After snowboarding in the cold for eight hours, the perfect meal to me is a bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. I had a really great one on my trip. It was the perfect combination of creaminess and cheesiness. If you know of a place in the Dayton area where I can get my favorite meal, email me here.
Also, a special thanks to those that sent me ideas for what I could bring to my work’s holiday party. I’m holding on to them. I was a little nervous to try something new, so I went with a No-Bake Peanut Butter Eclair Cake that I’ve made several times. It did not win the Best Dessert contest, but in my defense they ended up drawing names out of an envelope.
Here’s the recipe below:
- 1 box of chocolate (or regular) graham crackers
- 2 (3¼ ounce) boxes of vanilla instant pudding
- 1 cup of peanut butter
- 3½ cups of milk
- 1 (8 ounce) container of Cool Whip, thawed
- 1 can of chocolate frosting
Spray the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with graham crackers. In a bowl, mix pudding, milk and peanut butter on medium speed for two minutes. Fold in Cool Whip. Pour half the mixture over the graham crackers. Add another layer of graham crackers. Pour remaining mixture on top. Add another layer of graham crackers. Heat container of frosting in the microwave uncovered and then pour on top of cake. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
Bakery owners share memories, favorite holiday cookie recipes
Ahead of the holiday season, I asked several bakery owners to share their favorite memories of baking around the holidays and a cookie recipe that you could easily make at home.
Paige Woodie, the owner of Val’s Home Bakery in Kettering, told me that growing up her family didn’t do much baking during the holidays. What made her holidays special was when her “Nana Val” mailed them shortbread cookies.
She said the shortbread cookie recipe has been passed down for generations from her Scottish ancestors.
Val’s Home Bakery offers her family’s classic shortbread cookies, but Woodie said she also puts her own twist on the recipe by having a chocolate peppermint shortbread sandwich.
Jennifer Evans, owner of Evans Bakery, said she grew up baking during the holidays strictly at the family’s bakery. She and her two siblings would help with all of the holiday preparations, she said.
A special holiday treat that the bakery is known for is their wide selection of ethnic cookies, Evans said. This includes Hungarian butter cookies and German Springerle.
When Evans resurrected the bakery in 2012 with her partner, Matt Tepper, they decided to bake those types of cookies all year long.
Evans’ mother, Rosemary, said her favorite memories during the holiday season are the customers that come in year after year ordering the same treats.
I also talked with Donyale Hill, owner of D. Sweets, Cookies & Gifts in Springfield and Luke Heizer, owner of Luke’s Custom Cakes in Hamilton. Read more by clicking on their names.
Golden Corral is coming back to Beavercreek
The Golden Corral Buffet & Grill, located at 2490 Commons Boulevard, is reopening after closing its doors over two years ago.
The signs state the restaurant will “open soon” and they are “now hiring cooks, servers, bakers and cashiers.”
The restaurant closed in mid-November 2020, about four months after it had reopened for business following a statewide shutdown of dine-in service due to the coronavirus pandemic.
A video on the restaurant’s Facebook page said they do not have an opening date yet but hope to reopen before Christmas.
I have reached out to Golden Corral for more information on the Beavercreek location.
Sugarcreek Brewing Company to open in April 2023
The city of Bellbrook is expected to have its first privately-owned brewery in April 2023 in the heart of downtown.
Miami University graduates Jeff Bean and his wife, Julie, are excited to add something new to their community. Bean, a Cincinnati native, told me Julie was born and raised in Bellbrook. After graduation, they moved back to her hometown to live and raise a family.
Sugarcreek Brewing Company will be located at 26 E. Franklin Street in the historical Sugarcreek Township House. Bean said the building most recently housed Little Miami Handworks, but in the late 1800s commenced the first ever graduating class of Bellbrook High School. Over the years, the space housed musical events and city council meetings and was also a polling place.
The 4,400-square-foot space will feature a tap room with 10 taps and seating for 75 to 100 guests, Bean said. They will also have outdoor seating and food trucks on site. Read more about the brewery here.
Quick Bites:
🍤 A new sports bar with seafood could be coming soon to Huber Heights: According to the Ohio Division of Liquor Control, MNIR Ventures LLC DBA Sands Seafood & Sports Bar applied for permits on Nov. 25 for 6250-6254 Chambersburg Road.
🍕 Cassano’s Pizza relocates in Xenia: The pizza restaurant has moved into the space that previously housed Rapid Fired Pizza on Progress Drive. Read more about what the new space has to offer here.
🥩 Simply Savory by Rachel featured in Meta’s holiday gift guide: Customers can use a code in the gift guide to receive a percentage off their order. Read more about how the business started here.
🍸 Dayton’s favorite bars: If you have friends or family members coming to visit during the holidays, here is a list of 16 bars in the area that have been winners or finalists in our Best of Dayton contests in recent years.
🍩 Saying goodbye to Evans Bakery: The bakery’s last day for customers to buy a selection of treats from their showcase, including doughnuts, will be Saturday, Dec. 17.
Tell Us:
Thank you so much for reading my weekly newsletter! As the new year is right around the corner, I want to hear from you. Is there a new restaurant opening or are you wondering when an establishment is expected to open? Feel free to email me here and I’ll check it out.
Also, remember to follow Dayton Daily News on Facebook or search our Food & Dining section for the latest stories. I’ll have continuous updates on my Facebook or Twitter pages.
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