Day 17

Second only to baked goods is my love of breakfast foods!  I got this recipe from a dear friend a couple years ago and it is now a family favorite!  They are even really good cold!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes

1 cup pancake mix

1 cup water

1/2 c pumpkin

1/4 t cinnamon

mini chocolate chips

Just mix it all together, cook up and enjoy!!

It's Halloween! It's Halloween!
The moon is full and bright

And we shall see what can't be seen
On any other night.

Skeletons and ghosts and ghouls,
Grinning goblins fighting duels

Werewolves rising from their tombs,
Witches on their magic brooms

In masks and gown we haunt the street

And knock on doors for trick or treat

Tonight we are the king and queen,

For oh tonight it's Halloween!

-Jack Prelutsky

I'm a big time dreamer!  I think most of us crafters are!  So although I know that in a few short days I will have ZERO time to create fun new costumes for my family this year, I still DREAM of having time to make a Mad Hatter's hat!  I found, what seems to be, a very great tutorial to make one.

http://www.threadbanger.com/tb-projects/episode/THR_20091009

This video actually shows how to make the whole Mad Hatter costume.  

And while I'm dreaming, I'd like to also make one of these costumes:

Day 16

As I mentioned before, we are getting ready to welcome a little "ghoul" to our family very soon!  This week in fact!  So I am a little late getting day 16 up but I was taking this weekend to do a little prep for the little lady.  We are so excited that she's coming!  Her arrival adds even more excitement to this already wonderful time of year!

http://confessionsofacookbookqueen.blogspot.com/2010/10/candy-corn-mini-trifles.html

Are these not the cutest things!  You have to visit this blog.  She is so talented and witty too!

INGREDIENTS
Box of yellow cake mix, plus oil, eggs and water needed to prepare
Yellow food coloring
2 (4 serving size) boxes instant vanilla pudding, plus milk needed to prepare
Orange food coloring
8 oz tub Cool Whip, thawed
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Candy Corn
Prepare cake batter according to instructions, adding yellow food coloring during mixing. Pour batter into a 9x13 inch pan and bake and cool according to box directions.
Prepare instant pudding according to directions on box, adding enough orange color to make it a bright orange. Place pudding in the refrigerator while you prepare the topping.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Mix in the Cool Whip until well blended.
Crumble the yellow cake into an even layer in the bottom of each mini trifle bowl. Remove the pudding from the refrigerator and spoon on top of cake layer. Smooth out with the back of your spoon. Pipe whipped topping/cream cheese layer on top with a large star tip. Or, just spoon it on. No one will care.
Top with a candy corn.

As I was going up the stair,

I met a man who wasn't there

He wasn't there again today...

Oh, how I wish he'd go away.

-Anonymous

I've never looked into this because it always just looked SO difficult and time consuming.  I finally read the instructions this year and I'm so excited that it's not as hard as it looks. 

Coffin Table How-To1. Find a crate, small table, or stack of books to use as a base to support the coffin.

2. Enlarge the coffin template so the lid will be larger than the base.

3. Cut out the template, and trace onto a scrap of plywood.

4. Use a jigsaw to cut out the coffin lid.

5. Stretch a double layer of black fabric over the top of the lid, and staple it to the underside.

6. Measure the perimeter of the coffin lid, and add 24 inches; measure the height from coffin lid to floor, and add 1 inch.

7. Cut black fabric to these dimensions.

8. Stitch a 1/2-inch hem along one of the long sides of the fabric.
9. Starting 2 inches in from a corner, staple the unhemmed long side of the fabric to the side of the coffin lid.

10. Hot-glue a 1-inch-wide grosgrain ribbon around the edge of the coffin to cover the staples and raw edge of fabric.

I always thought that this thing was a solid coffin!  It seemed like something that I wouldn't want to store year-round.  But this I can store!  Yay!

Day 15

Halloween Chex Mix

8 oz white chocolate baking bars, coarsly chopped

4 cups corn Chex or rice Chex

2 cups bit sized pretzel twists

1 cup candy corns

1. In a large bowl, microwave chopped baking bars uncovered for 1-2 minutes, stirring every 20 seconds, until melted and smooth.

2. Gently stir in cereal and pretzels until evenly coated.

3. Stir in candy corns.

4. Spread on waxed paper or foil until cooled and chocolate is set.

4. Break into chuncks and ENJOY!

Hark! Hark to the wind! 'Tis the night, they say,

When all souls come back from the far away-

The dead, forgotten this many a day!

- Virna Sheard

Did you see this on Martha Stewart?  It is genius!

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/mirror-mirror?backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/tricks-and-treats#slide_6

Mirror, Mirror How-To
1. Remove the original mirror from the frame. Flip the frame over, and place it on a piece of poster board or corrugated cardboard. Trace the opening of the frame onto the board, adding 1/4 inch to the top edge; cut out with scissors.

2. Coat the smooth side of the board with super spray adhesive, and adhere a 2-mm-thick sheet of mirrored film to it. Trim any excess film around the edges of the board. Apply a thin strip of hot glue to the inner lip at the top of the frame; secure one edge of the mirrored board to the lip. Repeat process on bottom lip. This will create a slight concave curve in the mirror, since the board will be larger than your frame.

3. The curve in the mirror will leave small gaps between the mirror and the sides of the frame. Cut pieces of cardboard in the shape of these gaps and cover them with mirrored film. Using hot glue, attach the pieces to the mirror and frame, plugging the gaps.

4. Hang mirror as usual.

 

I don't remember seeing this idea last year and I've been waiting for a new genius idea from her website.  I'm sure this is the one I've been waiting for! 

Day 14

I have this fabulous book

and every recipe I have tried has been divine!  I wanted to share one of my favorites today because I saw this picture on family.go.com

and it made me want to combine my two favorite things- chocolate and Jack Skellington!!

So here is the recipe:

Chocolate Cream-Filled Cupcakes

1 box chocolate cake mix

3 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1. Mix together cake mix, eggs, and sour cream until smooth.

2. Bake at 350 F for 15-18 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.

3. Cool completely on wire rack.

4. When cupcakes are cool, cut the top off and pull out some of the cake filling, leaving a solid wall of cake to support the filling.

Filling: 

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup powered sugar

5. Whip the cream until stiff peaks form and add powered sugar.

6. Add whipped cream by the spoonful to the holes of the all cupcakes and top with cupcake lid.  

7. Frost to look like Jack!!

 

You wouldn't believe
On All Hallow Eve
What lots of fun we can make,
With apples to bob,
And nuts on the hob,
And a ring-and-thimble cake.
- Carolyn Wells

marthastewart.com
I SO love a bubbling cauldron!!  This makes any drink so much tastier!  
For this bubbling cauldron you need a cauldron (can be plastic), dry ice and another non-glass bowl.  I use my large metal mixing bowl.  
Put pieces of the dry ice into the cauldron then cover the ice with water.  
Next place your non-glass bowl in the cauldron and pour your drink into it.  
The next thing I need to get my hands on is a cool, spooky ladle to scoop the drink out with!  
**note** you need to buy enough dry ice to allow you to keep putting pieces in throughout the night.  I bought  mine at Kroger- it was the only grocery store that carried it- and I think I just bought one block and it lasted the whole party.  Buy it as close to start time as possible and keep it in a cooler.  

Day 13

I know that people have different ideas when it comes to autumn treats, but for me, if it's warm and yummy, it is an autumn treat!  Plus I just tried this recipe this week and it was SO good and easy, I just had to put it here for safe keeping!  It's from an awesome site: The Sister's Cafe.  And it looks like it might be hard because the instructions are long but they are so easy... you have to try them!  I will add orange sprinkles next time I make them!

Cinnamon Rolls

2 rounded Tb yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 cup warm milk
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup shortening
2 tsp salt
4 eggs
7-8 cups flour

1. Beat all ingredients except flour until smooth. (you can use a Kitchen Aid with paddle attachment.) 

2. Add flour until it cleans off edge of bowl. 

3. (Switch to a dough hook for this part.) Knead for 5 minutes (or 10 minutes by hand). 

4. Let it rise until double (about 2 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen). 

5. Punch dough down and allow to rise to double its size again. 

 6. Punch dough down again and divide into 2 parts.

7. Roll one part into a rectangle. 

8. Spread softened butter (1/4 cup or 1/2 stick) on dough. 

9. Sprinkle with white sugar then cinnamon - making sure you go all the way to the edges. (I really covered it pretty good and then after they came out I wished I would have put more... I will next time!)

10. Roll up rectangle lengthwise and pinch edge to seal. 

11. Use a knife to gently mark the top how thick you want each cinnamon roll, that way they end up being more consistently sized and you can plan how many you want for your pan. (usually 16 for each roll) 

12. Using plain dental floss, slip the floss under the roll, cross over and pull each end to slice off each piece.

***Repeat entire process with second half of dough.***

13. Place rolls flat side down into two greased 9x13 inch pans; 3 across and 4 down (12 total for each).

14. Cover rolls with plastic wrap and allow to rise briefly - about 30 minutes or less - while oven is heating to 350. 

15. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Spoon glaze over cinnamon rolls after they have cooled.

Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tb soft butter (not melted)
1/4 tsp vanilla (this will make the icing a creamy color)
2 T. hot water

16. Combine all the ingredients and beat until smooth. 

17. Drizzle onto the buns with a spoon. The icing will thicken as it cools so ice the buns immediately.

The witches fly
Across the sky,
The owls go, "Who? Who? Who?"
The black cats yowl
And green ghosts howl,
"Scary Halloween to you!"
- Nina Willis Walter

I love these beautiful pumpkins!  And the best part about it is that you can use power tools!  I love using power tools!  My husband thought I was crazy when I wanted to use a drill on my pumpkins last year.  This picture is from Martha Stewart, but it's easy to make your pumpkins look just as cute.  And if you have a small hand saw it makes taking the tops off so much easier.  Just be careful!  

If your drill bit is large enough, you can pop those glass pebbles into the holes for a cool effect!

Day 12

Today is all about BOO-ing so I wanted to include a recipe that is SOOOOOO DELISH and can easily be made to look like little ghosts!  Technically they are Oreo Truffles (oh, YUM!) but this season we will call them:

Ghost Truffles

bakerella.com

1 package oreo cookies
1 8oz. package cream cheese (softened)

white chocolate bark

1. Finely crush 7 cookies in a food processor or place them in a ziploc bag and crush into a fine consistency.  Set aside.
2. Crush remaining cookies and stir in softened cream cheese. Use the back of a large spoon to help mash the two together.
3. Roll the mixture into 1″ balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet.

**hint** put balls in freezer so they are easier to dip in chocolate.
4. Melt chocolate as directed on the package and then dip balls into chocolate, tap off extra and set aside on wax paper covered cookie sheet to dry. You can sprinkle the tops with the 7 crushed cookies for decoration.
*refrigerate when dry- or just eat them all!!

I so love being BOO-ed!!  Unfortunately, I don't live in a neighborhood so my chances of being BOO-ed are slim.  However, I certainly can BOO someone else.  And so can you!  I just found this poem yesterday and I simply LOVE it!  There are less than 20 days until Halloween!  So get BOO-ing!

The air is cool, the season fall,

Soon Halloween will come to all.

Ghosts and goblins, spooks galore…

Tricky witches at your door.

The spooks are after things to do,

In fact a spook brought this “Boo” to you!

The excitement comes when friends like you,

Copy this note and make it two.

We’ll all have smiles upon our faces,

No one will know who “BOO”ed who’s places!

Just two short days to work your spell,

Keep it secret, hide it well.

Please join the fun, the season's here .

Just spread these “BOO’s” and Halloween cheer.

For todays craft I wanted to include a FREE PRINTABLE version of the BOO-ed poem so you can print it off and BOO someone this very night!  I left it pretty plain (black and white) because the person you are BOO-ing will have to make a copy of it.  But you can still dress it up cute!

Have a BOO-tiful night!!

Day 11

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds!

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Roasted-Pumpkin-Seeds

2 cups fresh pumpkin seeds

3 T butter, melted

1 t salt

1 t Worcestershire sauce

Line a 15-in x 10in x 1in baking pan with foil and grease the foil.  

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients.

Spread into prepared pan.

Bake at 250 F for 45-50 minutes stirring occasionally.

Increase heat to 325 F and bake for 5 more minutes or until seeds are dry and lightly browned.

Hold on, man.

We don't go anywhere with "scary,"

"spooky,"

"haunted,"

or "forbidden" in the title.

- From Scooby-Doo Movie

I have been wanting to make Halloween napkins for so long and I just LOVE this skull image from the Graphics Fairy and the Bleeding Cowboy font.  I paired them up in word then printed them on Avery fabric transfers and ironed them on to white napkins.  I bought these napkins at Walmart- 2 for $3!  Not bad at $1.50 each!   I can't wait to use them for a dinner party!  I'm also including a 

FREE PRINTABLE of the images!!

And here are the images so you can use them for your Halloween projects!  Don't forget to use the mirror images if you plan on using transfer paper.  

I'm linking this up to:

Day 10

Vampire Cookies

http://www.bhg.com/holidays/halloween/recipes/quick-halloween-party-food/?page=2

These are so cute and are easy to make!  They are just peanut butter sandwich cookies dipped in vanilla coating.  When they dry, pipe vampire faces and a red bow tie.  

At first cock-crow the ghosts must go
Back to their quiet graves below.
~Theodosia Garrison

http://www.bhg.com/holidays/halloween/crafts/stenciled-halloween-pillows/
I really love the look of these pillows.  They used black vinyl fabric and then stenciled the images onto the vinyl.  I like the glam-spooky feel that the vinyl gives the room!