Christmas Recipes: Rice Krispie Treats, Oatmeal Cookies, Hot Chocolate
December 25, 2014
Here are some family time favorites for this Christmas Day.
Today’s recipes include Traditional Oatmeal Cookies, Crockpot Candy and Rice Krispie Treats — perfect recipes for the family to make together. And what would Christmas be without Hot Chocolate? Our quick and easy recipe can easily be increased to make enough for everyone, plus it’s easy to include some extra cocoa powder for a deeper, darker treat.
Crock Pot Candy
- 16 oz Salted Peanuts
- 16 oz UnSalted Peanuts
- 4 oz German Chocolate Bark
- 1 pkg Almond Chocolate Bark
- 1 pkg Butterscotch Morsels
Put all ingredients into crock pot. Cook on low for 2 hours. Do not stir or open lid. After 2 hours, turn off crock pot, stir candy and drop in clusters onto wax paper. Let cool and enjoy. This recipe will make 70-90 pieces of candy, depending on the size.
Traditional Oatmeal Cookies
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
- 3 cups of Quaker Oats (Quick)
- 1 cup raisins (optional)
Preheat oven to 350° F. Beat together butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla extract; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Slowly stir in oats. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto an ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute on sheet, remove to wire rack.
Rice Krispie Treats
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 (10 oz., about 40) pkg. regular marshmallows or 3 cups miniature marshmallows
- 6 cups Kellogg’s Rice Krispies cereal
In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add the marshmallows and continue to stir until the marshmallows have completely melted. Remove from heat. Stir in the Kellogg’s Rice Krispies cereal coating them well with the melted marshmallow mixture. Using a buttered or silicone spatula, press the mixture evenly into a 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan which has been buttered or sprayed with non-stick spray or lined with wax paper. Cut into squares when the mixture cools. Makes 24 squares.
MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS:
Microwave butter with marshmallows on high setting for 2 minutes in a microwave safe mixing bowl. Stir together when melted. Microwave again on high for 1 additional minute. Stir in cereal, mixing until well coated. Press into pan as above.
Hot Chocolate
- 1 tbsp. cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 2 tbsp. water
- 1 c. milk
- a bit of vanilla, if desired
Combine cocoa, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Heat it on low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent the paste from sticking to the pan. After about 1 to 2 minutes, add milk and vanilla. Mix it all together until it reaches your preferred temperature.
Photo: Glorious Sunset
December 25, 2014
The North Escambia area enjoyed an unusually beautiful sunset Christmas Eve, as seen here from Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Cost Of Christmas Lighting Still A Bargain
December 25, 2014
Outdoor lighting is as much a part of the holiday season as Santa and gift giving. Have you ever wondered how much it costs to operate those lights on your home or business?
Traditional larger bulbs are the most widely used, but cost the most to operate. One string of these incandescent lights can consume more than $1 of electricity a day. That adds up when you put up a few strings of lights and leave them on for the holiday season, according to Gulf Power.
Miniature holiday lights are a less costly option, and have replaced larger bulbs in many decorations. One string of miniature lights uses less than 3 cents per day.
For even greater savings you can use Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) instead of bulbs. LEDs use 90 percent less energy, can last years longer and, since LED bulbs generate less heat, they make for safer illumination as well. LED lights are more expensive to buy; however, at less than half a cent per day to operate, a string of LED bulbs will pay for itself quickly.
You can also lower your holiday energy use by putting your lights on a timer. Be sure to use a durable timer that is made to withstand the elements, Gulf Power recommends.
McDavid Man Passes Away Following Dec. 8 Crash
December 24, 2014
A McDavid resident has passed away from injuries he received in a December 8 traffic crash on Highway 29.
Family members said 44-year old Troy Bryon Ard passed away at a Pensacola hospital. He was ejected from his vehicle during a wreck on Highway 29 in front of the McDavid Volunteer Fire Department.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Ard was northbound on Highway 29 in his 1994 Nissa Pathfinder when he made a left turn in front of a southbound GMC Yukon driven by 35-year old Layla Waters of Flomaton.
Ard passed away at 12:20 p.m. on Saturday, December 20 at Sacred Heart Hospital.
Waters received minor injuries as did her five passengers — 55-year old Renita Henderson, 17-year old Alan Henderson, 14-year old Beau Henderson, 11-year Ember Waters and one-year old Callum Waters, all of Flomaton. Each was treated and later released from Sacred Heart Hospital of Jay Hospital.
Any charges in the crash are pending, according to the FHP.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
FDOT Suspends Road Construction Projects Until January
December 24, 2014
The Florida Department of Transportation District Three office is suspending highway construction projects on major roadways across Northwest Florida. There will be no work on state roads requiring lane restrictions from Wednesday, December 24 through Monday, January 5. All major roads will be open to normal traffic.
Although no construction closures are scheduled over the holiday weekend, existing state highway work zones will remain in effect. Motorists are reminded to use caution while traveling through work zones around barricades and equipment.
FDOT is encouraging drivers to allow extra travel time and to use extra caution in existing work zones along state highways. Drivers are urged to make sure they buckle up, along with their passengers. FDOT and other safety agencies also ask drivers to obey speed limits, get adequate rest before traveling, avoid distractions and never drink and drive.
Drivers also are urged to be prepared for unscheduled highway closures due to accidents, disabled vehicles or other events. Motorists should be alert to changing weather conditions while traveling.
Health Department Offers Tips For Safe And Healthy Holiday Season
December 24, 2014
As the Christmas season kicks into high gear, the Florida Department of Health would like to remind everyone to stay safe, prepared and aware. With the excitement of the holidays in the air, it can be easy to forget about safety precautions and careful behavior.
“The Department of Health encourages everyone to put safety into practice, particularly during the holidays,” said State Surgeon General and Secretary of State Dr. John Armstrong. “We want all Floridians and visitors to have memories of a joyous holiday season.”
The Department of Health offers the following tips to ensure a safe and healthy holiday season:
- Handle and Prepare Food Safely. As you prepare holiday meals, keep yourself and your family safe from food-related illness. Always wash your hands before preparing foods and after handling raw meat. Avoid cross-contamination by keeping raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs (including their juices) away from ready-to-eat foods and eating surfaces. Cook foods to the proper temperature and refrigerate promptly. Do not leave perishable foods out for more than two hours. Also, be aware of ingredients that may cause allergic reactions.
- Practice Fire Safety. Use flame-resistant, flame-retardant and non-combustible materials and keep candles away from Christmas trees, decorations and combustible materials. Before you string lights on your house or trees, inspect the strands, to make sure there aren’t any frayed cords or cracked bulbs. Also, don’t use indoor lights outside and vice versa. Check the tag on the string of lights to be sure. Be sure to install or check smoke alarms, and unplug your Christmas tree during sleeping hours.
- Travel Safely. When traveling, have a trusted friend or neighbor keep an eye on your home and avoid speaking to strangers about your travel plans. Avoid driving alone or at night and always be aware of your surroundings. Text messaging can wait until you safely arrive at your destination. Always park in well-lit areas and do not leave the car unoccupied with the motor running or with children inside.
- Prevent Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning: As temperatures drop, the potential for CO poisonings rise. CO is a highly poisonous gas produced by burning fuels such as gasoline, natural gas, propane, kerosene, charcoal, and wood. The Department discourages citizens from burning charcoal inside a house, garage, vehicle, or tent, including in a fireplace.
- Watch the Kids. Children need to be watched closely, especially when they’re eating and playing. Keep potentially-dangerous toys, food, drinks, household items, choking hazards (like coins and hard candy) and other objects out of kids’ reach. Do not leave children unattended around space heaters or the fireplace.
Holiday Closures
December 24, 2014
Here are Escambia County holiday office closures:
Closed Thursday, December 25
The following offices will be closed:
- Escambia County Board of County Commissioners
- Escambia County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, all locations
- Escambia County Property Appraiser
- Escambia County Supervisor of Elections
- Escambia County Tax Collector
- Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT)
- West Florida Public Library System
- Town of Century
- ECAT – No bus service
Closed Friday, December 26
The following offices will be closed:
- Escambia County Board of County Commissioners
- Escambia County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller Finance, Official Records and Clerk to the Board offices. All other locations will be open
- Escambia County Property Appraiser
- Escambia County Supervisor of Elections
- Escambia County Tax Collector
- Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT), administrative offices only
- West Florida Public Library System
- Town of Century
- ECAT — regular bus service
Exceptions:
- Escambia County 911 Dispatch, EMS and Fire Services are open daily to serve our citizens
- Perdido Landfill, excluding the administrative offices, will reopen on Friday, December 26
Here Comes…Santa Goat?
December 24, 2014
Look out Rudolph…there’s a new kid in town…Santa Goat. One of our NorthEscambia.com staffers spotted this goat, complete with a Santa hat, riding in the back of a Dodge Ram pickup at the Piggly Wiggly in Davisville. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Satanic Temple’s Holiday Display Now At Florida Capitol
December 24, 2014
The Satanic Temple, a New York-based group that doesn’t really worship the devil, put up a crudely made diorama in the entry rotunda of Florida’s Capitol on Monday.
The only dispute involved a brief dustup with a state official over the exact spot on the floor to place the display.
The falling-angel diorama, which a year ago was barred from the Capitol because it was deemed “grossly offensive” by the Department of Management Services, is the latest in a series of irreverent holiday displays from groups motivated by the state’s acceptance of Christian nativity scenes the past two years.
John Porgal, a Tallahassee resident and member of the Satanic Temple, said the group threatened legal action this year if it again was blocked. It also offered not to put up its display if the Florida Prayer Network and International House of Prayer Tallahassee wouldn’t put up their nativity scenes.
“If the nativity scene never came in here in the first place we would never had done this,” said Porgal, who is also a member of the American Atheists of Tallahassee. “We don’t want to be insulting. We just want our rights, the separation of church and states or equal rights.”
The group’s name, the Satanic Temple, is simply to draw attention to its efforts.
“The Satanic Temple does not worship the devil in any way, shape or form,” Porgal acknowledged when asked.
The temple’s display this year joined entries from the American Atheists of Tallahassee, the Madison, Wis.-based Freedom From Religion Foundation, the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, and a South Florida political blogger who for the second year put up a 6-foot stack of empty beer cans to represent Festivus, a sitcom-based festival “for the rest of us.”
State officials, when asked the past couple of weeks about the temple’s inclusion in the Capitol, have either deferred to the Department of Management Services or turned the topic to the more irreverent Festivus pole, which gained a national audience in the sitcom “Seinfeld.”
In reaction to the glut of holiday display applications this year, the department imposed a new seven-day timeline for items put up in the rotunda. Applicants face a fine starting at $100 if a display remains after its scheduled removal date.
The Florida Prayer Network’s nativity, which went up Dec. 15, was taken down Monday. Nearby a framed poster of the nativity by the International House of Prayer Tallahassee was put up Monday.
Both groups are represented by Pam Olsen, who questioned the motives of those opposed to the nativity scene but said she supports the open forum for holiday displays.
Olsen added she wouldn’t remove the nativity scenes if that would keep out many of the more “outlandish” displays.
“They’re here to shut down Christianity,” Olsen said. “They’re fighting for the separation of church and state. That’s what their whole premise is. They’re here to fight the display of Christ and Christmas. Whether we have a display here or not, guess what, Christ is in Christmas.”
Olsen noted that the opposition groups have been silent regarding the placement of a Hanukkah menorah or Christmas trees, which have been displayed for years on the first floor of the Capitol.
The menorah is up this week inside the rotunda. The trees are inside the entries to the offices of the governor and the members of the Cabinet, the same as in past years.
The temple’s display includes the phrase “Happy holidays from the Satanic Temple” atop a diorama of an angel falling into hell. On Monday, the temple demanded its table-top display be placed in the middle of a hallway leading toward the offices of Attorney General Pam Bondi and Gov. Rick Scott.
The spot had been occupied by the Florida Prayer Network’s wooden nativity scene.
A Department of Management Services official told Porgal that the display needed to be closer to a column, a couple of feet away and out of the central walkway. After Porgal vehemently protested, the official departed without speaking to the gaggle of media attending the temple’s arrival.
“We wanted to make sure we got front and center just like the manger scene did,” Porgal said.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Christmas Lights: Bratt, Byrneville, Century
December 24, 2014
Merry Christmas! Here’s a photo gallery of few light displays from Bratt to Century — including private residences, a park in Century and a Nativity scene in Byrneville.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
