Quick Halloween treat

I needed a simple and quick treat to give away to a family with little kids. I loved rice krispy treats as a child (oh wait, I still do). But as I was melting the marshmallows and butter, I had an inspiration on how I could make these just a bit more festive. And that's why I share it on here. Because as you know, this blog is all about those festive things in life.

Right before that creamy marshmallowy mixture was all melted, I added in some orange food coloring.

I used a pumpkin cookie cutter to form the shape and then sprinkled green sprinkles on the stem.

Considering this was a spontaneous experiment, I think they turned out pretty good. And what cute little Halloween pumpkins they make.

Hot Spudnuts Anyone?

It's time for our traditional Spudnut Sunday. Feel free to drop by if you are in the Salt Lake area. It will be worth your time, I promise. :)

And if you can't and you are feeling ambitious, here is the recipe so you can make your own.

Halloween Spudnuts

1 quart scalded milk, cooled
1 Tbsp. yeast dissolved in 1 cup hot water + 1 Tbsp sugar
1 cup sugar
8 Tbsp. Crisco or shortening
4 eggs beaten
2 cups mashed potatoes (can use instant)
12-13 cups flour

2 Tbsp. salt

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, potatoes, yeast mixture and milk. Then add flour and salt. Rise for at least one hour (3 hours is perfect!). Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with a cup and water bottle lid or use a donut cutter. Rise on lightly floured surface for at least 30 minutes. Cook in hot oil.

Glaze
1 lb. powdered sugar
1/2 c. hot water
1 tsp. vanilla

This recipe will make over 100 spudnuts! It's the perfect way to spread some Halloween cheer. But as a warning, it will take you about 6-7 hours to make them start to finish.

Fall Baby Open House

Pumpkin Bars

I made this simple and fast, yet SO delicious fall treat. It's no fail, so you should try it out.

Pumpkin Bars
4 eggs
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 can (15 oz.) solid pack pumpkin
2 cups flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Icing:
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 to 2 Tbsp. milk

Beat eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin together. Add all the dry ingredients. Mix well and then bake in a 9x13 or 10x15 pan for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool completely before adding icing. Makes about 2 dozen.

Black and Orange Food

If I ever host a Halloween party, I think it would be so fun to have a buffet table with only black and orange foods. This are the potential ideas so far.

Black foods
Oreos
Chocolate covered anything
Brownies
Chocolate/ice cream cake roll
Mud pie
Olives
Black licorice


Orange Foods
Oranges
Candy corn
Orange jello-popcorn
Cheez-Its/Cheese Nips
Carrots
Orange slices
Orange chicken
Pumpkin bread

Homemade rootbeer=witches brew

Do I look scary or what? Well too bad because it's Halloween time so I can look scary. This is my husband and I whipping up some witches brew before our Halloween party last year. If you don't feel like making your own, just use bottled root beer and add dry ice. You'll get the same effect and it will save you time and effort.

Homemade Rootbeer (for 24 servings)

2 1/4 cups white sugar
20 cups cold water
3/8 bottle of root beer extract (2 ounce size)
4 pounds dry ice

In a large container, mix together the sugar and water. Make sure the sugar dissolves completely. Then add the root beer extract. Add in the dry ice carefully and put a loose lid over the container. (Don't store tight or pressure will build up).

Let the mixture brew for about an hour before serving.

Halloween Advent Calendars

I love when you send me new ideas. Sometimes I wonder if you get sick of hearing all of my ideas all the time! My good friend Courtney who just had an adorable little baby girl just sent me these links to some cute ideas for

Halloween Advent Calendars

Check them out! I think I'll definitely want to have one ready for next year!

Example 1
Example 2
Example 3

Crockpot Applesauce Recipe

My mother-in-law is such a good cook! I continue to get recipes from her! This is one I got from her when I was dating my husband. It is the perfect fall treat and reminds me of the fun times we spent at their cabin in the Fall.

The best part about this recipe is it will make your house smell like Fall!

Crockpot Applesauce
12 c. chopped apples (you can use non-perfect apples from the tree or any kind)
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. water
1 tsp. lemon juice
touch of nutmeg

Put everything in the crockpot. Cook on low overnight if you want to eat it for breakfast or high for 3 hours.

$6 Halloween craft of the day

My friend Marcelle and I whipped up this cute Halloween banner today. Our inspiration came from a shop at Gardner Village that we visited last week.


The hardest part was finding fabric we liked. We had to go to 3 different stores, but it was worth it. We then cut 7x9 triangles and sewed them on to a piece of double fold hem tape. I'm not a sewer, so if I can do this, so can you!


I think it gives the mantle a nice, finished touch! I'd love to hear (or see pictures) of any Halloween/Fall crafts you've been working on.

Halloween decor on the cheap

Here's my mantle and really the only place I've decorated for Halloween. I'm still working on my collection, but this will do.


I am all about cheap, but classy looking decor. I'll give you the rundown on how I pulled this off and cheap at that.

• Candle pillars (Thrifted for $1). Pumpkins work great this time of year!
  
• Pumpkin stitchery (gift)
• BOO tea light holders (Thrifted for $1)
• Happy Halloween sign ($1 at Roberts sale)
• Cobwebs ($1 at Dollar Tree)
• Halloween framed art (printed off the web, used empty black frames I had)
• Cauldron (Thrifted for $2)-I'm using it as a book holder until we whip out the dry ice!
  

Total: $6. Whoever said decorating can't be cheap is wrong.

I'm hoping to make one more thing for the mantle...stay tuned.

Favorite Halloween Movies

Pumpkin patches and Winner

image here

Visit a pumpkin patch! We'll be visiting one tonight.

For a list of pumpkin patches in Utah, click here

For all other states, I'm sure you could google "Pumpkin patches" and you'd get some good ideas.

And the winner is...

Congrats to Luke and Jessi for winning the Halloween giveaway!! Please send your address to
sofestive@gmail.com so I can send you the prize.

Thanks to all who entered and for your great ideas!

Last chance to enter giveaway!

Today is your last chance to enter the Halloween giveaway.

2 steps to enter:

1. Become a follower and
2. Leave a comment with your favorite fall/Halloween activity

I'll be posting the winner tonight so don't wait!!

Halloween Ghosts

This might be the oldest Halloween craft/treat in the book, but I like it. All you need is suckers (I used Tootsie pops), tissues, and string/yarn.

Simply place the middle of the sucker in the tissue. Tie the string or yarn around the bottom of the sucker tightly to

Halloween Phantom

to enter the Halloween Giveaway, click here

If you only do one Halloween activity this year, do this one! It's fast, it's easy and it's service so you'll feel happy after doing it.

The Phantom How-To

1. Prepare a simple treat. Since the family you'll be giving it to won't know it's from you, you may want to do something that isn't homemade. Examples-root beer and ice cream, packaged cookies, apples and caramel, etc. I chose to do a cake mix and baking papers so they can make their own Halloween cupcakes.


2. Print off a copy of the Phantom Poem and a copy of the Phantom Ghost. Attach it somewhere to your treat.

3. Pick a family (or two if you're generous) to deliver the Phantom to. Doorbell ditch the treat and notes. Make sure you don't get caught! :)

If all goes according to plan, the family will devour the treat, hang the Phantom Ghost on to door, and choose another family to "Phantom". Half the fun is seeing it spread around the neighborhood. If you're lucky, it might even come back to you.

Happy "Phantoming!"