Holiday Happenings in Downtown Waukesha

Mark Your Calendars as there are some great events coming up in downtown Waukesha for the holidays. I highlighted a few of the bigger events but I see that OurDowntown.com & Waukesha Silver Bells have rather extensive calendar with great events each night of the week in Waukesha. Live music, trivia nights, poker, karaoke, open mic, dance lessons and so much more fill each night of the week in Waukesha. There is always something going on.

11/21 - TREE LIGHTING - 8 PM - 9:30 PM
I have actually never attended this but I enjoy taking pictures of the gorgeous tree every year. I might just have the opportunity to be downtown during the tree lighting and might sing a song or too with the crowd. Listen for the tone deaf girl - that's me! 

11/23 - HOLIDAY STROLL - 12 PM -4 PM
Enjoy the wonderful shops that will be all decorated for the season and take advantage of some great sales and discounts.

11/23 - PHOTOS WITH SANTA - 12 PM - 3PM
Leticia Guzman American Family Insurance Agency on South & Grand.

11/23 - OPEN HOUSE AT THE WAUKESHA COUNTY MUSEUM - 1PM - 4PM
Enjoy a FREE afternoon at the museum before the Parade! 

11/23 - 52nd ANNUAL HOLIDAY PARADE - 4 PM - 7PM
I have made it a tradition with my friends to watch the parade every year. For the last few years we have watched the parade from the warmth of a local business on Main Street but I want to keep that a secret for fear of the place getting overcrowded. And the Packers game is at noon so no interference there. Maybe we will have to make it a day-long event with my friends again.

11/28 - BLACK FRIDAY
I'm sure the shops in downtown Waukesha will have some sort of specials for the day after Turkey Day but I haven't heard of anything specific.

11/28 - 12/20 - HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGE RIDES - $5 per person or $12 for a family of 3 or more.
Fridays - 6 - 9 PM
Saturdays - 1 - 5 PM

11/29 - SANTA'S BREAKFAST - 8 AM - 10 AM
Martha Merrill's Bookshop - Advanced Reservations Required - 262-547-1060


11/29 - SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY
You better believe I will be in downtown Waukesha on Saturday supporting our local shops and buying my holiday presents. I cannot think of a better way to personalize gifts than buying local. And you truly can find something for everyone. I urge all of you to Shop Local for at least some of your gifts this year. The more money you spend locally, the more stays locally to benefit the local communities.

11/29 - FREE PHOTOS WITH SANTA - 1 PM - 3 PM
Waukesha Wireless Store - They are offering this every Saturday until Christmas

12/6 - GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS CELEBRATION - 4 - 5 PM
Last year, Downtown Waukesha broke the record for the most carolers in one area singing together and we are celebrating that amazing feat this year. 


12/6 - ROCKIN' KRINGLE ART CRAWL - 4 - 10 PM
The downtown shops stay open extra late and offer great deals and discounts to get that one of a kind, unique gift for that special someone in your life. 

12/7 - SANTA RUN/WALK - 10:30 AM
I participated in this a few times and both times there was a snowfall. Last year, it was even snowing during the run and I truly had snowflakes that stayed on my nose and eyelashes. I plan to participate again this year with friends.

12/13 - UGLY CHRISTMAS SWEATER SATURDAY- ALL DAY
If you are wearing an ugly Christmas sweater, local establishments in downtown will offer you a special discount. If you have ever needed a reason to wear an ugly sweater more than just to the office party or friend's holiday party - this is it.

Holiday Party Foods

I had my first of many Christmas parties this past weekend and boy did we have a spread of food. My friends really know what they are doing in the kitchen and I ate and ate and ate my way through the party :)

I made two treats that I have wanted to make for quite some time and finally had the opportunity: Apple Pie bites and crescent cream cheese bites. Recipes are below. Here are a few snapshots of other great party snacks.

Brandon treated all of us to two homemade cheesecakes - Eggnog and Pumpkin - I didn't have any but everyone raved about them. My Apple Pie bites are behind the two cheesecakes.

Mo wraps up front and my crescent rolls are in the back of the picture. Mo wraps are just lunch meat, lettuce, cheese and sauce wrapped in a tortilla.

It's Wisconsin so what is a party without cheese and sausage. The pepper jack had a bit of a kick to it - definitely mellowed out my palette after all the sweets I consumed.

Caroline found a recipe called "Just Like Wendy's Chili" and she had cheese, sour cream, chives, pepper flakes and Fritos for us to dress it up with. It was delicious and it did resemble Wendy's chili.

Bagel Dip! Another Caroline specialty that is always loved by all.

 Meatballs - there were little smokies too but I didn't get a picture of that.

 Sweets! It's not a Christmas party (or any party) without them. Oreo balls and sugar cookies!

 

And of course libations and a roaring fire set the mood for the evening. This is one of my favorite holiday beers. I also tried the Cranberita from Budweiser and it has a wintery taste to it when you mellow it out over some ice. Straight from the can it's too sweet. And at 8% alcohol per 8-oz. can, it's good to water it down a bit.

Apple Pie Bites:
I found them on this blog. I had to cook mine a bit longer but my apple slices might have been larger. My mom sprinkled her's with powdered sugar and I think a powdered sugar and water glaze would be a nice addition and make it more like a turnover. But everyone loved them.

Crescent Wreath:
I made the wreath last year for a Christmas party but put veggies on it. This year I used the same concept, but went for a completely different flavor.
1 tubes of refrigerated crescent rolls
1- 7 oz tub of Honey Cream Cheese
1 tsp. cinnamon
12 grapes cut on quarters
1/4 cup Craisins
1/3 cup pistachios (I used Wonderful Roasted and Salted Shelled)

Open each tube of rolls and cut into 8 pieces and arrange on a cookie sheet in a wreath shape. Cook for the time on the package or until the crescents are lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool. Mix  cream cheese and cinnamon together. Spread evenly over the crescent rolls. Top with Craisins, grapes and pistachios. That's it - nice and simple.

Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap

This is the second year that I am participating in the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap and because it benefits the Cookies for Kids' Cancer organization, it was a no-brainer to join again.

I received the name of my three bloggers that I would send to and then had to sit down and think of a recipe. We have a lot of family favorites but I finally slimmed it down to my grandma's 100 Good Cookies recipe. I know the name doesn't tell you what is in them, but due to the richness of the recipe, you better bet you will get 100 cookies from it. I guess another name could be Coconut Crispies to give it a little more description.

The recipe is pretty simple and goes together quickly but you will be baking for a while because the batch makes so many.

And the OXO spatula came in really handy when stirring this sticky dough. Big shoutout to OXO for the surprise gift!

100 Good Cookies

1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. margarine
1 c. oil
1 egg
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 c. crispy rice cereal
1 c. oatmeal
1 c. coconut
3 1/2 c. flour

Mix sugars, margarine, oil, egg, salt, baking soda, vanilla and cream of tartar until well blended. Slowly add flour until a dough forms.

By hand, mix in cereal, coconut and oatmeal. Refrigerate for an hour if you want to roll into balls.

Or drop by small spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8 - 10 mins. or until lightly browned.

**I added in a cup on butterscotch chips to half the recipe for an added treat to the cookies.

And here is a little sneak peak of the awesomeness that I received! I even got Wisconsin Cheese pins - how awesome is that!?

Each cookie was heavenly and I can't wait to share them with my friends this weekend at our holiday party!

#MKEfoodies Bake Sale 2013

Today is the #MKEfoodies Bake Sale for Cookies for Kids' Cancer. We have a new location this year in the Historic Third Ward at the Hudson Business Lounge. The sale goes from 1 - 4 pm, but if it's anything like in years past, we will sell out quickly - which is an amazing feat!

Many members of the #MKEfoodies group and others in the community bake scrumptious treats to donate to the organization. Everything looks so great and the room smells heavenly when all the treats are in. Santa will even be making an appearance for the children of all ages to enjoy and take pictures with.

Bake sales are held across the nation for Cookies for Kids' Cancer and some corporate sponsors have jumped on board to up our earnings for the organization. OXO has pledged to match bake sale proceeds dollar for dollar up to $100,000 and Glad Corporation will match all donations in the month of December up to $25,000! So every dollar counts THREE TIMES! 

Here are the wonderful treats that I have made and the recipes that go along with them. Pinterest helped me find a few recipes that I wanted to try out this year and I pulled a few family favorites as well. 

Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Cookies - I found the recipe on this blog but modified it accidentally. I followed the cake box directions instead of the recipe they provided and they still turned out. And I bought miniature Reese's instead of mini Reese's and had to chop mine into 4 pieces before putting them in the recipe. They still taste wonderful!

Oreo Cheesecake Cookies - Another recipe from Pinterest that I just had to try. You don't need quite as many oreos and I made my cookies a lot smaller so I got 36 cookies instead of the 15 the recipe says it makes.. 

Applesauce Gum Drops: My grandma would always have these for Christmas Eve but because she would make them weeks in advance, my brother and I would sneak into her cellar and steal a few. We were never smart enough to hide the wrappers so she always knew but never cared. 

1 - 6 oz. box of any flavor Jell-O (I used Strawberry and Lime for my two batches)
1 cup sugar
1 cup unsweetened applesauce

Mix all ingredients together in a 1-2 qt. kettle over medium-high heat and stir continuous until it boils. Continue stirring while boiling for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a 9 X 5 greased (cooking sprayed) loaf pan. Set on a flat surface until firm. 

Then, rim pan with a knife and cut into long even strips. Place long strips on a lightly sugared cookie sheet or pan. Cut strips into squares (1/2 inch) and make sure all sides are sugared. Set out to dry for at least 1 week turning daily. 

100 Good Cookies: Another cookie that was passed down to me from my grandma. These cookies were one I remember my grandma always having in her cookie jar. The batch makes 100 or more if you make them smaller and because they are a rich cookie, you do want to make them rather small. 

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup margarine
1 cup oil
1 egg
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup Rice Krispies
1 cup coconut
1 cup oatmeal
3 1/2 cup flour

Mix in sugars, margarine, oil, egg, salt, baking soda, vanilla and cream of tartar. Slowly add flour until dough forms. By hand, mix in Rice Krispies, coconut and oatmeal. Drop by small spoonfuls onto a non greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 8 - 10 mins or until lightly browned. 

*Consider adding 1 cup butterscotch chips to half the batch for an even sweeter treat! 

If you can't make it to the Bake Sale, consider making a donation online to Cookies for Kids Cancer  online. Every bit helps those that can't help themselves against cancer. Maybe someday we will live in a cancer-free world. 

Christmas Time in Waukesha

In just 4 weeks, it will be Christmas, so I hope you got a good start on your holiday shopping.

I heard from my parents that downtown Waukesha was really hoppin' on Saturday for Small Business Saturday shopping. The only dislike was the two -hour parking. Sure they knew about the structure but by the time their two hours was up, they were all the way on the other end of town and realized they needed to move. They decided to just call it a day and come home. But they did go back on Sunday and enjoyed brunch at People's Park and bought a few more things they eyed up on Saturday.

So with just 3 weekends left until the big day, here's what's going on in Waukesha.


Energize Zone Wellness Center is having a Countdown to Christmas Craft & Vendor Fair on Dec. 7 from 10 am - 3 pm. Details on the Facebook page.

Not in Waukesha, but the #mkefoodies are hosting a Cookies for Kids' Cancer Bake Sale at the Hudson Business Lounge in the 3rd Ward on Saturday, Dec. 7 from 1 - 4 pm. I have baked a bunch of treats for this event and each year we have sold out, raising tons of money for a great organization. Please help us sell out again this year and check us out in our new location.  And I'll be there :)

Waukesha Art Crawl - Saturday, Dec. 7 - 4 - 10 pm
You can bet that there will be plenty of great deals and merchandise from our local shop owners

Montecito is having ladies night and DJ Flacko on Saturday and they are also collecting winter clothing for those in need. 

The Lucky Rabbit is having some live music: Robert Allen Jr. on 12/7 and DJ Devast8 on 12/13

Carroll University presents Silent Night, a concert at Shattuck Auditorium on Dec. 7 & 8.

The Santa Run is Sunday in downtown Waukesha. It's supposed to be pretty chilly, but my friend Tory and I are going to brave it and run it :)

Not in Waukesha, but this is still a great event - Buy Local Gift Fair at Lakefront Brewery on Dec. 8

Boscos Social Club is having an Ugly Sweater Party & Contest on 12/14. Prizes, giveaways and another Facebook contest!

My friend Christmas Party is on the 14th and I can't wait to bring some delicious treats and share in the holiday cheer with all my friends.

Spurs Saloon is getting close to opening and hopes to announce their opening date soon! 

Save the Date: Jackson's Blue Ribbon Pub is having their Christmas Party on Jan. 18

More Waukesha Holiday Happenings

Wow is November flying by and I'm seeing more and more places getting into the Holiday spirit.

And what a better way to kickoff the holidays than with breaking a Guinness Book of World Records for most people caroling at the same time. Arrive by 5:30 at the Rotunda to register to be a part of this great event. The Waukesha Silver Bells page has all the details and list of carols to be sung. Unfortunately I already have plans and am unable to attend but I will be anxiously waiting to hear the results.

On Saturday, Nov. 23, Three Sisters' Uniquities (now located on the west end of Main Street) will have the Fairy Godmothers around for fun and they are teaming up with a few other businesses on the west end for a great day.

From their email:

Saturday, November 23rd is also our "HO-HO-HO" Saturday and we're joining with our neighbors,

Restyle Studio, Moxie Beauty Loungeand Waukesha Tattoo Company to kick off the festive season  "West End (Main Street) Style"!!

Then Sunday is the 51st Annual Christmas Parade in Downtown Waukesha. I will definitely be in attendance for this! I did hear it was going to be cold, so I might be in Bernie's a bit earlier this year than in the past, but I plan to be there. Parade starts at 4 pm and goes right down Main Street. I see on the City's Chamber Facebook page there are some new fun additions to the parade including the "Jingle Bops!" There are 87 entries in the parade this year!!!!

Here are a few other things that I found online that are coming up in Waukesha.

Tuscan Hall that is owned by Christina's restuarant is having an Open House tomorrow from 6 - 9 pm and all are welcome. Help welcome them to the neighborhood!

Jackson's Blue Ribbon Pub is having their Grand Opening on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 7 pm. Free food, drink specials and live music. Let's welcome them to the neighborhood as I think they are a great addition.

Key Westconsin has live music by Kimberly Brown on Saturday, Nov. 23. Music starts at 6:30 pm.

Energize Zone Wellness Center is having a Countdown to Christmas Craft & Vendor Fair on Dec. 7 from 10 am - 3 pm. Details on the Facebook page.

The Lucky Rabbit is having some live music: Robert Allen Jr. on 12/7 and DJ Devast8 on 12/13

Carroll University presents Silent Night, a concert at Shattuck Auditorium on Dec. 7 & 8. 

Boscos Social Club is having an Ugly Sweater Party & Contest on 12/14. Prizes, giveaways and another Facebook contest!


So much fun going on in our city, I just love it. If I missed something, please comment or email me and let me know. I am hoping to get out a weekly update from now until Xmas with all the events that are going on!

Taste of Home Cooking School - Waukesha

I grew up on Taste of Home recipes with my mom and my grandma always reading the magazines and using the cookbooks for great dinner ideas. I have been to their outlet in Greendale village and own quite a few of their cookbooks myself. So when the Taste of Home Cooking School was announced, I didn't want to pass up the opportunity.

I was lucky enough to get some free tickets to the event and even if I couldn't get them, $20 at the door was an OK price for me considering everything that we were given. The recipe knowledge alone was worth more than that!

The Cooking School was held at the Waukesha Expo Center. We entered a littler after 5 pm and received a swag bag and "chair saver" sign - such a smart idea. We found a few seats, put our name on the paper, taped it to the seat, and got in the already growing lines to check out the booths before the cooking began.

Many local vendors were sharing samples of their products and services with us. Unfortunately the rooms were really crowded and I couldn't get my phone out to take pictures.

I was able to try a sample of Red Elephant Chocolate from Milwaukee's 3rd Ward. It literally melted in my mouth and was so delicious. La Coppa Gelato was also there and I tried Pumpkin Gelato that she suggested I pair with the Cinnamon Gelato - it was a wonderful Fall flavor explosion in my mouth.

Simma's Bakery was there with samples of their decadent cheesecake, as well as toffee. I think I might get some of the toffee for the holidays! Weissgerber's was there with some of the options for banquets and the rice pilaf with chicken and asparagus in a white sauce was so yummy. I wanted to go back for more!

There are so many vendors there that I am not going to be able to name them all but Woodman's supplied us a bag to hold all our goodies as well as coupons, Jif Hazelnut spread, cook books, flyers and more.


The one fatal error that my friend Tiffany and I had was that we didn't look through our bags first and we missed that there was a grand prize giveaway and about a million other giveaways throughout the event. We didn't fill out the cards and thus we weren't eligible for any of the goodies, including Electrolux appliance giveaways from Colder's! Oh well - we still had a blast.

From 7 until about 9 pm we were walked through 10 different Taste of Home recipes by Karen Davis of Taste of Home. These recipes were submitted by Taste of Home readers around the nation. We were provided a Cooking School magazine to take notes in and follow along with the recipe. Taste of Home takes fabulous photos of their finished products. I just hope mine turn out looking that nice.

I had actually made the crescent wreath last year for a holiday party but she even put a twist on it to change it up.

The cooking school was presented on stage with a camera pointing down at the work surface and two jumbo screens provided that video to us. Here are a few shots of the other items in the works.

The tricks of the trade, the fact that complicated recipes seemed so simple to put together, and the beautiful end products made the night completely worthwhile. Taste of Home has the Cooking School program down to an art and I can't wait for the next one to come to the area in maybe spring?

In the meantime, I was told to watch for a day when Taste of Home will offer a lot of their cookbooks for just $5 online. The outlet in Greendale Village is another option if you want to pick up some cooking stuff for the holidays.

Holiday Happenings in Waukesha

The holidays are going to be here before we know it (and before we are ready!) Waukesha has so many great things going on for the holidays and I want to share that information with you. I have participated in some of these events in the past and they are really fun.

This website has great Waukesha holiday information all in one great place. I don't see that the actual Silver Bells shopping event is happening, but I see the holiday stroll before the parade is back!!!

November 22nd - Tree Lighting - 6 pm
I haven't attended this actual event, but I definitely make it a point to check out the tree every year. If you don't know where this is - it's the large pine tree in front of the Rotunda, covered in beautiful lights every year.

November 24th - Holiday Stroll - noon - 4 pm
Definitely head out to the shops on Sunday before the parade. Special deals will be available at the stores and you have the chance at getting a closer parking spot for the parade the earlier you get there!

November 24th - Holiday Parade - 4 pm
I have attended the parade for the last few years with my friends. It's a fun event! One year we brought cocoa from my condo and walked downtown. We had to cuddle close to stay warm by the end. Last year we had a plan in place. We stood outside Bernie's Tap Room for our spot and when we got cold, we went inside and watched the rest from the big windows eating Duck Pizza and drinking a little bit. (I risk the chance of giving up my spot this year by sharing this vital info, but I want people to come to Waukesha for this great parade, so I won't mind too much!)

November 30th - Small Business Saturday
Yes this falls after Black Friday, but I really urge you all to consider shopping local this year and supporting our great local artists and shops this year. So if you weren't trampled on Black Friday - come to downtown Saturday and finish your shopping :)

December 6th - Art Crawl - 4 - 10 pm
Shops stay open later and have many great specials. This is your chance to SHOP LOCAL at any of the great shops in downtown and get great gifts for all your loved ones.

December 8th - Santa Run - 10:30 am
I only participated the first year and it was a blast. My friends and I didn't realize that people were really going to run it in the snowy-icy conditions so we had boots on that made running difficult. I believe we are going to be true competitors this year and run it - with a nice beer and pizza after I'm sure!

Fridays & Saturdays in December - Carriage Rides
Check the link for details on times

#MKEFoodies Bake Sale - Cookies For Kids' Cancer

Grab bag table at 2011 Bake Sale

I'm very excited to announce that again this year, I am participating in the #mkefoodies Bake Sale to raise money for Cookies for Kids' Cancer - an amazing charity for childhood cancer research. It was started by two former OXO employees whose son had cancer. Click here for the story.

2011 Bake Sale Ingredients

I will be baking some great cookies and maybe some other treats, package them up in holiday wrappings and then prep them for sale. (I, along with the other bakers, will do all the work for you!!) Customers can come and buy their favorite treats to share/gift to family and friends. There will be plenty to choose from because Milwaukee has some very talented bakers that will donate wonderfully tasting and beautifully decorated treats to this great event.

The event even has treats for those with special dietary requests. Last year, I made peanut-free and gluten-free varieties and they were all gone by the end of the day.

If you aren't a sweets fan, feel free to stop by and make a donation. The Pabst Brewery is a really neat building, so enjoy some beer, wander the gift shop, or take the tour. If you can't stop by, you can donate here.

I don't know yet what I'm making for the sale, but with the awesome and ever time-consuming website, Pinterest, I know I will not come up short for ideas. I'm definitely considering some mint chocolate chip cookies. 


And lastly, this past Friday, I received a package in the mail and inside was a spatula. But not just any spatula, an OXO "Good Cookie" Spatula. 50% of the proceeds from the sale of these spatulas will go to pediatric cancer research. I can't wait to use mine for this bake sale and The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap (more details to come on this one!)

Here are the details for the #MKEFoodies Cookies for Kids' Cancer Bake Sale
What: #MKEFoodies Bake Sale for Cookies for Kids' Cancer
Where: Best Place at the Pabst Brewery 
(901 W Juneau Ave, Milwaukee)
When: Saturday, Dec. 8
Time: noon - 4 pm
Why: No child should have to deal with cancer (nor should anyone), so come help support a great cause and get some great treats, and leave the baking to us!


So come on out to the bake sale and donate to this great cause!