Rest In Pie

It's almost Halloween which has meant I've had to step up my game. This spooky graveyard pie is easy and fun. I got the inspiration from this Martha Stewart recipe, but I pretty much completely changed it.

What you will need:
Pie pan
16 Graham crackers
1 stick unsalted butter
1.5 quarts Breyers Oreo blast ice cream (or whatever other flavor you pick)
Oreos (10 just cookies...and yes that means you get to split them apart and eat the side with the frosting, and 5 with the frosting)
5 milano cookies (I picked 5, you can use however many will fit)
1 small tube red gel frosting
1 toothpick
Blender- optional, but makes your life a lot easier

What you do:
1) Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees 
2) Grease the pie pan.
3) Break up the graham crackers into large pieces in the blender (if you aren't using a blender put them in a zip-lock bag and mash with your hands into small pieces), and use the chop setting to make small pieces.  You may have to turn the blender off, shake it up a bit, then press chop again.
4) While this is happening, melt butter in the microwave, and let it cool slightly before pouring over the graham cracker crumbs, and press chop again until the butter is fully mixed.
5) Pour graham crackers into greased pie pan and press down with clean hands. I found that pressing down the sides first was easier. Make sure that it is even all around.
6) Put the pie pan in the oven for about 10 minutes/until the crust is SLIGHTLY browned. When it is done, take it out, and let it cool completely.
7) While the crust is in the oven, prepare the gravestones. Put 5 or so Milanos on a plate. Squeeze a little red gel frosting onto the plate, and with the tip of a toothpick scoop up a little of the gel.  Be very careful, and write R.I.P. on each of the Milanos.
8) Leave them flat on the plate, so that the gel doesn't drip.
9) While the pie crust is cooling, spoon the ice cream into a bowl and stir with a spoon until smooth.
10) Pour onto crust, and spread evenly, and set aside.
11) In the blender use the chop setting to crush the oreos into crumbs.
12) Use spoon to spread over the ice cream, and put the grave stones in.
13) Put into freezer overnight. Serve cold ;)

Raise your pitchforks and torches for these Halloween bottles

Alright, as promised here is a crafty little project that I completed while watching the new episode of The Walking Dead (so excited for next week!). So that means I finished these bottles in under an hour, and I bet you could too.  The ghost one was obviously easier. The inspiration for this project came from this blog, but I did them completely differently.

Here is what you will need:
Clear bottles (bottles that had soda in it are perfect...I used Stewarts Orange n' Creame soda bottles)
Paint:

•  Soft body acrylic paint (white for ghost, green for Frankenstein, orange for pumpkin)...Tempra paint would also probably work, but it won't look as good and will take longer.
• Regular acrylic paint (black for ghost, red/black/white for Frankenstein, black for pumpkin)...Tempra would work, but it might turn flaky, and it won't be as vivid, you would also have a little less control because Tempra is water based.

*Be warned acrylic paint is permanent. 
Paint brush (a flat edged one will come in handy)
Water

What you do:
For Frankenstein:

Start with a clear bottle and squeeze about half of the soft body green Acrylic paint into the bottle.  Swirl it around, keep squeezing little bits of paint into the bottle until the entire inside is covered.

Squeeze a little bit of black paint onto a palette. Paint the top of the bottle black, but stop around the curve. I found it helpful it start by painting a line so that I did not cross it. Using a flat edged paintbrush will make this next part easier, but it is not necessary. Paint triangles along the line that you have drawn to make a hair line.

Wash the brush, and squeeze a little white onto the palette. Paint two filled in half circles just below the hairline, and wait for them to dry (with acrylic paint it is really quick...only a few minutes, but with tempra it will take longer).

This picture includes three steps, the first being while the eyes dry, use the red paint to make a straight horizontal line as a mouth. Again, the straight edged paint brush will make this a lot easier. Then, make several vertical lines along the horizontal one. When you have done that, use the black paint to make two black half circles at the top middle of the eye as pupils. Hopefully by then the red paint will have dried (although you can wait a few minutes to play it safe), paint another layer on the red mouth to make it really pop.

Using the soft body white paint, squeeze about half the tube into the bottle to coat the inside, you may have to repeat a few times to coat the inside completely. Using the flat edged paint brush make black triangles along the bottom of the bottle.

Paint two ovals for eyes, and a sort of warped oval for the mouth. 

Put them out for everyone to see!

It's 5 o'clock somewhere

When I first found the recipe on Pinterest for honey whiskey cupcakes with honey whiskey buttercream frosting with a bourbon drizzle I knew I had to try it. Luckily for me my friend Ben's birthday is on Monday, so I got to make them and give them away quickly so that I don't end up eating them all!

So these cupcakes are surprisingly easy, and they look nice and fancy. They take about 25 mins for the cupcakes, about an hour to cool completely, 15 mins to do the frosting, and about 5 for the drizzle. All in all they take about 2 hours since you don't want to rush anything.

What you will need:
Cupcakes:
3/4 cup butter (1.5 sticks)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 TSP vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 TSP salt
1 1/4 TSP baking powder
3 TBSP Jack Daniels Honey Whiskey
3 TBSP milk
12 cupcake liners

Frosting:
1.5 sticks butter (unsalted) *note: this needs to be at room temp, so it should be left out from when you start the cupcakes if not before
3 cups powdered sugar
1 TSP vanilla
2 TBSP Jack Daniels Honey Whiskey
1/4 cup heavy cream

Drizzle:
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup Jack Daniels Honey Whiskey
1 TBSP unsalted butter

What you do:
Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Put cupcake liners into cupcake tin.
Melt 1.5 sticks butter in microwave until ALMOST melted (not all the way).
Beat in 1 cup sugar until fluffy.
Beat in 2 eggs and 1 TSP vanilla until completely mixed (be careful to not over mix).
In separate bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 TSP salt, and 1 1/4 baking powder and mix with a fork.
Add slowly to the sugar mixture and beat until mostly combined.
Add 3 TBSP honey whiskey and 3 TBSP milk and mix until completely smooth.
Pour batter into cupcake liners so that they are about 3/4 of the way full.
Bake for 17 mins (ovens vary, so check at 15) or until toothpick comes out clean.
Remove from oven and put on plate or wire rack to cool completely (will take about 45 mins- an hour).

Frosting:
While the cupcakes are cooling you can start the frosting.
Put room temperature butter (1.5 sticks ) in a bowl, it should be a bit mushy.
Beat until fluffy, then add 3 cups sugar.
Mix until a little crumbly.
Add 1 TSP vanilla and 2 TBSP honey whiskey and mix.
Add 1/4 cup heavy cream (add 1/2 at a time to make sure you aren't adding too much).
Beat completely it. It should be thick in texture.
Put in ziplock bag, and push all of the air out of it. Seal the bag, and cut a small corner in the corner of the bag (the opening should only be about a centimeter wide).
When the cupcakes are cooled, start from the outside rim of the cupcake (at the 12 o'clock position), and work counterclockwise along the cupcake lining to create a swirl ending in the center of the cupcake.
Put in the refrigerator while you make the drizzle.

Drizzle:
Put 1 TBSP unsalted butter in a pan and heat over medium high heat.
Add 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup honey whiskey and stir completely.
Stir occasionally until mixture starts boiling. 
Let boil for 2 minutes stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat, and let cool.  Keep stirring or else the mixture will get a skin on the top.
Drizzle over cupcakes with a spoon.
Serve! (or store in the refrigerator)

I promise my next post will be a craft of some sort, I have been doing a lot of baking and cooking posts recently, but I'm already working on a craft project that I hope to post at the end of the weekend.  Enjoy!!

Pumpkin spice and everything nice

Everyone loves all things pumpkin spice, especially at this time of year. These bite sized treats are perfect to bring to a party or just have out while relaxing with family or friends. They only take about 45 minutes to make, but they take a while to cool, so be prepared for that. Even better, though, is that it only requires 1 pot and 1 baking pan, so not a ton of bowls or dishes to wash at the end!

Pumpkin spice fudge:

What you need:
Baking pan (as close to 9x13 as possible I ended up using two pans)
1/2 TSP butter for greasing
3/4 cup butter (1.5 sticks I used 1 salted and 1/2 unsalted)
2/3 cup evaporated milk (make sure it is evaporated not condensed... they are not the same thing)
2 cups sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 pumpkin puree (the canned pumpkin in the baking isle or if you wanna make your own try this recipe)
1.5 TSP pumpkin pie spice (most stores will have it this time of year, but if not, you can make your own by following this recipe)
1 12 oz package of white chocolate chips
1 7 oz jar of marshmallow fluff
1.5 TSP vanilla

Optional: chopped pecans or macadamia nuts (I didn't use these cause I don't really like those types of nuts, but for people who do it would taste really good)

What you do:
1) Grease baking pan (or pans) completely with butter.

2) Combine 3/4 cup butter, 2/3 cup evaporated milk, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, and 1.5 pumpkin pie spice in a medium-large pot.

3) Heat over medium heat stirring to mix completely while it heats.

4) Bring mixture to boil, stir constantly to prevent burning until mixture is at 234-243 degrees F (if you don't have a thermometer boil for about 30 minutes).

5) When the mixture has reached 234-243 degrees remove from heat and pour in entire bag of white chocolate chips.

6) Stir until they are completely melted, then stir in the jar of marshmallow fluff and 1.5 TSP vanilla and mix completely. Make sure that you stir completely because there are usually pockets. To stir completely takes about 3 minutes of stirring and folding.

7) Pour evenly into pans and smooth the top with a spatula.

8) Leave out until the fudge has cooled to room temperature.

9) Cut into 1 square inch pieces, and EAT (or share if you are feeling generous)!

If you are storing them keep in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

The good, the bad, and the delicious

Heart attack on a plate.  That was what my mother used to call any dessert so decadent that it was a legitimate health concern.  I think these "enhanced" snickers might qualify. That being said, if you cut them into small enough pieces they are nice bite sized candies to bring to the office or to a friends house.  The best thing about them is that if you store them properly (in a sealed container) they last forever especially in the freezer. The original recipe was found here, but I have some additional notes to add. It takes a long time (it took me about 3-4 hours), but they are definitely worth it, and you can spread the work out over a whole weekend, so that it isn't that bad.

What you will need:
Baking pan
Tin foil
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/2 bags of chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet)
1 jar creamy peanut butter
1 jar marshmallow fluff
1 cup salted peanuts
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup whole milk
2 1/2 TSP vanilla extract
14 oz bag of caramels
1/4 cup cream
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 TBSP heavy cream
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup pretzel sticks

Prep:
Grease tin foil and put in pan (make sure it is entirely greased up the sides).

Layer 1: Peanut butter chocolate
Put 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter in a microwavable bowl and microwave for 30 seconds at a time stirring in between until melted.  It usually takes about 1 minute 30 seconds.
Pour into the baking pan over the tin foil and let cool in the refrigerator for about 30 mins.  Really do wait until it is hard, it makes things much easier in the long run.

Layer 2: Nougat
Chop 1 cup peanuts.
In a pot melt 1/4 cup unsalted butter over medium heat.
Add 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup whole milk.
Stir until sugar is melted.
Cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently.
Add 1 1/2 cup marshmallow fluff and 1 TSP vanilla extract.
Mix completely while still on medium heat. When completely smooth, remove from heat and add 1 cup chopped peanuts, and stir completely.
Pour over the hardened chocolate layer in the baking pan, and put back in refrigerator, and let cool about 30 minutes (it won't ever be completely hardened because it is a chewy layer).

Layer 3: Caramel
Unwrap all of (14 oz.) the caramels, and put them in a pot, add 1/4 cup cream.
Melt over low heat stirring occasionally until caramel is smooth.
Pour over over nougat layer.
Put back in the refrigerator until cool (about 30-45 mins, but again it will not be completely hardened).

Layer 4: Brown butter cookie dough
In a pot melt 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter. Let it get frothy and turn brown (it will start smelling a bit nutty).
Let cool for 10 minutes.
Pour butter into bowl, and add 2/3 cup brown sugar, 2 TBSP heavy cream, 1 1/2 TSP vanilla. Beat until completely combined. Make sure that there are no clumps of brown sugar.
Add 1 cup flour and 1/4 TSP salt, and beat until completely combined.
Pour and spread across the caramel layer, and put the pan back in the refrigerator and let cool until hard (about 45 mins.).

Layer 5: Peanut butter chocolate
Put 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter in a microwavable bowl and microwave for 30 seconds at a time stirring in between until melted.  It usually takes about 1 minute 30 seconds.
Pour into the baking pan over.
Break up pretzel sticks over the chocolate layer.
Put back in the refrigerator for about an hour.
Cut into bars.
(If you can keep from eating them all) store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Be warned this project takes a long time, but as I said before, you can spread it out over a day or a weekend which makes it easier. They are absolutely amazing, but make sure you brush your teeth afterward!! 

Down by the patch, where the pumpkins grow

Cut outs and tissue paper.

In an attempt to stick with my promise to try as many things from my post about Halloween activities and recipes here is a post on how to decorate a pumpkin without carving it. While I do love carved pumpkins, in a small apartment it doesn't make the most sense 1) because of smell and 2) because no one is really going to see it. At least with a pumpkin you didn't carve it will last much longer. This activity takes about 30 mins, and would be great to do with a group of friends or with some little cousins, nieces, or nephews at Halloween or Thanksgiving.

What you'll need:

Post-cut

White pumpkin (orange may work too, but I didn't try it, you would have to use only darker colors)
Tissue paper (red, orange, yellow, brown)
Mod-podge
Paint brush

What you do:
Clean off your pumpkin with water and dry it with a paper towel.
Print out leaf outlines (I used this one, this one, this one, and this one).
Cut squares of different colors of tissues paper.

My helpful assistant

Stack them and divide into four groups (or more or less depending on how many leaf cutouts you printed).
Place the tissue paper behind the leaf cut outs and hold tightly while you cut out the leaf.
Repeat with the other leaf cut outs.
Using the paint brush, paint on a layer of mod-podge in a band around the pumpkin.
Place a tissue paper leaf down on the mod-podge, place another one so that it overlaps slightly (you might want to do a bit of planning ahead because mod-podge dries quickly).
Paint over the tissue paper with another layer of mod-podge.
Do the red tissue paper last because it will bleed.
Let dry and put in the window or outside on the porch.

Sips of Autumn

In my opinion Fall is the best time of year. It's birthday season in my family which is always fun, the leafs on the trees turn fantastic colors, the air has that distinct fall smell (while still being warm enough that all you need is a slight jacket or sweater), and it is my favorite time for sipping cocktails.

For this post I want to share a few cocktail recipes for all occasions.

My personal favorites are the Apple cider margarita, cranberry mimosa, and cranberry punch.

Apple:
Harvest sangria- Great for parties because of it's easy prep and the recipe is easily doubled or tripled.

Apple cider margaritas- Margarita Monday just got a little bit of fall added to it.  The fresher the cider the better, so hit up those Farmers Markets/apple picking farms.

Apple pie- Who doesn't want an apple pie in drink form? This one is a good one if you are on a budget as the alcohol required is grain alcohol.

Cider cooler- This one doesn't have a link because it is from The Gold Cookbook, and it sounds delicious and another one that would be good for larger parties.

•  Mix 1/2 cup lemon juice, 1/2 cup orange juice, 1/3 grenadine syrup, 1 pint ginger ale, 1 quart hard cider, 1/2 cup brandy. Serve chilled.

Cider frappe- Another one from The Gold Cookbook.  I like this one because you can make it without the alcohol so that the designated drivers (or kids) have something fun to drink too!

• Mix 4 cups sweet cider, 1 1/4 cups water, 1 1/4 cups orange juice, 1/2 cup lemon juice, 1 1/4 cups sugar and freeze to a mush.
• When ready to serve, beat with a beater or fork.  Slowly add 1/2 cup of Applejack, and beat until frothy.

Thanksgiving cider punch- From The Gold Cookbook. This recipe serves 12-15, and doesn't require a lot, so it would be nice to prepare for Thanksgiving meal or a brunch.

• Mix 3 cups apricot juice, juice from 3 large oranges, juice from 3 lemons, and 1 1/2 quarts sweet cider. Add red and green (if you can find them) maraschino cherries for a garnish.

Cranberry:
Cranberry mimosa- Something to drink while you are starting to cook the Thanksgiving meal or just a nice way to add a fall taste to a Sunday brunch.

Sparkling cranberry cocktail- I know the recipe says pomegranate, but you could definitely substitute in cranberry and it would taste amazing.

Hot spiced cranberry cider- This ones for the younger set as it is non-alcoholic.

Cranberry punch- Ok, so cranberry isn't the only ingredient here, but it still sounds delicious! Another good one for serving larger parties.


Pumpkin:
Bourbon pumpkin pie milkshake- Not exactly a party drink, but maybe something fun to have with a significant other or a friend while watching a movie.

Pumpkin and apple cider - While this may not sound great to me (personally, I can't imagine adding straight pumpkin puree to alcohol), it could be right up your alley. If you are looking for something along the lines of an alcoholic smoothie then this could be it!

An apple a day...

We require only the best apples

This lovely Saturday was spent apple picking at Outhouse Orchards (haha) about an hour away from NYC. The drive was a bit grueling because we were definitely not the only people to have the idea to go apple picking, HOWEVER, it was completely and totally worth it.  It was sunny and beautiful and we got lots of delicious apples to make yummy yummy things (I also got three pumpkins...check back for carving and decorating tips). My first yummy yummy thing is an apple crisp. 

Considering these apples are smothered in sugar/cinnamon and topped with even more sugar and butter they may not keep the doctor away.  BUT that's okay because you will NOT regret making my apple crisp.  The one that I made tonight is already almost gone and its only been 2 hours. I've combined several different recipes and have come up with this one:

Enjoying the warm weather!

Apple Crisp:
What you will need:
Baking pan (either glass or metal)*
Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Filling:
6-8 apples (it depends on the size of the pan you are using)**
2 TBSP lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 TSP cinnamon

Our haul

Crust:
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 TBSP sugar
1/2 TSP salt
8 TBSP (1 stick) unsalted butter

*I used a pan about 9x5.
**I used 6 medium apples

What you do:
Pre-heat oven to 375.
Peel apples and cut into small and medium sized cubes.
Place cubes in bowl and add lemon juice.
In separate bowl combine sugar and cinnamon and mix together.
Add cinnamon and sugar mixture to apples and toss- mixing completely.
Pour into baking pan and set aside.
In a bowl stir together flour, light brown sugar, sugar, and salt.
Cut butter into cubes and add to flour mixture.
Mix with your hands making it into a crumbly mixture.
Make sure that the butter is fully mixed in with no big clumps.
Spread over the apples until the crust is about 1/2 inch thick.
Bake for about 35 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and apples are tender.
Cool for about 10 mins and serve hot with vanilla ice cream!

New Music Obsessions 5

I've got a few things for ya now. I've been trying to post these every few months to keep you up to date on what I'm listening to.

1) The Oh Hello's
The newest addition to my playlist (as of this morning). Buzzfeed retweeted someone suggesting one of their songs, and I had to give it a listen.  At first I thought it might be just my early morning grogginess, but the more I listened to more I liked. They are indie pop.  I'd say they are a cross between Mumford and Sons and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros (although the guy recommending them said they had a Lumineers vibe which I also agree with).

Band site

The sibling duo from Texas have two albums The Oh Hello's (creative, huh) from 2011 and Through the Deep, Dark Valley (2012). They are currently not signed with anyone.

Some favorites from both albums:
The Oh Hello's (2011):
2) Lay me Down
4) Trees

Through the Deep, Dark Valley (2012):
1) The Valley
3) Eat You Alive
4) Second Child, Restless Child
10) The Truth is a Cave

2) Grouplove
Not a new band, but a new album! Spreading rumors came out on Sept. 17th, and speaking from experience (because my amazing boyfriend got me tickets for my birthday) their new stuff is awesome, both recorded and live. The album has a lot of new sounds which I was a little apprehensive about because I liked the old sound, but it means that they are growing as a band.

Band site

I won't tell you about the band cause I already did in this post, but I WILL tell you the songs I like off of the album:

4) Ways To Go
6) Sit Still
11) News To Me
12) Raspberry

3) Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Another one that I'm sure you all have heard of.  That being said they have slipped off of a lot of people's radars, but they do have a new album that was released over the summer. Still as funky and as good as ever I really enjoyed this whole album. 

Band site

Again, since you all know who they are, I won't bore you with the details, but if you don't they are a really cool band and I think you should at least google them.  They have a fun story.  Here are a few pics from the new album:

2) Let's Get High
7) If I Were Free
8) In The Lion

4) Walk The Moon
I became SUPER obsessed with the song Anna Sun a few years ago when someone introduced me to the song.  Like most of the music I listen to they are an indie rock band.  They are definitely fun, and while I am only reviewing their newest EP, you should DEFINITELY check out their other stuff (specifically Anna Sun and Shiver)

Band site

They are a four person band from Ohio, and while they have gone through various band members they have settled on the final four and it definitely works for them. They got their name from the Police song Walking on the Moon which is interesting. They have three albums and three EPs. Here are my favorites off of their newest EP called Tightrope:

1) Tightrope
3) Tete-A-Tete

5) The Mowgli's
Little bit of a change up, but not really with this alternative rock band.  I hadn't heard of them before, but Genius on iTunes recommended them to me, so I thought I'd give them a listen.  I ended up really liking what I heard.

Band site

This particular band has 8 (yup 8) members.  The individual members are from all over the U.S., but the band is stationed in California.  They became popular with their song San Francisco. The band was named after one of the member's childhood dog who was named after the character in the Jungle Book. They have two albums Sound the Drum (2012) and Waiting for Dawn (2013) although they appear to be the same according to Wiki and they only have Waiting for Dawn on iTunes, so I will just pick songs from there:

Waiting for the Dawn (2013):
1) San Francisco
4) Love is Easy
8) The Great Divide
9) Say It, Just Say It

Turning Things into a Pumpkin...Before the Stroke of 12

I'm all for putting out pumpkins, but let's be real they rot. These paper pumpkins will still look adorable, and won't stink up your apartment before Halloween. This project is everywhere (such as here and here)  as a fun craft for kids, but it's still fun for adults especially ones who are still 5 years old on the inside.

Paper pumpkins!
Here's what you'll need:
Paper (it can be construction paper, magazine paper, scrapbook paper, etc.)
Scissors
Pipe cleaners (preferably green)

Here's what you do:
1) Cut 1/2 inch (can by smaller or bigger, but all should be aprox. the same size) strips in your choice of paper.

2) Cut 2 inches of pipe cleaner, and twist the end in a spiral.

3) Pick an order that you want your strips in (if all the same color it obviously doesn't matter).

4) Push the pipe cleaner through one side of the strips so that they are all stacked on the pipe cleaner, and twist the other end of the pipe cleaner so that they stay stacked all together.

5) With the unused part of the pipe cleaner curl the end so that and poke it through the other end of the strips in the same order. If you are using something with an image on the other side, make sure that it will be on the outside.

6) When you are done, separate each of the strips so that they are evenly spaced and either curl the rest of the pipe cleaner or make it into a triangle as like a stem.

Give Me Something Good to Eat

Personally, I'm not a fan of the saying that the title of this post comes from.  You are receiving free candy/treats from someone.  Don't tell them to smell your feet. I do think, though, that the ending of that saying fits perfectly in this circumstance because these treats are DEFINITELY something good to eat (although maybe not great FOR you to eat).

Candy corn rice krispy treats:
The original recipe is from MarthaStewart.com (as previously stated in my last post).

I made some slight alterations, and here they are:

Things you will need:
Bread pan (I suppose any pan would work as long as it is deep)
Wax paper (you don't NEED it, but it makes your life a whole lot easier)
Grater or mad skills with a knife
Medium-large pot
6 TBSP Unsalted butter (plus another tbsp for greasing the pan)
9 cups mini marshmallows (you will need two bags...three if you are going by the original recipe)
6 cups rice krispies
3/4 TSP salt
1 TBSP orange zest (I only needed 1 large orange)
1 TBSP lemon zest (I only needed 1 medium lemon)
Red and yellow food coloring

How to:
1) Use extra unsalted butter to GREASE the wax paper before putting it in the pan.  Trust me, don't by shy with this step because this stuff will stick.  You can also just grease the pan if you don't have wax paper, but make sure that you get all of it including the corners!

2) Melt two TBSP unsalted butter in medium-large pot.

3) Add three cups mini marshmallows and stir frequently. When entirely melted, remove from heat and add 1/4 salt and mix completely (you can also add vanilla or almond extract here about a tsp of either or you can leave them the way that they are).

4) Add two cups of rice krispy cereal and mix into the marshmallow mixture.

5) Pour into bread pan and flatten with greased spatula (wait 5 minutes and press down so that the layer is flat)

6) While you are letting the first layer cool, grate orange for its zest.

7) Follow steps 2 and 3, only after you add the salt add the orange zest.  Mix completely.  The orange zest will create a orange color in the marshmallow mixture, but it won't be enough, so add red and yellow food coloring.  Start with just a few drops of each it is powerful stuff (you will be adding more yellow than red).

8) Follow steps 4 and 5.

9) While that is cooling grate the lemon for its zest. 

10) Follow steps 2 and 3, only after you add the salt add the lemon zest.  Mix completely.  The lemon zest will create a yellow color in the marshmallow mixture, but it won't be enough, so add yellow food coloring.  Start with just a few drops.

11) Follow steps 4 and 5.

12) Let them cool completely. Take out of pan, and cut into slices.  Mold slices into candy corn shape and enjoy!

All Hallows Month

I'm a bit late in starting this post because I had a bad case of the flu, BUT better late than never I always say.

Happy October, everyone! Since Halloween is in October I'd like to share 31 things to help you celebrate.  I plan on attempting every single one of these things, but in the off chance (read: very likely) I don't do every single one, feel free to do them yourselves and tell me about them!

1) Pumpkin candy jar:
Let's start off easy. No link here because I came up with this one on my own (not that it hasn't been done, I'm sure). All you need is a jar (empty jar of salsa, pickles, mason jar etc.), orange paint, black paint (or black sharpie if you don't have black paint), a paint brush, and CANDY!

Step 1: Make sure the jar has been completely cleaned. This may mean letting it soak in scented soap overnight so that your jar doesn't smell like salsa or pickles.  Even if you are using a brand new jar make sure to wash it to get any dust or smudges off of it.

Step 2: Paint the jar orange on the outside.  I used acryllic paint and I needed two layers (even though acryllic paint is quick drying wait about 10-15 mins before doing your second layer).

Step 3: After waiting for the second coat to dry, trace the outline of your jack-o-lantern onto the orange and fill in.  For my smaller ones I did the traditional face with a goofy smile and missing some teeth, but for the pickle jar I did the iconic Nightmare Before Christmas Face with kidney bean eyes and a stitched together mouth.

Step 4: Fill the jar with candy!!

2) Candy corn rice krispy treats:
Here is the link for those.  You'll see Martha Stewart helped me out a great deal with this list. Another quick and easy recipe. These work great for bringing to a meeting, a small gathering, work, class, or for just eating at home. Yumm.

3) Bat branch:
Just because you live in a tiny apartment or your old childhood room doesn't mean that you can't decorate! Martha Stewart's bat branch idea is cute and non-intrusive in a small space which I am truly grateful for.  While I wish I could have a yard to decorate with gravestones and cob-webs I think this might have to do. AND she even provides a free template for the bats!

4) Haunted balloons:
Pretty great activity to do with children or a group of people cause I imagine they wouldn't be that fun to do by yourself (unless you're crazy like me). All you need is balloons, wax paper, glue, paint brush and thin construction paper (although I'm sure origami paper or dark tissue paper would work as well). There are several different kinds that you can do: silhouettes, pumpkins, and anything else you can think of.

5) Pumpkin seed candy:
Fair warning this recipe did not get as high of a rating as many of the other ones, however, I don't know how it could NOT taste good.  Also, in case you guys are wondering hulled pepitas are shelled pumpkin seeds (you can buy them ANYWHERE).  I think what I like best about this is that it seems like you can do this with 4 ingredients (3 of which you probably already have).

6) Halloween bark:
Whether it's that in a moment of weakness you snatched a ton of candy on sale from Duane Reade or the child you babysit gave you all of the candy that she doesn't like this is the perfect recipe for you. It's another easy one with not a lot of ingredients and ones you may have already! Also it'll get you prepped for PEPPERMINT BARK in the near future!

7) Skull marshmallows:
A steady hand is not necessary, but it is helpful with these cute bite-sized treats. These are great to bring into work on Halloween cause it'll look like you put a lot of effort into them when it only took about 20 minutes, and they keep well if stored properly (in a closed rubbermaid container). Martha Stewart has a slightly different way of doing them, but just as cute!

8) Pumpkin pie cookies:
These are INCREDIBLY cute, but sadly also pretty hard.  That being said, they are not undoable, and the thought of failure should not stop you from trying them.  After all, even if they fail it will only be in looks, they will still taste delicious (plus you'd get them all to yourself...and your close friends who accept you for who you are).

9) Cobweb cookies:
My own recipe and my own design although I've seen them everywhere. Mix in a few cookies that just have orange sprinkles so you don't drive yourself insane with the details.

10) Pumpkin spice fudge:
I would be remiss in my Halloween/month of October blog post duty if I didn't include one thing pumpkin spice. Fair warning: you will want to eat ALL of it, so only make it if it has a place to go other than your stomach (I don't want to be responsible for any heart attacks here).

11) Candy wrapper decoupage:
For the recycle-friendly crafter this activity would be a lot of fun. I have some minor changes to the project, though. The only things that you need are a box or bottle of come kind (try for glass, but plastic will do), mod-podge, paintbrush, and wrappers. For instructions on how I do decoupage see this post, but substitute the tissue paper for the wrappers.

12) Graveyard ice-cream pie:
Not great for transporting obviously, but it's a great dessert for at home! Plus since it's frozen you can keep it for a little while (and not eat the whole thing in one night). A few notes: you can probably use a blender and be fine (for those of you that don't have a food processor), I would also maybe use oreos for the ground to make it simpler (less ingredients to buy the better), and instead of the candy skulls (I can't find them anywhere) you can just write R.I.P. in chocolate.

13) Spider web bowl:
While this may seem a bit crazy to make just for Halloween, you can use it for any time especially if you make it in orange and make it a little thicker and use it for fruit later.

14) Whoopie pies:
Personally, I'm not really a fan, but Chris (and many others) love them.  Instead of making 3 different posts about 3 different woopie pies I will post all the recipes here: pumpkin whoopie pie, pumpkin-chocolate whoopie pie, Halloween (plain) whoopie pie. So the Halloween whoopie pies are the easiest to make because they don't require a special kind of oil or vegetable shortening.  That being said, I would use the recipe from the Halloween ones and maybe use the pumpkin filling from one of the others. Just a recommendation ;).

15) Halloween crackers:
Think Christmas is the only time for crackers? Think again! Halloween crackers are the perfect thing to keep at your desk to cheer people up on a Monday or to have in a bowl at a party or to make one for every day leading up to Halloween!

Half way through!  Woo!

16) Candy cupcakes:
Ok, so I know this recipe seems like it makes a lot, but remember that they are mini cupcakes.  I know that doesn't necessarily mean it's not a lot of cupcakes, but at least they are easily transportable.

17) Witch hat cookies:
I actually have some different ideas about this one.  Mostly because the cookie base seems like an absurd amount of work for something that should be simple.  I think that you could just use the sugar cookie recipe that I posted for the spider web cookies, and use orange food coloring so that the colors are orange and black (well...brown, but who cares). 

18) Another version of the spider web cookie:
Personally, I don't like pecans, so I may not be doing these, but I thought they were really cute, so I thought I'd add them.  If any of you make them let me know how they turn out.  I've never made a kind of cookie that turns out the way that these look.

19) Pumpkin cookies with brown butter frosting:
I might be MOST excited about these. Brown butter frosting is going to be FANTASTIC.  Anything brown butter is amazing.  It doesn't say it here, but brown butter has a little bit of a nutty smell and taste which would be FANTASTIC with the pumpkin cookie. 

20) Creature candy dishes:
While creature candy dishes may not be the most appealing name for something holding things that you eat, they are pretty cute.  They would be a cute (and small) thing to put on a desk or a coffee table to let everyone know you have some Halloween spirit.

21) Jack-o-lantern tarts:
These fall under the same category as the pumpkin cookies.  They are on the difficult side, but I'm sure well worth the work. Also, it means that if they fail you get them all to yourself.

22) Pumpkin roll:
I've had one of these logs for Christmas once, but this one looks particularly good because it is pumpkin flavored.

23) Pumpkin carving:
This may qualify as going overboard, but I've always been slightly challenged at pumpkin carving, so here are some tips.  Who knew I'd be able to use a drill for something!

24) Ghost milk cartons:
While these may seem slightly juvenile they are also probably the cheapest decoration you can make, and its out of materials you probably already have, so I'm gonna post it anyway.  Also, for teachers and nannies this is a fun activity for the little ones.

25) Spider cutouts:
Great for someone who wants minimal decoration, but still wants something fun. This link is for spider cut outs, but you could definitely do them with pumpkins, ghosts, mostly anything Halloween related.

26) Bug soaps:
I'm not really suggesting that you make a ton of bug soaps, but you can make 1, and while you are at it make the others with little figurines for other holidays.  That way, you can have a soap for every holiday without having to make soap every time the holidays switch.  Homemade soap can also make an amazing gift for people.

27) Autumn pumpkins:
For those of you (like me) who are not planning on carving very many pumpkins, but still want the look, this might be perfect for you.  Luckily pumpkins that are not carved last a lot longer than ones that are.  Also, by decoupage glue the mean mod-podge.

28) Another (smaller) version of the witch had cookie:
So there were two versions of this.  One I found from a blog that I follow, and the other was the original link where she got the idea. They are cute, and way easier than baking anything yourself, so if you are in a rush this one might be for you!

29) Butterbeer cookies:
Yup. I said it. I went there. Harry Potter has been oddly absent from this post thus far.  This is because I wanted to give other recipes a chance, and Harry Potter, while witch and wizard themed, is not necessarily Halloween themed.  These butterbeer cookies had my mouth watering since I read the name.

30) Ladyfingers:
This one is for the gross ones in the audience. In case my other recipes weren't real looking enough for ya, this one should do it. It may be the blood red "nail polish" (food dye), but I cant imagine eating these.

I'm not gonna post a 31.  Being realistic no one is going to make/do all of these things, and especially not ON Halloween.  You should be celebrating and eating all of the delicious food you made. In any case, I will be posting throughout the month with the projects I have attempted.  Feel free to post any attempts in the comments section! Wish me luck!