A Lancaster Christmas... Quick guide for Events, Markets, Shows and Lights

Here we are on the doorsteps of another Lancaster Christmas... and it looks like the Month of December is going to be a magical month filled with charm, whimsy and Holiday enchantment. With so many events, markets,shows and lights to see, a Lancaster Christmas is surely something to enjoy while taking a break from all the holiday shopping, baking and wrapping.

This year at the B&B, we are hosting two events... The Baking Demonstration hosted on December 3-4 and then the Murder Mystery New Years Eve Celebration on December 31.

In between those two events, there are a slew of other things to see and do. Here are just a few things to see and do while visiting Lancaster County during Christmas.

1. December 3... First Friday in Downtown Lancaster
2. December 4... Christmas On Main in Downtown New Holland
3. December 10... American Music Theater Christmas Program
4. December 11... Schaefferstown Christkindlemarkt/Christmas Market

5. December 13... Christmas at the Cloister 6. December 14... St. Albans South African Boys Choir 7. December 17... Music Friday in Lancaster/Holidays at Landis Valley 8. December 18... Santa's Paradise Express Strasburg Railroad 9. December 20... Holiday Spectacular at Longwood Gardens 10. December 21... Sight & Sound the Miracle of Christmas 11. December 23...Dickens of a Christmas at Mt. Hope Estate 12. December31... 3...2...1... Lancaster New Years Eve Celebration.

And besides all of that, there are also events going on in Lititz and Intercourse. Not to mention a visit to Koziars Christmas Village, The National Christmas Center and Murdough's Christmas Barn, all par for the course while visiting our neck of the woods. So be sure to enjoy an Old Fashioned Christmas... there is so much to see and do in Lancaster County during the Holidays. Bring family and friends along with you and take a brake from all the hustle and bustle.

How to cook your Lancaster County Turkey... part 1

When in Lancaster County and finding the perfect turkey, the choices are many. Not only do you have your Butterball, Jennie-o and other commercial brands,  you also have the ultra fresh turkey coming from the Amish farm. So is this turkey... picked fresh this morning. Not so tough to cook.

Season it up with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and toss in some carrots, celery, and onion. Pour in some water and cover with foil.

Cook a twelve pound turkey for about three hours. A fifteen pound turkey for about four hours and a twenty five pound turkey for about five hours. NEVER stuff your turkey... it just has bad written all over it. Instead cook your stuffing separately.  That way while waiting for your turkey to reach a minimum temp of 165 degrees, you could have your stuffing nice and hot while cooked separately.  The other way your turkey would dry out.

Good luck and call me if you have any questions.

Lancaster County Christmas Cookies

Hey Everyone,

Who likes Christmas Cookies... Who Likes Lancaster County Christmas Cookies... Who likes making Christmas Cookies... Who likes thumbing through cookie recipes and sharing them with everyone. Well this is your opportunity to send in your favorite holiday Cookie Recipe.

All you need to do is send us your favorite cookie recipe to the Harvest Moon. We have made it easy to do so by either responding to us via email, or via this blog post or you can go to our Facebook Event Link and post it on the wall there.

Be creative and make it look nice. All the world has the opportunity to see it.

And did I mention that you "automagically" are entered into a chance to win a night at the Harvest Moon Bed and Breakfast? Just for entering your recipe we may win a night here at the Harvest Moon. We are judging the cookies once they are made and then we will let you all know who had the best.

Look for all the rules and regulations on are Facebook event page. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us here at the Harvest Moon Bed and Breakfast.

GOOD LUCK

The Last Days of a Lancaster County Autumn

This fall over all others lately has been especially beautiful in Lancaster County. Our guest at the Harvest Moon Bed and Breakfast enjoyed many warm wonderful days well into November. How was your fall?

The Flower and Craft Warehouse

Gotta Love the Christmas Ornaments

Santa getting ready for a Lancaster County Christmas

So... How are you all doing with getting ready for the Holidays? More specifically your decorating? Have you ever been to The Flower and Craft Warehouse? This is surely a place you will need to go to to find many varieties of crafts and flowers, flower arranging supplies, Christmas decorating, bead making supplies including glass beads, Yankee Candles etc. etc. etc. The list is non stop for

Going there the other day turned out to be quite the shopping experience. With Thanksgiving just around the corner and Christmas not far on it's heals, the place is filled to the rim with great decorative fancies for just about every person. Whether country, colonial, whimsical or modern, this place has got it going on. 
          The Harvest Moon Bed & Breakfast is but eight minutes away from the Flower and Craft Warehouse in Blue Ball PA. And why not make a day out of it by going to Shady Maple for dinner... You will for sure get a good chunk of your Christmas List crossed off.   HAPPY SHOPPING!!!

All your printing needs!

Could the Flower and Craft Warehouse get a larger?

This says it all!

A Quilt Auction in Lancaster County?

Who likes QUILTS? Maybe a crazy question to be asking here in Lancaster County. Well, for all those that are either interested in looking for a new quilt, a starter or just for scrapes and materials to build your own, the Liberty Fire Hall here in New Holland near the Harvest Moon, will host a quilt Auction this coming Tuesday November 16.

The Auction here in New Holland is the perfect way to mix and mingle with the Locals as they view and bid on the quilts for their needs.

To find out more on this great Lancaster County Past Time, view The Hometown Quilts Website to get all the info.

Happy Quilting! or Happy Auctioning!

Lancaster County Candy

Candy Brittle used as a garnish

 Recipe for the Holidays... For a great candy or Garnish for dessert, try making a Candy "Brittle" It's a lot of fun and the Holiday colors are awesome... save this one for the Holidays...the folks at the Harvest Moon Bed and Breakfast think it's a keeper for their Lancaster County Holidays.


 Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1 cup chopped hard candy (candy canes, ribbon candy etc.)

Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Set aside. In a heavy 2 quart saucepan, over medium heat, bring to a boil sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Set candy thermometer in place, and continue cooking. Stir frequently until temperature reaches 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), or until a small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water separates into hard and brittle threads. Remove from heat; ; pour at once onto cookie sheet and immediately add crushed candy  Carefully with two knives or forks lift and pull candy mixture into rectangle; cool. Snap candy into pieces.Garnish your Holiday cake or dessert or just place in bowl as a unique holiday candy!

Lancaster County Amish Recipe

Recipe for Poached Pears... This is a favorite of our guest here at the Harvest Moon.

5 Pears
2 Cinnamon Sticks
10 Cloves
10 pieces of All spice
Enough water to just cover the pears
Two cups of sugar

Slice a small piece off of the bottom of the pear to give it an even surface. Score your pear three times down the length of the pear. Place all ingredients in pot on stove. Begin to boil. Boil till pears are soft, remove from liquid and reduce liquid till syrupy. ( Be careful for the syrup can burn if not being watched ) Remove from stove when just like morning syrup and drizzle over pears. During the holidays, add red wine to the mix and decrease the water. To really kick it up a notch, serve with a warm vanilla sauce!

Cranberry Fennel Sausage

Here's a great morning treat that keeps our guest at the Harvest Moon coming back for more. This is a recipe that I like to use during the holidays here in Lancaster County.... Although simple, this one will surely be the star at your Christmas Morning Table.

Accompany this warm winter offering with a stack of Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes topped with Chocolate Ganche and you will find this to steal the spotlight for best meal of the day.

Cranberry Fennel Sausage

1 lb of ground chicken or pork
1/4 cup of dried cranberries, rough chopped
1 tsp of salt ( more if desired )
1 tsp of fennel seed
1/2 tsp of pepper
1 tsp of granulated garlic
1/2 tsp of poultry seasoning

1. Combine Ingredients
2. Take small amount, place in skillet with drop of cooking oil and fry.
3. Taste and adjust seasoning
4. Form Patties
5. Bake in oven or fry in pan till done
6. Serve Hot