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Simply Sweet Recipe

October 24, 2007 4 Comments
Scary Spiderweb Cupcakes
Prep Time:20 min
Start to Finish:1 hr 10 min
Makes:24 cupcakes
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® devil’s food cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
1 container Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting
3 drops red food color
4 to 5 drops yellow food color
1 tube (0.68 ounce) Betty Crocker® black decorating gel
48 large black gumdrops
1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Make and cool cupcakes as directed on box for 24 cupcakes.
2. Tint frosting with red and yellow food colors to make orange frosting. Spread frosting over tops of cupcakes.
3. Squeeze circles of decorating gel on each cupcake; pull knife through gel from center outward to make web. To make each spider, roll out 1 gumdrop and cut out 8 strips for legs; place another gumdrop on top. Place spider on cupcake. Store loosely covered at room temperature.
Filed Under: desserts, fall, Halloween, Recipe of the Week, recipes

Fun Halloween Party Games

October 24, 2007 Leave a Comment

Here are some fun and affordable activities for your child’s Halloween party. Some of these would also be great for school parties:

  • Costume Contest – Have the kids vote on who has the best costume.
  • Scavenger hunt- Have the kids break up into teams. Make a list of items for the kids to find. (Include everyday items and Halloween items (a pumpkin, candy, toy spider, ect.)
  • Capture the flag – Divide the kids into two teams. Each team gets a flag to hide and defend. Just like in tag, the members of each team have the power to tag members of the other team, “freezing” them for a specific amount of time.
  • Pumpkin Bowling – Buy plastic bowling pins or spraypaint some 2 liter coke bottles. Use plastic pumpkins for bowling balls.
  • Guess the Pumpkin’s Weight – Get a pumpkin (or perhaps more than one. maybe a small one and a large one) Have each kid to gues how much the pumpkin weighs. Whoever gets closer to the actual weight wins a prize. (For another game, you can ask the kids to guess how many seeds are in the pumpkin.)
  • How many beans are in the the jar? – Put jelly beans or candy corns into a glass jar. Have the kids guess how many candies are in the jar.
  • Make-A-Mummy – Have the kids partner up. Use toilet paper or white streamers. Have the kids turn their partner into a mummy. Whoever is done first, wins.
  • Needle in the Haystack – Make a small pile of hay. Hide money or other prizes in it, and have the kids search for it.
  • Apple Bobbing – Put water and apples into a barrel or extra large bowl. Have the kids pull out the apples with their mouths.
  • Apple Eating Contest – Put up a clothes line. Hang apples of the line with a string. Get a timer and see who can eat the most of their apple in a specified amount of time.
  • Pumpkin Toss – Like a bean bag toss, but instead get small pumpkins and have the kids toss them to the holes.
  • Charades/Outburst – Make up a list of Halloween items and costumes. Break the kids up into 2 teams. Have the kids play charades, acting out the part of the item on the card, or have them to give verbal clues to their team mates.

Filed Under: Halloween, party ideas

Fall Decor

October 22, 2007 2 Comments

In the stores it already looks like Christmas, and in the last couple of years I’ve seen a few houses that have Christmas lights up 2 days after Halloween. What ever happened to Thanksgiving?

If you haven’t decorated your house for Halloween yet and you hate the idea of putting up decorations only to take them down a week later, consider this: Buy decorations for the entire fall season. Pumpkins, scarecrows, and leaves are great decorations for Halloween and Thanksgiving as well.

If you’re a fan of ghosts and goblins consider putting them up for Halloween, along with your pumpkins and other decor. Then after Halloween take the ghosts and ghouls down and leave your “fall decor” up till Thanksgiving.

It is very easy to decorate for the fall season without spending a lot of money. I bought my decorations at Wal-Mart, Big Lots, and the Dollar Tree.
  • Strings of leaves are very cute to hang on the porch, and I’ve seen them priced from $1 to $4 each. (You’ll probably need 3 to 6 of these, depending on the size of you porch.)

  • Large Scarecrows (4′ to 5′ tall) are great for a porch, yard, or garden, and they sell for $7 to $10.

  • Smaller scarecrows (6 inches to 2′) are good for the yard and the inside of your house. I hung one onto a window outside and placed another with a couple of pumpkins in my dining room. You can buy these for $.50 to $3.

  • Pumpkins – If you’re not in to carving pumpkins, you can buy plastic pumpkins that look like the real thing. Buy jack-o-laterns that light up, or plain pumpkins for a festive harvest look. The pumpkins range in size and sell for $2 to $9.

  • Artificial flowers/leaves/berries. – These make a great addition and add a lot of color to your decor. Create an arrangement for your dining room table, or place them outside on your porch. At around $1 a sprig they are also a lot cheaper than buying potted fall plants.

Filed Under: decorating, fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving

Great Snacks for Halloween

October 21, 2007 Leave a Comment
Today I’ve got some fun Halloween foods that your kid’s are sure to love!
Bugs in a Blanket (from http://www.pillsbury.com/)
Prep Time: 30 min ; Start to Finish: 45 min Makes: 24 snacks
1 can (11 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated breadsticks
24 cocktail-size smoked link sausages (from 14-oz package)
3/4 cup shoestring potatoes (from 1 3/4-oz can)
Ketchup, barbecue sauce or mustard
1 . Heat oven to 375°F. Unroll dough; separate at perforations into 12 breadsticks. With knife or kitchen scissors, cut each breadstick in half crosswise, making 24 pieces.
2 . Wrap each piece of dough around center of each sausage, pinching to seal and leaving each end of sausage showing. Place seam side down and 1/2 inch apart on ungreased large cookie sheet.
3 . Bake 11 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet; place on serving plate or tray. Cool 2 minutes.
4 . Insert shoestring potatoes into baked dough to resemble legs and antennae. Decorate “bugs” with dots or stripes of ketchup. 

Sweet Moster Cupcakes (from familyfun.go.com)

2 dozen cupcakes from your favorite recipe
3.4-ounce box of vanilla-flavored instant pudding
green food coloring
1 cup of green melting candy (we used Wilton Candy Melts)
24 large marshmallows
skewers
waxed-paper-lined baking sheet
M&M’s Minis
small serrated knife
chocolate frosting
black gel
2 green Tic Tac mints

1. Bake and cool 2 dozen cupcakes from your favorite recipe. Prepare a 3.4-ounce box of vanilla-flavored instant pudding. Stir in drops of green food coloring until you have a shade you like, then place it in the refrigerator to chill.

2. Next, microwave 1 cup of green melting candy (we used Wilton Candy Melts, available at party supply stores) for 1 minute at 50 percent power, then stir. If necessary, heat in 15-second intervals until completely melted. One at a time, spear 24 large marshmallows with a skewer and roll them in the melted candy, coating the sides. Set them on a waxed-paper-lined baking sheet, add M&M’s Minis for eyes, and place them in the refrigerator to chill.

3. With a small serrated knife, remove a 1-inch-wide chunk from the center of each cupcake. Fill each hole with a tablespoon or so of the pudding, then spread chocolate frosting around each pudding hole.

4. Cover each pool of pudding with a chilled marshmallow. Add black gel facial features and 2 green Tic Tac mints for bolts.

5. Finally, top each monster head with a bit of frosting and muss with your finger or a fork. Keep the cupcakes chilled until serving time.

Halloween Cat Cookies (from Taste of Home)

 

1 tube (18 ounces) refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
54 pieces candy corn
1 can (16 ounces) chocolate frosting
Red shoestring licorice, cut into 1-3/8-inch pieces
9 thin chocolate wafer (2-1/4 inch diameter), quartered

Bake cookies according to package directions. Cool on a wire racks. Cut off yellow tips from 18 pieces of candy corn (discard orange and white portion or save for another use). Frost cookies with chocolate frosting. Immediately decorate with two whole candy corns for eyes, a yellow candy corn tip for nose, six licorice pieces for whiskers and two wafer quarters for ears. Yield: 1-1/2 dozen.

 

Monster Burgers (taken from http://www.pillsbury.com/)

Prep Time: 35 min ; Start to Finish: 35 min

8 ground beef patties (4 oz each)
8 burger buns, split
8 slices (3/4 oz each) American cheese
8 thin slices cooked ham
16 slices dill pickle
Ketchup1 . Set oven control to broil. Place ground beef patties on broiler pan. Broil with tops 3 to 4 inches from heat 10 to 12 minutes or until thoroughly cooked, turning once.
2 . Place bottom halves of buns on serving platter. For each monster burger, place 1 cooked patty on bottom half of bun. Cut cheese slice in half in zigzag pattern to look like teeth. Place half of cheese slice on burger, with “teeth” hanging off 1 side of patty.
3 . Loosely fold ham into tongue shape; place on top of “teeth.” Place remaining cheese “teeth” on top of “tongue.” Top with top half of bun. Place 2 pickle slices on top for eyes. Dot “eyes” with ketchup for pupils.

Filed Under: appetizers and snacks, fall, Halloween, recipes

30 Easy Halloween Costume Ideas

October 18, 2007 Leave a Comment
    Need an idea for a Halloween costume? I’ve compiled a list of some costume ideas that are both easy and inexpensive. Many of the costumes can be made by using clothes and other materials you already have at home. Other items can be purchased for a reasonable price at Wal-Mart, Target, or the dollar store. Also, try looking at thrift stores and consignment shops for used clothing that can be used for your costume. Have fun!
  1. Cat – Dress in all black. Buy a tail and ears or make you own. (or wear animal print and go as a tiger, leopard, or zebra.)

  2. Prisoner – Wear black and white stripes, and make your own ball and chain.

  3. Witch – dress in all black. Try to find something to wear as a cloak. Buy or make a hat and broom.

  4. Vampire – Just like the witch costume except wear a set of vampire teeth.

  5. Cowboy – Wear jeans, a flannel shirt, boots, and of course a hat. You may also want to add a vest and a gun holster and gun.

  6. Devil – Dress in red. Buy or make a tail, horns, and a pitchfork.

  7. Doctor – Wear a lab coat & glasses. Also, carry a stethoscope if you have one at home or buy one out of the toy department.

  8. Police Men – Wear a blue button up shirt and black or navy pants. Look in the toy department for a badge, gun, and hat.

  9. Teacher/Professor – Wear a suit or a blouse and skirt. Wear a pair of glasses. Wear your hair in a bun. Consider carrying a book or a ruler.

  10. Angel – Wear all white. Wings and a halo can be bought at any costume store, or make your own. When I was little my dad made my wings out of metal coat hangers and an old sheer curtain. The halo can be made with a coat hanger and glitter or shiny Christmas garland.

  11. Farmer – Wear overalls or jeans and a shirt, a cowboy hat or straw hat. Carry a toy rake or shovel.

  12. Fireman – Wear a yellow raincoat over your clothes and a pair of boots. Find a hat at a costume store or out of the toy department, if your head is small enough.

  13. Ghost – Make an instant ghost costume out of an old sheet or large curtain. If you don’t have any old sheets or curtains that are white, wear white clothing and consider covering yourself (except your head) in large white trash bags.

  14. Mail carrier – Wear a blue button up shirt and dark shorts and wear a mail bag over your shoulder.

  15. UPS guy – Wear a brown button up shirt and shorts. Carry a brown box as a prop.

  16. Athlete – Wear your favorite team jersey with jeans or buy a full uniform at a sporting goods store. Put black face paint under your eyes.

  17. Princess -If you have a fancy dress at home that you never wear, consider using it as a costume. (perhaps you have a bridesmaid’s dress from a friends wedding that your were in or a dress from some formal event) Otherwise look for a dress online or at a consignment store. They often sale used prom dresses and wedding gowns. Then buy crown/tiara from a costume store or a craft store like Hobby Lobby.

  18. Bride – same concept as the princess costume. Wear an old white dress you already own or buy one from a consignment shop. Consignment shop and thrift stores usually sell veils too, or you can make your own. Hobby Lobby sells veil kits or you can just buy some sheer fabric and attach it to a hair clip.

  19. Little Red Riding Hood – Wear a red dress. Make your own or buy a head cape. Carry a picnic basket.

  20. Hippie – Very easy costume. Just buy some vintage looking clothes and jewelry.

  21. 50s Costume – Females can wear a blouse, sweater, and long skirt. Consider making your own poodle skirt or a 50s style cheerleading outfit. Guys can wear jeans, a white or black t-shirt, and a leather jacket for that greaser/Fonz/Danny Zucko look, or wear jeans, a white t-shirts and a letterman’s jacket for the “soc” look.

  22. Flapper – Wear a long dress, preferably something vintage with fringe if you can find it. Make a headband with a big feather, and wear a long string of beads and a feather boa.

  23. Waitress – Wear a long skirt and blouse, and an apron around your waist. Carry a tray, a menu, or an order pad.

  24. Bum/Hobo/Scarecrow – Wear old jeans or overalls, and a old checkered shirt. Use old clothes or material to make patches to put over your clothes. For the scarecrow costume, consider stuffing hay or corn husks in your overalls.

  25. Hunter/Soldier – If you already have hunting clothes, wear them or borrow some from a friend. Otherwise check an army surplus store. Camouflage has been pretty popular in the last few years, so you may be able to find some camou pants on sale at a department store as well.

  26. Caesar – Use an old white sheet or other material to make a toga, and make a wreath for your head. Use this same idea for a Greek god or goddess, or a Cleopatra costume.

  27. The Crazed/Obsessed Fan – Wear a jersey or t-shirt of your favorite sports team or music group. Paint your face and make a fan poster.

  28. French Maid – Short black dress or skirt and blouse. Wear black hose and high heels, and a white apron. Carry a feather duster.

  29. Baby/Kid – Wear pajamas and big animal house shoes. Carry a stuffed animal and a bottle or pacifier. Wear your hair in pig tails or wear a bonnet.

  30. Television Icon – Buy vintage clothes to look like your favorite television character. Some favorites that come to mind are Happy Days, the Brady Bunch, Partridge Family, Andy Griffith, and I Love Lucy. Or consider more “recent” old shows. Find some 80s or early 90s clothes and go for the Miami Vice look or your dress like favorite character from Saved by the Bell or Beverly Hills 90210.

Filed Under: fall, Halloween
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