holiday planning 2014

Tulsa World Supplement, Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Delicious Holiday

Foods

Gift Ideasfor Your

Hostess

CelebratePlanning Ahead forFestive Gatherings

HolidayHolidayHolidayHolidayHolidaylanningP

Win a Trip of a Lifetime

tulsaworld.com/holidays

2 • TULSA WORLD SUPPLEMENT November 12, 2014

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Find more great seasonal ideas in Tulsa World’’s Holiday special sections:

Holiday Entertaining — Wednesday, November 26Holiday Gift Guide — Wednesday, December 3

Holiday Favorites — Sunday, December 7Holiday Region of Giving — Sunday, December 14

November 12, 2014 TULSA WORLD SUPPLEMENT • 3

Share the Gift of Chocolate Indulgence This Season(Metro) — One tradition that seems to have

made it into many families’ holiday celebrations is indulging in delicious baked goods.

This holiday season, try Sticky Chocolate Gin-gerbread courtesy of Maxine Clark’s “Chocolate: Deliciously Indulgent Recipes for Chocolate Lov-ers” (Ryland, Peters & Small).

Sticky Chocolate GingerbreadMakes an 8-inch cake

2 1/3 cups dark molasses6 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 70 percent

cocoa solids), grated1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour2 teaspoons ground ginger5 ounces whole pieces preserved stem ginger,

drained and roughly chopped1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, soft-

ened1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar,

sifted (to remove lumps)2 medium eggs, beaten1/2 teaspoon baking soda2 tablespoons milk, warmedA pinch of saltExtra-large crystallized ginger pieces, to scat-

ter on top before baking (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and line bottom and sides of a deep 8-inch square cake pan or 8 x 6 x 3-inch oval cake pan with non-stick parchment paper.

Put molasses in a pan and heat gently until hot, but don’t boil. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Stir until melted.

Sift flour, ginger and salt together in a bowl. Add the stem ginger and toss to coat.

Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, then the molas-ses and chocolate mixture and finally the flour mixture. Dissolve baking soda in milk and gradu-ally beat into the batter.

Pour into the prepared cake pan, scatter with the crystallized ginger, if using, and bake for 45 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 300 degrees and bake for another 30 minutes. (If using the oval pan, cook for about 45 minutes at the higher tem-perature, then about 1 hour at the lower tempera-ture, as it will be deeper.) A metal skewer inserted into the center should come out clean. Let cool for five minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Store in an airtight container for two days to become sticky.

SWEETTREAT

Courtesy

Ginger and chocolate give this gingerbread recipe an unforgettable flavor.


Dazzle Guests With Simple TouchesBy Kevin ArmstrongSpecial Sections Editor

When does the holiday season truly begin on your calendar? For more than 25,000 Tulsa-area residents, it’s the weekend before Thanksgiving. That’s when An Affair of the Heart sets up shop annually at Expo Square, drawing shoppers looking for unique gifts and home decor items to deck the halls in festive attire. The Oklahoma City-based organization will host its 28th Tulsa show Nov. 21-23, featuring more than 450 local and national artists, craftsmen and retailers from 20 states, including 60 exhibi-tors new to Tulsa. Admission is $7 (children ages 12 and younger are free). “It’s your one-stop shop to get ready for the holidays,” says Lisa Frein, An Affair of the Heart spokeswoman. “There are numerous vendors who will meet the needs for holiday planning.” Frein says anyone looking to entertain guests during the holidays should sample the soup, dip and dessert mixes avail-able at the three-day show. They can find easy recipes for turning party food into something special. For those looking to spruce up their homes, An Affair of the Heart shoppers can find one-of-a-kind holiday crafts and wreaths. “It’s the perfect time of year to pick up those pieces that are unique,” Frein says, adding “the hunt for such items at the show

can be a lot of fun.” Other ideas of interest are handcrafted table run-ners, servingware, center-pieces and candles. Frein says flameless candles are popular, and one vendor offers custom blends of potpourri that he mixes on site.

If you can’t make the show, treat yourself to a shopping expedition to Miss Jackson’s at Utica Square. This retail institution has been helping Tulsans prepare for any special occasion for more than a century.

“We’ve got a lot of holiday-themed merchandise,” says Creative Director Rachel Kern, “everything from holiday china to

simpler everyday bakeware and servingware.” And don’t forget table linens and centerpieces to create a special holiday look. Kern says many customers already have table-setting items that they plan to use for hosting a party, but they may be looking for one item to add something new this year. “We’re great at helping people mix holiday pieces with things in their everyday collection,” Kern says.

Annie Glass

The Annie Glass collection offers dis-tinctive designs to accent your holiday table settings, and they are available at Miss Jackson’s.

PARTYPLANNING

Experts sayadding one unique new item to your table decor can

make all the difference.

See PLANNING page 5


Among some of the popular tableware items are the Mary Jurek Design line of hand-hammered stainless steel pieces and items from the Annie Glass collection of hand-blown glass products. “Look for one thing to brighten the table,” Kern recommends, adding that another idea is to purchase a party favor, such as a small candle, that each guest can take home. Lastly, keep in mind that not all holiday gatherings have to involve staying at home.

VIP Limousine can take your guests on the road to view Christmas lights all over town. A single limo can accommodate up to 14 people for two-hour tours of Tulsa and sur-rounding areas. “We’ve been doing this for 24 years and have our routes down,” says VIP Limousine owner Chuck Cotton. “We know where all the subdivisions are with the best Christmas lights, and we can customize the tour to see what the customer wants.” Tours are offered every night from Thanks-giving through New Year’s Eve, with the Thursday through Sunday slots filling up first each year. “It’s a family-oriented Christmas special,” Cotton says. The company maintains a full fleet of vehicles that can accommodate romantic excursions for two in a smaller vehicle or stretch limos that seat eight, 10 or 14 pas-sengers. The rides are stocked with water and soft drinks, and passengers 21 and older are invited to bring along their own holiday spirits to enjoy while cruising in style. Passengers also can stop at any place along the way to stretch their legs, use the restroom or get a closer look at the lights. VIP’s professionally licensed chauffeurs will ensure a safe and memorable trip.

PARTYPLANNING

VIP Limousine

Consider treating your guests to a night on the town to view Christmas light dis-plays.

Courtesy

An Affair of the Heart offers lots of holiday decor and gift items at the Nov. 21-23 show at Expo Square.

Continued from page 4


Summer Snow

It’s beginning to smell a lot like Christ-mas with Hillhouse Naturals holiday scented soy candles, home fragrance mists, lotions, body washes and potpourris. Avail-able at Summer Snow.

PARTYETIQUETTE

Garbe’s

Give the gift of joy with an adorable holi-day flag featuring a wel-coming snowman for your hostess to display. Available at Garbe’s.

Carpentree

Honor your hostess this holiday season with a practical and fun gift from Carpentree. Chalkboards are great for displaying holiday greetings, menus or fun crafts from the kids. This tabletop magnetic chalkboard will bring a smile to your hostess’ face.

Garbe’s

This charming holiday themed ceramic dish from Garbe’s features garland and a candy-cane striped handle. It’s a whim-sical dish that can hold holiday candy or nuts for party guests.

You don’t need to bust your

budget to give something

special.


PARTYETIQUETTE

Summer Snow

Dress up your table with Caspari nap-kins that will beautifully complement your holiday place settings. They are available at Summer Snow in a variety of colorful designs.

Festive Local Picks ForThis Holiday Season Carpentree

A teapot is a great gift for collectors or a hostess who enjoys the tastes of the holidays. For an extra special surprise, stuff this teapot from Carpentree with holiday treats.

HOSTESSGIFTS

A hostess gift is a tangible way to say

“Thank you for inviting me.”

Always bringa gift to

a home youhave never

visited.


By Kevin ArmstrongSpecial Sections Editor

Hosting a party this time of year can quickly steal your holiday cheer. Rather than feed those fears, consider using a local restaurant to cater some or all of what you plan to feed your friends, co-workers or extended family. Turn the tables on your stress by treating yourself first to a lunch or dinner at several local dining establishments well ahead of your event to sample what these professional cooks can do for you. Most local restaurants can cater anything on their dine-in menus, but don’t assume that. Also, don’t order only your favorite items. You will need to satisfy a variety of appetites at your party from the sublime to the savory, from the salty to the sweet. Offer your guests both healthy and hearty choices, and you will be sure to please. A lot of your decisions on what to serve will be based on how many people you expect to feed, what time of the day or night you will hold your event, whether it’s at home or work, and whether

your guests will be seated or standing while they’re eating. Is this a primary meal with place settings or finger foods made for munching while mingling? Queenie’s Cafe & Bakery at Utica Square offers a range of savory and sweet options for

catering your party. Among the most

popular items are the sandwich tray (from egg or chicken salad to ham or turkey) and the fresh veggies with sides

(hummus, baba ganouj or tabouli). Queenie’s also

features a variety of entree sal-ads, including the popular Marilyn Monroe Chicken Pasta and Mexican Chicken Salad. No holiday party is complete without dessert, and Queenie’s offers a variety of dessert trays, from cookies and cakes to pies. “We offer some of them as minis,” says Gen-eral Manager Heather Smither, explaining that it

Tulsa World

Bring out the child in everyone with deli-cious decorated Christmas cookies. Felini’s offers an assortment of holiday designs.

FABULOUSFOOD

Don’t Kill Yourself in the Kitchen

Treat yourselfas well as your guests by hiring someone else to

cater the foodfor your party.

See FOOD page 9


FABULOUSFOOD

makes the desserts much easier to serve. The sweet selections will leave you dreaming of sugar plums, from the banana caramel cake and lemon bars to sour cream lime tarts and mocha toffee pie. Don’t forget the pumpkin cookies, Smither adds. Queenie’s serves them only between Oct. 1 and Jan. 1 as a holiday treat. Cookies also are a holiday favorite at Felini’s

Cookies & Deli, 3533 S. Harvard Ave. “We have multitudes of designs,” says owner Seth Martinus. “We have hundreds of cookie-cutter shapes that we have acquired over the years to fulfill customers’ requests.” As for other food, Felini’s specializes in finger-sandwich trays as well as fruit and cubed-cheese trays. “We’re not a sit-down, four-course-meal catering service,” Martinus says, “but we’re an affordable alternative.” Felini’s offers convenience, too. The restaurant needs only 24-hours’ notice to fill a catering order, can deliver the food to your home or office for $10 extra, and it will provide all the plates and utensils for free. If hot food is what you want, then consider Andolini’s Pizzeria, which has locations on Cherry Street and in Owasso. “We don’t always just deliver and drop it off,” says Amber Paddock. “Anything on our menu can be catered.” Andolini’s staff will set up the food, stick around to serve your guests and clean up after your party. Award-winning pizzas are what Andolini’s made famous, but the restaurant’s menu has a lot more, including several pasta dishes that are popular at parties. Among the choices are Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken and Penne Pomodoro. Andolini’s also offers a tasty selection of strom-

bolis, calzones and hot sandwiches as well as a half-dozen variety of fresh salads. And don’t forget both the appetizers and des-serts, from bruschetta to Italian butter cake. Instead of roasting and running yourself ragged to entertain your guests, you can be toasting and savoring the season with friends and family this holiday season.

Andolini’s Pizzeria

Andolini’s caprese antipasto is the perfect blend of tomato slices, fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers, kalamat olives, prosciut-to, grilled portabello, marinated artichokes, Pecorino romano and a balsamic glaze.

Queenie’s

Queenie’s veggie tray includes your choice of Middle Eastern spreads such as hummus or baba ganouj.

Continued from page 8


Plan Your Holiday Meal With Ease(Metro) — Perhaps the

most anticipated aspect of the holiday season is the lavish holiday meal. Many people look forward to the food just as much as they look forward to the festivi-ties. This could be why the average person gains a pound or two from the pe-riod of Thanksgiving up until New Year’s Day.

Planning a holiday gather-ing and meal can be stressful for hosts or hostesses. There seems to be a lot of pres-sure placed on the person in charge. However, establish-ing a wonderful and stress-free meal is possible with a few easy-to-follow tips.

• Create a meal con-cept. Holiday meals can be traditional or avant garde. There are many options from which to choose, but one thing to keep in mind is to select foods that go

together. Those new to holiday hosting may want to stick with items that are well known and expected, such as turkey and trimmings. Those who want to experi-ment may want to introduce one or two new dishes into the mix. Food choices should be about what your guests will want to eat and not about which items will ensure a spectacle.

• Keep preparation time in mind. Another thing to consider when planning the meal is the amount of time you have for food prepa-ration and cooking. The holidays are a busy time of the year, and work and social engagements may continue up until the eleventh hour. Choose foods that can be prepared in advance and heated on the holiday if you’re time-pressed. Or sim-ply choose dishes that won’t

take much time to prepare.• Compile a shopping

list. Once foods are selected, review all recipes and make a list of the ingredients you will need. This will serve as a shopping list to take to the store. Also, see which items you have on hand in the pantry. Look at expira-tion dates and be sure that everything is top quality. If in doubt, add it to your shopping list. Make a list of things that can be bought in advance (paper prod-ucts, coffee, linens, etc.) and other items that need to be checked off closer to the actual holiday. Cross off each item once it is purchased.

• Create a timetable. Make a schedule or use a calendar to schedule when each component of the meal and other preparations will be made. This way you ensure you will stay on track

GATHERINGTOGETHER

and have everything done by the actual holiday.

• Ask for help. Delegate some jobs to others. For example, if a grandmother or aunt is known for her prized potatoes or pies, ask her to make that item. Some hosts and hostesses turn the holiday meal into a potluck where everyone is encour-aged to bring one item and the host simply provides the main dish. This can cut down on the work involved and make others feel they’ve con-tributed to the sentimental holiday meal.

• Go easy on yourself. While not everything will work out exactly as you expected, chances are little glitches will not even be noticed by guests unless you point them out.

• Make time for socializa-tion. Don’t worry so much about impressing guests with lavish foods and festivities. Leave time to sit and chat and, most importantly, relax.

Following these tips can help you enjoy the season, as well.

holiday planning 2014

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