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CS Players perform at the Kent “Zombies, Werewolves and Aliens, oh my!”

Mar. 24-26: The Cedar Springs Community Players will be presenting three Sci-Fi Fantasy comedy one-act plays on March 24, 25, and 26 at the Kent Theatre. “Zombies, Werewolves and Aliens, oh my!” kicks off the 2017 fantasy-themed season. The three short comedies are set in the Old West, modern-day suburbia, and outer space in the future and feature hilarious encounters with an assortment of monsters and aliens. March 24th & 25th at 7:30 p.m. – March 26th at 2:00 p.m. Advance tickets $10 at the Cedar Springs Library. At the Kent Theatre – $12 at the door, $8 under 18. #11,12p

Indoor Spring Sale

Mar. 25: St. John Paul II Parish, 2110 – 17 Mile Rd. in Cedar Springs, is hosting an indoor spring sale on Saturday, March 25^th from 9 am to 1 pm. Something for everyone! Household items, décor, small appliances, toys, books, etc…. don’t miss out! #12p

Praise the Lord at Cowboy Church

Mar. 26: 2^nd Chance will be having Cowboy Church on Sunday, March 26th  at 6 pm. It will be at 2^nd Chance School at 810 – 17 Mile Rd. Cedar Springs (corner of 17 Mile and Olin Lakes Rd). The message and music will be shared by Traditional Country and Gospel Singers. Invite your family and friends. Cowboy Church will be every 2^nd and 4^th Sunday of the month. Each service will have different people sharing God’s word and music. Cowboy Church will introduce you to 2nd Chance and its vision. The school is in the building stage, which when completed, will teach troubled teens through God and the horse. If you have questions, call 616-293-2150. See you there! #12

Find Your Voice 14th Annual KDL Teen Poetry Contest

April 1-30: Two ways to win! Submit up to two poems during the month of April for a chance at a juried category prize. Stop by a branch for details or visit www.kdl.org/teens. #12

Magna-Tiles Mania

Apr. 1: Drop-in and build. Create cubes, pyramids, or other geometric shapes and patterns from two-dimensional to more complex three-dimensional systems. Discover patterns, symmetry, 3D building skills and magnetic principles. For ages 6 and older. Saturday, April 1 at 10:30 am, Nelson Twp. /Sand Lake KDL Branch, 88 Eighth St. #12

Mixing Magic! A World of Color, Optics and Light

Apr. 4: Explore how we see our world by mixing color and playing with light. Discover magical optical illusions and other natural phenomena such as rainbows! For ages 6 and younger. Tuesday, April 4^th at 10:30 am, Nelson Twp. / Sand Lake KDL Branch, 88 Eighth St. #12

Help Promote Literacy

Apr. 4,13,19,24: The need is urgent at this time! The Literacy Center of West Michigan has scheduled  information sessions for prospective volunteer tutors. These sessions last one hour. It allows persons interested in becoming volunteer tutors to find out more about the Literacy Center and its programs. At the end of the session there will be a chance to sign up for tutor training. Sessions are Tuesday, April 4^th at 10 am, Thursday, April 13^th at 2 pm, Wednesday, April 19^th at 6 pm and Monday, April 24^th at 10 am. By training people to be tutors, the Center can offer one-on-one reading help to adults asking for assistance in reading or English as a Second Language (ESL). You do not need to speak another language to tutor ESL. The Literacy Center of West Michigan is located at 1120 Monroe Ave., NW, Suite 240, Grand Rapids. Please call 616-459-5151 (ext. 10) or email us at info@literacycenterwm.org to register. #12

Fish Fry at East Nelson

Apr. 5: East Nelson United Methodist Church’s annual Fish Fry will be held on Wednesday, April 5^th from 5 to 7 pm. East Nelson UMC, 9024 – 18 Mile Rd. NE, Cedar Springs. #12

Local theater group rehearses latest production which opens at the Kent next Friday night.

by Terri Riggle

Ghouls just want to have fun! Who doesn’t enjoy a few belly laughs now and again, even if you are the living dead? The Cedar Springs Community Players have selected three hilarious fantasy/science fiction/monster one acts for your entertainment!

The Players are just itching to perform their next project—the third annual Springtime One Acts at the Kent. This year it’s a trio of one-act plays featuring fiendish monsters and bone-chilling characters who will be performing on the Kent Theatre stage March 24-26.

The Rot features the perils of living in the suburbs and attempting to have a nice dinner with your future in-laws and a pesky zombie who won’t leave the yard!

Then it’s action in the old West as Zombie Gunslingers head into town to stir up trouble at the local saloon! There are no customers at the Wet Yer Whistle Saloon because the Temperance Ladies done smashed all the bottles of Red Eye whiskey, confiscated all the bullets and burned up all the Poker cards. While waiting for the next stage coach to arrive, the saloon girls hear of zombie gunslingers heading their way. Quick thinking and fast action have the girls concocting their own brew of Red Eye to keep the zombies satisfied.

Set in the future, Country Folk, Lycanthropes and Extraterrestrial Entities features alien visitors to our Moon’s dark side are prepared to take a pack of werewolves off to their planet, but, alas! The ship crash lands in the southeastern US and the locals are ready to do some shootin’ to rid the countryside of the Tourist Dogs in Clothes!

Showtimes are March 24 and 25 at 7:30 p.m., and March 26 at 2:00 p.m. Advance tickets $10 at the Cedar Springs Library. Tickets at the Kent Theatre are $12 at the door, $8 under 18.

Clockwise from upper left: Vicious-Delicious Vampire Cake, Freaky Fingers Candy Straws, Freaky Fingers Strawberry Cooler, Fright Nite Cupcakes, Vampire Fang Cookies and Vampire’s Bite Cupcakes

(Family Features)

Vampires Invade!

It’s fright night! Vampire-themed goodies cast a spooky spell on ghoulish guests this Halloween. To charm your gathering long past dawn, entertaining experts from Wilton recommend serving an array of lip-smacking snacks and a sip of “blood red” Strawberry Cooler. These supernatural recipe sensations are sure to summon vampires of all ages to enjoy your devilishly delicious treats … and maybe a few tricks.

Vicious-Delicious Vampire Cake

Makes about 16 servings
Pound Cake (recipe available at www.wilton.com)
Dimensions 3-D Skull Pan
Buttercream icing
Black Icing Color
Red Sparkle Gel
Black string licorice
Prepare pound cake in Skull Pan following recipe instructions. Cool completely. Assemble skull halves, attaching with icing, on cake board or serving plate.
Tint small amount of icing black with icing color. Tint remainder of icing gray with small amount of black icing color.
Fill in indented mouth and eye area with black icing; smooth with finger dipped in cornstarch. Build up cheeks and nose with gray tinted icing. Cover skull with tip 18 gray stars. Add tip 8 black outline eyebrows. Pipe tip 5 white teeth, fangs and eye highlights. Add red Sparkle Gel lips. Insert licorice for hair.

Vampire Fang Cookies

Makes about 2 dozen cookies
Roll-Out Cookie Dough (recipe available at www.wilton.com)
Lips Comfort-Grip Cutter
Royal icing
Black Icing Color
Red Icing Color
White spice drops
Granulated sugar
White candy-coated gum pieces
Red Sparkle Gel
Prepare and roll out cookie dough. Cut cookies using Lips Comfort-Grip Cutter. Bake and cool.
Tint royal icing black and red. Use tip 8 and outline lips with red royal icing; fill in with tip 3 black icing; pat smooth with finger dipped in cornstarch. Roll out spice drops on surface sprinkled with granulated sugar; cut into triangles for fangs. Arrange gum “teeth” and spice drop fangs. Overpipe red lips with red Sparkle Gel.

Fright Nite Cupcakes

Each serves 1
Favorite cupcake recipe or mix
Buttercream icing
Knife Royal Icing Decorations
Red Decorating Gel
Bake favorite cupcakes in Halloween baking cups. Cool completely. Spatula ice cupcake top. Insert knife icing decoration; add red decorating gel.

Vampire’s Bite Cupcakes

Each serves 1
Favorite cupcake recipe or mix
Take A Bite Mark baking cups
Buttercream icing
Red Decorating Gel
Red Colored Sugar
Bake favorite cupcakes in Take A Bite Mark baking cups. Cool completely. Pipe tip 22 white buttercream swirl on cupcake top. Add red decorating gel to cut area on baking cup. Sprinkle with red colored sugar.

Freaky Fingers Strawberry Cooler

Make about 6-1/2 cups
1     package (16 ounces) frozen strawberries with no sugar added, thawed but still cool
1     package (.14 ounce) unsweetened strawberry soft drink mix
4     cups water
1-1/2     cups lemon-lime soda
1/3     cup granulated sugar
Freaky Fingers Candy Straws
(see below)
In the bowl of food processor, pulse frozen strawberries until completely pureed. Strain strawberries to remove seeds.
In large pitcher, combine strawberry puree, soft drink mix, water, lemon-lime soda and sugar; stir until sugar dissolves. Pour into glasses; add ice, if desired, and Freaky Fingers Candy Straws. To drink, bite end from finger candy and sip.

Freaky Fingers Candy Straws

Makes 6 fingers per mold
White Candy Melts
Skeleton Fingers Pretzel Mold
Drinking straws
Melt Candy Melts following package instructions; pour into Skeleton Fingers Mold. Insert drinking straw where pretzel fits in mold; rotate straw to cover with melted candy. Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes. Remove from mold.

Clockwise from upper left: Wickedly Wonderful Werewolf Pops, Frightfully Fun Werewolf Cake and Werewolf Furry Finger Cookies

Werewolves Are on the Prowl!

To raise a few hairs at your Halloween bash, add a collection of werewolf treats that are sure to satisfy your hungry pack. Party guests will be digging their fangs into Wickedly Wonderful Werewolf Pops and Werewolf Furry Finger Cookies. So bring your appetite because the Wilton Test Kitchen has baked up a cauldron of confections for this spooky season … take a bite.

Wickedly Wonderful Werewolf Pops

Makes about 8 pops
           Round Cookie Pop Pan
    2     tablespoons margarine or butter
    2     cups miniature marshmallows
    3     cups crisp chocolate-coated rice cereal
    8     8-inch Cookie Sticks
           Dark Cocoa Candy Melts
   Yellow Candy Melts
            Brown candy-coated chocolates
            Candy corn
Spray Round Cookie Pop Pan and spatula or wooden spoon with vegetable pan spray.
In large microwave-safe bowl, melt margarine and marshmallows together; stir to combine. Add cereal; stir until well coated. Press into prepared pan, leaving top edge uneven. Insert Cookie Sticks. Let cool; remove from pan. Repeat with remaining cereal mixture, reheating mixture in microwave if needed to make it easier to work with. Reserve any leftover cereal.
With knife, cut dark cocoa Candy Melts into fourths; with melted candy, attach 2 to the top of each pop, pointed side up, for ears. Cut 1/4 off yellow Candy Melts; attach 2 larger pieces with melted candy for eyes. Attach candy-coated chocolate pupils and nose. Cut pointed end from candy corn; attach for teeth with melted candy. Add additional small pieces of cereal mixture for eyebrows. Arrange pops in seasonal container.

Frightfully Fun Werewolf Cake

Makes about 16 servings
Pound Cake (recipe available at www.wilton.com)
        3-D Cuddly Bear Set
        White Rolled Fondant
    2     dowel rods
        Chocolate Buttercream Icing (recipe available at www.wilton.com)
        Rotary Cutter
    2     each Bright Green and Purple Sugar Sheets! Edible Decorating Paper
        Piping Gel (optional)
    1     each Bright Yellow, Light Pink, White and Black Sugar Sheets! Edible Decorating Paper
        Flaked coconut
        Brown and Black Icing Color
Bake and cool pound cake recipe in 3-D Cuddly Bear baking pan following pan instructions. Cool completely. Roll two 3 inch x 1-1/4-inch fondant logs; insert dowel rods, leaving 2 inches of dowel rod exposed. Insert into cake for arms.
Spatula ice cake and arms with chocolate buttercream icing, building up ears to a point at top of head. With Rotary Cutter, cut two purple shirt shapes and two green pants shapes from Sugar Sheets! Attach to front and back of bear, wrapping around to meet, using piping gel, if desired. Cut out pink triangles for ears, yellow eyes, black circle pupils and nose, black mouth and white triangle fangs; attach.
Tint coconut with brown and black icing color; press into icing for fur. Tint small amount of chocolate icing black; add tip 22 pull-out star claws on ends of arms.

Werewolf Furry Finger Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen cookies
 Finger Cookie Pan
    1     cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
    1-1/2     cups granulated sugar
    1     egg
    1-1/2     teaspoons vanilla extract
    1/2     teaspoon almond extract (optional)
    2-3/4     cups all-purpose flour
    1     teaspoon salt
    3     tablespoons cocoa powder
        Flaked coconut
        Brown Icing Color
        Black spice drops
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray Finger Cookie Pan cavities with vegetable pan spray.
In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer at medium speed until well blended. Beat in egg and extracts; mix well. Combine flour, salt and cocoa powder; add to butter mixture. Beat until well blended. Press dough into prepared pan cavities, filling 2/3 full.
Bake 9 to 10 minutes or until light brown around edges. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Turn pan over; lightly tap pan to remove cookies. Cool completely on cooling grid.
In resealable plastic bag, place coconut with icing color; knead until color is evenly blended. Dry on parchment or waxed paper. Attach in small clumps on cooled cookies with melted candy. Roll out spice drops on surface sprinkled with granulated sugar; cut into fingernail shapes. Attach to cookies with melted candy.

For additional Halloween ideas and directions for making all your vampire and werewolf goodies, go to www.wilton.com.