Halloween Treats

If you're anything like me, you procrastinate and you are STILL trying to decide what to make last minute for Halloween treats. Below are a couple of quick sweets that any boy or ghoul would enjoy!

Ghost Pops
Jumbo Marshmallows
White Melting Chocolate
Popsicle Sticks
Black Decorating Gel
Lollipop bags and twist ties
Wax Paper

Melt chocolate in microwave safe bowl in 15 second increments, stirring after each 15 seconds until smooth. Insert Lollipop sticks in marshmallows. Holding stick, dip marshmallows in chocolate. If needed, use a spoon to scoop chocolate on top for better coverage. Place on wax paper to dry. Add eyes and a mouth with decorating gel.

Spider Cupcakes
Chocolate Cakemix (Baked as directed in cupcake liners)
Chocolate Frosting
Black Licorice
Red Hots
Brown Sprinkles (or as my husband calls them, "Jimmies")

Bake cupcakes as directed on cakemix package. Let cool and frost each cupcake. Sprinkle jimmies on top. Cut each licorice piece in half lengthwise and cut in half horizontally. (Adjust size as you prefer for length and width of legs) If you can find licorice rope, it would be much better in my opinion. Add 2 red hots for eyes.

What are some of your favorite treats to make for Halloween? Leave a comment and let me know.

Pumpkins Pumpkins

My husband and I both love the fall season.   It's that time of year for football, jackets, scarves, soups, apple cider and pumpkins.   I especially love carving pumpkins together for Halloween. We spend a lot of time debating on our own pumpkin carving design. It's funny how we each plan and carve differently. He draws his on freehand because he's so talented. And he carves it out so quickly. I take AT LEAST a half hour longer.  I print out a design, tape it on the pumpkin and poke the outline.

In the end, it's a great feeling to put the candles in and see what they look like from the sidewalk. We're officially ready for trick-or-treaters! (Well... aside from needing to get the candy. I'm trying to put that off as long as I can so I don't get tempted to eat it all before Halloween.) I get giddy as if I were a child. I think I get so excited because I don't remember carving pumpkins with my parents. I don't know why they neglected to make this awesome tradition a part of our family but I'm so glad that my husband and I do this fun seasonal activity together.

While we were visiting my husband's family in Seattle recently, we had the extreme pleasure of going to the pumpkin patch with our adorable niece. We all went to lunch then stopped to get coffees and she got to try hot cocoa for the first time and loved it. She just had to bring her hot cocoa into the pumpkin patch. At 2 1/2 she was easily entertained by everything from the rubber ducky racing pond and bowling to the live turkeys, roosters and rabbits that had funny names.

We were all too worn out afterwards to actually carve the pumpkins but we picked out a great variety. They had all different colors, shapes and sizes. Plus it was her naptime anyway and we didn't want her to miss out. Maybe we'll carve pumpkins with her next year. Happy Fall!