Holiday Trains at Union Station - Kansas City

Each year, since 2004, up to 25 members of the Union Station Model Railroad Volunteer Society have created a wondrous world full of model trains and miniature villages in the lobby at Kansas City, Missouri’s Union Station. By the Friday after Thanksgiving this 3,000-hour project opens to the public.

Measuring 60 feet by 64 feet, with thousands of miles of track, the display changes every year. During this holiday season there are 50 trains operating simultaneously, including the largest and most famous G-scale (1/22nd actual size). Train buffs will also recognize:

                -L-scale/Lego trains (1/38th actual size)

                -O-scale trains (1/48th actual size)

                -S-scale trains (1/64th actual)

                -HO-scale (1/87th actual)

                and N-scale (1/148th actual)

Visitors may see a delicate Ferris wheel turning beside a curvy roller coaster, Santa and his team resting atop a snow-capped roof, or antique cars traveling through an Art Deco streetscape.

 

Snow sparkles between the tracks, holiday lights decorate tiny rooflines, and a brightly lit theater marquee announces the current show. In fact, well over 100 individual lights accentuate buildings, signs and signals throughout the display.

 

Children of all ages will appreciate the breathtaking and painstaking detail of this holiday masterpiece, through January 3, 2010. And there’s no charge for a trip to this lovely fantasyland, although donations are gratefully accepted. (Please note: these photos are taken from the 2008-2009 holiday display)

Kansas Travel - Neewollah 90th Anniversary

Who would have guessed, 90 years ago, that Independence, Kansas, a town of less than 10,000 residents, would eventually host the state's largest annual festival? Held every October to coincide with Halloween, the Neewollah celebration in Independence has become a 10-day extravaganza of food, games, and hours of dynamite nightly entertainment. In fact, this year's signature Saturday evening concert event was by Smash Mouth, with tickets starting at only $25!

People from all over the state - and the world - attend this event. And locals, including public school students, often eat lunch as they walk along the main drag or sit at one of the many picnic tables placed on the sidewalk. Dozens of food vendors offer everything from luscious Strawberry Newberg to freshly squeezed limeade or chicken on a stick.

During each evening of Neewollah, and on the weekends, downtown Independence assumes the atmosphere of an old-fashioned carnival, with no cars allowed and dozens of visitors strolling from ride to game to performance stage, where they sit in the folding chairs they've brought along for the event.

If you're looking for a new way to enjoy Kansas' fall season, Neewollah is well worth making a special trip to Southeastern Kansas, and a perfect way to celebrate Halloween. But watch out - you're likely to return again and again. 

Date Pudding - A Holiday Family Tradition

My husband, Mark, says that the first time he suggested making Date Pudding as a Thanksgiving dessert, I turned up my nose at the thought and proclaimed that I didn't like dates. But there was no way he'd celebrate the holiday without this beloved family dessert on the table, so we pulled out my mother-in-law's recipe and the food processor.

Mark's family started making this unusual pudding long before food processors became a staple in every food lover's kitchen, which meant crumbling the crackers, chopping the dates, and breaking up the nuts by hand. But the food processor creates a smooth batter within only a few minutes.

And the results? Fabulous. Date pudding has become one of my favorites and I even eat an occasional fresh date on its own, because of this recipe.

Light and airy when it first leaves the oven, date pudding has a natural tendency to fall - sometimes several inches in the center - within half an hour. So don't worry when you start to see the upper 'crust' begin to break; that means its been baked just right.

One other requirement when we eat date pudding? There must be a big dollop of lightly sweetened real whipped cream on top. It's all about tradition.

Date Pudding
Makes 6-8 servings

1 big cup seedless dates, cut in small pieces
1/2 cup pecan pieces (VOE - we use walnuts because we always have some on hand)
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
8 heaping tablespoons saltine cracker crumbs, about 16 crackers
4 level teaspoons baking powder
4 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a loaf pan with butter. Place the loaf pan on a baking sheet and with plenty of 'head room' above the oven rack; the pudding may expand two or three times its original size while in the oven. Bake for about 30 minutes and do not bake too hard. Cool slightly before serving. 

Breakfast With Fredericksburg Culinary Arts

When we attended a complementary class sponsored by Fredericksburg Culinary Arts, little did we know that we would simultaneously receive a 'taste' of breakfast from Cottages At Limestone On Main Bed & Breakfast - named among the "Great Stays of Texas." Co-owners of both venues, Carol Seminara and her husband, Joe Houde, enthusiastically presented a demonstration meal that featured Texas Hill Country's best seasonal ingredients and their love of great food.

Carol got things underway as she made peach and pecan scones, which she topped with decorative pearl sugar because it holds its shape when exposed to heat. These gorgeous scones were light and airy, with a nice balance of fruit and nut flavors.

Carol's Cottage Granola arrived next - a healthy and tasty combination of rolled oats, almonds, walnuts, coconut, sesame seeds, wheat germ, maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla, dried cranberries and golden raisins paired with fresh blackberries and a dollop of creamy vanilla yogurt.

Joe worked his magic with delicate crepes, which enfolded fresh asparagus and cubed ham. A savory, surprisingly light Swiss cheese sauce smothered the completed crepes.

But for sheer inventiveness, this orange juice truly captivated me; it's one 'recipe' that I raved about several times after I returned home. Carol used a star-shaped mold and pomegranate juice to created delightful ice cubes, which decorate and chill the juice as they add flavor. 

Throughout the class, Carol and Joe provided quick tips for anybody's kitchen including:

        -Cold dough in a hot oven is key to baking

        -Every time you open the oven door you reduce the temperature by 25 degrees

        -Coffee filters polish mirrors and chrome

By the time the juice arrived, our tasting menu had filled us so full that we saw no need for lunch. Then Carol and Joe put everything together on a signature silver tray, just as they might for their B & B guests, and I wished I had time to spend the night at Cottages At Limestone on Main.

Kansas Travel - Exploring Route 66

Only 12.8 miles of historic Route 66 passes through Kansas' southeast corner - the smallest number of miles in any state along this legendary road. But there's a wealth of cool places to visit near this little stretch of pavement.

Fans of Guy Fieri's Food Network program, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, may remember one great dining spot that's located along the main drag of Baxter Springs - Cafe on the Route. Although I (unfortunately) didn't see the episode, that national exposure is part of what led me to the cafe. And I was blown away by this place.

After a huge breakfast at a Pittsburg, KS B & B, I wasn't ready for a big meal when I reached Baxter Springs but there was no way that I'd pass up this place. So I ordered a chicken wrap sandwich and a side of their famous fried potato salad with mustard glaze. 

The wrap tasted great but I was determined to duplicate the fried potato salad from my first bite. Skin-on potato chunks, with a bit of crunch and lots of soft, were bathed in this amazing glaze that owners, Richard and Amy Sanell, should seriously consider bottling. You get plenty of food for your money too - before the sandwich/side arrived, I also received a huge salad topped with homemade croutons and a small, light-as-air corn muffin.

Dinner entrees ranged from Chateaubriand to Apple Smoked Salmon, Pesto Pork, Honey Mustard Chicken and Nutcrusted Catfish. The Sanells also run a tasteful B & B upstairs, The Little Brick Inn.

In tiny nearby Riverton, grab a freshly made sandwich from the antique deli counter at Eisler Brothers Old Riverton Store, chow down in the sun-filled, porch-like dining area, and then browse through an amazing array of Route 66 memorabilia and souvenirs in the back room. Opened in 1925, the store draws visitors from throughout the U.S. and the world. This favorite stop for Route 66 fans gained additional exposure as inspiration for the Disney Pixar movie, Cars. After 75 years of operation, the store still offers groceries, produce, and flowers with a large side of memorabilia. 

Don't miss this spot when you cross southeastern Kansas. Better yet, make a special trip there and return home with a new appreciation of the Route and its legendary status in America's culture of the open road. And take home a Route 66 shot glass or T-shirt while you're at it.

Cranberry Chocolate Torte

Despite the fact that I truly love creating my own recipes, sometimes there's just no improving on a perfect 'found' recipe, especially when it comes to holiday traditions. My copy of this recipe is on newsprint from the Kansas City Star that has become yellowed with age and gives no attribution to its author. I've had it for at least 15 years.

This combination is another example of adding seasonal taste to my favorite flavor - dark chocolate. Be prepared to dirty loads of bowls in the process; I counted at least four when I made the recipe again this evening. But the results are phenomenally delicious - something like a cross between cheesecake and a brownie with the tangy zip of cranberries - and a small slice goes a long way. ENJOY!

Cranberry Chocolate Torte
Makes 10-14 servings

16 ounce can cranberry sauce, with whole cranberries
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/4 cup sifted flour
7 ounces dark sweet chocolate, chopped (VOE - chocolate chips work well here)
1/2 cup butter
3 large eggs, separated
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar (VOE - I use 1/2 cup)
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cranberries in small bowl and stir gently until slightly liquid. In another small bowl, combine almonds and flour.

Melt butter and chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water, stirring occasionally to blend. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and light. With mixer on low speed, add flour and nut mixture to egg yolks, beating until just mixed.

Add chocolate-butter mixture and blend gently. Stir in cranberries and almond extract by hand.

Beat egg whites until they hold their shape but are not dry. Fold into cranberry batter.

Pour into a greased and floured 9-inch springform pan* and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake about 55 minutes, on a baking sheet. Remove from oven and cool completely while still in pan, about 1 1/2 hours. Place in refrigerator until chilled; about 1 hour.

When ready to serve, remove from springform pan and add glaze (see below). Makes one 9-inch torte.

Glaze:

1/2 cup currant jelly
2 tablespoons cranberry juice cocktail

Combine jelly and cranberry juice in small saucepan and heat on medium. Brush chilled torte with warm glaze and allow to set. Give top of torte a second coating. Sprinkle with ground almonds if desired.

*VOE - I use a pastry brush to evenly spread flour across the entire springform surface.

WaterFire Kansas City

We heard the soaring, haunting music two blocks before we reached Brush Creek, at Kansas City, Missouri's Country Club Plaza. Thousands of people already stood and sat beside the quiet, dark creek, hoods pulled up against occasional spitting rain. As rain dissipated, small boats traveled along the creek and passengers lit individual braziers anchored by buoys. 

This was the beginning of the third annual WaterFire Kansas City celebration. The scent of burning embers mixed with the food aromas from top Plaza restaurants while dancing firelight and performers created delightful visual images.

Truly a feast for the senses, 55 floating bonfires eventually illuminate Brush Creek each year while sidewalk performers, fire dancers, and international music enhance the hauntingly beautiful, one-night-per-year experience.  Boats return periodically, to re-stoke the fires, maintaining the ethereal glow throughout this magical evening. WaterFire Kansas City has become a popular fall tradition since artist, Barnaby Evans, replicated his Providence, Rhode Island installation here for the first time, in 2007.

 

Whoever said that fire and water don't mix has never attended this magical event. If you're not close to Kansas City, check out WaterFire Providence. These beautiful images will haunt your memory long after the event ends.