During the twelve days until Christmas break, the King Street Chronicle will again present staff favorites from the holiday season.  This tenth edition will not include ten lords-a-leaping, but beloved Christmas songs, memories, recipes, movies, and crafts.

Song: “Where are You Christmas” performed by Pentatonix.

Recipe: Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies

Total time: One hour and 45 minutes

Quantity: 18 cookies

Ingredients:

• One and one-half cups all-purpose flour
• One tablespoon all-purpose flour
• One-fourth cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• One teaspoon baking soda
• One-fourth teaspoon of salt
• One-half cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• A Three-fourth cup packed light or dark brown sugar
• One-fourth cup granulated sugar
• One large egg, at room temperature
• One tablespoon milk
• Two teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• One-half teaspoon gel red food coloring (or alternative)
• One cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (plus a few extra for after baking)

Instructions:

1) Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.  Set aside.

2) Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until creamy, about one minute.  Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl as needed.  Beat in the brown sugar and granulated sugar until combined and creamy, about one minute.  Beat in the egg, milk, and vanilla extract, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.  Once mixed, add the food coloring and beat until combined.  Turn the mixer off and pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.  Turn the mixer on low and slowly beat until a very soft dough is formed.  On low speed, beat in the chocolate chips.  The dough will be sticky.

3) Cover and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least two hours (and up to three days).  If chilling for longer than a few hours, allow the dough to sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before rolling and baking because the dough will be quite hard.

4) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.  Set aside.

5) Scoop one and one-half tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball.  Place nine balls onto each baking sheet.  Bake each batch for 13 minutes. The cookies may have only spread slightly, that is okay.  Simply press down on the warm cookies to slightly flatten, which helps form crinkles.  If desired for looks, stick a few chocolate chips into the tops of the warm cookies.

6) Cool cookies on the baking sheet for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Movie: Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey

“An imaginary world comes to life in a holiday tale of an eccentric toymaker, his adventurous granddaughter, and a magical invention that has the power to change their lives forever,” Courtesy of imdb.com.

Craft: Winter Scene

Supplies:

• Round kraft paper box
• One-sixth inch floral styrofoam sheets
• Styrofoam cutter
• Fake snow spray
• Fake snow powder
• Mini train set figurines
• White spray paint
• Craft glue

Steps:

1) Spray paint the inside of the box white and let dry.

2) Trace the round box onto a sheet of styrofoam and cut out using the styrofoam cutter.  Adhere to the inside of the box using craft glue.

3) Cut out two to three smaller curved slope shapes out of the styrofoam sheets and layer inside the box, adhering with craft glue.

4) Spray the inside of the box with fake snow spray and let dry.

5) Stick bottlebrush trees and figurines into the styrofoam, using craft glue if needed.  Sprinkle with fake snow powder.

 

Memory: Mr. Nat Smitobol

“This is a picture of our 2020 Christmas tree early on Christmas morning.  We usually get our tree from the same tree farm each year but we weren’t able to do so last year due to the pandemic.  This particular tree was over ten feet tall, which is bigger than what we usually cut down at the farm, and was cut down from my parent’s yard about a mile down the street from our house.  It symbolized the importance and comfort found in carrying out family traditions during uncertain times.”

Featured Image by Claire Moore ’22