Sunday, June 15, 2008

Halloween Party Planning chat


Ginger over at Magical Holiday Home is planning a chat on Sunday, July 13 to discuss Halloween party planning. If you want to participate, just click on the link above and scroll down a bit to the story on chats. She describes what steps you must take to participate. If you've never chatted before, you should give it a try!! It's lots of fun...and I know the holiday crazies that participate will have fabulous ideas and tips! Since I'm in full party-planning mode, I'm excited to see it on the schedule! I can't wait!!


The picture above is our back porch decorated and ready for last year's Boo!Bash! It was a huge hit, so we've decided every year, the Saturday before Halloween, is Boo!Bash! day at the Miller hamlet!!

Happy Haunting!!

Cathy

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Double Chocolate Gooey Cake

This is one of my favorite desserts to make for Halloween. This recipe is from Paula Deen of Food Network. Boy, is it good! And gooey!!

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted, plus 8 more tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted, plus additional butter, for greasing pan
1 (18.25-ounce) package chocolate cake mix
1 egg, plus 2 eggs
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 to 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, 1 egg, and 1 stick melted butter, and stir until well blended. Pat mixture into prepared pan and set aside.

In a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the remaining 2 eggs, and the cocoa powder. Lower the speed of the mixer, and add the powdered sugar. Continue beating until ingredients are well mixed. Slowly add the remaining 1 stick of melted butter, and the vanilla, continuing to beat the mixture until smooth. Stir in nuts with a rubber spatula. Spread filling over cake mixture in pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the cake; the center should still be a little gooey when finished baking. Let cake partially cool on a wire rack before cutting into pieces.




This is really good, but be careful not to overcook it...then it's still good, just not gooey. And, trust me, it's better gooey!! This is yummy served with a little whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Oh, yes!!

Happy Haunting!
Cathy

Monday, June 2, 2008

Sigh

I didn't do anything for Great Pumpkin Day again this month. Do you realize that we only have 5 more GPDs before the big day? And it looks like we're having a wedding right in the middle of October? Do you know how critical it is for me to get busy? Do you? Do I? Evidently not, judging from my lack of activity. I'll do better soon, I promise!

In the meantime, here's a few more tips and ideas from Gooseberry Patch's Autumn in the Country cookbook. I shared a few on Scarecrow Soup also. I love these books!




#Line the front walk with canning-jar luminaries on Halloween! Paint scary or funny faces on jars using black poster paint and nestle tealights in several inches of sand.

#Show off your pumpkin carving skills...set Jack O' Lanterns on overturned large garden pots

#Place feathered faux black crows in the windows, on lampshades and all around the house for a spooky Halloween feel. (I really like this one)

#Use a linoleum craft knife to carve swirling designs on pumpkins. Since only the outer surface is carved, there's no need to hollow out the pumpkins..so easy!

#Carve or drill a pattern of round holes in hollowed-out pumpkins, then set tealights inside for a flickering glow.

And, a quote:
"I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself than be crowded on a velvet cushion." Henry David Thoreau

Me, too!

Later!
Cathy