KERSTMARKT--WINTERMARKET IN HOLLAND, MICHIGAN

Friday was a beautiful day to visit Holland, Michigan to do a little shopping and visiting the Wintermarket. Most times Tom and I went to Kerstmarkt, it was freezing cold with what felt like gale force wins.  Friday it was sunny with the temperature in the 50's.


Wintermarket is an European-style open air market that sprout up on canals and streets in Europe during the winter.  The booths at the Michigan Kerstmarkt were specially designed to look like the ones in Europe. 


Kerstmarkt's official web site is:  http://www.kerstmarkt.wordpress.com/

 Evergreens, wreaths, and other greenery is available at the market and grown in Michigan.

Bird house gourds are available too.

 The booths lined up under the Farmer's Market canopy.

 Miniature evergreens make a great gift for the gardener on your Christmas list.

 Chinese chestnuts grown in Michigan roasting on an open fire.

 Quilts for sale.

 A warming tent is a wonderful addition.

 Dutch food is available from the First United Methodist Church booth.

 The First United Methodist Church has their wooden shoes stuffed with carrots and all ready for Sinterrklaas' white horse.

 Fun stuff.

Jewelry is always nice to look at and buy.

For pictures Tom took at last year's Kerstmarkt go to:  http://michigancottagecook.blogspot.com/2010/12/sinterklaas-arrived-in-holland-michigan.html

IZZY, THE SCHNOODLE, PRETENDING SHE IS A GERMAN SHEPHERD

"If I sit up very straight people will think I am a German Shepherd"

After the Thanksgiving dinner and the frantic shopping, Monday is a good time for a laugh.  When I am driving, every time I look to my right, I catch a glimpse of my "wing-man" and I giggle.  Izzy really thinks that she can protect me just like Katrinka, my German Shepard, did.  I also laugh as she doesn't fit my image of my big, black, fierce dog riding "shot-gun" for me.  I guess we never know what life will bring us. 

Of course, today Izzy almost knocked me over trying to protect me from the serviceman at the door.  As I hobbled to the door with my bad knees, Izzy flew at top speed between my legs to get to the door first so the man would know that she was a force to be reckoned with so watch out.  It would have been nice if she had gone around me instead of through me. 

SINTERKLAAS IS COMING TO HOLLAND AND GRAND RAPIDS MICHIGAN---HIS 2011 SCHEDULE.

SINTERKLAAS WILL BE IN HOLLAND, MICHIGAN:


The downtown Sinterklaas procession starts at 6:30 on Friday December 2nd.  Sinterklaas will greet the children before the prcession at the Farmer's Market which right now is the Kerstmarkt in front of the Civic Center: http://www.kerstmarkt.wordpress.com/ 

 Our youngest Grandchild, Tanner, with Sinterklaas in 2010.

Sinterklaas on his white horse ready for the procession in Holland, Michigan.

At the Dutch Village on US-31 in Holland, Michigan, Sinterklaas will be telling stories on Dec. 3rd and the 10th at 11:00am and 1:00pm.  There is great information about Sinterklaas on the Dutch Village website:  http://www.dutchvillage.com/




IN GRAND RAPIDS AREA, SINTERKLAAS WITH BE AT VANDERVEEN'S DUTCH STORE:


Talk to Sinterklaas at VanderVeen's on December 3rd from 10:00am to 3:30pm.   http://www.thedutchstore.com/

 Sinterklaas with helpers at VanderVeen's in 2010.

Tom with Sinterklaas last year.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING and PARADES

Happy Thanksgiving from me and my family.  Like other holidays, Thanksgiving is a time for happiness, but also a time for a feeling of sadness for those who have passed or for families broken by anger, disagreements, and other silly things.  It should be a time to reach out and be thankful for not only our friends, but to those we disagree with and are estranged.  As a family this year, we learned just how short life can be.


Thanksgiving is time for the big Macy's parade.  However, all around America there are towns, big and small, having parades to celebrate the season.  Small town parades just seem to scream, "An American Tradition."  It is when we honor those who serve to keep us safe.  We celebrate the fire trucks, the police cars, the snow plows, farm equipment, the senior citizens riding in their housing buses, babies, little kids, dogs, horses, and marching bands.


Here are our pictures from the Hudsonville Thanksgiving and Christmas parade.

The Parade starts.

Here comes the fire truck.

I have always like the Pink Panther and the

Energizer Bunny.

Here comes my Grand-daughters band.

Proud Papa.

Proud Mama and very tired Grandma sitting on her walker.

Second row trumpet, that's our Erin.

She is doing so well she deserves two pictures.

I love the horses.

More horses.

It is Michigan, there has to be a boat in the parade.

A parade has to have floats.

Dogs are a must.

Is that gray animal a dog or a pony?  :)

A plumbing company made Rudolph, The Red Nose Reindeer, out of a toilet and some branches for antlers.

Fancy cars a must.

And finally, here comes Santa Clause and Mrs. Clause.

FRESH POLISH SAUSAGE REUBEN SANDWICH FROM THE WESTSIDER CAFE, GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN

The Westsider Cafe on Walker in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

I grew up on the Westside of Grand Rapids which traditionally has always been considered the Polish-side of town.  Last week I had the honor to meet 3 friends for lunch that I haven't seen in fifty years.  We are part of the Class of  1961 Union High School.  Since we were all Westsiders, I suggested we meet at the Westsider Cafe for lunch.  I had read rave reviews about the Cafe, but had never been there.  The Westsider is known for its breakfasts, Polish food, and low prices.


I can't wrap my mind about the fact that I graduated from high school fifty years ago.  In digging down through my memory to get to the storage area of those years, I have discovered I have no memory of names.  I can't remember names of people I knew in the '60's, '70's and so on.  Slowly as I think about high school in my quiet times, memories are coming back.  I might not remember names, but I can never forget the wonderful, fantastic, delicious Polish sausage that is still made in small meat markets on the Westside of Grand Rapids.

 Lewandoski's Market is one of the Westside's Polish meat markets.

Lewandoski's is right down the street from the Westsider Cafe.  The market has much more than just Polish Sausage for sale.

For lunch, I ordered a Fresh Polish Sausage Reuben Sandwich.  The sausage was made at Frank's Market on Fulton Street.  I loved it.  I think my baton twirling friend, Sylvia, would have like her sandwich better if the sauerkraut had been the sour German-style rather than the sweeter Polish-style of kraut.  

 Fresh Polish Sausage Reuben!!!

 The sandwich is so beautiful, I had to take a close-up too.  I know, only I would call a sandwich beautiful.

Sue had the Westsider's Club Sandwich in a wrap.  It looked fantastic too.

CRUNCHY DRESSING/STUFFING WITH A UNIQUE SERVING IDEA.

Last year I posted our family's favorite dressing/stuffing recipe with our unique way or serving it.  The difference between dressing and stuffing is that dressing is baked outside the bird and stuffing is baked in the bird.  Here is our recipe:
http://michigancottagecook.blogspot.com/2010/11/unique-way-to-serve-your-thanksgiving.html

DRESSING/STUFFING BALLS


I bake the dressing/stuffing as balls so everyone gets some of the delicious crunchy part of the dressing:


http://michigancottagecook.blogspot.com/2010/11/unique-way-to-serve-your-thanksgiving.html

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!!!

THANKSGIVING IS COMING---GRAVY TIPS, KID-FRIENDLY CRANBERRY SAUCE, AND MOM'S WONDERFUL, REFRESHING FRUIT SALAD

GRAVY MAKING 101
Check out this post for how to make gravy and my easy way to remove the fat from meat drippings

http://michigancottagecook.blogspot.com/2010/04/easter-lamb-shanks.html


For my Aunt Irma's gravy tips go to:


http://michigancottagecook.blogspot.com/2010/11/my-aunt-irmas-hint-for-making-gravy.html



KID-FRIENDLY CRANBERRIES FROM HISTORIC KALONA, IOWA

http://michigancottagecook.blogspot.com/2010/11/family-friendly-cranberry-apple-relish.html


MOM'S HOLIDAY FRUIT SALAD

http://michigancottagecook.blogspot.com/2010/12/moms-1940s-fruit-salad-perfect-for.html

PILGRIM HAT COOKIES

Pilgrim Hat cookie from the church bazaar.

Cookies I selected from the bazaar cookie walk---more later.

I picked up this cute Pilgrim hat cookie on the cookie walk at The Church of the Dunes Christmas Bazaar in Grand Haven. The cookies offered at that bazaar are always delicious and special. This Pilgrim's Hat is made with a fudge strip cookie, a miniature peanut butter cup, frosting and a breath mint.  When my children were young, I would have liked to have this cookie idea in my recipe box for those times you need a school treat in a big hurry.


My children were notorious for telling me, as they filed out the door to catch the school bus, that they forgot and one of them needed cookies or something else for me to make for them for school that day. I remember the worst was when they needed egg shells with the egg blown out of the shell so it could be decorated at school.  If you never have blown an egg out of its shell, you don't know what you are missing.


First you take a sewing needle and poke a hole in the top and bottom of the egg.  If you are really lucky, you will get the needle into the shell and the shell won't shatter.  I have read that now crafter's use a high speed drill to make the holes.  After you get the holes in the shell, you blow into one end of the shell and the egg comes out the other hole in the shell.  I have huffed and puffed until I was blue in the face and had almost blown my own brick house down while the egg stayed in the shell and smirked at me.


So if you need something quick and easy for thanksgiving try these cute hats. They would also look nice on a plate as a decoration for the Thanksgiving dinner table.

Turn a fudge strip cookie upside down so the chocolate side is right side up.

I like frosting in a can as I am not good with a piping bag. 

Attach a miniature peanut butter cup to the cookie with frosting and pipe a brim on the hat with the frosting.

Attach a little citrus breath-mint on the brim for a buckle.  Done!!!  Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!!!!