Must-Do Holiday Events in DFW

December 1, 2021 By Autumn Rose Reo 5 Comments

Looking to celebrate the holidays? In the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex we’re lucky to have so many to experience but here’s our shortlist of Must-Do Holiday Events in DFW!

Check back often: This list will update throughout the season.

Ready for the holidays? Don’t worry, they’re already here, so get ready.

And in the DFW metroplex, from Fort Worth to Arlington, Addison to Grapevine (and of course everything in between), there are plenty of great ones to choose from every day of the week for holiday fun this time of year. However, there are a few events that you need to have on your must-do, must-go, must-see list for the holidays in 2021! (And make sure to look as some of these have giveaways too!)

Holiday at the Arboretum

Nov. 10 – Dec. 31, 2021

Dallas / Arboretum

Tickets: Prices range with activities (some activities included with admission.)

Holiday at the Arboretum features the return of the magnificent The 12 Days of Christmas outdoor exhibit, as well as almost 1 million lights throughout the garden at night, trimming the architecture of the historic homes and lighting the canopies overhead—including a 30-foot-tall tree. But that’s just the beginning! You can snag a kiss under the mistletoe, get a glimpse of Santa and a real reindeer, have tea, and much more. There are activities available both morning and nights, throughout the week and the weekends so make sure to check the schedule to get your favorites. Get the details.

GO TO GRAPEVINE: Christmas at the Gaylord

Nov. 19 – Jan. 2, 2022

Grapevine / Gaylord Texan Hotel and Convention Center

Prices: Rates range based on activities (Save with promo code REO)

Without a doubt, if someone is looking for something Christmas, I always send them to Grapevine. There’s so much to do in the Christmas Capital of Texas, especially at the Gaylord Texan. This year’s events may not include ICE!, but it does include a special challenge, Mission: Save Christmas featuring Elf™. Journey through some of your favorite movie scenes as you join Buddy the Elf to help save Christmas. Complete fun-filled challenges alongside Buddy and friends as you visit the candy cane forest, assist with toy preparations at the North Pole, prepare for Santa’s arrival at the iconic department store, and take part in an epic virtual snowball fight in Central Park. But that’s not all – just make a weekend of it and enjoy a stroll down main street and you’ll get in the holiday mood with tons of shops, restaurants and events happening all season. Get the details.

Radiance: A Holiday Lights Spectacular

Nov. 19 – Dec. 26, 2021

Frisco / Weatherford / Decatur

Prices: $30 per car / $50 for VIP (special VIP lane, hot chocolate and magical light glasses for the kids.)

Enjoy the wonder of RADIANCE! A Holiday Light Spectacular, at Frisco, Decatur, or Weatherford, or gather your friends and experience all three. Gather the family and sip a cup of hot chocolate as you marvel at two million lights, animated to the tunes of your favorite holiday classics from the safety and comfort of your car! Get the details.

Enchant Christmas

Nov. 26 – Jan. 2, 2022

Dallas / Fair Park

Prices: $25 for kids / $20-$35 for adults

Get ready to light up your Instagram. Experience thousands of radiant Christmas lights as you immerse yourself in a spectacular Light Maze adventure. Guided by dazzling lights, you’ll search for nine of Santa’s reindeer who have become lost in a giant snowstorm and need your help finding their way out of the mystical Enchant forest. Glide through an illuminated ice skating trail, stroll through the Enchant market for goodies including some great vendors (bring on the tamales and the raclette, enjoy Mrs. Claus storytime and visit with Santa himself in Santa’s Landing. Get the details.

The Trains at Northpark

Nov. 13 – Jan. 2, 2022

The exhibit closes for Christmas and Thanksgiving, also closing early for both Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

Dallas / Northpark Center

Prices: Children under 2 free / Children ages 2-12 $5 / Adults $10 / Seniors over 65 $5

For the past 34 years The Trains at NorthPark have been a holiday tradition for many families (you can spot them through the mall sporting their PJs as they head to the exhibit!) Benefiting Ronald McDonald House of Dallas (RMHD), and presented by Bank of Texas, The Trains at NorthPark features 750 railcars on a 1,600-foot elaborate configuration of tracks and scenes. The largest miniature train track in Texas, the Trains at NorthPark features cityscapes like Dallas, the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge and Fair Park; New York with Times Square and Grand Central Terminal; Washington, D.C. with The White House; and San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. Other highlights include New England’s fall foliage, the Grand Canyon, Garden of the Gods, Mount Rushmore and Route 66. The charming exhibit has been seen by around two million since its original run over 30 years ago. (As you can see here from 2013, we’re big fans!) Get the details.

SNOWDAY Dallas

Nov. 19 – Dec. 24, 2021

Dallas / Galleria Dallas

SNOWDAY Prices: Children under 3 free / Kids ages 4 – 12 $12 / Adults $27

Santaland Prices: Family admission ticket for up to 6 people total starts at $28

Galleria Dallas wins the award in our opinion when it comes to holiday! Maybe it’s the largest indoor Christmas tree in the U.S., maybe it’s the red twinkling lights, maybe it’s the free holiday shows featuring award-winning ice skaters, or maybe it’s the shopping! We do know that it’s definitely one of its newest additions, SNOWDAY! In its third year,  come discover what magic awaits you on the other side of the North Pole where the elves play. Guests board the train to a wonderland of fun with festive photo ops, enchanted rooms, interactive spaces, and nostalgic moments with photo booths integrated throughout the exhibit. This year you can make your trip extra magical with a visit with the big man himself. Catch the next train to Santaland with daily non-stop service to the North Pole! There you will find Santa who already knows every child’s name (yes, really!)

The Elf on the Shelf’s Magical Holiday Journey

Nov. 18 – Jan. 2, 2022

Arlington / Choctaw Stadium (formerly Globe Life Park)

Prices: $10 for kids / $20 for adults

Join Santa’s Elves on a quest to collect the ingredients for Christmas Spirit! Magically shrink down to elf size and embark on a journey through twinkling wonderlands to set Santa and Christmas back on course. Visit with jolly ol’ Saint Nick, snap great pictures with family and friends, sip on hot cocoa, and enjoy yummy treats. Get the details.

The best part is you’ll also get a chance to get you’ll find a German Christmas at the Texas Christkindl Market. Discover holiday cheer, decorations, German treats, and one-of-a-kind finds and gifts from your favorite vendors. Get the details. And make the most of it with a trip to the most Christmasy restaurant in DFW, Campo Verde and Decorator’s Warehouse, the largest Christmas store in Texas! For more fun in Arlington, check out 0ur Arlington holiday bucket list!

Dallas Zoo Lights

Nov. 19 – Jan. 2, 2022

Dallas / Dallas Zoo

Prices: Member $50 per car / Non-Member $65 per car

After the animals head in for the evening, the Dallas Zoo transforms into a winter wonderland with over one million twinkling lights illuminating the Zoo throughout the holiday season. Discover realistic silk-covered lanterns in the shape of your favorite animals, plus even more light displays and festivities for the entire family! Get the details.

Dallas Zoo Lights Activities:

Holiday Light Show
Santa meet-and-greet
Nature ornament-making activity
Nightly musical performances throughout Zoo
North Rainbow Arch
Whimsical African watering hole at Lantern Ridge
Santa’s Sleigh photo op
Elves’ Workshop at the Lacerte Family Children’s Zoo with Animal Encounters every 30 minutes
S’mores, specialty donuts, funnel cakes, and hot chocolate.

(photo credit Dallas Zoo )

Holiday in the Park

Nov. 19 – Jan. 2, 2022

Arlington / Six Flags Over Texas

Ticket Prices vary

If you’re looking for holiday thrills you’ll find them at Holiday in the Park at Six Flags over Texas. Discover a winter wonderland filled with more than 1 million lights holiday attractions including visits with Santa, sing-a-longs, holiday shows and don’t forget the treats (s’mores!) At the Merry Marketplace grab a few holiday gifts filled with holiday treats, shopping, and photo opportunities. Get the details.

Prairie Lights

Nov. 25 – Dec. 31, 2021 Thanksgiving – New Year’s Eve (hours vary)

Grand Prairie / Joe Pool Lake

Prices start at $40 per car

Long one of my favorite of displays in DFW, Prairie Lights in Grand Prairie is well worth the time and money! There is such much even beyond two miles of lit paths and four million lights, it’s a whole night of fun for the kid in all of us. 2021 features the return of Holiday Village, the magical walk-thru forest, carnival rides, photos with Santa, and more. Get the details.

Gift of Lights

Nov. 25 – Jan. 2, 2022

Fort Worth / Texas Motor Speedway

Prices: Tickets start at $30

Head to Texas Motor Speedway for the Gift of Lights. There you will see a fantastic light show, travel to Santa’s Village where you will meet Santa and experience what Christmas is like at the North Pole. First responders and military also get a special gift with a free 5 x 7 photo in Santa’s Village. Get the details.

Vitruvian Lights

Nov. 26 – Jan. 2, 2022

Addison / Vitruvian Park

Free

The most dazzling and spectacular time of the year is here! Vitruvian Park transforms into a magical holiday wonderland during Vitruvian Lights. Walkthrough the park to view the lights, gourmet food trucks, sweet treats, FREE photos with Santa, classic holiday characters, elf balloon artist, and Metrocrest Services Donation Drive plus live music! Get the details.

(Photo credit: Visit Addison Facebook)

Christmas at the Anatole

Nov. 28 – Dec. 24, 2021

Dallas / Hilton Anatole

Rates and prices range based on activities.

When it comes to having some real face-time with Santa and Mrs. Claus, Christmas at the Anatole is the perfect place. The legendary hotel transforms into a winter wonderland complete with festive décor, Santa fun, holiday movies and even live reindeer. But waking up with Breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus might be the icing on the Christmas cookies! Make a weekend of it with a stay at the hotel which includes a holiday movie night or try to snag one of the select opportunities for Breakfast with Santa only. Either way, you’ll make some great memories! Get the details.

Daystar Christmas

Nov. 25 – Jan. 2, 2022

Bedford / Daystar

Free admission

I can’t believe for so many years I didn’t know about this event, but I’m so glad we do now! A beautiful, intimate way to spend the holidays together looking at lights and the life-size nativity scene, Daystar Christmas is even adding a massive drive-thru tunnel stretching 950 ft. with more than 11,000 Lights. There are amazing backdrops for photos, there are visits with Santa and there’s even a coffee shop that you can visit with sweets, cocoa, and more. Get the details.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Nov. 20 – Dec. 23, 2021

Fort Worth / Casa Manana

Prices: Start at $19 (Get 20% OFF with code AUTUMN20)

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer soars off the screen and onto the stage with all of our favorite characters. This musical adaption is filled with holiday hits like “A Holly Jolly Christmas” and “The Most Wonderful Day of the Year”. Pictures with Santa are also available before every show! Get the details.

POGO Pass

Dallas / Fort Worth

Want to save some money on memories this holiday season? Looking for a great stocking stuffer? The POGO Pass is one pass, one price, for one year of fun. Save even more with promo code MAMACHALLENGE Get the details.

Check back often: This list will update throughout the season.

Joy to the Meal: Sausage and Cranberry Stuffing Cups

November 15, 2021 By Autumn Rose Reo 31 Comments

Take your favorite parts of Thanksgiving and give it a little twist for easier portions and better presentation with these delicious Sausage and Cranberry Stuffing Cups.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Hillshire Brands Company. All opinions are entirely my own. #joy2themeal

Growing up having a large extended family had its advantages – especially during the holidays.

Not just because I had four grandmas or double the amount of presents…but because I got to sit down for the holiday meal not just one time, but sometimes up to three or four times a season, per holiday.

Yep, pecan pie is still good after three rounds…

Having this special opportunity wasn’t just about the food of course, but the experience of indulging in several different traditions with those family members and of course, all the unique ways they enjoyed their family dishes.

Everyone had their own twist on a dish, especially dressing…or stuffing. Whatever you call it, each family had a unique take on if it – from a dense casserole hinted with sage, to more of a smooth creamy blend of cornbread, garlic and sausage.

Best of all, they were all good even though each one had its own flavor profile and “secret ingredient.”

Unfortunately those traveling meals from one relatives table to another have changed as I’ve grown up and now have a family of my own…I guess you can say I can finally say I’ve moved to the adult table.

But the smells of onion, sage and sausage stuffing baking early in the oven as a child still exist in my mind, my belly and of course, still in my heart.

So paying homage to those family stuffing recipes and adding my own little legacy, I created my own recipe for Sausage and Cranberry Stuffing Cups.

Since our family table is no longer the size of a football team, a huge dish of stuffing isn’t really necessary. So instead I’ve made the stuffing in a muffin pan for easing serving sizes PLUS this way there’s more golden crust in each bite. Best of all, I’ve paired Jimmy Dean® Sausage with cranberries and apples, for a savory-sweet combination that might make your grandma a little upset when you ask for seconds.

This recipe also seems to be so much easier than the recipe I remember helping at the table to prepare growing up. With a few basic ingredients and the combination of the smoky pork with the sweetness of the apples and the tang of the cranberries is exactly what Thanksgiving tastes like to me – all in one perfectly sized bite.

After a quick trip to Walmart for fresh produce and stop by the refrigerated section for Jimmy Dean Sausage, I was toasting up the bits of bread, English muffins and whatever bread I had been holding on to in the freezer in no time.

It was the smell of the Jimmy Dean Sausage that quickly had my kids running to see what mama was up to and of course, a few minutes later they too were in the kitchen helping me to put together our family stuffing.

In just 30 minutes, the aroma of sausage, apples and garlic filled my nose and took me back instantly to my childhood memories. But more importantly it helped me realize that now being a mom, it’s my turn to continue those traditions with my kids and make a few of our own.

So this year, make your holidays go from good to great!

Sausage & Cranberry Stuffing Cups

Author: Autumn Reo of MamaChallenge.com

Print Recipe

Description

A delicious perfectly portion of stuffing with the savory flavor of sausage and sweet tang of cranberry and apples!

Ingredients

Scale

Cooking Spray
3 cups of bread, cut into ½ inch cubes
¼ cup of EVOO
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup onion, chopped finely
2/3 cup celery, chopped finely
1 pound Jimmy Dean Sausage (you can use Original or Sage)
3 tablespoons garlic, chopped
1 apple, chopped finely
½ cup dried cranberries
¾ teaspoon fresh sage, shopped (you can may omit if you use the Sage Sausage)
4 large eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons chicken broth

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin/cupcake pin with cooking spray.
On baking sheet, toss bread cubes with 2 tablespoons of oil, season with salt and pepper. Bake until toasted (around 10 minutes.) Allow to cool slightly and then transfer to a bowl.
In a large skillet, melt butter and oil, then add onion and celery. Cook over high heat, stirring until golden, for around 5-7 minutes. Add the sausage, garlic, sage and cook until sausage is cooked. Add apples and cranberries and allow to soften, but not to cook completely.
Mix sausage mixture, eggs, and broth into croutons. Season with salt and pepper.
Pack the stuffing into muffin/cupcake pan with your hands, allowing for a rounded top to sit above the pan’s edge. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden. Allow to cool for few minutes and then lift the cups out of the pan using a knife.
Serve with your favorite holiday entrée!

Notes

These can be served as an appetizer for a holiday party, too!

What’s your favorite holiday dish? Do you eat stuffing or dressing?

Share your love for the holiday meal at #joytothemeal.

And visit http://www.joytothemeal.com for more great recipes to take your holidays from good to great.

Three Steps To a Turkey Touchdown This Thanksgiving

October 26, 2021 By Autumn Rose Reo 5 Comments

Your first turkey dinner doesn’t need to be THAT hard. Make a turkey touchdown this Thanksgiving with these three steps I learned my first Thanksgiving!

I received a Jennie-O Turkey to help me test-run my first Thanksgiving. I’m sharing my experience here with you to show how easy it is!

Making Thanksgiving dinner seems to be a rite of passage that I had not passed — until this year. With scheduling issues making it impossible for a traditional Turkey Day dinner to be shared by my family, I decided not to just have the day come and go, but to go ahead and celebrate — a week in advance, and I would make it all. I mean the holidays are about spending a special time together not just on one pre-selected day right?

There was only one little problem with my plan – I had NEVER made a turkey or anything for Thanksgiving. That’s right. I had peeled, mashed and creamed up the potatoes and even warmed up the rolls, but the task of Thanksgiving had never fell on my shoulders. So I made it my goal not just to make a turkey, but a big spread complete with:

Bacon Dressing
Homemade rolls
Truffled Mashed Potatoes
Blue Cheese Bacon Brussel Sprouts
Brown Gravy
Spiced Cranberry Sauce
and Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Brittle

While the menu was fun to create, it was the fear of that turkey coming out a burnt mess that had me so scared to make! I’ve always heard all these horrible stories about making turkey, but I wanted it to be amazing!

So off to the store I went to get the ingredients for my Cilantro-Lime Turkey (a recipe I had found in my Better Homes and Gardens)!

1) First off, was to pick out my turkey. Oh there were LOTS of turkeys to choose from! Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the Jennie-O Oven ready turkey breast – they were sold out! However, the meat manager at my grocery store was able to find me one last turkey, so it was a good sign that the Jennie-O was in high demand.

2) Once I got this baby home, I was able to take it straight to the oven after a few special touches! Because it was a turkey breast, the weight of the turkey was less than full-size turkey, making my cooking time a little less than the big birds! And while I could have left it alone with no thawing or seasoning, I decided to add a special Texas touch with favorite seasoning Cilantro, the zesty flavor of lime and a simple marinade of cilantro and honey!

3) Then I popped it in the oven and 2.5 hours later – behold perfection. Well, almost. We still had to carve it and taste it for the official call.

<Yep, it was beautiful, it was delicious and juicy! SUCCESS!

please take a look here and many of the other delicious recipes in the November 2013 Better Homes and Gardens!

I can’t recommend the Jennie-O Oven Ready Turkey for your Thanksgiving! And IF you have any left overs then make sure you cook up this Turkey Tortilla Soup to savor it to the last drop!

Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli and Cauliflower Casserole

October 21, 2021 By Autumn Rose Reo 20 Comments

I’m thrilled to be partnering with Market Street to highlight features, deals and more each month especially this recipe for Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli and Cauliflower Casserole! #MarketStreetTX

When I was growing up, Sunday dinner was always a special occasion with a big meal like roast, ham or meatloaf with all the fixings. Now as an adult, I try to still make sure Sundays are spent with the family. And when possible, I try to make the dishes that also mean a lot to me with a few twists of my own. One of those is this Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli and Cauliflower Casserole.

Most people fall into two categories: those who love brussel sprouts and those who hate them. I actually fell into the later group until a few months ago when I fell in love. After a trip to Slowbone BBQ in Dallas, I bit into their sell-out side, Cauliflower-Brussel Sprout Gratin, and couldn’t get enough. But I thought I could make it even better by adding broccoli and more cheese (there’s never such thing as too much cheese) to create my idea of the perfect side dish. So for special days like Thanksgiving or a Sunday dinner, this dish is the consummate side dish that you’ll trade your last dinner role or dessert to have just one more creamy bite.

It would be fitting that I would get all the ingredients together and forget the most important ingredient, the heavy cream! But no worries, where there is a will, there is a way and a substitute!

This dish it a combination of creamy cheese, the ultimate trio of veggies and little crunch that will keep you coming back for more…and more.