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Small businesses long have been the heart and soul of local communities. Consumers who want to help their favorite small businesses survive can use the holiday season and beyond to set the course for success. Consumers can make a concerted e ort to fuel this important cog in their local economic engines.
• SHOP LOCAL. e concept is simple but e ective. Opting to shop in local stores over larger conglomerates and franchises can help small businesses take root. Before making holiday shopping lists, visit local stores and base gi ideas on items they have in stock. Chances are those gi s will be one-of-a-kind.
• PURCHASE GIFT CARDS/CERTIFICATES. All businesses have slow periods, and post-holidays is o en a time when sales stagnate. Gi cards may bring new customers into local businesses who might otherwise not have patronized them, potentially creating new repeat customers.
• CATER HOLIDAY MEALS AND GATHERINGS. e holiday season is chock-full of entertainment opportunities. Individuals can rely on nearby restaurants and other food and beverage businesses to cater holiday parties. Some businesses also may be willing to discount or donate food for nonpro t group activities, such as church holiday bazaars, school holiday concerts or fundraising fairs.
• THINK ABOUT SUBSCRIPTION GIFTS. Enrollment in a health club or a massage therapy service are gi s that keep on giving for the recipient, but also help ensure consistent incoming cash for the business providing the service.
When shopping this holiday season, consumers can look to the small, local businesses in their communities that help make towns and cities unique.
INGREDIENTS
• 6 cups sliced apples
• 1¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup sugar
• ¾ cup milk
• ½ cup bisquick
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbs butter, softened
STREUSEL
• 1 cup bisquick
• ½ cup chopped nuts (optional)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar packed
• 3 Tbs rm butter
Heat oven 325o. Grease pie pan. Mix apples & spices, turn into plate. Beat remaining ingredients (except streusel) until smooth. Pour over apples. Sprinkle with streusel. Bake until knife inserted comes out clean. 55-60 min.
Note: Make the Streusel rst so you don’t have to clean the beaters
• 5 Tbs. Butter
• 1-1/2 Cups Heavy Cream
• 1 cup Parmesan Cheese
• 1 Tbs Basil Pesto (optional)
• 1 lb chicken cut into bite size pieces
• Fettuccine noodles
Sauté chicken in olive oil seasoned w/ salt pepper & garlic powder. Melt butter, add cream and simmer. Add Parmesan cheese and simmer until thickened. Add the pesto (if using). Pour sauce in bowl. Top with cooked fettuccine noodles and sautéed chicken and mix. Serve with garlic toast.
INGREDIENTS
3 envelopes un avored gelatin
½ cup cold water • 2 cups sugar
4 cups fresh cranberries
½ cup seedless green grapes
1 cup nely chopped pecans
1 (15½ ounce) can crushed pineapple –undrained
Soften gelatin in cold water; set aside.
Drain pineapple, reserving juice; set pineapple aside. Add enough water to juice to make 3½ cups. Bring juice mixture and sugar to a boil; add cranberries, and cook 7 to 10 minutes or until berries pop. Stir in softened gelatin. Chill until consistency of unbeaten egg white. Stir in grapes, pecans and pineapple; pour into a lightly oiled 8-cup mold. Chill until rm.
Making your turkey ahead of time is especially nice if you have a small kitchen with just one oven, OR it is also a great idea if you have a lot of people coming and want to make sure you have enough turkey—roast one on the big day and have this one waiting in the fridge!
And don’t worry, it will still smell like Thanksgiving—when the turkey reheats, delectable aromas will drift through the house just as if the turkey was being roasted.
with a liquid. Spoon some chicken broth or the drippings from the roasting pan over the turkey so it the pieces in a roasting pan with chicken broth. Cover the pan and heat through in a 350°F oven (the timing will vary according to the size of the bird, but allow
then reheated on anksgiving. ese can include a baked macaroni-and-cheese casserole, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and a cornbread stu ng.
Start prep w k a few days bef e Thanksgiving. Take some stress out of anksgiving by cutting all vegetables and/ or preparing some dishes a few days early. Make extra room in the fridge by removing nonessential items and placing them in a cooler with ice and cleaning out any old food or condiments. Plan your table settings and label which bowls and other serving dishes will be used for which items. is will make it much easier to set the table on anksgiving.
Preparing anksgiving dinner for a houseful of close friends and relatives can be a tad overwhelming. All eyes will will be on the dinner table. Pulling o a feast of this magnitude — multiple courses, side dishes and desserts — takes considerable e ort. ese tips, tricks and timesavers can be a anksgiving host’s saving grace.
Pick the menu early. Decide what you’ll be cooking in addition to turkey several weeks before the big day. Select two or three side dishes, preferably items that can be prepared in advance and
Serve batched cocktails. It can be challenging & expensive to have a full bar. Mulled wine, hot cider & punches are ideal ways to service a crowd looking for delicious spirited drinks.
Create simple centerpieces. Use seasonal sights for your centerpieces or place settings. ese can include small squashes, gourds, citrus fruits, nuts, or acorns. A hollowed-out pumpkin lled with fresh owers also can be eye-catching.
anksgiving is a time to celebrate bounty. Treat guests to a great experience by learning some hosting tips to make the holiday easier to manage.
he dining space is where family and friends gather to eat and enjoy one another’s company. Here’s how to give your dining spaces awe-inspiring makeovers on a budget.
• LIGHTEN & BRIGHTEN. Dining rooms were once very formal spaces. Dark woods, large pieces of furniture, but now houses are being built with open oor plans, which have moved dining rooms to having lighter colored walls, ooring and furniture. A fresh coat of vibrant paint can work wonders and if you can’t remove a oor, cover it with a brightly colored area rug.
• ADD FLOATING SHELVING. Floating shelves provide much-needed storage or display space without the need to invest in another piece of furniture. ey can work in modern design schemes or even farmhouse dining spaces.
• CLEAR OUT THE CLUTTER. It might be time to say “so long” to that large curio cabinet and the knickknacks within
it. Curio and china cabinets used to be de rigueur, but plenty of people now prefer more open and airy dining rooms. For those who want to keep the cabinet, try decluttering inside to only include the very best display pieces and see if the cabinet can be re nished with paint or a lightly colored stain.
• IMPROVE LIGHTING. Make the chandelier the statement piece of the space. Go for a bold color or an innovative design.
• ADD BENCH SEATING. Swap out some chairs for benches, which can t a couple more guests than chairs.
• CREATE DEPTH WITH COLOR. Using various shades of the same color in a space can add depth. Coordinate drapes, walls, seat fabrics, and accessories for a cohesive design.
Renovating a dining room doesn’t require a large investment of time and money. A few simple steps can give dining spaces a whole new feel without busting homeowners’ budgets.
ACURA
Dave White Acura 5880 Monroe St. Sylvania (419) 885-3600 whitecars.com
BMW
BMW of Toledo 7600 W. Central Toledo 1(844) 892-5408 bmwoftoledo.com
BUICK
Ballas Buick - GMC 5715 W. Central Toledo (419) 535-1000 ballasbuickgmc.com
Groulx Buick - GMC 15435 S. Dixie Hwy. Monroe, MI (734) 241-3704 groulxbuickgma.com
CHEVROLET
Dave White Chevrolet 5880 Monroe St. Sylvania (419) 885-4444 whitecars.com
Yark Chevrolet 26997 N Dixie Hwy Perrysburg (419) 877-7658 yarkchevy.com
CHRYSLER
Yark Chrysler 6019 W. Central Ave. Toledo (855) 817-1501
yarkchrysler.com
DODGE
Yark Dodge 6019 W. Central Ave. Toledo (855) 817-1501
FIAT
Yark Fiat 6000 W. Central Ave. Toledo 1(844) 847-3702
yarkfiat.com
FORD
BRONDES FORD 1475 Arrowhead Rd. Maumee (419) 329-4062 brondes.com
BRONDES FORD 5545 Secor Rd. Toledo (419) 491-7004 brondes.com
STEVE ROGERS FORD
“We’ve Expanded” And Moved Right Next Door To Better Serve You!! 9830 State Route 64 Whitehouse, OH 43571 (419) 878-8151
steverogersford.com
GMC
Ballas Buick-GMC 5715 W. Central Ave. Toledo (419) 535-1000 ballasbuickgmc.com
Groulx Buick - GMC 15435 S. Dixie Hwy. Monroe, MI (734) 241-3704 groulxbuickgma.com
HONDA
Jim White Honda 1505 Reynolds Rd. Maumee (419) 893-5581
jimwhitehonda.com
JEEP Yark Jeep 6019 W. Central Ave. Toledo (855) 817-1501
yarkjeep.com
LINCOLN
Brondes Lincoln 1475 Arrowhead Rd. Maumee (419) 329-4062 brondeslincolnmaumee.com
MAZDA
Yark Mazda 6000 W. Central Ave. Toledo (419) 842-7454
yarkmazda.com
NISSAN
Gerwick Nissan 15407 So. Monroe St. Monroe, MI (734) 457-0100 gerwicknissan.com
Yark Nissan 5957 W. Central Ave. Toledo (844) 815-4874
yarknissan.com
RAM
Yark Ram 6019 W. Central Ave. Toledo (855) 817-1501
yarkram.com
SUBARU
Yark Subaru 6041 W. Central Ave. Toledo 1(844) 492-9955 yarksubaru.com
TOYOTA
Jim White Toyota 6123 W. Central Ave. Toledo (419) 841-6681 whitecars.com
Yark Toyota 1377 Conant St. Maumee (844) 819-2577 yarktoyota.com
yarkdodge.com Call Chick Reid 419-705-5396 to add listings to this page.