the most wonderful time of the year

This year I felt our Christmas decorations was a bit lacking since we moved to a larger apartment. I found this garland project that I thought I could execute pretty easily. After trying multiple stores with no luck on the garland, I adjusted the idea by buying a sparse wreath and several strings of garland from the dollar bin section at Target. I wrapped the matching color of garland around the wreath to make it thicker. Then I wrapped the red garland around for a candy cane inspired wreath.

 Next Christmas, I think I'll get some wire instead of the very obvious green yarn to hang the wreath on the door. This was a quick project to brighten up our stark white door.

Bully Jack O'Lantern

I'd like to preface this masterpiece by stating that this is my first time carving a pumpkin. When I was little, my parents got us small pumpkins we painted and my dad carved a large pumpkin to put on our porch. This year Steve and I wanted to enjoy Halloween so we picked up a couple of medium pumpkins from our local produce store.

We searched for designs online and sketched them onto the pumpkins. Then the carving commenced.

Mine, on the left, took a lot longer, or really, I was slower than Steve's on the right. Look at that bully picking on my pumpkin.

I really enjoyed creating my pumpkin, even if it molded and leaked before Halloween. If I don't truly build-up and enjoy Halloween, the whole holiday season goes by too quickly so I think this tradition is here to stay.

More Tastiness

One Halloween my sister came over with a graveyard pudding dessert and I've been looking to have it ever since. A step beyond the usual dirt pudding, I decided to get domestic this Halloween and rediscovered the recipe.

I tried to kill two birds with one stone by buying gel for the witches' hat cookies, which didn't turn out so great for those cookies, but the gel worked perfectly for my headstones. I used upside down candy corn for the fence.

Spooky to be drawing my own gravestone but oh so tasty.

Poor Witch: misplaced her hat and finger

When I was little, my mom made Witches' Hat cookies. Using Kebler Fudge Stripe cookies and Hershey Kisses, melt the bottom of the Kisses and place them on to the upside down cookies.

Use a frosting tube and tip to outline a ribbon for the hat. I tried using gel since it was cheaper. I had less control and they didn't come out as well.

These cookies are simple, quick, and are tasty with the added chocolate.

Finger lickin' good

Halloween is my second favorite holiday with the costumes, the atmosphere, and of course the goodies. Adapted from my mom's recipe and the one listed here, I baked witches' finger cookies.

Learn from my mistake, though. Put the jelly on after baking the cookies unless you need to smoke out something in your kitchen.

 The website has different innovations such as color variations and warts.

Taco Time!

One day at my summer job, a co-worker brought in his lunch and it smelled so good and reminded me of home cooking. Using this recipe, we substituted veggie crumbles to make taco stuffed shells.

Be sure to start the shells way before cooking the veggie meat because there is so much water to boil. Its so tasty, filling and even easy for me! If you have extra shells, just stuff them with cream cheese and vegetables or veggie bacon. Enjoy!

Halloween Goodies

Steve's mom gave us a pumpkin muffin mix, I believe, from Trader Joe's.

What made them even better was the Halloween muffin cups and decorated toothpicks. Warm with butter, the muffins were perfect for autumn weather.