Fall, Family and Friends

I got a new Gooseberry Patch cookbook...well, new to me, anyway. It's Fall, Family and Friends, and it's a goodie. I bought it off of Amazon, and I only paid a little for it...maybe $6 or so..I really can't remember. But I do love it already!

Here's a few little goodies from it:

*Kids will giggle over the floating "hands" in their punchbowl. Rinse out a pair of vinyl gloves and fill with water. Tie the ends tightly into knots and place in the freezer. When frozen, cut off the knots, remove the gloves and place the icy "hands" in the punch!

*Slip a dress and apron on your scarecrow this season and she'll be an instant hit as a scarecrone!

*Use cookie cutters in leaf, pumpkin or ghost shapes to cut out biscuit dough...a dinnertime surprise!

Plans for Boo!Bash2 are progressing nicely. I'm still working on invitation ideas, and Jessica over at MHH had a great suggestion for a pumpkin contest. She said that she used to attend a party where the hostess invited guests to bring a carved pumpkin for judging. Doesn't that sound like fun? I'd thought about that last year, except that I was thinking we'd carve the jacks at the party, then judge them. I wasn't sure we'd have enough pumpkins last year, due to the late crop. However, we would have, as it turned out. My handy-dandy pumpkin growing brother, Mark, delivered a trailer load of hay, pumpkins and gourds the night before the party! This year the crop should be earlier, due mostly to the efforts of Keith and Debbie, our neighbors who helped get them planted. Thanks!

I am soooo ready for fall. Melinda the weather lady says it's going to be 102 degrees today, and 101 tomorrow. Highs for the upcoming weekend are predicted to be around 90 degrees. Who would have thought that 90 would be welcome!

Here's a recipe from the new GP book...I haven't tried it yet, but it sounds yummy!

Old Fashioned Kettle Corn
2 T. sunflower oil
1/2 c. unpopped popcorn
1/4 c. raw sugar
1/2 t. salt

Place first 3 ingredients in a hand cranked popcorn popper. Cook popcorn mixture over medium high heat while turning the crank. Alternatively, cook popcorn mixture in a large stockpot with lid, shaking to pop corn. Once kernels begin to pop, reduce heat to low and continue cranking or shaking until popping stops. Place popcorn in a large bowl, sprinkle with salt. Makes 12 cups.

I made a huge batch (a garbage bag full) of popcorn last year for the party, and I'm planning on that again. I served it in a huge orange bowl, with a scoop and a stack of brown lunch bags for folks to scoop up their own. I think I'll add a bowl of kettle corn this year. It's one of my favorite things to get at Silver Dollar City, and I'd love to make my own.

More details as they happen!

Happy Haunting!
Cathy