petrifying pudding

I SAW this in a Kraft magazine once and has been a big hit everytime i have made them. This original recipe SHOWS frankenstein monsters but I have done Jack o Lanterns and other monsters too. You could do any kind of character you want with different colors and flavors of pudding.

recipe-
SEMI SWEET Chocolate chips melted
2 cups cold milk
6 drops green food coloring
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
8 OREO Cookies, crushed

melt chocolate in microwave as directed on package. Use a clean small paint brush to paint a monster face on the inside of each of  plastic cups with the melted chocolate. Refrigerate until ready to use.

add milk and food coloring to dry pudding mix in medium bowl. Beat until well blended. Immediately pour into prepared cups.

top with the cookie crumbs. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

* you could use a pretzel STICK for a STEM if you do the pumpkin or different topping depending on what character you do... be creative and have fun with this easy STRESS free dessert!

phantom feet

My very clever cousin did this adorable craft with her kids to give to their daddy for Halloween. I think it is absolutely adorable! All you have to do is get a black paper or canvas and STAMP your families feet with white paint. Turn it upside down and paint on eyes and a mouth to look like a ghost. You can put each family members name under each one and the year if you want. SO SIMPLE and SO fun for the whole family to do together. It also gives you a great Halloween decoration for years to come!!!

SEINE zeit zum feiern!!!

For those of you not fluent in German, cause let's face it who is???   I mean my mom is 100% full blooded german and barely SPEAKS any... but you don't have to be German to cook like one or to throw a killer Oktoberfest party. That being SAID, SINCE I happen to be 1/2 German I have SOME fabulous authentic recipies and party ideas for you. SO instead of the SAME old halloween party... why not treat your friends and family to a bit of Bavaria with an authentic Oktoberfest celebration! It's time to party! (that's what that says up there!) :D

SO technically Oktoberfest is a 16–18 day beer festival held annually in Bavaria Germany, running from late SEPTEMBER to the first weekend in October. It is one of the most famous events in Germany and is the world's largest fair, with more than 5 million people attending every year. The Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavarian culture, having been held since 1810.

Here are SOME ideas...

• Obviously beer is a big part of the traditional festivities but for the non drinkers and or for a family friendly party go for good old root beer, or apple beer. They even SELL these in kegs which is kind of fun.
• Decorate with traditional colors... Bavarian colors or blue and white, or Germanys flag colors are red, yellow and black!
• Play German music in the background to SETthe mood... you can find music online.
• The chicken dance polka is a must! Make everyone at the party participate... it will make everyone laugh!
• Put out bowls of pretzles for guests to munch on before dinner.
• There is no such thing as a Brautwurst-less Oktoberfest party SO be SURE to include those in your menu. The Johnsonville ones you can buy at the regular grocery store are pretty darn close to the real thing, (my grandma will eat them, which says a lot)

Here are two of my entire families favorite recipies from my Oma (including our non German in-laws, and the little kids)
Kartoffelsalat- (Potato Salad)

• 5-6 pounds of small waxy red potatoes. Boiled whole and skins removed and chopped into bite size pieces Make sure the are not over cooked, but not raw either.
• 1 pound of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled. SAVE the grease...
• 1/2 a red onion, diced small
• 2 large dill pickles, diced small
• 5-6 hard boiled eggs, diced

While the potatoes are boiling make the sauce...

• 2 C good mayonaise
• 1 C water
• 1 T salt
• 1-11/2 T apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 t black pepper 
•  1/3 C white sugar
• 2 T of bacon grease... I know what you are thinking but do it... it is the SECRET that makes this the best.

Mix all SAUCE ingredients together in a large bowl. STIR in bacon, onion and pickle. Once the pototoes are cooked, drain and as soon as you can handle them, peel them. chop into bite size pieces and add to the sauce. You want the potatoes to go into the sauce warm cause they will SUCK the SAUCE in as they cool. Gently fold in eggs. This is best when made a day in advance. just before SERVING taste it and if it needs more tang... add SOME pickle juice... (the other SECRET). SERVE at room temperature. SERVES about 8.

Rotkohl (braised Red cabbage)

• 1 head red cabbage sliced very thin
• 4-5 apples (i use both red and green) grated
• 1/4 red onion diced or grated
• 1 T salt
• 1 C sugar
• 1/4-1/2 C bacon grease... once again just do it... its not as bad for you as it may seem :D
• 11/2 T apple cider vinegar

Put bacon grease in a large pot and warm. Add cabbage and coat in grease by tossing. Add the rest of the ingredients and enough water to  cover everything. bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 2 hours or until cabbage is very tender. Add more salt, vinegar or sugar if needed. Once again this tastes better if made the day before. heat and serve warm.

• Though not traditional, root beer floats would make a cute and easy dessert. You could SERVE them in those big glass mugs with the handle. Or for the purist who wants to STICK with authentic... apple STREUSEL or plum cake will do!
• We play a game my Oma played a lot as a child in Germany (whether it is technically German or not I'm not sure) where you get a bunch of small prizes or treats, a large pot, a blindfold and a wooden spoon. One prize at a time gets placed on the ground somewhere with the pot upside down over it. Each person gets a turn being blindfolded and spun in circles then crawls around on their hands and knees banging the ground with the wooden spoon trying to find the pot. We yell heiß (pronounced hi ss) or hot, and Kälte or cold to guide them. When they hit the pot with the spoon, they get the prize that is under the pot. You could also do re lay races or other games and just put some sort of German spin on them.

I hope you consider an Oktoberfest party for your next get together... We always have a STUPENDOUS time! (even without the beer!!!)

SAY no to SEEDS - and Yes to Turkey's!

I've decided to go a new direction this SEASON. The mess, the candles, the SCOOPING SEEDS, the deteriorating pumpkin carcass on my doorstep could take a SABBATICAL this year. I'm calling it the Going Green - recycle friendly option. We're painting them for Halloween and then SCRUBBING off the faces
so we can turn them into the cutest turkey's you've ever seen for Thanks Giving.


Am I anti-Halloween tradition you ask? Certainly not! We are painting our pumpkins this year and LOVING every minute of it. I have a new plan in store. Inspired by a trip to my local greenhouse I SNATCHED some pics of their cute painted pumpkins and went to town. The first picture is my masterpiece (ok STOP laughing, I'm really proud). The braces have SENTIMENTAL value...



I SWIPED this cute face idea for another project. Using my girls outgrown clothes, I STUFFED SCARECROWS and put them on the porch bench with painted pumpkins for the heads... it's cute, but a little SPOOKY to see my girls replicas with pumpkin heads on top. I found that the best idea was to use tights and turtlenecks for the body and then cover it up with a dress to mask any lumps and bumps in the STUFFING process.


Last year my girls had SUCH a good time making Turkey Pumpkins. We went on a walk and collected the prettiest fall foliage we could find to dress up our birds. We talked about the SEASONS and nature and holidays. This would work wonderfully for a Family Home Evening activity. Or you could do a SPOOKY night with flashlights SEARCHING for leaves, nuts, pine cones, sticks, you name it.


My kids love to paint so any opportunity for them to paint without tons of SUPERVISION is always a happy experience. I let them free paint the pumpkins first. Once they dried I got out the old Glue Gun and the art supplies we had on hand. We used Popsicle sticks and inserted them into the pumpkin with a beautiful leaf hot glued on the end to act as the Feathers. Pine cones for the head, some pipe cleaner and colored cotton balls all added to the experience. Put your own STYLE into it and SEE what SURFACES.

It's a guaranteed good time for the whole family and you'll have extended the life of your pumpkin purchase out another month .

That's SAVVY SAVINGS.






Might I just SAY... there is nothing I love more than a pumpkin patch and an apple orchard. Does it get any better than Fall????? I love the whole SEASON!!!

SAVORY SQUASH SOUP

Ohhhhhhhhh, the joys of crisp weather and root vegetables in abundance!!! My very favorite thing about this SEASON is the food! I'm not a bragger, but I believe I've developed a SIX SENSE about my ability to make SQUASH SOUP . For that reason... I have no SPECIFIC recipe to SHARE. I believe that SQUASH SOUP needs to come from the heart - and your taste buds. So here's my guidelines and if you trust yourself, it will be a SENSATION.

SQUASH SOUP

The needed Ingredients: SQUASH, carrots, onion, milk or half and half, chicken bullion, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, SALT, pepper, brown SUGAR.


1 butternut SQUASH (feel free to add other varieties, but butternut is SIMPLY the best.)
* cut in half and choose a desired cooking method (roasted at 400 in the oven on a cookie sheet and covered with foil will give you the biggest flavor, but the microwave works as well. ) I chose to pre-SEASON my last batch and it was a joy. I say YES! Here's the seasonings:

Cinnamon * Nutmeg (very important but go easy!) * SALT * Pepper * Brown SUGAR * Butter

Once the SQUASH is cooked through, remove from the oven and while it cools SAUTE the onion. Add 1 chicken bullion and 1/2 c water to dissolve it (you'll want to use milk or cream for the other liquid). Throw in the chopped carrots (they add SWEETNESS and color) and let them cook down. While that's cooking SCOOP out the cooked SQUASH and add it. Now you'll need to add milk or cream until you get a movable consistency. When the carrots are ready, transfer to a blender to SMOOTH it all up. Once blended, transfer back to a pot and it's time to experiment with cinnamon/nutmeg/salt/pepper/brown sugar/butter. When in doubt, the ingredients you are usually missing is SALT and butter... START there. Don't over do the nutmeg and cinnamon... you can always add more.

Like I SAID, embrace the experiment and enjoy the SURPRISE... SO tasty!!!!

Try a different kind of pumpkin face this year....

There are many adorable ideas out there for putting a face on a pumpkin but how about putting a pumpkin on YOUR face???.. Try this in your next bath or use this for a fun date night or girls night out!


Pumpkin Face Mask

2 T canned pumpkin NOT PUMPKIN PIE FILLING (make SURE the only ingredient is pumpkin)
(high in Vitamin A (skin healing), C (anti-oxidant) and Zinc, it will SOOTHE, moisturizes and act as a carrier, assisting the other mask ingredients to absorb deeper into the SKIN and intensifying the results)


1 t milk (or cream if your SKIN is dry)
(contain enzymes that digest SKIN cells and beta hydroxy acids that naturally help exfoliate dead SKIN, and refine the layer underneath. It makes the SKIN become SMOOTH, SHINY and not SCALY. In addition, milk also contains vitamins A and D that makes your SKIN SOFT but STRONG.)

1 t honey
(helps absorb and retain moisture SO it keeps SKIN hydrated and fresh and prevents drying. Its natural antioxidants and anti-microbial properties help to protect the SKIN from the damage of the SUN'S rays, SUPPORTS the SKIN'S ability to rejuvenate and refresh depleted SKIN, leaving it feeling SILKY SOFT and SUPPLE. Honey absorbs impurities from the pores on the SKIN, making it an ideal cleansing agent. It is known that ancient beauties regularly applied a mixture of milk and honey to the face to keep the SKIN young-looking, radiant, and SMOOTH.)


1 t brown SUGAR
(exfoliates and is alpha-hydroxy rich to give you glowing SKIN.It will promote the growth of a healthier; more uniformly colored and textured SKIN. SUGAR SCRUBS have been SHOWN to STIMULATE and circulate lymph fluids, and can quickly help heal blemishes, absorb the dirt and oil from pores, and balance the natural oils in the SKIN.)


1 t PURE cranberry juice (NOT COCKTAIL)
(high in antioxidants critically important to the utilization of essential fatty acids to maintain balanced, nourished SKIN. Cranberries help to rejuvenate the SKIN and are rich in antocianos and caroteinoids, vitamin a which are the pigments responsible for its color and antioxidant properties. They are also rich in vitamin c , helping with collagen production, and delaying cellular oxidation. Cranberries will also help to delay aging SKIN.)


1 t lemon juice
(a great acne treatment and is good for the removal of blackheads, freckles and wrinkles.)


Mix all ingredients and apply to face. Leave on for 10-30 minutes and rinse.

Pumpkin Body SCRUB


1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup brown SUGAR

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

Mix and use as a full body SCRUB in tub or SHOWER!

SCARY SUCCESS

I love hosting a Halloween party every year for our friends and their children. But a party is only as good as it's entertainment! Here are SOME fun ideas you can quickly throw together for a Halloween get together with all your ghouls and goblins! SOME of these are more SELF explanatory than others..

Classic ideas:
Decorate homemade caramel apples or cookies with a variety of candies
Hide and SEEK in the dark
Halloween Charades or Pictionary
Bobbing for Apples
Murder in the Dark
Halloween SCATAGORIES

SEEKING SKELETONS:
for a few bucks buy one of those large door hanging SKELETONS. I found a glow in the dark one. Take all the bones apart and hide them all over the house. Turn off all the lights and using flashlights have all the kids find all the missing bones and put the SKELETON back together!

Mummy Wrap Race
Team up into pairs and race who can wrap their partner up like a mummy using toilet paper the fastest using the entire roll!

Halloween Trivia Quiz
You can accomplish this a number of ways- Either individually using a testing STYLE with pens and paper or Jeopardy STYLE with groups to SUGGEST a few.

SOOTHE your SWEET tooth

Everyone seems to have their favorite holidays that they go crazy over. Mine is definitely Halloween. Every year I throw a big Halloween party with dinner, games and treats for the whole family. After Trick or treating I serve the Parents this decedent cake while the kids dive into their treat bags. I figure the kids aren't the only ones who should be able to drool over something...

Chocolate Harvest Cake
This is an impressive looking cake without much effort. It’s very festive for the fall. Serve with extra berries and cream on the side.

Serves: 14

Ingredients:
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup water
⅔ cup cooking oil
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 cups flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Pumpkin Cream Filling:
1, 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
⅓ cup canned pumpkin
¼ cup sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Chocolate Glaze:
½ cup whipping cream
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped

Cake Toppers:
Seedless red grapes
whole blackberries or raspberries
toasted hazelnuts
shredded orange peel

1. Preheat oven to 350*. Grease and flour two 9x 1-12-inch round baking pans; set aside.
2. In an extra-large bowl combine buttermilk, water, oil, sugar, eggs, baking soda, and salt. Using a large wire whisk, whisk until well combined.
3. Add flour and cocoa powder; whisk vigorously until smooth.
4. Divide batter between prepared pans.
5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until top springs back when lightly touched in center. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely.
6. While cake is cooling, in a medium bowl whisk together cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar, and cinnamon until thickened.
7. When cake is completely cooled, place one cake layer on plate. Spread filling over top. Top with second cake layer. (I like to refrigerate the bottom layer for a bit before adding the top layer so it’s more stable.)
8. In a saucepan bring whipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat. (It will double in size and DO NOT STIR!) Remove from heat.
9. Add chocolate (do not stir). Let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Cool 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pour over cake, allowing glaze to drip down sides.
10. Chill until set, about 30 minutes.
11. Top with desired toppers.