THE HURRICANE IS COMING COCKTAIL

In honor of the upcoming "Hurricane", I thought it was fitting to serve up a few of our favorite cocktails for our "HurricaneParty"! Here's what you need to do:

Ingredients:
- 2 oz light rum
- 2 oz dark rum
- 2 oz passion fruit juice
- 1 oz orange juice
- 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp simple syrup
- 1 tbsp grenadine

- Garnish: orange slice and cherry

Shake all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and strain into a hurricane glass. Garnish with a cherry and an orange slice. Enjoy the party!

IT'S GOBLIN GRUB!

Feed this yummy treat mix to all of the little goblins in your neighborhood. They'll surely come back for more! Super quick to make, mix it up and eat it in under 15 minutes! We love that!

What You Need:
~Rice Chex cereal (8 oz.)
~salted peanuts (6 oz.)
~raisins (6 oz.)
~thin pretzel sticks (8 oz.)
~candy corn (6 oz.)
~Gummi Worms (optional for decoration)
~chocolate chips for melting (6 oz.)

Directions:
1. In a separate microwave-safe bowl add 6 oz chocolate chips.
2. In a big bowl, mix all of the above ingredients except chocolate chips. On a baking sheet, spread the mixture out in a thin layer. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave at 30-second intervals until completely melted.

3. Drizzle chocolate over the treat mix. Slide the tray in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to speed along the hardening time for the chocolate. Once the chocolate has hardened, break the treat mix into pieces.

To serve: pile high in a big bowl. Garnish with Gummi Worms around the edge of the bowl. Store treat mix in a Ziploc bag.

YUMMY MUMMIES

Disguises aren't just for Halloween. Surprise your family with these dressed-up, spooky-looking snacks any time of year. Kids looooove pizza and they can help by spooning the pizza sauce on the English muffins and making the mummy face with the cheese and veggies. The faces are so fun to make and the kids will eat 'em up!

Ingredients:
~English muffins
~Pizza sauce
~Black olives
~Scallions
~Red or green pepper
~Cheese sticks or slices

Instructions:
1. Heat the oven to 350º F. For each mummy, spread a tablespoon of pizza sauce onto half of an English muffin (toast it first, if you like).
2. Set olive slices in place for eyes and add round slices of green onion or bits of red or green pepper for pupils.
3. Lay strips of cheese (we used a pulled-apart cheese stick) across the muffin for the mummy?s wrappings.
4. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the muffin is toasty.

MAKE A CANDY STATION

I've seen this idea at so many kids parties, and I looooooove it!

Making a candy station for the little monsters will make 'em go bonkers! Just set up everything they'll need in one area. You'll want to fill some cool jars with lots of candies and scoopers, and don't forget the decorated baggies for them to take their goodies home!

It's a really simple idea, and it'll look like it took you hours to prepare! I love that!

CUTE & CRAFTY

And yummy too! Here's a great idea from our friends at Better Homes and Gardens.

I think these would make amazing goodies for the kid's party or place cards for a spooky Halloween dinner. I bet they're super fun to make, maybe get the kids to help!

Click here to see more fun party food ideas for Halloween like these marshmallow fondant creatures and mummy wraps!

BRAINY CUPCAKES

If you want to practice some cupcake decorating skills, this is a good one to start with. All you need is an inexpensive pastry bag, some decorating tips, some homemade frosting and food coloring.

Start out by making a batch of cupcakes. Then some homemade vanilla frosting. Add a few drops of food coloring to make some gruesome green or bloody red icing. Fill the pastry bag (with the decorating tip that you want to try, already attached) with icing, and make a bunch of fat,brainy squiggles over one half of the cupcake. Now do the same thing on the other side.  You really can't mess it up..... and if you do, eat the evidence!

Here's my favorite icing recipe:

Ingredients:
1/3 cup softened butter
2 tablespoons milk
3 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Equipment:
Mixing bowl
Mixing spoons
Electric mixer (optional)
Measuring cups and measuring spoons

Making The Icing:
1.In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter with the powdered sugar.
2.Mix them together using a mixing spoon, or electric mixer set on low speed until they are well blended.
3.Next add the vanilla extract and one teaspoon of the milk and mix well.
4.Scrape the sides of the bowl often while mixing.
5.Continue to add milk one teaspoon at a time until frosting is the desired consistency.
6.Continue to blend until the icing is smooth and creamy, with no lumps.
7.Your vanilla icing is finished and ready to spread!
This vanilla frosting recipe makes enough icing for 24 cupcakes.

IT'S CHEESE-NSTEIN

In honor of Gene Wilder's birthday today, how about some Young Frankenstein inspired party food! How cute is this guy? Swing buy and pick up a copy of Young Frankenstein at your favorite movie rental place, call a few friends to come over and make a movie nite! This fun, creamy dip will be the hit of any party!

Ingredients
~2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
~1/4 cup mayonnaise
~1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
~1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
~2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
~6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
~3 green onions, thinly sliced
~2 cartons (4 ounces each) whipped cream cheese
~Moss-green paste food coloring
~1 can (4-1/4 ounces) chopped ripe olives, drained
~2 pepperoncinis
~3 colossal ripe olives
~2 slices peeled parsnip
~Black decorating gel
~1 pretzel rod
~1 small cucumber
~Assorted fresh vegetables

Directions
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and pepper sauce until smooth. Stir in the cheddar cheese, bacon and onions. Shape into a 5-in. x 4-in. x 3-in. rectangle; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled.

Unwrap rectangle; place on a serving platter with a 3-in. side on top. Tint whipped cream cheese green; spread over top and sides of rectangle.

Add chopped ripe olives for hair and pepperoncinis for ears. Cut one colossal olive in half; add parsnip slices and olive halves for eyes. With black decorating gel, pipe the brow, mouth and stitches.

Break pretzel rod in half; add a colossal olive to each end. Press into sides of head for bolts. Cut a small piece from end of cucumber for a nose (save remaining cucumber for another use). Serve with vegetables. Yield: 3 cups.

 Click here to check out some more amazing Halloween party ideas!

FINGER FOOD?

Here's a helpful hand to set the Halloween table--a dastardly dose of "finger foods" to satisfy any monster munchies. Pull this chilling trick to leave even the most ghoulish guests aghast! Just don't save this one for the last minute--you'll need plenty of time for the gloves to fully freeze.

Here's what you'll need:
~ A bowl
~Two cans jumbo black olives
~New latex gloves

Directions:
1. Fill the latex gloves with water and tie a knot into the end of each. Freeze until solid.
2. Remove the gloves from the freezer and add an olive to the tip of each finger.
3. Place the gloves in the bowl, fingers up. Pour the remaining olives in the bowl to keep the gloves in place.

PUMPKIN FUDGE

I have to say that I'm not a big fan of fudge, but this is my absolute favorite! I tried it at a Fall festival (many years back), and I fell in loooooove! And a few years ago, I found this recipe from Southern Living magazine, and I'm so glad!

These sweet little pumpkin fudge squares feature canned pumpkin, white chocolate, and marshmallow creme. Yummy!

Prep: 10 min., Cook: 15 min., Stand: 2 hrs.

Yield: Makes about 3 pounds

Ingredients
~3 cups sugar
~3/4 cup melted butter
~2/3 cup evaporated milk
~1/2 cup canned pumpkin
~2 tablespoons corn syrup
~1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
~1 (12-ounce) package white chocolate morsels
~1 (7-ounce) jar marshmallow crème
~1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
~1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation
Stir together first 6 ingredients in a 3 1/2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, until a candy thermometer registers 234° (soft-ball stage) or for about 12 minutes.

Remove pan from heat; stir in remaining ingredients until well blended. Pour into a greased aluminum foil-lined 9-inch square pan. Let stand 2 hours or until completely cool; cut fudge into squares.

Notes: Line pan with aluminum foil before you begin to cook the fudge. Once the candy thermometer reaches 234° and the remaining ingredients are added, quickly spoon the fudge into the pan.

ZOMBIE PIZZA

Here's what happens when I'm goofing off in the kitchen, and you can't get much easier than this! If you like to make home made pizzas, like we do, this will be super easy.

You can make a large one, or several mini ones (pita bread makes the "perfect" mini pizza!) in no time at all.

Gather all your ingredients: pizza crusts or pita bread, pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, peperoni, sausage, black olives, whole red and green peppers (be sure to slice them long ways in long and short, thin pieces).

Take your crust, add a layer of sauce, then the cheese. Then make little faces all around the pizza with the peppers, olives and other goodies. Bake according to package instructions.

This might be fun to do, to freak everyone out, on pizza night!
*Bwah-ha ha ha !* (evil laugh)

KITTY LITTER CAKE

Ok, I know this looks really disgusting! But I have to tell you....it tastes really good! This classic recipe has been e-mailed and copied from friends and co-workers all over, and it's always a big hit at parties. I've made it several times, and been asked for the recipe....more times than I can count! Now it's quite a lengthy process...but the results are pretty fun. Check it out.....

Ingredients:
~1 German Chocolate Cake Mix
~1 White Cake Mix
~1 package White Sandwich Cookies
~1 Large package Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix
~Green food coloring
~12 Small Tootsie Rolls

Other things you'll need:
1 *NEW* kitty litter box
1 *NEW* kitty litter box plastic liner
1 *NEW* pooper scooper

Preparation:
Prepare cake mixes and bake according to directions (any size pans). Prepare pudding mix and chill until ready to assemble.

Crumble white sandwich cookies in small batches in blender, they tend to stick, so scrape often. Set aside all but about 1/4 cup.

To the 1/4 cup cookie crumbs, add a few drops green food coloring and mix using a fork or shake in a jar.

When cakes are cooled to room temperature, crumble into a large bowl. Toss with half the remaining white cookie crumbs and the chilled pudding. You probably won't need all of the pudding, mix with the cake and "feel" it, you don't want it soggy, just moist; gently combine.

Line new, clean kitty litter box. Put mixture into litter box.

Put three unwrapped Tootsie rolls in a microwave safe dish and heat until soft and pliable. Shape ends so they are no longer blunt, curving slightly. Repeat with 3 more Tootsie rolls and bury in mixture. Sprinkle the other half of cookie crumbs over top. Scatter the green cookie crumbs lightly over the top, this is supposed to look like the chlorophyll in kitty litter.

Heat remaining Tootsie Rolls, 3 at a time in the microwave until almost melted. Scrape them on top of the cake and sprinkle with cookie crumbs. Now spread 5 of the remaining Tootsie Rolls over the top; take one and heat until pliable, hang it over the side of the kitty litter box; sprinkling it lightly with cookie crumbs.

Place the box on a newspaper and sprinkle a few of the cookie crumbs around. Serve kitty litter cake with a *new* pooper scooper.

I know, it's gross....but it'll be a big hit!

CREAMY PUMPKIN BISQUE WITH CANDIED PUMPKIN SEEDS

I found this recipe on the web a few years ago and I fell in love with it!  It reminds me of the "Fall Season" and I make it every year, regardless of how hot or cold the weather is. It'll put you in a great, festive mood and warm you from your head to your toes!





Ingredients:
~2 tablespoons butter
~1 large shallot, minced
~2 cloves garlic, chopped
~3 cups chicken stock
~1 (15 oz can) pumpkin
~1 teaspoon salt
~1 teaspoon brown sugar
~1/2 teaspoon pepper
~1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
~1/2 cup cream or milk
~1/4 cup Brandy (optional)

Directions:
In a large soup pot, saute the shallots in the 2 tablespoons of butter until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute another 2 minutes more. Add the remaining ingredients and bring a boil. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and season again. If you like more pumpkin spice flavor, add a little at a time to your liking. Adjust salt and pepper to your taste.

Candied Pumpkin Seeds
~raw pumpkin seeds (from your Jack o Lantern!!)
~3 tablespoons orange juice
~pinch of salt
~1/2 cup granulated sugar

Rinse the seeds in a colander. Toss seeds with the orange juice and then the sugar. Spread onto a parchment lined sheet pan and roast for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle on top of the soup and enjoy! SO yummy.... and will be one of your favorites too, I guarantee it!

MAKE A CLASSIC

This is how to enjoy the weekend! 

So I thought today would be a good day to go over one of the classics....and still one of my all-time favorite cocktails. It's The BLOODY MARY.

Ingredients
~1 1/2 ounce(s) Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka
~3 ounce(s) bloody mary mix
~1 stalk(s) celery
~1 pinch(s) pepper
~1 pinch(s) salt
~1 lemon or lime wedge

Directions
1. Fill glass with ice.
2. Add vodka and bloody mary mix.
3. Stir well.
4. Garnish with salt, pepper, and lime or celery stalk.

Enjoy!