Halloween Weekend

Boo!  I have given a Halloween Party for more years than I can remember.  As I mentioned previously when I was working full time, it was difficult but somehow I was much better at planning ahead and always was ready to give the neighborhood party.

This is the children's table, sort of mid century with Jadite, Ruby Red Glassware and McCoy pottery.  I like to use my collectibles instead of having them on a shelf to look at.  The McCoy vase was from 1948.



This is the Shell Pattern produced by Anchor Hocking from the 30's to the 70's.  This was produced in the 60's.  The Royal Ruby Glass was also produced by Anchor Hocking in the 40's and 50's.

Ruby Red Glassware by Anchor Hocking

I love the colors that show up inside the cabbages after some time being exposed to the cooler weather.

Miss Bateman greeted me when I went into the back of the yard the other day.  I could not believe it was still blooming!

This year, I am all decorated outside and inside, have made apple pies (with Cortland apples from Door County, Wisconsin), chocolate cake and brownies.  I have also made what I call "kids lasagna," and barbecued ribs.  Of course, we will have appetizers, salad, homemade feather rolls (from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook) and garlic bread.  It's a lot of comfort food this weekend.

Pies can be made ahead of time uncooked and frozen.  Put in the oven frozen at 400 degrees and cook for approximately 45 minutes.

Solomon's Seal

Peacock Cabbage

The kids lasagna was a recipe from my former neighbor (who has left us way too young) that all of the kids and grownups loved.  It is quite a departure from the Italian version, but I feel I must share it with you since my granddaughter insisted I make it for Halloween:

           1 lb. of ground beef
           1 large can of crushed tomatoes
           1 large can of tomato paste
           1 medium onion
           2 cloves of crushed garlic
           1 teaspoon each of basil, oregano and parsley (fresh is better if you have
           any left in the garden)
           1 package of Swiss cheese, 12 oz or 16 oz
           16 oz carton of small curd cottage cheese
           16 oz package of no yolk egg noodles broad, cooked, rinsed and drained
           Salt and pepper to taste
           Parmesan Cheese shredded

The lasagna has been frozen uncooked ready to put in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to one hour until lightly brown and bubbly.

Brown beef, onion and garlic, add tomatoes, paste and herbs, salt and pepper to taste.  Boil noodles, rinse, layer half on bottom of 9x13 pan, layer half of beef mixture, layer half of Swiss cheese, half of cottage cheese and repeat whole process beginning again with noodles, sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese, cook at 350 degrees until bubbling and Parmesan is light brown.

Have a BOOtiful weekend!

The Great Pumpkin

Carving pumpkins into Jack-O-Lanterns is a centuries old tradition which began with the Irish carving turnips and beets as lanterns placing them in their windows, lit from the inside with a lump of coal.  They were used as a welcome for those who had passed on and as a deterrent to evil spirits. When the Irish immigrated to the United States in 1848 during the potato famine they could not find many turnips or beets, but found an abundance of pumpkins.  From this time on, the carving and lighting of the pumpkin became a tradition in the United States on All Souls Day.  This tradition later became transferred to the day we celebrate Halloween.

A traditional Irish Halloween Jack-O-Lantern from early 20th century at Museum of Country Life, Ireland

Did you know that pumpkins are not a vegetable - they are a fruit!  Pumpkins, like gourds and other varieties of squash are all members of the Cucurbitacae family, which also includes cucumbers, gherkins and melons.  Pumpkins have been grown in America for over 5,000 years.  They were unknown in Europe before the time of Columbus.

If you are going to carve a face in your pumpkin it works very well with an elongated pumpkin rather than a round squatty one.  It is so much easier to carve if you have a very ripe pumpkin, hard to know this until you stick in the knife.  Sketch out your face on the best side of the pumpkin,, cut a circular lid on top (large enough to insert an LED candle) scoop out all of the seeds. Separate the stringy fibers from the seeds and wash the seeds in a colander.

I think the children are better artists than I am

If you are doing this with children it is fun to let them tell you how it feels when they scoop out the seeds, talk about shapes, colors, ask them how many seeds they think are in the pumpkin.  Help them lift the pumpkin, how much do they think it weighs, show them on a scale.  I think you get the idea, this can be a multi-level integrated experience for children.  Lay the seeds out on paper towels and when dry, it is a great activity to count them by ones and then tens.  It is always amazing how many seeds are in a pumpkin!

This is certainly not a professional carving job!

You can't stop eating them!  This is a child tested recipe for pumpkin seeds.

     Make sure the seeds are dry
     Put them in a frying pan with butter and salt
     Cook slowly until brownish stirring often
     Drain on paper towel

Yum, Yum!

LED candles fit inside and are safe.  I have a six inch one in this pumpkin.