Trinity Falls in McKinney, Texas is home to over 1,700 families and growing! Find out why so many families call this community home and get in the holiday spirit this year by attending the opening of their newest phase, Heritage Crest, while exploring beautiful model homes accented with holiday-themed Christmas trees to celebrate the season.

From Sunday, Nov. 20 through Sunday, December 19, 2021 twenty model homes will be available for touring inside the Trinity Falls development and ten select homes will feature stunning holiday trees to provide holiday inspiration for guests. Whether you enjoy stunning home decor, or are looking for holiday inspiration for your home, this event fulfils both needs! 

Antoinette Boston with A.B.’s Holiday Décor is the mastermind of this year’s Tour of Trees in collaboration with Premier Christmas. Her holiday wizardry has graced the homes of Grammy award winner Kirk Franklin, former Dallas Cowboys and Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith, former Dallas Maverick and NBA champion Jason Terry, NFL champion Aqib Talib, and celebrity stylist J. Bolin.

Attendees to this year’s tour can expect to see a variety of themes including rustic glam, woodland creatures, Santa, the Grinch, Dallas Cowboys, polar bears, nutcrackers, snowmen, elves and more. Attendees will be provided with a map highlighting the homes and where Christmas trees are located and can enjoy the tour at your own pace. Maps are available inside all model homes.

There is no cost to attend, but registration is requested at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/trinity-falls-tour-of-trees-2021-tickets-205798206977. This tour is open weekdays and Saturdays from 10am to 6pm and Sundays noon to 6pm. 

Four fiery ladies will be featured in a unique competition at the World Food Championships’ event in Dallas this November, but they will not be whipping up your stereotypical granny cooking. Instead, they will be sharpening their knives for the 3rd Annual Granny Grilling Challenge. As a part of the world’s largest Food Sport competition, WFC annually showcases culinary talents of all backgrounds and ages, which is why the event organizers are proud to bring back its crowd-pleasing, sometimes comical granny-only grilling games. For this year’s challenge, the talented grannies will go head-to-head in a “mystery box” themed competition. With no prior knowledge of what products they will have access to, the grannies will have to follow their culinary instincts and — if history is an indicator — even some of their yoga skills!  The competition will be hosted by fellow WFC grannies, Chef Nancy Manlove (The Nana Chef) and Mary Edwards (a veteran Food Champ). Food fans can catch these grilling grannies in action on Saturday, November 6th from 3 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at WFC’s event site, Centennial Hall at Fair Park in Dallas, Texas. 

Get to know the competing grannies:

KATHI HEMMER | “GRAMMA”
Number of Grandchildren: 2 (and one on the way!)
From This “Gramma”: I love to cook, I love to bake, I love to compete. I have been competing in the World Food Championships since 2013. I have made it to the Top Ten Round in Dessert (2013, 2014) and Chili. I am currently registered to battle it out in WFC’s first ever Soup Category. 

I am a home cook, Mom to 2 boys (OK … they are now men), Gramma to my 7 year old Sous Chef Reagan, 9 year Maddox (he is only interested in eating what Reagan and I make) and a soon to be new baby girl coming in December.

I believe that good food can foster the perfect environment for memories and special times with family and friends. Like most, life can be defined by moments, memories, scrap books, lyrics, and chats with friends about old times … but also, our life is defined by food. Food is such a huge part of our everyday life that it’s no wonder that certain foods can bring up certain memories or hold a special place in our hearts.

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TINA CRUTCHFIELD | “GRANNA”
Number of Grandchildren: 1
From This “Granna”: I am a mostly self-taught home cook who has been competing for the past fifteen years. I love to be adventurous in the kitchen, experimenting with new flavors from all around the world as well as polishing old family favorites.

I have had the pleasure to compete in the World Food Championships for eight years and have finished Top Ten in my category five of those years, with the help of my very talented sous chef, my husband Rocky.

I have only been a Granny for eighteen months, but it is the best position I have ever held!

Recipe development is my passion and I cannot wait to spend time in the kitchen with my beautiful granddaughter, sharing cherished family recipes as well as making new ones! 

I am so excited to join this elite group of champion Grannies. Let the games begin!

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LIDIA HADDADIAN | “GRAMMA”
Number of Grandchildren: 3
About This “Gramma”: Lidia Haddadian is a self-taught home cook whose love for cooking has turned into an exciting culinary adventure. Born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil, her passion for cooking began at an early age as she watched her two grandmas' cooking and baking around-the-clock. Lidia’s multi-ethnic upbringing has shaped her worldview and cooking style. Married for thirty-four years to the love of her life and sous chef, they have raised four children and are currently enjoying three beautiful grandchildren.

Lidia refers to her cooking style as ‘ethnic comfort food with a twist'. Within the last five years, her passion for food competition has gained momentum. Her journey as a self-taught home cook has been filled with exciting culinary adventures. With over 45 contest wins, she currently holds the title of World Food Champion. Lidia believes that hard work, persistence and faith have brought her to where she is now and is hopeful to achieve higher ground. 

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LISA GWATNEY | “LEAZIE”
Number of Grandchildren: 5
About “Leazie”: Lisa Gwatney of Memphis, Tennessee, is a self-taught home cook, Mother of 4 wonderful “grown” children and 5 grandchildren. Lisa’s hobby of cooking took an exciting turn when she was named the 6th Annual World Food Champion (2018). 

Winning the ultimate food fight for this Memphis mom wasn’t about the $100,000 mega prize, but the platform the competition gave her to communicate the strong connection between family, friends and food. “When I compete I always cook like I’m cooking for my family. I want to share the importance of sitting down and having a delicious, homemade meal with the ones you love.”

Natural, locally sourced products that are healthy and flavorful is more Lisa’s style of cooking. Nothing fussy or perfect, just super yummy meals with the people she loves the most. Lisa says, “This is what life is all about.”

Purchase your General Admission ticket to the ultimate foodie experience and see which lady takes home the granny grilling trophy by clicking here. Stay up-to-date on all things Food Sport, follow the World Food Championships on Twitter (@WorldFoodChamp), Facebook and Instagram (@WorldFoodChampionships).

About World Food Championships: The World Food Championships (WFC) is the highest stakes food competition in the world. This multi-day, live event culinary competition showcases some of the world's best cooks who compete for food, fame and fortune in 10 categories (Bacon, Barbecue, Burger, Chef, Dessert, Recipe, Sandwich, Seafood, Soup and Steak). In 2019, more than 450 culinary teams from 11 countries and 42 American states competed in WFC’s Main Event. In August, the 10 Category Champs went head-to-head for a $100,000 bonus that determined a new World Food Champion in a TV special called The Final Table: Indianapolis. While contestants have to earn their way into WFC by winning a Golden Ticket at a previous competition, potential judges are welcome to take WFC’s online certification course that explains the E.A.T. methodology. Certified judges then request and receive available seats at the next scheduled WFC event. Click here to learn more about getting certified.

For the month of September, Truluck's will offer patrons a unique opportunity to enjoy Ora King TYEE Salmon. This King Salmon’s flavor is full, rich and pronounced with a buttery, almost silky texture and large, soft flakes. Truluck's will serve a 10 oz. portion served pan-seared, brushed with lemon garlic butter and finished with Maldon sea salt for $­­99. Truluck’s is the only place in the country to find Ora King TYEE Salmon - so it's a real treat for foodies always on the hunt for that next interesting dish! 

Ora King TYEE Salmon facts:

1. King Salmon represents less than 0.5% of the world’s Salmon population
2. TYEE are extraordinarily large salmon that continue to grow beyond the normal life-cycle of other salmon. This phenomenon occurs naturally in the wild, and in our aquaculture environment in New Zealand
3. Tyee Salmon are only harvested every 3 months  

"Ora King is a big deal now, as they should be. Aside from the fact that King salmon is ridiculously awesome and represents only a small fraction of salmon available, they are huge compared to other salmon. These fish are chock full of Omega-3s and marbling. Think of King salmon the way that you think about prime beef. Now think of Ora King as prime beef compared to A5 Wagyu. It really is the best salmon that money can buy." said Brian Wubbena, Truluck's Director of Culinary.

LOCATIONS:
Uptown: 2401 McKinney Ave, Dallas, TX 75201, 214-220-2401
Southlake: 1420 Plaza Place, Southlake, TX 76092, 817-912-0500
https://trulucks.com

T’Juanna Winters (called Lil’ Lizzie by her family) learned to bake at the feet of grandmother, Elizabeth Jones. She always loved being in the kitchen and bringing joy to others through the foods her family created together but never considered turning her love of culinary arts into a career. At the urging of family and friends, Winters launched Lizzie Lu Luxury Treats in December 2019 to honor her grandmother’s belief that if you do good, you’ll do well. The store was an immediate hit, but T'Juanna was forced to shutter her doors just a few months after the opening due to the pandemic. She has recently reopened her store at 4020 N MacArthur Blvd Ste 120, Irving, TX 75038 (across from the Four Seasons Resort). Using the freshest ingredients and a limitless imagination Winters is creating high-quality candies, cakes and cookies in flavor profiles, both traditional and imaginative, packaged to impress the receiver. Her family recipes used have been passed down over the years and reimagined for new generations of fans to enjoy them.  

Lizzie Lu's is not your average candy store or bakery. Her Willy Wonka-like creations include her unique Candy Barks which are created with high-quality chocolate mixed with nuts, dried fruits, candies or even additional pieces of chocolate. Ingredients are mixed together, baked, then broken into shards of various sizes to serve. The name “bark” comes from the resemblance to rough pieces of tree bark. Highlights include Strawberry Cheesecake Bark made with strawberries, mouthwatering cheesecake, chocolate, and crisp graham crackers; Fruity Pebbles Bark made with creamy white chocolate, Fruity Pebbles, and bits of peach, orange, and pineapple; Banana Pudding Bark made with creamy chocolate, dried banana chips, and vanilla wafers; and Cookies and Cream Bark made with Oreos and Cream! Just imagine eating Oreos dipped in milk! Another popular confection is her Butter Cakes, which originated from the British pound cake and is considered one of the quintessential cakes in American baking. If you've never had a butter cake, you've probably had it's cousin the pound cake. The main difference is that a butter cake has more butter than eggs, flour etc. whilst a pound cake has them in equal amounts. After baking, T'Juanna's warm Butter Cakes are soaked in a buttery glaze making the cake even more moist and delicious. This is one of Lizzie Lu's most in-demand treats. Once you taste it, you will see why! Another cult-favorite are her Shookies. She uses a family recipe for Butter Cookies passed down for generations and tops each cookie with a warm butter glaze and various fruit toppings, so it ends up resembling a cobbler. T'Juanna call them Shookies, because you will be shooketh when you taste how incredibly delicious these cookies are. Looking for a fun hostess gift or birthday present? Pick up one of Lizzie Lu's beautifully packaged Candy Apples. Each one starts with whole Granny Smith apples dipped in a rich caramel with a stick inserted as a handle. What makes Lizzie Lu's unique is that they dip the apples, roll them in selected toppings - then dip and roll them again so you get twice the treats. Average weight is 3 lbs. That's a whole lotta love. Lastly, your kids will go crazy for the Lu-Aid Pickles. Sweet, sour and tangy these flavor-soaked pickles are a unique twist on a usually savory condiment. They soak Mama P pickles in a combination of pickle juice, Kool Aid and sugar, then let them brine for about a week. The pickles take on a deep red, purple or blue color depending on the flavor of Kool Aid used to become a wacky and tasty flavored treat.

T'Juanna recently contributed her Butter Cake recipe to Come to the Table, a new fundraising cookbook from Ronald McDonald House of Dallas that features cherished family recipes and deeply personal dishes by top chefs. Giving back has always been an integral part of her family’s philosophy and the spirit of creating human connections remains the driving force that inspires her today. T’Juanna has dedicated herself to bring high-impact awareness to communities in need and is most passionate about providing aid to senior citizens and children, who are typically the underserved in any community - which is why partnering with the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas on this project was such a joy for her.

Lizzie Lu Luxury Treats is located at 4020 N MacArthur Blvd Ste 120, Irving, TX 75038. Hours of operation are Sundays 12/noon to 5pm, Tues-Sat, 10:30am-6:30pm. Shop in-person or online at https://lizzieluluxury-treats.com.