Best Holiday Recipes: Share Them on South Brunswick Patch

Whether you only venture into the kitchen to turn on the microwave or you’re a gourmet at heart, chances are you have a favorite holiday recipe. We want to hear about it!

If there’s one thing about the holidays that almost everyone can agree upon loving, it’s the food! Decadent desserts, scrumptious roasts, to-die-for sides, homemade breads–you get the idea. The spreads that start popping up in homes and offices this time of year make the holidays memorable for many. The holiday season is upong us and we want to make it easy for South Brunswick Patch readers to plan out their menus. That’s why we’re inviting you to share your favorite recipes right on the site. It doesn’t matter if you have an elaborate turkey dish to share or your favorite is a simple cookie recipe that gets your family in the holiday spirit each year: We want to hear from you! Just share your favorite recipes–and photos if you have them–…

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Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Fire Safety During the Holidays

Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski is the chair of the New Jersey Fire Safety Commission.

The holiday season should be a time of joy. But each year, fires caused by Christmas trees and holiday decorations bring tragedy to families all across the country. Research by the US Fire Administration shows a significant rise in fires and the danger of fires during the holiday season. In recent years, the U.S. has averaged more than 200 fires each year that began with a Christmas tree or holiday lighting, many resulting in death or injuries. But there are simple steps that families can take to substantially reduce the risk of a fire over the holidays. The Christmas tree is a symbol of the holiday season for many, but if not properly selected and handled, it is a major fire hazard. Those who use an artificial tree should ensure that the …

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Holiday Cookie Recipes

Need a quick holiday cookie recipe? Make one of these for your parties this season.

One of the most important holiday questions to ask yourself is: What kind of cookies will you be baking for your get-togethers this season? From sweet to savory, holiday cookies come in all shapes and sizes. And what’s better than to top off a tray of cookies than a glass of homemade eggnog? You can also check out myrecipes.com to learn how to host a successful cookie swap and view more holiday cookie recipes.  Eggnog In a saucepan over low heat combine milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, cinnamon stick and clove. Bring to a slow boil (this will take between 5-7 mins). Once the milk mixture starts to boil remove from heat and leave cinnamon stick in for a couple of minutes, then remove. Put egg yolks and sugar into a bowl. Using a hand held …

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Three Tips to Photograph South Brunswick Holiday Lights

Capturing holiday lights on your camera can be a challenge. Get some tips. Photograph your lights. You could win $100,000.

We put up holiday lights to see how pretty they look when it gets dark. You want to capture those lights on your camera, but getting those lights to look right in your pictures can be more of a challenge than you bargained for. Professional photographers have lot of experience and cameras with all sorts of settings that most of us wouldn’t know what to do with.  Here are three tips for the amateur photographers out there.   Use these tips to take a picture of your home decorated with holiday lights. Post the picture to South Brunswick Patch’s Deck the Halls contest page and you could win $100,000 for your school district. Want to get more technical than that? Here are some other resources for taking holiday photographs.

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Santa Comes to South Brunswick This Weekend

Children can meet Santa at the Monmouth Junction Volunteer Fire Department and VFW Post 9111 Saturday and Sunday.

The Monmouth Junction Volunteer Fire Department is sponsoring Meet Santa Day on Saturday Dec. 15. The event will take place at the firehouse at 573 Ridge Road from noon to 3 p.m. Children can meet Santa, get a picture taken with him, enjoy cookies, and see the fire trucks.  The fire department is asking for people attending the event, to bring non perishable food items and toy donations. These donations will allow the fire department to help the Toys for Tots program and the South Brunswick Food Bank. PBA Local 166 and FOP Lodge 51 are sponsoring the annual Meet Santa Day this Sunday Dec. 16. The event will be held at VFW Post 9111 on Henderson Road near Route 27. Children can meet Santa, get a picture with him, and receive a small gift. …

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Photos: Hanukkah in South Brunswick

A host of activities in and around town celebrated the holiday.

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Try These Hanukkah Recipes During the Festival of Lights

Make these brisket, latke, and sufganiyot recipes for Hanukkah.

This year, Hanukkah begins on the evening of Saturday, Dec. 8 and ends on the evening of Sunday, Dec. 16. Observing the Festival of Lights goes hand-in-hand with making special Hanukkah foods. Before you light the menorah, make sure you have all the ingredients for some great brisket, latke, and sufganiyot. Although there are many recipes, below are a few to try during the eight nights. Potato Latkes Ingredients Instructions Once they are ready to eat, try them with some apple sauce mixed with sugar & cinnamon, sour cream or just a sprinkling of salt. Brisket Ingredients Instructions   Sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts) from chabad.org Ingredients Instructions   TELL US: What are your favorite things to eat during Hanukkah? Do you have any …

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Chanukah 2012: What Happened to the Darkness?

By Rabbi Mendy Carlebach of Chabad of North & South Brunswick.

Ever eat a doughnut and wonder where the hole went? This age old questions has plagued carbohydrate-saturated humanity for years. Yet the answer still evades us. A similar question, though less popular, has been asked by great Jewish thinkers of the past: When one lights a candle in a dark room, where does the darkness go?  The answer given is that darkness has no existence of its own. It is a non-entity because it is simply the absence of light. Once a candle is lit, the darkness disappears. It doesn’t go into the closet, or to the next room. It simply disappears. When igniting a small flame in a dark room, the room immediately becomes illuminated with the light of the candle. The larger the flame, the more illuminated the room becomes. …

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