Here is an easy way to add an adult twist to your favorite apple cider. This is perfect for parties!

1/2 gallon Apple Cider
750mL Bacardi Gold Rum
2 liters Ginger Ale
ice

In a large punch bowl, combine the cider, rum and ginger ale. Stir together and then add ice.
Serve and drive responsibly.

This is a super simple recipe to create some “pretzel wands” for Halloween. This recipe can easily be adapted for any holiday, just use the appropriate colored sprinkles.

long pretzel rods
white dipping chocolate
Halloween colored sprinkles (yellow, orange, black)
wax paper

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Dip half of the pretzel rod into the melted chocolate then sprinkle with the sprinkles. Lay them on waxed paper to dry.

Pumpkins from my garden!

Calling all ghosts, goblins, witches and werewolves! Being that today is October 1 and Halloween is only a few weeks away, I figured I’d start preparing some fun holiday recipes and info for you all.

I know many of you love this time of year, especially if you have kids or are a kid-at-heart! I just launched a special Halloween Mini-Site packed with fun Halloween Recipes, Halloween Cookbooks, Costume Ideas, and Kid Safety Tips. I’ll be adding much more to this site over the next couple weeks, so keep checking back.

(Oh by the way, those pumpkins were grown right in my garden!)

Visit The Halloween Mini-Site

October is here! Halloween is just around the corner. Though I would start sharing some Halloween recipes.

12 oz orange juice concentrate, frozen
12 oz white grape juice
2 liters Sprite
1 pint sherbet, lemon
3-4 drops green food coloring

Mix together and serve chilled. If this is an adult party, feel free to add a bit of rum or vodka!

It’s that time again! The pumpkin patches have officially opened. Pumpkins aren’t just for decoration and pie…it is actually super-nutritious. This my first post of many great Fall recipes.

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked pumpkin
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
3 large eggs
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter eight 6-ounce baking cups or a medium size baking dish.
Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Pour the custard into the cups or baking dish.
Place the dish or cups in a larger dish filled with water and bake for about 50 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
Cool & Refrigerate

Halloween is over, time to make use of all those pumpkins!

2 Cups unsalted roasted peanuts
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp chili powder (ancho, guajillo, arbol, etc)
1 tsp salt
1 cup hulled pumpkin seeds

1. Toss peanuts with lime juice until all are moistened. Sprinkle with chili powder; toss until nuts are evenly coated. Spread nuts in shallow layer on baking sheet; bake at 250 degrees until chili powder forms a light crust on the nuts, 20-30 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle generously with salt.

2. In large skillet over medium heat, toast pumpkin seeds. When one pops, stir constantly until all have popped from flat to round, about 5 minutes. Toss with peanuts, then transfer to a serving bowl.

Makes 3 cups.

Gross everyone out with these creepy cookies.

1 cup Butter, softened
1 cup Icing sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp Almond extract
1 tsp Vanilla
2 2/3 cups Flour
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Salt
3/4 cup Almonds, whole blanched
1 Tube red decorator gel(optional)

1 In bowl, beat together butter, sugar, egg, almond extract and vanilla. Beat in flour, baking soda, and salt. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Working with one quarter of the dough at a time and keeping remainder refrigerated, roll heaping teaspoonful of dough into finger shape for each cookie. Press almond firmly into 1 end for nail. Squeeze in centre to create knuckle shape. Using paring knife, make slashes in several places to form knuckle.
2 Place on lightly greased baking sheets; bake in 325F (160C) oven for 20-25 minutes or until pale golden. Let cool for 3 minutes. Lift up almond, squeeze red decorator gel onto nail bed and press almond back in place, so gel oozes out from underneath.
3 Remove from baking sheets and let cool on racks. Repeat with remaining dough.

Servings: 5
Yield: 5 dozen

Send me a picture of your creepy creation !

Everyone has a sweet tooth when it comes to Halloween! Only days away and the perfect time to cook up some spookily delicious treats! I’ll be posting some great Halloween recipes over the next week. Here is one to start it off!

1 1/4 cup Oreo cookie crumbs
18 1/4 ounces chocolate cake mix
24 pieces Halloween Oreo cookies
16 ounces milk chocolate frosting
black string licorice
jelly beans
semisweet chocolate chips

1 Preheat oven to 350.
2 Prepare 24 – 2″ muffin cups with cooking spray and flour; set aside.
3 Prepare cake mix according to package directions; stir in cookie crumbs.
4 Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake for 25 minutes.
5 Remove from pans; cool on wire rack.
6 Make cat faces on each of the remaining 24 cookies: using some frosting, attach 4 – 1″ licorice strings for whiskers, 2 jelly bean halves for eyes and 2 chocolate chips for ears.
7 Let set at least 30 minutes.
8 Frost cupcakes with remaining frosting.
9 Stand cat faces on edge on each cupcake.
10 Place 3″ piece licorice string on back half of each cupcake for tail.

Servings: 24
Yield: 24
Preparation time: 10 minutes

If you have a favorite Halloween recipes, please leave it in the comments.