The Santa Blog

 

Posts Tagged ‘Holiday Season’

An Elf’s Favorite: Ooey Gooey Chocolate Cookies

December 18th, 2014 | Filed under: cookie recipies helpful hints Holiday traditions seasonal recipes | Posted by Elf jennifer

These little bites are the perfect escape for your taste buds this holiday season! Mrs. Claus makes these delectable treats for us elves when we’ve had an exceptionally busy day. They have a light crisp exterior and a gooey melty interior, and not to say they are most pleasing to the eye on any holiday table!

Cookies

To make these charming treats all you need is:

3 tablespoons butter, melted

½ cup sugar

1 large egg

½ teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

½ cup flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

⅛ teaspoon salt

¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips

Powdered Sugar

– In an electric mixing bowl combine the butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth.

– Crack the egg in and mix until smooth

– In a separate bowl whisk together the cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt.

– Add the flour to the wet mixture sifting little by little, mixing between each add.

– Then fold in the chocolate chips.

– Now cover the bowl and allow to chill in the fridge for at least an hour, until the dough is firm enough to handle.

– While the dough is chilling prepare your baking pans by lining them with foil. This helps to prevent powdered sugar from sticking to your bakeware.

– Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare ½ cup of powdered sugar into a small bowl (you may need more but this is a good start).

– After the dough is chilled, use a spoon to form 1 inch balls and roll them in the powdered sugar until coated all around.

– Bake for 12 minutes.

Enjoy!

Mrs. Claus’ Glorious Stuffed Pumpkins Holiday Recipe

December 16th, 2014 | Filed under: helpful hints Holiday traditions seasonal recipes | Posted by Elf jennifer

Delicious

This is a beautiful and delicious side dish to add to your holiday feast and it is quite simple to make! Just imagine a few cute little pumpkins running down the center of the table, so festive! Really all there is to it is putting the stuffing into the pumpkins and then in the oven!

Ingredients:

1 sugar pie pumpkin

1 cup rice

¼ lbs ground sausage

2 cloves garlic

¼ cup chives

pinch of saffron

1 cup swiss cheese

1 cup cream

1 cup water

1 tsp nutmeg

Salt & Pepper

Stuffed Pumpkin 2

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Clean pumpkin like you would carve it, save the top. Salt & pepper the inside to your taste.
  • Place pumpkin on a cookie sheet and roast for about 30 minutes.
  • While the pumpkin is roasting cook the ground sausage in a pan.
  • Finely chop garlic and chives and add to the sausage pan just before sausage is cooked through.
  • Add the water, cream, rice, nutmeg and pinch of saffron. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until the rice is cooked.
  • When rice is done, about 20 minutes, add cheese and stir until melted.
  • After the pumpkin is done roasting for the first 30 minutes stuff the rice mixture into the pumpkin.
  • Roast for another hour or until the pumpkin is tender to a fork’s touch.
  • Remove from oven, allow to cool for 10-15 minutes, then enjoy!

Stuffed Pumpkin 3

Lend A Helping Hand this Holiday in Redmond

December 3rd, 2014 | Filed under: helpful hints Holiday Events Holiday traditions news planning your visit | Posted by Elf jennifer

Saturday December 6th from 6 AM – 4 PM Redmond Town Center will lend a helping hand, along with King5 News, to make one of the biggest drop-off centers for Northwest Harvest! Come donate any nonperishable food items and help make someone’s holiday season!

Northwest Harvest

Photo Pinned by Jill Nystul

Afterwards, the City of Redmond will be holding their Redmond Lights celebration. This is a progressive light ceremony that will begin at City Hall and end at Redmond Town Center! Along with the lights enjoy music, refreshments and family activities. Don’t forget to get a picture with Santa at Redmond Town Center with professional photography provided by Arthur & Associates!

 Seattle Lights

An Extra Cool Holiday Treat!

November 26th, 2014 | Filed under: helpful hints Holiday Events Holiday traditions news planning your visit seasonal recipes | Posted by Elf jennifer

Holiday Gelato

With boutique ice cream stores becoming a popular trend in the Northwest area, I thought it would be awesome to feature some of the cool holiday flavors of ice cream!

At Molly Moon’s they are cooking up some festive cheer with flavors like Cinnamon and Ginger Pear Sorbet!

Downtown at Gelatiamo’s they are cooking up some fancy pastries and holiday gelato flavors like Peppermint, Ginger Snap, and Pumpkin!

Bluebird Ice Cream has holiday flavors such as Pumpkin, Candied Yam with Marshmallow Swirl, and Blueberry Crumble!

Godiva Chocolatier at Bellevue Square is serving up some extra special cones with flavors like White Chocolate, Dark Chocolate , or Swirl. Yum yum!

Cold Stone is offering Candy Cane, Eggnog, Dark Chocolate Peppermint, and Pumpkin for you to mix and match as you please!

Stop by to try these awesome flavors and let Santa know which is your favorite by using the hashtag #pnwclaus for Instagram and Twitter!

Bluebird Ice Cream

First Annual Gingerbread Town at Country Village

November 17th, 2014 | Filed under: helpful hints Holiday Events Holiday traditions news planning your visit | Posted by Elf jennifer

In this quaint, quiet and cozy village nestled in the heart of Bothell, there will be a day of festivities with ginger wafting through the air! On November 22nd, 10 AM – 6 PM Country Village will host their first annual Gingerbread House Day.

IMG_5035

Santa is opening his workshop for Gingerbread House-making participants, providing warmth and all the supplies you need! If you are feeling like a pro, you can enter the house you construct into the Gingerbread House Competition!

There is much more to do and see at Country Village. There will be a live gingerbread man and woman to say hi to, Santa’s reindeer, and… the big man himself will be there starting November 28th!

November 28th – December 24th come get your photo with Santa, photography provided by Arthur & Associates.

Gingerbread Building

Visit Country Village for more details about this season’s festivities and sign up for Gingerbread House Day.

 

Let’s Keep it Local — Northwest Local!

November 12th, 2014 | Filed under: helpful hints Holiday traditions news planning your visit | Posted by Elf jennifer

santa-70

Finding unique holiday gifts for your loved ones can be difficult in the whirlwind of the holiday season. That’s why there is Small Business Saturday reminding you to make an experience out of shopping.

Take a day to slow it down and see what locals have to offer; visit some local shops, get a snack at an independently owned bakery, then come get your photo with Santa! Yep, that’s right, Arthur & Associates Holiday Photography is a business with local roots as deep as 1943. The holiday business has been family owned and operated for three generations!

Because the Viydo’s are a local family, they take pride in providing extraordinary holiday experiences for the members of the community. Make lasting memories within your community this holiday season. Slow down and remember to give back and keep your local roots strong.

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