Roseville, Rocklin, Lincoln, Loomis, Granite Bay - Placer County, California - Real Estate Blog - Souza Realty

Christmas Star Cookie Recipe

These are stunning cookies that really capture Christmas with a festive combination of green sugar sprinkles and red strawberry jam. You'll need 2" and 4" star cookie cutters, 2 cookie sheets and parchment paper for this recipe, which will make about 12 cookies. Also, the dough needs to be refrigerated for at least 3 hours, so plan ahead! :)

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
green sugar sprinkles
strawberry jam or preserves 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cream butter and sugar until smooth, then mix in eggs and vanilla extract. Gradually stir in the flour, baking powder and salt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
2. Cut 4 pieces of parchment paper the size of your cookie sheets. Roll out half of the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper to 1/8" thick. Lift off top sheet of parchment paper, then cut 4" stars at least 2" apart. Remove the dough around the stars and place the parchment paper with stars on one cookie sheet.
3. Do the same with the remaining half of the dough and also cut 2" stars inside of the 4" stars (these will make the top half of the cookies). Sprinkle with green sugar sprinkles.
4. Bake for 6-8 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cookies cool completely.
5. Spread 1 tbsp. of strawberry jam in the middle of the full star cookies, then place the cutout star cookies on top and press gently.

December's Season of Celebrations & Sharing - 7th Annual Holiday High Tea at A Dash Of Panache: December 16, 2011 - January 1, 2012 (Roseville, CA)

WHO: Everyone is invited, but reservations are required (916-788-4386)

WHAT: 7th Annual Holiday High Tea (including a trip to the Vanity Closet, holiday favor and group pictures - and a free 4x6 print!)

WHERE: A Dash of Panache, 217 Vernon Street, Roseville, CA 95678

WHEN: Friday, December 16, 2011 to January 1, 2012 (sittings at 11:00am and 2:00pm)

COST: $27.95 per person ($24.95 for children under 12)

For more information about the 7th Annual Holiday High Tea at A Dash of Panache (voted Best Tea House) in Roseville, CA - please visit their website: ADashOfPanache.com

Above is a photo of my mom and I having a luncheon tea at A Dash of Panache in Downtown Roseville, CA last week. We just came from dressing up after a visit to the Vanity Closet!

December's Season of Celebrations & Sharing - Rocklin High School Holiday Craft Faire: December 19, 2011 (Rocklin, CA)

WHO: Everyone is invited!

WHAT: Holiday Craft Faire

WHERE: Rocklin High School Gymnasium, 5301 Victory Lane, Rocklin, CA 95765

WHEN: Monday, December 19, 2011 from 9am - 4pm

WHY: To benefit the Rocklin High School boys and girls golf teams

December's Season of Celebrations & Sharing - Free Holiday Gift Wrapping Demonstration: December 17, 2011 (Roseville, CA)

WHO: Everyone is invited to attend!

WHAT: Free Holiday Gift Wrapping Demonstration

WHERE: Utility Exploration Center, 1501 Pleasant Grove Boulevard, Roseville, CA 95678

WHEN: Saturday, December 17, 2011 from 10am - 2:30pm

WHY: To learn about unique recycled paper alternatives for gift wrapping, as well as an introduction to "Furoshiki" (a Japanese-inspired wrapping technique using cloth)

Photo courtesy: katorisi

For more info about this Free Holiday Gift Wrapping Demonstration event, please visit the City of Roseville's website or call them at 916-746-1550.

December's Season of Celebrations & Sharing - Pet Photos With Santa: December 17, 2011 (Rocklin, CA)

WHO: Your pet(s)

WHAT: 4" x 6" keepsake photo with Santa for $8.95

WHERE: Petco, 6672 Lonetree Boulevard, Rocklin, CA 95765

WHEN: Saturday, December 17, 2011 from 12pm - 4pm

WHY: To benefit a local animal welfare partner while your pet shares the Christmas spirit

December's Season of Celebrations & Sharing - Green Acres Nursery Christmas Tree Drive For Military Families

Green Acres Nursery at 901 Galleria Boulevard, Roseville, CA 95678 is hosting a Christmas Tree Drive to benefit military families. Your $25 donation provides a military family with one Christmas Tree (up to 8 feet) and two 4" poinsettias. You can also write a special note to either a troop or their family and Green Acres Nursery will see that it gets delivered.

Will you help? Join Green Acres Nursery in Roseville, CA supporting local military families with deployed members this holiday season by sponsoring a Christmas tree for a military family!

Green Acres Nursery - 901 Galleria Boulevard, Roseville, CA 95678 - (916) 782-2273

December's Season of Celebrations & Sharing - The Nutcracker Ballet: December 4, 2011 LAST DAY (Auburn, CA)

WHO: Placer Theatre Ballet, a publicly funded 501(c)3 organization

WHAT: The Nutcracker

WHERE: Placer High School Theatre, Agard Street & High Street, Auburn, CA 95603

WHEN: Saturday, December 4, 2011 at 12pm & 4pm

TICKETS: Visit PlacerTheatreBallet.org or call 916-630-7820

Roasted Butternut Squash Bisque - Thanksgiving Week Recipe

As a foodie who loves autumn, Thanksgiving is my favorite time of the year. Here is a simple recipe that will be our first course for this year's Thanksgiving Dinner:

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH BISQUE

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. butter (unsalted)
1 tbsp. canola or vegetable oil
1 small onion (chopped)
4-5 carrots (diced)
1 large butternut squash
3 cups vegetable stock
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 heavy cream 

1. Cut the butternut squash in half (lengthwise) and remove seeds. Roast in the oven at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.
2. Melt the butter in a large pot. Stir in oil then add carrots and onions and cook until tender.
3. Scoop out roasted butternut squash with a large spoon and add to the pot. Mix well, then add vegetable stock, salt pepper and nutmeg. Stir and bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes to blend flavors.
4. Blend soup using an immersion blender (or a regular blender if unavailable) and stir in the heavy cream. Heat on medium-low and like with any cream soup, be careful to not bring to a boil.

Granite Bay, CA 95746 - Faith's Crepes in the Quarry Ponds Shopping Center

Faith's Crepes is a fabulous place to come to for breakfast, lunch or even an afternoon snack. It's located next to Artisan Meat & Fish in the Quarry Ponds Shopping Center at 5550 Douglas Boulevard, Granite Bay, CA 95746, across the street from Bushnell Gardens Nursery. Faith's Crepes is open 7 days a week from 8am to 4pm and they can be reached at 916-772-5888. You can also visit them online at faithscrepes.com.

Bob and I ate there for the first time a couple of weeks ago and here are a few helpful pointers to get you started when you come in the front door:

You'll see Faith making crepes on the left and Danny at the cash register on the right.
Order your crepes and beverages from the menu behind the cash register, then pay before you seat yourself.

Bottled tap water is free, just grab one of the unmarked glass bottles from the beverage cooler and a plastic cup.
Coffee is self-serve and you can take any drinks you ordered directly from the cooler. Check out their cheeses!

Faith will call your name when she's done making your crepes and place them at the pick-up counter.
Be sure to take a plastic fork and knife back with you to your table, as well as any condiments you desire.

Loomis Union School District Calendar (2011-2012)

Loomis Union School District - 3290 Humphrey Road, Loomis, CA 95650, 916-652-1800

Here is the LUSD calendar for the school year 2011-2012:

• August 18, 2011 - First Day of School
• November 4, 2011 - End of 1st Trimester
• February 17, 2012 - End of 2nd Trimester
• June 7, 2012 - Last Day of School

Holidays:

• September 5, 2011 - Labor Day
• November 11, 2011 - Veterans Day
• November 24-25, 2011 - Thanksgiving
• December 23, 2011 - Christmas Eve
• December 26, 2011 - Christmas Day
• January 2, 2012 - Admission Day
• January 16, 2012 - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• February 20-21, 2012 - President's Days
• May 28, 2012 - Memorial Day

Student recesses:

• November 21-25, 2011
• December 22, 2011 - January 6, 2012
• February 21-25, 2012
• April 2-6, 2012

The schools in the Loomis Union School District are:

1. Franklin Elementary School (K-8) - 7050 Franklin School Road, Loomis, CA 95650, 916-652-1818 (Principal: Cindy Uptain)
2. H. Clarke Powers Elementary School (K-8) - 3296 Humphrey Road, Loomis, CA 95650, 916-652-2635 (Principal: Glenn Lockwood)
3. Loomis Basin Charter School (K-7) - 5438 Laird Road, Loomis, CA 95650, 916-652-2642 (Director: Mrs. Sloane)
4. Loomis Grammar School (K-8) - 3505 Taylor Road, Loomis, CA 95650, 916-652-1824 (Principal: Rick Judd)
5. Ophir Elementary School (K-8) - 1373 Lozanos Road, Newcastle, CA 95658, 530-885-3495 (Principal: Mary Zaun)
6. Penryn Elementary School (K-8) - 6885 English Colony Way, Penryn, CA 95663, 916-663-3993 (Principal: Andrew Withers)
7. Placer Elementary School (K-8) - 8650 Horseshoe Bar Road, Loomis, CA 95650, 916-652-1830 (Principal: Carolyn Cowles)