2021 July 4th Local Fireworks

Where to find firework displays around Bergen and Rockland Counties this Fourth of July weekend!

Allendale

Sunday, July 4th, 9 p.m. @ Crestwood Lake (for Allendale residents & their guests only)

Clarkstown

Thursday, July 1 (rain date July 2), 7:15 p.m. starting time for demonstrations and orchestra concert, with fireworks to follow.

Nyack

Sunday, July 4, 9 p.m. @ Memorial Park

Paramus

Just Jersey Fest: Sunday, July 4th, 2 to 8:30 p.m. with fireworks at the end of the day @ Cliff Gennarelli Sports Complex

Ramsey

Friday, July 2 @ Finch Park (go to website hyperlinked above for more details as they become available)

Ridgefield Park

Monday, July 5, 9:30 p.m. @ Veterans Field

Your Favorite Fourth of July Dessert Recipes

Are you ready for fireworks, picnics, and pool parties?! However you choose to spend Independence Day, we think these dessert recipes will make your celebration all the more special.

Red, White, & Blue Cookies

Photo by A Baker’s House

“I have made these for Fourth of July picnics in the past, and they’ve been a huge hit! The chewy dried berries and sweet white chocolate chips are a great combination.”

-Submitted by Alena Woods

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Photo by Spend with Pennies

“An old-school but delicious jello salad that would be a good dessert choice. Sprinkle in some blueberries to make it red, white, and blue!”

-Submitted by Carolyn Greenberg

Strawberry Rhubarb Custard

Photo by Alena Woods

“A fun twist on the classic strawberry rhubarb pie!”

-Submitted by Elaine Jones

Sugar Cookie Bars

“At my picnics, I like to make desserts that are grab & go, no mess…and decorated for the occasion!”

Photo by Sharon Scheibenpflug

Ingredients:

For the bars

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg white
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the vanilla frosting

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons half & half
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• food coloring & sprinkles (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9×13-inch pan and set it aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt, then set aside.
3. In a stand mixer or with beaters, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy (about three minutes). Combine egg, egg white, sour cream, and vanilla into the mixture, and mix together until fully combined. Slowly add in dry ingredients until fully combined.
4. Gently press the dough into the bottom of your 9×13 pan. Bake for 17-20 minutes until the edges are lightly golden and a toothpick entered into the center comes out clean.
5. Let completely cool and then frost.
6. To make the frosting, whip together the butter, powdered sugar, and half & half until fluffy. Add vanilla. Add food coloring if using. Spread on top of the cooled bars. Add sprinkles.

*Click the hyperlinked title to head over to baker Sharon’s “Sweet Delights” Facebook Business page.*

-Submitted by Sharon Scheibenpflug

Celebrating Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is this Sunday! How will you be celebrating the special women in your life? We’ve got some ideas for you below!

Brunch Spots Open for Outdoor Dining

14 & Hudson

457 Piermont Ave., Piermont, NY, 10968; 845.680.0014

Art Cafe

65 S. Broadway, Nyack, NY, 10960; 845.353.4230

Giovanna’s Cafe

19 E. Main St., Ramsey, NJ, 07446; 201.825.5835

White Maple

47 E. Ridgewood Ave., Ridgewood, NJ, 07450; 201.447.1953

Willow & Whisk

319 Franklin Ave., Wyckoff, NJ, 07481; 201.425.9931

Local Florists

Allendale Flowers

72 W. Allendale Ave., Allendale, NJ, 07401; 201.962.7272

Flor Bella Designs

310 Ridge Rd., Mahwah, NJ, 07430; 201.529.5455

Petals & Stems Florist

55 Lafayette Ave., Suffern, NY, 10901; 845.426.0200

Stunning Arrangements

270 Franklin Tpke., Ramsey, NJ, 07446; 201.486.0978

Tappan Zee Florist

176 Main St., Nyack, NY, 10960; 845.358.2544

Jewelry Stores

Arthur Groom & Co.

262 E. Ridgewood Ave., #3816, Ridgewood, NJ, ; 201.670.0300

Danson Jewelers

33 W. Allendale Ave., Allendale, NJ, 07401; 201.962.3207

Devon Fine Jewelry

303 Franklin Ave., Wyckoff, NJ, 07481; 201.848.8489

Mamari Jewelers

35 S. Middletown Rd., Nanuet, NY, 10954; 845.624.3159

Michel Jewelers

39 E. Central Ave., Suite 4, Pearl River, NY, 10965; 845.735.3003

Earth Day: Local Community Cleanups

Earth Day is almost here! Want to do your part in keeping our beloved Bergen and Rockland communities clean? Check out the clean-up events detailed below!

Ramsey Town-Wide Cleanup

The town of Ramsey is hosting a town-wide cleanup event on Saturday, April 24th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Rain date is Sunday, April 25th.) Participants are asked to meet at the Ramsey Rescue Garage on Prospect Street. Gloves and bags will be provided. Click the link above to learn more.

River Edge

The River Edge Environmental Protection Commission is partnerning with Hackensack Riverkeeper for a clean-up event on Saturday, May 15 from 11:10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Kenneth B. George Park. Masks are required. All other necessary equipment will be provided by the Commission, as listed on the linked website.

Rockland County

The 2021 Great American Cleanup is taking place throughout Rockland County from April 10th to May 16th. Follow the hyperlink above for a list of local cleanups, upcoming events, and fun ways to keep our community clean and green.

Slam Dunk the Junk

The city of Hackensack is hosting its annual “Slam Dunk the Junk” weekend-long event on Saturday, April 24 and Sunday, April 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 102 State Street. Click above for more.

Woodcliff Lake Reservoir Cleanup

Hackensack Riverkeeper is partnering with SUEZ Water to clean up the river along Woodcliff Lake on Saturday, May 1 from 10 a.m to 1 p.m. List of items needed to participate (including masks) are up on the website linked above.

Celebrate Easter!

There is plenty of Easter fun to be had in Bergen County! We’ve put together a round-up of local festive events happening soon. Be sure to click on the hyperlinks below to learn more.

Easter Celebration

Downtown Ridgewood: Bunny Hop Easter Celebration, Saturday, April 3, 12 to 2 p.m.

Easter Egg Hunts

Fardale Trinity Church: Saturday, April 3, 10 a.m. @ Fardale Trinity Church in Mahwah

Easter Bunny Photos

Garden State Plaza: until Saturday, April 3, get your photo taken with the Easter Bunny @ Garden State Plaza Mall in Paramus

St. Patrick’s Day Recipes

You don’t have to be Irish to enjoy these delicious St. Paddy’s Day dishes, submitted by with love (and a dash of luck) our local followers!

Mort Lenihan’s St. Patrick’s Day Sauce

Ingredients:

• Heavy cream
• Sugar
• Horseradish
• Brown mustard

Instructions:

1. Combine equal parts of each ingredient, and mix well to combine.
2. Serve with corned beef or use as a spread on sandwiches.

-Submitted by Sarah Lenihan

Pistachio Macarons

Ingredients:

For the pistachio shells

• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup pistachio flour* (1 cup of pistachio nuts pulsed to a fine powder in a food processor, then sifted)
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• a few drops of green food coloring
• piping bag with tip or Ziploc bag with small cut at bag’s edge after mixture is transferred

For the pistachio cream cheese filling

• 2 ounces of cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup pistachio flour* (see note above)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For decoration (optional)

• 1/4 cup finely chopped pistachios
• 2 oz. white chocolate, melted

Instructions:

To make the macaron shells

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon mats. It’s a good idea to lay a bake-safe “guide” sheet with 1.5 inch circles underneath the parchment paper, to pipe out evenly sized macarons.
2. Sift the powdered sugar, almond flour, and pistachio flour together and set aside.
3. Place egg whites and granulated sugar in a heat-proof bowl or in a double broiler. Over a pan of simmering water, whisk whites and sugar together until frothy and until the sugar is completely dissolved. This could take a few minutes. Be sure to carefully test the mixture with your fingers to feel for sugar granules until they melt. (Make sure that the bowl is not touching the simmering water. Whisky constantly to avoid scrambled eggs!)
4. Transfer mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer and with the whisk attachment, whisk mixture on high for a few minutes until you form stiff peaks. Don’t overbeat mixture and deflate the peaks.
5. Add the powdered sugar-flours mixture to the mixing bowl a bit at a time and gently fold it in with a spatula. Mix until combined. When combined, add in the food coloring drops.
6. Macaron batter can be finicky, so mix until it looks glossy and doesn’t spread out when spooned onto a baking sheet. If it holds its own shape and doesn’t spread then it’s time to transfer the mixture to your piping bag/Ziploc bag.
7. Pipe out your macaron circles onto your lined baking sheets. You’ll need to let the shells air out and dry for about 20-40 minutes until you can touch the tops and your finger comes away clean. Pre-heat the oven during the last 10-15 minutes of this process.
8. Bake one tray at a time. Four minutes and then flip the tray. Bake for another four minutes. Repeat this process for 16-20 minutes total or until the shells look done. Do the same for the other tray.
9. Let the shells completely cool while you make the cream cheese filling.

For the filling and assembly

1. Cream butter and cream cheese together at medium speed for about a minute or until fluffy.
2. Turn the mixer off and add the sifted powdered sugar, and then mix on low to combine. Add pistachio flour and vanilla and keep mixing until creamy and combined.
3. Put filling in another piping/Ziploc bag. Assemble shells by piping about a teaspoon of filling on one bottom shell and put other shell on top to form a sandwich.
4. If so desired, drizzle melted white chocolate on top and sprinkle with ground pistachios. You can also roll the edges of the macarons with pistachios if you let the filling peak out the sides.
5. Serve and impress your family!

–Submitted by Alena Woods

Corned Beef a la Bobby Flay

Photo by Chrystal Connell

Local resident Chrystal swears by Bobby Flay’s corned beef recipe and says the “clincher” is the mustard-horseradish drizzle at the end. About thirty minutes before the beef is done, she adds cabbage in with the corned beef to let it roast, and then serves it all with roasted baby red potatoes (lots of butter, salt & pepper, and parsley, of course).

-Submitted by Chrystal Connell

Hyduchak Family’s Corned Beef

Ingredients:

• Corned beef
• 1 whole onion
• 5 whole cloves
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 1/4 cup pickling spices
• 1 clove of garlic
• Red potatoes, carrots, and cabbage (at your discretion)

Instructions:

1. Cover corned beef with with water and add above ingredients. Simmer on stovetop for two hours.
2. Remove mixture from stovetop and bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
3. Before baking begins, strain the liquid that the corned beef was simmered in (liquid should be clear and garlic/cloves/onion can be discarded) and use it to cook your red potatoes, carrots, and cabbage on the stovetop until done.

–Submitted by Paul Hyduchak

Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients:

Dry Ingredients

• 4 cups flour (extra on-hand for working the dough)
• 5 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup sugar

Wet Ingredients/Add-Ins

• 1 stick soft butter/margarine
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 3/4 box seedless raisins
• 2 cups buttermilk

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place all dry ingredients together in a bowl and mix by hand.
3. Add stick of soft margarine, caraway seeds, and raisins, and mix well.
4. Pour in the two cups of buttermilk and mix in with a wooden spoon until entire mixture becomes dough-like.
5. Put a handful of flour on counter and place the dough on top.
6. Roll and toss on more flour until you can form a firm loaf.
7. Place in loaf tins (7 1/8″ x 3 7/8″ x 2 1/2″) and bake for 1 hour.

-Submitted by Cathy Donovan

Vegan Irish Soda Bread

Ramsey resident Paulina Keating has the perfect Irish Soda Bread recipe for those who follow a vegan diet.

Leprechaun Crudité

Photo by Susan Bennett

How cute is this adorable (and edible) St. Paddy’s spread?! Use your favorite veggies to create your own festive leprechaun. Slice carrots work great for the beard, and raw broccoli and celery make the perfect top hat. Local resident Susan Bennett says she got the inspiration to make this dish from a friend’s Facebook post.

-Submitted by Susan Bennett

Your Favorite St. Patrick’s Day Recipes

CTH Family, we are enlisting your help! Do you have a tried-and-true St. Patrick’s Day dish you make every year? Maybe a soda bread recipe that’s been passed down from generation to generation, or a themed dessert your family enjoys. We’d love to feature it in our next blog post. Simply fill out the form below with your name, email, and the recipe in the “message” section to be included!

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Valentine’s Day at Home

Who else is excited for February 14th?! Safely celebrate Valentine’s Day safely at home with some of our Commuter Town tips!

1. Order from a local restaurant’s special “Valentine’s Day” menu.

Brunch packages at Giovanna’s Cafe, Ramsey, NJ

Dinner menu at Felina, Ridgewood, NJ

Family-style meal for pickup at Cafe 37, Ridgewood

2. Pick up some chocolates from a local candy shop.

Chocolate Etc., Wyckoff, NJ

Chocolates with Love, Ramsey, NJ

Chocolatier Matisse, Orangeburg, NY

Conrad’s Confectionary, Westwood, NJ

3. Rent a movie the whole family will love!

Thank goodness for Netflix! Your local library also has plenty of DVDs to choose from (with social distanced pickup), and many offer online catalogs full of both classic movies and new releases.

4. “E-Order” a gorgeous bouquet from a local florist!

Allendale Flowers, Allendale, NJ

Basset Flowers and Gifts, New City, NY

Ramsey Florist, Ramsey, NJ

Schweizer & Dykstra Beautiful Flowers, Pearl River, NY

5. Exchange homemade gifts.

Mixed tapes are making a comeback, right? Get creative with what you have available at home, or order supplies online for a fun and thoughtful present.

Restaurants Open for Heated Outdoor Dining

Missing the days of being able to dine outdoors? Well, it’s officially back at certain Rockland and Bergen locations! Check out our list of restaurants open for heated outdoor dining below.

101 Pub

101 Queen Anne Rd., Bogota, NJ, 07603, 201.343.9802, facebook.com/101pub

AquaTerra Grille

420 N. Middletown Rd., Pearl River, NY, 10965, 845.920.1340, aquaterragrille.com

Biagio’s Ristorante

299 Paramus Rd., Paramus, NJ, 07652, 201.652.0201, biagios.com

Blue Moon Mexican Cafe

327 Franklin Ave., Wyckoff, NJ, 07481, 201.891.1331, bluemoonmexicancafe.com

Da Nina’s Italian Restaurant

1 Lafayette Ave., Suffern, NY, 10901, 845.357.5988, daninas.com

Hearth & Tap Co.

125 N. Kinderkamack Rd., Montvale, NJ, 07645, 201.307.6300, hearthandtap.com

Ho-Ho-Kus Inn & Tavern

1 E. Franklin Tpke., Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ, 07423, 201.445.4115, hohokusinn.com

Mahwah Bar & Grill

2 Island Rd., Mahwah, NJ, 07430, 201.529.8056, mahwahbarandgrill.com

Norcina

186 N. Main St., New City, NY, 10956, 845.638.8030, norcinanewcity.com

Park West Tavern

30 Oak St., Ridgewood, NJ, 07450, 201.445.5400, parkwesttavern.com

The Place*

191 Main St., New City, NY, 845.499.2470, theplacenewcity.com

Saddle River Inn

2 Barnstable Ct., Saddle River, NJ, 07458, 201.825.4016, saddleriverinn.com

Sofia

36 Engle St., Englewood, NJ, 07631, 201.541.8530, sofiaenglewood.com

Valley Rock Inn

27 Mill St., Sloatsburg, NY, 10974, 845.618.9123, valleyrockinn.com

*offering igloo dining

Making the Most of NYE at Home

New Year’s Eve is going to look a little different this year, but there are plenty of ways to celebrate at home in style! We’ve got some ideas on how to make this NYE extra special.

1. Order in from a local restaurant.

Support your local businesses and treat yourself to a nice dinner by ordering takeout for the family. Nearby restaurants still need our patronage now more than ever, and many offer special menus and entrees for the holiday.

2. Plan a family game night.

Charades, Trouble, Scrabble…the options are endless! Take turns playing games suggested by each family member; it’s a great way to keep yourselves busy until the countdown to midnight begins, and bond as a family.

3. Pop some bubbly!

Cheers to the New Year…with champagne for the adults, and a bottle of sparkling cider for the kids. Whether your tastes learn more towards Dom Perignon or Welch’s (hey, we don’t judge!), clinking your glasses of bubbly at midnight is a fun way to ring in 2021.

4. Get all dolled up.

Look good, feel good! Why not dress to the nines, even just to party in your living room? Don your favorite sparkly dress, swipe on some mascara, and head into 2021 looking and feeling your best. By the way…throwing on your one pair of leggings that aren’t stained still counts as dressing up!

5. Start a new tradition.

It could be something you decide to do throughout the year, to challenge yourself and widen your horizons. Here’s a fun idea: start a “Music Jar.” Take an empty mason jar and fill it with folded up sheets of paper with names of musicians written inside. Each week, pull out a new name and listen to some new artists you might not have considered before! And the next year? Try filling your jar with new cuisines types, or book genres.