Thursday, January 5, 2012
As in past years, chamber members adopted needy families referred by schools and churches.
For the 14th year, the Affton Chamber of Commerce and their members gave a helping hand to families living in 63123. In 2011 the holiday wish lists of 11 families were referred to the chamber, and all were adopted by local businesses and residents. According to a press release, the chamber estimates that members spent more than $2,000 to fill these wish lists. In addition to this, the chamber received more than $1,000 in cash donations from members and raised more than $1,000 from the admission money at their community expo in October and from the Silent Auction at their November trivia night. This year the chamber helped 18 adults and 22 children in the 11 families referred by Affton churches and schools. The adopted families received …
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
The Dolan house is doing well in the Deck The House finals, but Affton needs more votes to take the lead
As of Thursday morning the Dolan house from Affton-Shrewbury Patch has over 2500 votes in our nationwide Deck The House contest, putting it in the top five. The leading entry in Davis, CA, has over 7000 votes, but there are still several days left to vote and hopefully win a $100,000 donation for the Affton School District. The top 24 finalist entry was submitted by Denise Dolan of Laclede Station Road. You can still see the house, just south of Watson Road. To vote, click here and click the red "vote for this house" box. Then on the next page log in with your Facebook account by clicking the blue button. This will take you to a page to sign into Facebook, if you aren't already, and then a page where you can either click either 'allow' or…
Friday, December 30, 2011
Help win the Affton School District win $100,000 by voting for the Dolan house on Laclede Station Road.
Woo! A house from Affton-Shrewbury Patch has made it to the top 24 from entries submitted from hundreds of Patch towns across the nation. Now we have just a week and a half to vote and hopefully win a $100,000 donation for the Affton School District. The finalist entry was submitted by Denise Dolan of Laclede Station Road. For making the top 24, the Dolans have earned themselves $500 to help pay those holiday-sized electric bills. A special thank you to everyone who entered. You made our dark drives home more festive and "oooh-worthy" this holiday season. National voting begins this NOW. Just go to deckthehouse.patch.com and vote for the best entry. You can vote once a day, every day, for your favorite—and feel free to share the link …
Monday, December 26, 2011
If the holidays brought a new mobile device into your life, add the Patch App for the Android or the iPhone.
Patch for iPhone keeps customers connected to the latest news, weather, local business listings and current events happening in their neighborhood. Patch’s app will keep you engaged and mobile by delivering 24/7 local community coverage. Features include: Plus, you can save anything from favorite stories to business listings direct to the iPhone for easy offline access. Customer opinions are extremely valued, so please send app feedback to the Patch team! Patch Places for Android is the go-to directory of local businesses in 800+ Patch towns. Any Patch community can be selected to connect to a mobile directory of every place nearby with Patch Places for Android. From local businesses and organizations to government offices and public parks…
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Baking cookies is a tradition and an art for St Louisan Julia Usher, author of the "Cookie Swap" and "The Ultimate Cookie" cookbooks.
Julia Usher is one smart cookie, especially when it comes to baking Christmas cookies. “I love to bake Christmas cookies, but cookie-baking and cookie swaps are something I think people should do all year round,” said Usher, of Webster Groves, whose love for cookies served as the inspiration for her two cookie cookbooks, The Cookie Swap and her latest release, The Ultimate Cookie, both published by Gibbs Smith Publishing. Usher began commercially baking cookies and other sweet delights after relocating to St Louis several years ago. She opened a confection company here after working first as a a Yale educated engineer. A few years into the busincess she made the decision to close the company to focus on writing cookbooks and demonstrating…
Thumbprints and Sweethearts have holiday appeal.
Gingersnap Thumbprint cookies DOUGH: 2: Make the cranberry apricot filling: Place jam in a small bowl. If there are any large pieces of apricot chucks pull them out and chop into fine pieces and add back into the bowl. Add cranberries. Set aside. 3: Mix the gingersnap thumbprints: Mix the flour, spices and salt together in a medium bowl. Stir in crystallized ginger, taking care to break apart any pieces that may be clinging to one another. Set aside Place the butter and sugar I the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the molasses, egg yolks, and vanilla extract, and beat until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure …
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Bell ringing for charity and learning about holidays around the world were just a few of the activities students took part in this week.
The holidays are in full swing, as students from the Lindbergh School District participated in several activities this week. Sappington Elementary School first-graders learned holiday traditions from several of the world’s continents in December, building their acceptance and understanding of other cultures. Students learned that the custom of having a Christmas tree in the home comes from Germany. They decorated their own trees and learned to sing “O Tannenbaum.” They also made a kinara candle holder while learning the seven principles of Kwanzaa, and worked together to make wooden shoes as they studied the tradition of St. Nikolaus’ Day, which is celebrated in Holland and Germany on Dec. 5. Students also learned about Hanukkah symbols …
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Get out the lights and holly. Your decorating could net $100,000 to our schools.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to win a $100,000 gift to one of the local public school districts.
Patch.com is launching a nationwide contest to find the best dressed home in its Patch communities, and the winner’s school district will receive $100,000, no strings attached. Here’s how the contest works. Beginning on Dec. 8 and continuing through Dec. 26, you can nominate your home by uploading a photo to the contest entry form on the site. During that same time period you and your neighbors will also be able to vote for your favorite festive home. The winning entry will be forwarded to a national Patch judge that will select 24 finalists. Each finalist will receive $500 that they can apply to their December electric bill. From Dec. 30 through Jan. 8 you will be able to vote for the Best Decked House in all of Patch. The grand prize …
Monday, December 5, 2011
Forget about those doorbuster deals. Give a gift this holiday season that's extra special — something homemade from your kitchen.
Finding the prefect holiday gift doesn’t have to depend on grabbing a doorbuster sale or an Internet deal. Often, the best gifts are those handmade from your kitchen. The tradition of baking and gifting cookies may be the first culinary gift that comes to mind, but I urge you to think beyond the cookie jar. Get creative. Bake tea breads or muffins using seasonal flavors as pumpkin, cranberry or dates. More experienced bakers can bake fruit stollens or cakes; both are a welcome change from the usual holiday cookie box. I'm a fan of cheese, gourmet mixes and sauces. Consider making a flavored cheese or create your own spice rubs for steaks or barbecue, then package your culinary gift in a decorative jar/container. Remember to tag what the …
Culinary gifts made in your own kitchen are sure to be a hit.
The following recipes are from my holiday classes presented at St Louis Community College and Dierberg's School of Cooking. Black & White Sesame Seed Lovash In a large mixing bowl combine butter, water and one cup of the flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Stir in enough flour to make a stiff dough. Turn dough out on a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly greased bowl and allow dough to rise for 20 minutes. Punch down and divide dough in 12 ñ14 pieces. Spread sesame seeds on work surface. Roll each piece of dough over seeds; rolling dough out as thin as possible. Place on ungreased baking sheets and bake on the lowest oven rack at 400 degrees for 8 in 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove and cool lovash on…
Rob Hudson
9:24 am on Saturday, December 31, 2011
Going to have to do some serious get-out-the vote work. There is a house in Davis, CA that is 500+ votes ahead of the 2nd place house. But we are near 2nd place and is everyone votes every day this is winnable -- and $100 grand for the school district would be awesome. I can't imagine Davis, CA needs it more than Affton. I'm voting every day from 3 computers -- and will vote from a 4th when I'm … more ›