Minutes | Total Time: 19 Minutes | Yield: 3 Dozen

Ingredients

• 1 Stick butter softened
• 1/4 Cup cream cheese softened
• 1 1/2 Cups granulated sugar
• 2 Large eggs
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 Teaspoon almond extract
• 2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
• 2 Teaspoons corn starch
• 1 Teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 Teaspoon salt
• 1 Cup sprinkles nonpareils

Instructions

1. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, or a large bowl using hand mixer, cream together the butter, cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and extracts until light and fluffy. About 5 minutes.
2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add the flour, corn starch, baking soda, and salt. Mix together on low/medium speed for one minute, until combined.
3. Refrigerate dough for two hours before baking.
4. When dough is done chilling, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
5. Pour the sprinkles into a medium bowl, and roll tablespoon sized balls of dough into the sprinkles.
6. Place the cookies onto prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.
7. Bake for 7-9 minutes. These should not turn golden brown, and will still look wet when they come out of the oven.
8. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 3-5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
   Recipe & Photo courtesy TheSaltyMarshmallow

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Kris Kringle Crinkles

Cook Time: 10 Minutes | Total Time: 2 Hours 30 Minutes | Yield: 1.5 Dozen

Ingredients

• 1 cup Butter (softened)
• 1½ cups Granulated Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 teaspoon Peppermint Extract (or Almond, Lemon or Mint)
• ½ teaspoons Baking Soda
• 3 cups Flour (all-purpose)
• Powdered Sugar

Instructions

1. Cream the butter and sugar until completely combined.
2. Add in eggs, vanilla and peppermint extract and mix until the dough is fluffy.
3. Add in the Baking Soda.
4. Mix in the flour, a third at a time.
5. Split into two portions and color one red and one green.
6. Refrigerate the dough for 2 hours.
7. Roll dough into balls.
8. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 9-10 minutes.
   Recipe & Photo courtesy TwoSistersCrafting

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Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprints with Kahlua Ganache

Cook Time: 30 Minutes | Total Time: 55 Minutes | Yield: 2 Dozen

Ingredients

For Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprints:

• 1/2 c. butter softened
• 2/3 c. sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tbsp. milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 c. flour
• 1/3 c. baking cocoa
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. finely chopped hazelnuts

For Kahlua ganache:

• 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 c. heavy cream
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. Kahlua or coffee liqueur

  Instructions

For Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprints:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar. Cream until light and fluffy.
2. Beat in egg yolk, milk, and vanilla.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt.
4. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the mixing bowl, and beat until just combined.
5. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until dough easily forms into a ball.
6. Shape into 1-inch balls.
7. Roll each ball in the chopped hazelnuts until well-coated.
8. Place each ball 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets.
9. Press an indentation in the center of each dough ball using your thumb or the end of a wooden spoon.
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until set when you lightly touch an edge (carefully).
11. Remove cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
12. Prepare ganache.

For Kahlua ganache:

1. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips, heavy cream, and butter.
2. Microwave on high at 30-second intervals until chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
3. Whisk in Kahlua.
4. Pipe or spoon into the center of each cookie.
5. Allow 10-15 minutes for the ganache to slightly set.
   Recipe & Photo courtesy The Gold Lining Girl

 

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Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Cook Time: 10 Minutes | Total Time: 30 Minutes | Yield: 2 Dozen

Ingredients

For the Cookies

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 30 maraschino cherries, blotted dry

For the Frosting

• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tablespoons reserved maraschino cherry juice, plus additional as needed

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together butter and sugars until fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients and then add to creamed mixture a little at a time, beating until well combined. Shape into 24 balls, about 1" round, and place on ungreased or parchment paper lined baking sheets. Slightly indent each ball with one of your fingers and then push one cherry into each ball.
2. Bake at 350° for 10 to 11 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for about 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
3. Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a small, heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; add 2 tablespoons reserved cherry juice and stir until smooth. Add additional cherry juice if necessary to reach desired consistency. Drizzle frosting over cooled cookies or alternately, transfer the frosting to a pastry bag and pipe over the cookies for a more uniform look.
4. Store cookies in an airtight container.
5. Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens
   Recipe & Photo courtesy Valerie's Kitchen

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Peppermint Chocolate Thumbprint Kisses

Cook Time: 10 Minutes | Yield: 2 Dozen

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon mint extract
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2/3 cup cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 28 unwrapped peppermint kisses

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream butter & both sugars with mixer. Add eggs one at a time and mix just until incorporated. Mix in mint extract.
3. Combine flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl. Add 1/2 cup dry mixture to butter mixture. Blending after each addition just until combined and scraping side of mixer bowl as needed. Remove bowl from mixer and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
4. Butter hands and roll dough into 1 inch balls. Place on cookie sheet covered with parchment paper.
5. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes only. Press one peppermint kiss into the top of each cookie. Move to cookie cooling racks being very careful not to the touch the kiss. Recipe & Photo courtesy Small Town Woman

Christmas 2017!

Dollar Tree Kitchen Cabinet Ribbon-Hung Christmas Bows!

These came together super fast! The bows were $1 each, and 9 feet of ribbon was $1. I had Velcro and Scotch tape lying around.

So bright and festive!

I purchased the large bows with the green and red stripes. They also had red velvet and red glitter in the large bows.

I snipped off 1 foot of ribbon (2.5 inch wired variety) per bow, attached it at the back with a square of Velcro, then Scotch taped the ribbon to the back of the cabinet doors.

Total cost per bow: $1.11!

2016 Christmas Cookies!

I love Christmas cookies. Here's what we're making this year.

Almond Shortbread Thumbprints

Cook time: 18 minutes | Total time: 48 minutes | Yield: 3 doze

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 jam (your choice)

• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon milk 

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together butter and white sugar until smooth. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Mix in flour until dough comes together. Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Make a small hole in the center of each ball, using your thumb and finger, and fill the hole with preserves.
3. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes in preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Let cool 1 minute on the cookie sheet.
4. In a medium bowl, mix together the confectioners' sugar, 3/4 teaspoon almond extract, and milk until smooth. Drizzle lightly over warm cookies. 

These thumbprints just melt when you eat them, the tart jam and the sweet icing drizzle are amazing together.

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Double Chocolate Treasures 

Cook time: 12 minutes | Total time: 42 minutes | Yield: 5 dozen

Ingredients:

• 12 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups Quaker Oats
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar 

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt 1 cup chocolate chips. Stir until smooth.
3. Beat together butter and sugar until fluffy. Blend in eggs, vanilla, and melted chocolate. 
4. Add combined dry ingredients except confectioners sugar. Stir in remaining chocolate chips
5. Shape into 1-inch balls, roll in confectioners sugar, coating heavily. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
6. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool 1 minute on cookie sheet. 

These have been in the Christmas cookie arsenal for years. We still have the original Quaker Oats ad containing the recipe from the 1980's. If you like chocolate, and even if you DON'T like oatmeal, these are a hit.

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Viennese Specials

Cook time: 8 minutes | Total time: 1 hour, 8 minutes | Yield: 3 dozen

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 2 cups sifted flour
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon powdered cloves
• 1 cup ground almonds or filberts

Instructions:

1. Mix the first 3 ingredients until creamy. Add in the last 5 ingredients. Mix well, and chill dough in waxed paper 1 hour or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Roll dough between 2 sheets of wax paper to 1/8" thickness.
4. Cut into 2" rounds. Make a slight thumbprint in the center of each round and add a dab of jam. Place on ungreased cookie sheets.
5. Bake until done - about 8 minutes.

What can I say about these cookies? This is a very old recipe, and they are more spicy than sweet. They are an absolute tradition and every year I appreciate just how dimensional the flavors are.  I make these, my mother made these, her mother made these... They are Christmas.

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Austrian Nut-Butter Cookies

Cook time: 7 minutes | Total time: 1 hour 7 minutes | Yield: 1.5 dozen

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sifted all purpose-flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup ground nuts
• 1/2 cup shortening

• 2 squares (2 oz.) unsweetened chocolate, melted
• 1/2 stick butter
• 2/3 cup confectioners sugar

 Instructions: 

1. Sift together flour and sugar. Add nuts, mix.
2. Blend in shortening with a spoon to form dough. Chill 1 hour.
3. Roll out to 1/8" thickness. 
4. Cut into 2" circles. Placed on ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Bake 7 minutes. Remove baked cookies from sheets at once to cooking rack. 
6. Make into sandwich cookies with Chocolate Butter Filling and Frosting.

1. Melt and cool chocolate
2. cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in chocolate.
3. Spread between cookies to form sandwiches and on top for frosting. For traditional Austrian cookie, spread a thin layer of jam on top cookie before frosting, and spring with slivered nuts before frosting sets.

This is the first year for these cookies. It's nice to have a couple "make ahead" batches of dough. This recipe is from a small booklet called "Old World Cookies" from the Test Kitchens of Mirror Aluminum Company, late 1950's.

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Gingerbread Men

Cook time: 10 minutes | Total time: 25 minutes | Yield: 5 dozen

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Molasses
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

 Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a saucepan, bring butter, sugar, and Molasses to a quick boil. Cook about 5 minutes, then cool.
3. Stir in sifted flour, baking soda, salt, and spices; 2 eggs, beaten, and vanilla. Mix well and chill.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough very thin (1/3 of dough at a time) and cut with gingerbread men cookie cutters. Arranged on greased cookie sheet.
5. Bake 8-10 minutes. Cool, frost and decorate, if desired.

Gingerbread men are traditional, my husband loves them, my mom loves them, and I'm 36 years old and this will be the first time I've ever made gingerbread. This recipe is from a 1961 Family Circle Brer Rabbit Molasses advertisement.

December 2014 Euclid Coffee with A Cop with Santa and Mrs. Claus!

My SIL Krystal and I went to Coffee with a Cop this past Tuesday, so Jaiden could see Santa. It was hosted at the The Mary Mavec Opportunity School of Euclid. The even have a gift shop with handmade jewelry and some very cool artwork.

I have to give it up to somebody - or the group of somebody's - that have been coming up with these community events, like the Coffee with a Cop and getting the Euclid Citizen's Police Academy going again. Guy and I just completed the latter, and we're going to join the Euclid Citizen's Police Academy Alumni Assocation.

Say it three times fast and you get a prize!

Anyway, we attended this Christmas edition of Coffee with a Cop and Jaiden had such a good time! We parked and right behind us, in a cruiser, was Santa and Mrs. Claus. Have you ever seen a three year old's mind blown? She could barely peel her eyes off what she was seeing to get out of her car seat.

Everyone was friendly and once Jaiden warmed up, she had a blast. Santa kept going outside and she'd be plastered to the windows trying to keep an eye on him!

The kids and the clients at the Mary Mavec School all made pine cone Christmas tree ornaments. Then we sang Christmas Carols - no joke!

Say Trees!

Nothing much to say, enjoy my Christmas trees.

Subway Style Christmas Art!

Merry Christmas, folks!

I've been concentrating on the holidays - so I haven't been jumping into any projects too big. I plan to make a new years resolution list, honey-do style (don't worry, I'm 50% of the honey :D )

I did have time for this super fast project though. Check out the finished product:

 The best part is they cost me about $.83 each to make!

Read my tutorial on making Christmas Art here.

Christmas at the Cape!

We kind of got sidetracked during Halloween, and then to boot, it rained and was miserable. I ended up in tears (most of my "help" had to cancel) and it was just one thing after another. I'm thankful a couple cooler heads prevailed and at least we could sort of pull it off. If we do it again next year, we're thinking of putting it all in the garage.

Maybe.

Anyway, I was ready to be past Halloween this year. I wanted to dive into the Christmas stuff!

We don't have a whole lot, so we purchased two trees and a few lights strings this year. We're po' folk so we're going to get our Christmas on as cheaply as possible. Here's a couple of those inexpensive Christmas decor ideas that just so happen to look cheery as possible in Jen and Guy's Little Cape.

Dollar store gold ornaments in dollar store glass.

Notice the art? I'll be tutorializing these at ChristmasinOhio soon.

These are my normal throw pillows with pillowcases from Dollar Tree. Yes, $1 each!

Dollar Tree has a section of silver and gold this year. These guys look very pretty on the mantle with their ornament strings removed, don't you think?

The gold Dollar Tree reindeer.