Greetings From the Great Pumpkins

Happy Halloween!

Today is the third anniversary of the Halloweener cats coming into our home.  Trick (far left) and Treat (in the middle) joined Teddy and Kitty Carlisle in our little family.  Kitty Carlisle is far too dignified to dress up!  Even thought they were supposed to go to the kitty jail and be put up for adoption, they somehow prevailed in joining the family.   They have been fun!

Halloween Eve Supper

Twas the night before Halloween...

We made a nice chicken stew with blackened cornbread...

It was bootiful!

Trick AND Treat

Today marks Trick and Treat's second anniversary as part of our household.  You may recall the pair showed up on Halloween and though they were scheduled to go to the kitty jail in November, they never left my house.  

Excited about their anniversary, Trick decorated the kitty tower, though it would seem she failed to do dusting diligence.  The plan was to dress Treat up as my favorite cartoon character, Pepe Le Pew, and Trick would go as Penelope, his unrequited cat love interest.   However, when time came to take their photo, we couldn't find them anywhere!

Oh well, Happy Halloween and Happy Anniversary, Trick and Treat.

Teddysaurus Rex

Today, octogenarian cryptozoologist, Mavis Mathilda Monroe captured and photographed Teddysaurus Rex. Thought to be myth, the Teddysaurus Rex was often reportedly seen during the week of All Hallows' Eve.

A voracious eater, the Teddysaurus Rex is very fond of Honey Barbecue Fritos. When asked about her discovery, Ms. Moore said, "Happy Halloween."

 

Squirrely in Shirley

Last week was squirrel hunting season in Shirley, but these two fine specimens seemed to escape.


As you might remember, last Halloween we came home to find this October surprise!

As usual, I refused to take them in until several weeks later when Treat got under the house and into the heating duct.  I found him peering up at me through the bathroom heating grate.  Ann vowed to come Thanksgiving and help me get Trick and Treat to the shelter.   She arrived with kitten chow, matching bowls and spay and neuter money.   The rest, as they say, is history. 


So to Trick and Treat, the Halloweener Cats...

Happy Anniversary 

and to everyone else...

Happy Halloween 

Mummy's Boy

Happy Halloween

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

From "Teddybones"
and everyone at Doe Run Farm

Cocktails at the Burn Pit

First off, I am not a big fan of Halloween. I was the kid crying in the corner and NOT trick-or-treating. Fortunately, I grew up. Instead of candy I can drink -- which makes Halloween much nicer.

Today's Halloween Cocktail at the Burn Pit is just right for a nice evening in with the lights way down low, so no one comes a-knockin'.

One of my favorite candy treats (which I never got on Halloween) is a box of Crows. Crows are the liquorish equivalent of Dots. For Halloween, they make Blood Orange Dots. When I was at the beach a while back, we went to the Dogfish Head Brewery for lunch and I picked up some Blue Hen Vodka that had been flavored with Blood Orange. Add to that a large bottle of Italian Blood Orange soda and I feel a drink coming on.

Bloody Orange Shooter

4 dashes orange bitters
1 ounce blood orange vodka
1 ounce blood orange soda
blood orange Dots for garnish


Take a small glass and add 4 dashes of orange bitter and swirl to coat the glass. Mix 1 ounce blood orange vodka and 1 ounce blood orange soda. Garnish with blood orange Dots.

A couple of these and I might just enjoy Halloween.

Halloween = Nothing Dies

I was talking to my BFF Beverly the other day and she said she had to run because Lawrence Welk was on.

Odd -- as it is 2010 not 1958.

I remember looking after my great aunt and uncle and every Saturday, we watched Lawrence Welk.

Again -- this was 1999 and not 1958. Yes, we partied like it was 1999... to the accordion stylings of Myron Floren (not what Prince had in mind).

I did some checking and it seems The Lawrence Weld Show started in 1951 as a local show, moved to ABC in 1955 and moved to syndication in 1971 ending its run in 1982. Ten years later, Lawrence Welk died.

The marvel of technology, however, ensures that nothing dies. (And you thought only vampires could provide eternal life.) Today, The Lawrence Welk Show is alive and kicking on PBS Stations around the country.

Enjoy the Lennon Sisters...and be very careful what you put on YouTube... as you might just never die...

BOO!

Teddy the Friendly Ghost

Unfortunately, he looks a bit like Teddy the Unfriendly Klan Wizard. He must have known this. Here he seems to be thinking, "If I just keep my eyes closed this will all go away."

Shortly before "kitty torture" we made Halloween cupcakes. These are Nutella Swirl Cupcakes. This recipes got it's start in Donna Hay, using peanut butter. Then, blogger, Nicole Weston tweaked the recipe and substituted Nutella. The recipe quickly made the rounds, appearing on numerous blogs, forgetting poor Donna altogether. And even forgetting Nic, who now blogs at Baking Bites.


We tried the original recipe, easily identifiable because it calls for 10 tbsp. of butter, but thought it a bit dry. We also wanted a larger batch, so we tweaked the recipe and here it is:

Nutella Swirl Cupcakes, with a Halloween Twist

3 sticks of butter, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
5 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups AP flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 small jar of Nutella

Halloween Twist
1 ounce yellow food coloring
1 ounce red food coloring


Preheat the oven to 325F.

Line 24 standard muffin tins with cupcake papers

Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, 2-3 minutes.

Add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating fully

Add vanilla

HALLOWEEN TWIST: Add the food coloring until you have a lovely orange

Add the salt and baking powder to the flour and whisk together to incorporate, then add flour mixture to batter.

Using a small ice cream scoop, add a scoop of batter to each of the lined tins, filling about 3/4 of the way

Add a teaspoon of Nutella to the batter and swirl with a toothpick

Bake for 20 minutes

Cool on a wire rack

This is a thick batter to hold up to the addition of the Nutella(or peanut butter), so it will dry out rather fast. It will take 20 minutes to cook the cupcakes, but don"t be tempted to leave them in any longer than that. Swirling the thick batter and the Nutella with a toothpick is easier said than done, so don't be alarmed if it doesn't work like a charm on your first try.

Have a Spooktacular Halloween.