Soup in a ... Pumpkin?

There are a few things in fall I cherish above all others. Halloween, leaves, Halloween, cold air, pumpkins, halloween, apple cider, decorating for Halloween, and hot soup in a bread bowl. And Halloween. I might have mentioned that already. Hot soup in a bread bowl is just about as "fall-y" as you can get, but it wasn't quite as Halloweeny as you can get- until now. Check out this awesome recipe:


Yum yum! Soup in a pumpkin shaped bread bowl! Perfect for Halloween parties or just fall goodness. Don't worry, it's not weird pumpkin flavored bread or anything, which people always seem to think is a good idea until they have to taste it with split pea soup. Eww...

Get the how to over at The Idea Room.

Semi Nutritious Ghoulish Goodies

As well as ponderings over the perfect decorations, I'm also starting to give some serious thought onto goodies for my ghoul guests. Sure, anyone can go with candy, but how many of us have seriously regretted dining on a Halloween buffet made entirely of sugar?
Candy is of course required, but how about what we dare call... some "real food". Well, the Food Network has us covered with some yummy goodies that might actually have some real nutrients in them too. Click on each pic to get the recipe...

MMmm... vampire blood tomato soup with Munster sammies. Omnomnom.

Cheddar and Hard Cider Fondue... served with real veggies! A hot treat is great for casting off the nightly chills...

Sweet and Spicy Screaming Hot peanuts... for the little Devil in ya..

Day of the Dead Tamales... vegetarian, for the zombie that cares...

Ghostly Pumpkin Pudding, for a little spooky sweet...

I have no doubts I'll still get my sugar rush Halloween night, but there will come a point in the evening I'll be looking for something that didn't come out of a bag, and these recipes are there to the rescue. Your ghoulish guests will appreciate it!

Halloween Weddings - The Cake

It's the crowning glory, or just that piece of yummy sugar you shove into each other's faces in the most romantic way possible... the wedding cake. If it's for a Halloween wedding, well then, you can't just have your usual three tiers of white then can you? You've got to have something spooky and special... check out some of these examples, and click on each cake to find out more about it.








These of course, are some of the finer examples of cake making, but if you're looking for a good laugh and some more enlightenment on the professional cake world gone horribly wrong, you absolutely have to check the blog Cake Wrecks. No, it's not Halloween themed (all though those are on there) but it is damn funny...

Creepy Cupcakes

I recently came across a really great blog all about Halloween goodness (the blogger in question is preparing for her Halloween wedding... I love Halloween weddings!!) that's called Creepy Cupcakes.
I have to admit though, when I clicked the link to the site, I was really hoping for some creepy cupcakes. So, lucky for you, you get a special two for one - a fantastic new blog to add to your Hallow's eve reading list, and a roundup of spooktacular creepy cupcakes from around the web! Click on each pic to find out more about the cupcakes...









Cupcakes are becoming so hip, even the undead will give up a few brains to get a bite. Cook yourself up some yummy fall goodness!

A stampin' good Halloween

Paper craft has always been a bit of a mystery to me. "Scrapbooking" always conjured up images of old ladies sticking teddy bear stickers on everything, but as I've discovered, stamping, paper work and scrapbooking have some pretty hip tricks up their sleeve. Check out the new stuff from Stampin Up that showed up on Lisa Somerville's blog... is that skull cool or what?


There are more goodies where that came from. Check out some of her previous Halloween crafts, this one featuring some yummy Halloween treat ideas...

Matthew Mead Halloween

Matthew Mead, fabulous designer who's worked for the likes of Pottery Barn and LL Bean, has a Halloween Book available with all sorts of cute Halloween ideas and inspirations. Here are a few fabulous sample goodies...





Want more? Go get the book!

Frightful Food - Apple Cider Martini

I adore apple cider, and hate that I can't get it year round. Last year at the start of fall, I went cider hunting. I wandered around a supermarket until I finally asked a nice gentleman standing next to the apple isle if they had any fresh cider. He shook his head politely and said "Sorry, it's not apple season yet". I stared at him blankly as he stood by the rows and rows of shiny apples. I guess it's made of magic apples or something. Anyway, this year, when I do get my hands on some cider, I have plans...

Mix it up:
4 oz Spicy Cider, 4 oz vodka, 2 oz brandy, 2 oz triple sec, 1 oz fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp superfine sugar, 1 tsp brown sugar. Combine all ingredients in blender for 5 seconds. Coat rim in sugar and cinnamon mix. Pour mixture into shaker of crushed ice. Shake and pour into 2 martini glasses. Garnish with a slice of apple and a cinnamon stick.

It seems like I might need a stiff drink after hunting for it anyway....

Frightful Food - Luscious Chocolate Cake Pumpkins

How delish' is this? From 31 ways to decorate with pumpkins, this one has got to be the tastiest... from the page:

To get the look of these single-serving pumpkin treats, trim the bottoms of cakes baked in mini Bundt pans (available at nordicware.com) to create a flat surface. Join two cakes so that the fluted tops are at either end, then drizzle with Chocolate or Vanilla Glaze and sprinkle with coarse colored sugar or nonpareils before the glaze sets. Top with a marzipan stem

The recipe is from Delish, but I imagine any of your favorite chocolate cake recipes will do. Yum yum pumpkins!

Frightful Food - Murder Cupcakes

Originally made by Craftster user Lethargic for the season premiere of Dexter, (absolutely awesome show, you've never find a more likable serial killer... is that an odd sentiment?) these murder cupcakes would be a spooktacular festive touch to any Halloween ensemble. In fact, just bring them over to the next normal dinner party you're invited to. If you're not invited back, well, they ain't our kinda people. Get the lowdown on how she made em!