Hash Brown Casserole & The Rose Bowl Parade

Happy New Year's Eve, dear Reader! Hope this post finds you looking forward to ringing in 2010. If your plans include a New Year's Day shindig and you're looking to serve something delish but easy (in case of slight headache due to over-indulgence the night before), Hash Brown Casserole is great in a pinch.

Throw it together today and pop it in the fridge, then into the oven tomorrow and you're free to stagger back to bed for an hour. Or, observe that most hallowed of New Year's Day traditions--watching the Rose Bowl Parade. And the game too, if you're into that sort of thing. Personally, I find a bazillion, fabulous animatronic floats covered entirely in flowers, seeds and zany organic material to be creative nirvana. Football, shmootball. But I digress.

Hash Brown Casserole

2 lbs. OreIda Hash Browns with diced onions & peppers
1 16 oz. container Daisy Sour Cream
2 cans of Campbell's condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup
2-3 tbl. Capers, slightly mashed
3 cups thick shredded Colby/Monterrey Jack cheese blend
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup bread crumbs

In large mixing bowl, combine sour cream, cheddar cheese soup & capers.
Season with salt & pepper.
Add hash browns (frozen or slightly thawed) and 2 cups of shredded cheese.
Mix until hash browns are thoroughly coated with cheese mixture.
Season with more salt & pepper, if needed.
Pour hash browns into greased 9"x13" glass casserole dish.
Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until casserole begins to bubble.
Remove casserole from oven & sprinkle with remaining cup of shredded cheese and top with bread crumbs.
Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and top is golden brown.
Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Serves 6-8.

I love, love, love this dish! Great for brunches, Christmas morning breakfast, Superbowl parties, etc. Yum-O!

Best Of 2009

Dearest Forlorn Reader:

You are not forgotten! December kicked my butt and I do apologize for disappearing just when you needed some holiday reinforcement. Never fear! I am back. Have reviewed all of my photos from the last year and compiled this batch of my favorite memories of 2009. A year of gigantic personal growth! Also my first year with my darling new Olympus E-420.

Oh, how I "heart" photography!

Enjoy, dear Reader. When next we visit, it will be to kick off 2010! A new year of incredible possibilities....what do you want from life this year? I have a challenge in mind--something daily, something joyful. Will explain on January One. XOXO

*Background info on all photos available on my flickr site: www.flickr.com/photos/talekinker

Molded Eggs Florentine (aka Ode to Mini Ramekins)

Molded Eggs Florentine
Originally uploaded by talekinker

All right, Reader. I think it's high time we added the ramekin to our arsenal of go-to kitchen accessories. You are gonna be delighted with all the dishes you can make with these little gems. Best of all--they are soooo easy to use! Go pick some up at your local Pier 1 Imports for $1 each.

Ramekins are my new favorite way to bake individual portions plus they're dishwasher safe. Use the mini ramekin to bake individual layer cakes, souffles or the fab Eggs Florentine recipe below. The medium size ($2.50 each, as of Nov. 2009) are great for baked french onion soup, chili, mac n' cheese, chicken pot pie and other hearty single-serve dishes. Go crazy and let me know what you come up with!

This super-easy version is my loose interpretation of Penny Farrell's delightful recipe showcased in her 'Brunches' cookbook.

Molded Eggs Florentine

1 bag fresh spinach, washed & stems removed
4 eggs
2 red peppers, roasted & thinly-sliced
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
salt & pepper to taste

In 1-inch of water in a pan, add salt, pepper & coriander and spinach. Steam spinach until just wilted.
Remove from heat and drain thoroughly, pressing out any excess water.
Divide spinach into 4 portions and place in bottom of greased ramekins.
Place large skillet with 1-2 inches of water over medium heat until water begins to boil.
Using tongs, place ramekins in hot water bath.
Add one egg to each ramekin.
Add 4-5 strips of roasted red pepper to each ramekin.
Salt & pepper to taste.
Allow ramekins to cook in water bath until eggs are opaque or reach desired level of doneness (4-10 minutes). Covering the ramekins for a minute or two will help cook any stubborn eggs.
Using tongs, remove ramekins from water bath and cool just until serving can be loosened from ramekin. For pretty presentation, serve on toast.
Or, if you prefer, do what I did and serve the Eggs Florentine directly in the ramekin. Just as delicious and still piping hot when it gets to the table.

This dish makes a fabulous centerpiece at any brunch! Enjoy!

Olive Tapenade Puff Pastry Rolls

Olive Tapenade Puff Pastry Rolls
Originally uploaded by talekinker

Because I "heart" puff pastry & olive tapenade, I thought a cinnamon roll-esque combo of the two might add a little something extra to the Ladies' Brunch I held last weekend.

Looking through my copy of Penny Farrell's 'Brunches' cookbook, I found a recipe for Pesto Palmiers and Olive Tapenade Scones and decided to combine the two. The results were flaky fabulousness!

Olive Tapenade Puff Pastry Rolls

1 sheet puff pastry dough, thawed
1 can medium pitted black olives
2 teaspoons capers
4-5 sun-dried tomato strips
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter, melted
flour for rolling
1 clove fresh garlic, if desired

In food processor, chop olives, capers, sun-dried tomatoes, oil (& garlic) until tapenade is thoroughly blended & reaches uniform consistency. Cover & refrigerate for 1-2 hours to allow tapenade flavors to combine. Make this the night before, if you have time.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Lightly flour rolling surface & rolling pin, then gently roll out puff pastry into a square.
Spread a thin layer of tapenade over entire pastry.
If you want more tapenade at the center of your rolls, make the filling thicker on one side.
Beginning on the thicker side, roll the pastry up evenly into a log.
Slice the log into 1-inch thick rolls and place on greased cookie sheet.
Brush each roll with melted butter and bake for 10-15 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden.
Serve immediately.
Serves 4. For the amount pictured, double the recipe.

Might be fun to sprinkle these with a little fresh Parmesan cheese when they come out of the oven too.....

Chevre-stuffed Dates with Basil & Prosciutto

Dates Stuffed with Herbed Goat Cheese & Wrapped in Basil & Prosciutto
Originally uploaded by talekinker

'Oh, these are Ambrosia!' --Aunt

Here it is, Reader. My Big Gun Appetizer Recipe. If you're scheduled to throw down with Bobby Flay, you'll want these little wonders in your culinary arsenal. Serve these at your next important event and prepare for fawning accolades. The culinary bar has been raised.

Chevre-Stuffed Dates with Basil & Prosciutto

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. Medjool Dates (approximately 24 dates)

• 4 oz. Garlic & Herb Chevre

• 1/2 pound sliced Prosciutto (medium-thickness)

• 1 bunch fresh Basil leaves, washed with stems removed

• toothpicks (soaked in water overnight)

Procedure:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• Slice each date partially in half lengthwise (so the halves are still attached but the date is easy to stuff). Remove pits and discard. 

• Stuff dates with Chevre.

• Cut prosciutto slices in half lengthwise.

• Wrap each date in 1 basil leaf and then in 1 strip of prosciutto & secure with a toothpick.

• Place dates in a single layer on a greased cookie sheet.

• Bake for 15-20 minutes or until chevre is warm and prosciutto is sizzling. Serve immediately.

Recipe serves 6-8.

Caveats....

• Find Medjool Dates in the grocery produce department with the dried fruits and nuts.


• If you can't find Medjool Dates, I suggest using Sunsweet Pitted Dates.

• Substitute Cranberry Cinnamon Chevre, other flavors or plain goat cheese for the Garlic & Herb, if you like. Aldi often has an inexpensive selection. 

• Note: I usually double the batch when I make these--they go fast!

Crazy good!

Got Gratitude?

Fall Bounty
Originally uploaded by diver227

'Saying thank you is more than good manners. It is good spirituality.'
--Alfred Painter

While Christmas is my favorite holiday in terms of sheer joy, Thanksgiving is my favorite on principle. An entire, federally-recognized holiday dedicated to saying thank you. What's not to love?

It's when I take the time to say thank you that God works miracles in my heart and in my life. Thanks to Himself for cooking fabulous dinners & tucking me into bed every night. Thanks to Mom for sacrificing so much to make sure Brother & I had amazing opportunities. Thanks to Aunts & Uncle for demonstrating how to live lovingly each day. Thanks to dear friends who enrich my life. And thanks to God for all these things and every other good thing in my life. Isn't it funny how your blessings multiply when you stop to count even a handful of them?

Gratitude may just be the best thing ever invented--a tonic for hurts, a way to diffuse anger, a practical way to live even mediocre days in joy. This November, as with other difficult years, I'm especially grateful. Or at least more mindful of how much worse things could be. I have a job where I get to make other people's homes pretty. My truck starts each morning and gets me home safely at night. We have a lovely, warm & dry place to live. My family is all healthy right now and somehow, even the cat is less crabby than usual (a minor miracle).

Reader, what are you thankful for this year? Sit with this question and really mull it over for a minute. Ask your spouse, kids and friends. Are you surprised by what comes to mind? Or, do you maybe feel a little out-of-shape in the gratitude department? If you don't already, take a few moments each day and think of 3 things you are truly grateful for. Try it first thing in the morning, or right before you fall asleep. On your lunch break works too. Moms & Dads: try it with the family around the dinner table. Do this for a week, or better yet, for a month. You'll be amazed at what starts to happen in your heart. You might also find it changes the people around you. Yep, even through something that small.

If my little musing makes you want to add a little more gratefulness to your own turkey & football holiday, here are a few of my favorite ways to infuse gratitude into your Thanksgiving meal:

• Ask your guests ahead of time to think of something they are grateful for & share those thoughts while gathered around the table.
  
• Instead of place cards at the table, make each person a fall-themed bookmark with a gratitude quote or pertinent bible verse written on one side and a quality you love about that person or reason you are grateful for them on the back. Have the person seated next to them read it out loud.
  
• Go around the table and re-cap each person's favorite memory from that year, or favorite childhood memory.
  
• During dinner, play a game with the kids: encourage them to rat out anybody who doesn't say thank -you while passing food around the table. Make that person name something they're grateful for.
  
• If you're a digital shutterbug, crop or edit copies of your recent family photos so that you have a 2"-3" black & white head shot of each guest. Or use a goofy photo they will have to explain. Cut them out and put one on each place setting. Or hole punch and tie them to each napkin as a place card.
  
  My rule of thumb is, use whatever you can think of to get a dialog going about experiences people are grateful for or remember fondly. If all else fails, google gratitude quotes or share a grateful bible verse during grace.
  
  Thank you, dear Reader. Hope your Thanksgiving is fabulous.
  

Ode to Oreo Truffles

Dear Reader,
If you haven't tried the edible nirvana known as Oreo Truffles--what the heck are you waiting for?

Oreo Truffles are the perfect dessert for any holiday. They make decadent gifts and leave even the most inept cook looking like a confectionery genius. Here is my go-to recipe for these ridiculously easy & supremely delicious little gems. Seriously. People will bow at your feet. They will squeal with delight, tear-up & hug you. They might even propose marriage.


Oreo Truffles
1 pkg. Double Stuf Oreos
1 8 oz. block Philadelphia 1/3 Reduced Fat Cream Cheese (room temperature)
2 containers Dolci Frutta Hard Chocolate Shell


Pulverize Oreos in food processor until consistency of black dirt (chunks won't absorb cream cheese properly). Using electric mixer, combine Oreo crumbs & softened cream cheese. Beat on low until both are thoroughly combined. Filling should be consistency of muddy dough. Cover filling and refrigerate a minimum of 2 hours or until all moisture is absorbed (leave them over night for super-velvetty consistency). Roll filling into 1 inch balls and place on wax paper-covered cookie sheet. Refrigerate balls 15 minutes to set shape. Microwave Dolci Frutta according to package directions. If chocolate shell is too thick, thin with vegetable oil in teaspoon-size increments until desired consistency is reached. Using a spoon, dip each truffle in chocolate shell, coat thoroughly and place back on wax paper to harden*. Refrigerate to expedite shell hardening. Makes approx. 32 truffles. Can be made a few days ahead and refrigerated or frozen.


Dressing them up:
*Before shell hardens: add chocolate shavings, nuts, colored sugar or candy sprinkles.

**After shell hardens: drizzle with white chocolate, dust with unsweetened cocoa, adorn with edible paint or double-dip in alternate color.**

A few caveats...

• Using Double Stuf vs. regular Oreos makes the truffles creamier.
  
• I use the 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese because it makes the filling much less greasy than regular Philly. I don't use fat-free because it alters the taste.
  
• Make sure truffles have absorbed all moisture before dipping in chocolate shell. If the filling is not done expanding, it may punch through the shell.
  
• I prefer Dolci Frutta to other dipping chocolates because it is creamier and the shell is a much softer consistency--more succulent to bite into.
  
• Adding mint flavoring or chocolate liqueur to the filling will spice up your truffles. Just be sure to add more Oreos to keep the filling from being too liquidy.
• I never make less than a double batch--they disappear too quickly!

Photo: My co-workers are still talking about this batch I made on Halloween.

In Praise of Pumpkin Soup

My Annual Pumpkin Pile Shot
Originally uploaded by Jim Frazier

I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion. -- Henry David Thoreau

I wait all summer for my toes to be cold.
Once those chilly October mornings arrive, requiring me to don fuzzy socks before getting out of bed, I know it's finally, really, truly Autumn and Pumpkin Soup Season.

Bringing up pumpkin soup usually draws one of two responses: either groans of delight from those who've had the pleasure or intrigued (if somewhat wary) looks from the uninitiated. Doesn't matter which--I tempt them all shamelessly, promising a velvety-orange and creamy deliciousness unlike anything they've tasted before.
"Trust me," I say, "You'll like it. People who don't even like pumpkin love this soup. It comes with references." I wheedle and cajole. I'm the used car salesman of soup.
P.S. It really does taste AMAZING, is darn easy to make and can be ready in 25 minutes.

This recipe is the original from Bon Apetit, Oct. 2001. As many of the reviews attest, it is rather bland. Over the years I have adjusted it as follows:

Ingredients

2 15-ounce cans pure pumpkin

4 cups water

1 cup half and half

2-3 garlic cloves, chopped

3/4 cup pure maple syrup, 1-2 tablespoons (set aside)

1 stick salted butter (softened), 2 tablespoons (set aside)

1 teaspoon (to begin with) Chinese five-spice powder (a blend of ground anise, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and ginger available in the spice section of most supermarkets)

4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, sliced

salt & pepper to taste

1 tub marscapone dessert cheese, room temperature

Preparation

Bring first 3 ingredients to simmer in large saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking often. Whisk in syrup, 1 stick of butter, and five-spice powder. Simmer soup 5-10 minutes, whisking often. Season with salt & pepper and more Chinese five-spice & maple syrup as needed. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms & garlic; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms & garlic to soup and simmer 10 minutes or until slightly thickened, whisking often. While soup is simmering, stir remaining maple syrup and a splash of half & half into marscapone cheese until thoroughly combined. Consistency should liquid enough to drizzle. Divide soup among 6 bowls. In a circular pattern, drizzle each bowl with marscapone; serve immediately.
(Soup can be made 1 day ahead. Chill until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Bring to simmer before serving.)

Ahhhhhh, heavenly! Let me know what you think!

Penny Halloweens

Happy Halloween!!
Originally uploaded by Just Us 3

Once in a young lifetime one should be allowed to have as much sweetness as one can possibly want and hold. -- Judith Olney

Standing in the Wal-Mart the other night, I decided that Halloween candy prices are tantamount to highway robbery. I REFUSE to pay $7 for a single bag of the brand name stuff. I'd have to spend almost $20 on candy to get a decent assortment--unacceptable! Alas, the $2 bargain assortment was not only unappetizing but will clearly label me as the neighborhood cheapskate with the lame candy. Hmm, what to do?

As we recently relocated to the north Dallas area and are juggling all the related expenses required to make our new home habitable, I'm afraid the trick-or-treaters will find slim pickins' at our door this year. I discussed it with Himself the other day and his answer was nickels. Yep, a couple rolls of nickels at $2 each & we give each child one nickel. Huh. So, we pay the children. For coming to our door. We buy off every little ghost and ghoulie and pirate and Hannah Montana that appears on our doorstep. This is not my favorite idea.

I should probably tell you at this point that the "cash solution" was also near & dear to my mother's heart. Except she gave out pennies from our loose change jar. I begged her not to--my brother & I were firmly convinced one of the local teenage hooligans, blatantly abusing the childhood privilege to trick-or-treat, would receive a penny at our door and come back around 3 a.m. to egg our house. In fact, we waited up each year Mom handed out pennies, just in case. Brother & I also refused to answer the door on Penny Halloweens--mortified we might come face to face with our classmates and have to drop 3 pennies thud, thud, thud into their plastic pumpkin buckets. We made Mom greet the trick-or-treaters instead.

Funny thing was, in those days everybody seemed stoked to receive change. They'd stop the next batch of kids on their way up the walk and say, "Hey, they're giving out money!" A few even came back later in the evening for a second helping. Mom never let on she knew they were double-dipping. She was thinking about being egged at 3 a.m. too.

The "cash solution" is healthier than candy, I suppose. But I still can't bring myself to turn the magical custom of trick-or-treating into a cash transaction. I might as well dress up as an ATM. Kids want the magic of that goodie dropping into their sack. They remember the goodwill of neighbors who open their homes and hearts on that special night to little ones dressed up in their own imaginations. To that end, I have a few suggestions for cheap, sugar-free goodies that will keep the magic intact.

My favorite thing to give out on Halloween is glow sticks. I've never met a child who wasn't mesmerized by their chemical magic. A glow stick is more fun than candy and sugar-free to boot. They also make the munchkins more visible while cruising the neighborhood after dark. Glow sticks are available in bulk through a variety of online retailers. There are many different sizes, styles and colors to pick from. This option becomes much less expensive if you split your order with friends or relatives (each family can order a different color or necklaces instead of sticks) or if you're planning to order enough sticks to give out next year too. Most of the sites I visited guaranteed their sticks could be stored for at least 2 years. Otherwise, keep an eye on your local pop-up Halloween shop. They may put their sticks on sale the day of Halloween. Shopping the day after could net you a booty of sticks for next year at a discount rate too.

Other ideas for non-food goodies include: giving out plastic spider or bat rings--they can be bought in packages of 50+ for less than $3 each at many craft stores; plastic bugs or eyeballs; bubbles; play-doh; temporary tattoos; stickers; Halloween-themed mini erasers, pencils or any of the holiday-specific doo-dads available at your local party store.

It's Halloween! It's Halloween! The moon is full and bright/ And we shall see what can't be seen On any other night. Skeletons and ghosts and ghouls, Grinning goblins fighting duels/ Werewolves rising from their tombs, Witches on their magic brooms/ In masks and gown we haunt the street /And knock on doors for trick or treat/ Tonight we are the king and queen, For oh tonight it's Halloween! -Jack Prelutsky

Happy Haunting!

On Good Dogs

Yesterday I said goodbye to the best dog I've ever had.

For 13 years, Maia (MY-UH), my cocker spaniel, has been my constant companion and the dearest, funniest four-legged friend a girl could ask for.

From that October day in 1996 when she came into this world, until the moment yesterday evening when I felt her last heartbeat, she made my life full and rich and colorful in a way that I will never forget. So today, I want to thank God for all the good dogs in our lives. How blessed are we, their humble human companions!

I can't recall a single event since I was 20 that Maia wasn't part of. In 2000, she moved with me from the Chicago suburbs to college in western Maine. Five years later, we moved back to Chicago, then again this spring to our new home north of Dallas, TX. Each time, she has taken life in stride--stopping just long enough to make sure I packed her toys. Maia was along for most of the cross-country road trips I've taken. She also attended many of my college classes as well as graduation.

Maia's life has been full and amazing by any dog's (and most people's) standards. The first time she swam in the ocean was at Rhode Island's Beaver Tail State Park. She watched the tide come in dubiously before chasing the waves in and out, growling. She hiked part of the Appalachian Trail with me and paddled around clear rivers and spring-fed lakes in Maine. She went kayaking, island-hopping and motor-boating in her special doggie life vest.
Some of Maia's adventures were nefarious. She discovered how slippery a slanted roof can be after falling from a third-floor fire escape at an apartment building I once lived in (her only injury: a scraped chin). Maia secretly learned to drink beer at the raucous college parties my rugby-playing neighbors threw on Thursday nights. Fortunately, after the guys snuck her a few mouthfuls, the bubbles made her sneeze. But she developed a taste for PBR that lasted the rest of her life. Maia even attended whole semesters of classes at the request of my professors. They never seemed to mind when she interrupted class discussions by rolling around on the floor and snorting.

Everywhere we went, Maia knew how to get something yummy. When we lived in Maine, she knew every place downtown she was likely to get a dog biscuit. We would run errands on foot so she could saunter into the post office, pharmacy and the bank to troll for treats. For $1.25, Gifford's Ice Cream stand offered her favorite Dog Bone Sundae: a scoop of vanilla with a dog biscuit on top. A dog's life didn't get much better than that!

There wasn't a broken heart Maia couldn't mend or a tough day she couldn't make all right with a few sloppy licks. Of course, there were trade-offs. I had to be okay with gargantuan snoring and sleeping with a squeaky shoe every night. I had to be vigilant when we went to the river or lake, lest she irritate hapless bathers up and down the beach by rolling on their clean towels and poking through their unguarded picnic baskets. Above all, I better lock up the cat's litter box before leaving the house. Otherwise, I was guaranteed to come home and find Maia had removed some of its contents and placed them on the entryway floor. (Her way of telling me she thought I was shitty for going to school, work or wherever that day instead of staying home with her.)

Too cute for her own good, Maia's photogenic poise was irresistible. From the time I began taking pictures, she was my favorite subject. I was her own personal paparazzi and press secretary and she indulged me, if somewhat condescendingly.

There are zillions of other stories and moments I could share about her. She was my dog-child, my person-with-fur, my favorite thing ever. She touched every part of my life and taught me to be a kinder, gentler person.

Like all good dogs everywhere, she was sent to me--not so much because she needed taking care of, but because I did. God Bless her.

You Invited Who?

Autumn in Maine
Originally uploaded by talekinker

Eat, drink and be scary. ~Author Unknown

This week, prep for the Halloween costume soiree begins in earnest. So far, Himself and I have been dancing around a guest list. We both see the wisdom in keeping the ghoulish compliment to 20 or 25--a manageable number for a horrifying Hors d'oeuvre buffet; and only slightly ambitious given the size of our spooky space and the likelihood at least one of our wacky contingent will come dressed in something gianormous. Still, we are procrastinating on the final draft. This won't do at all. We must decide on invitations and they must be mailed out this week! I, for one, will be a frowny Frankenstein if our favorite fiends cannot attend due to a tardy invite. Let's be honest, with Halloween more popular than ever, every little skeleton will have a full dance card early.

'Hold on, man. We don't go anywhere with "scary," "spooky," "haunted," or "forbidden" in the title.' ~From Scooby-Doo

Which leads me to the next devilish dilemma: the invite itself. True, any kitschy pack of Halloween party invites will technically do. And we are on a banshee's budget. But the invite sets the tone for your goblin gathering and economical should be enhanced by the cute factor.

The best way to do that is scope out your options. I'm all for fashioning a killer invite from scratch if you have the time. And the patience. And can cut in a straight line. But if not, let's do quick and dirty. We need to consult Resourcenista (Resource-in-ee-stuh) (a.k.a. me). Resourcenista's favorite invite haunts: Hobby Lobby; Michaels; JoAnn Fabrics; Home Goods; TJ Maxx and Target. They will always have something unique and interesting--check their scrapbooking & everyday party sections too--you might find something flashy or interesting (and cheap!) that works better with your theme.

Resourcenista always checks out Hallmark too. There are two types of Hallmark stores: the corporate store that carries a clever (if homogenized) holiday selection and the independent store. I am a big fan of corporate Hallmark's printable invitation section. If comparable in value to what I like at other stores, I will opt for these super-personalized gems. But if they're too pricey, I head for an independent store. Independent Hallmarks carry some of the corporate theme each season but also buy from outside distributors and will often have something unique to offer.

As a last resort, I'll check out those Halloween superstores that pop up like thistles in vacant department stores around the 1st of October. Be warned, though. They are rarely cheap.

This year, I am leaning toward the scarily-affordable Halloween photo card options available through walgreens.com and ritzpix.com. Many cute designs to pick from and you can upload your own photo (could even print out your party details, photograph that and upload it to use in place of a traditional pic). Worst case scenario, hand write the party details on the back of each photo card in black, silver or purple marker and pop them in the mail.

Bottom line on the All Hallow's Eve invite: make it cheap and gorgeous and tantalizing. Slipping in a piece of candy corn never hurt either.

Halloween & How-Do-You-Do

Fall is a favored time of year around our house, with Halloween being Himself's favorite holiday. The moment summer's heat broke, he began sniffing the air for signs of autumn and now that the evenings are chilly, there's a definite bounce in his step.

I enjoy watching him slip back into boyhood as we pass the pumpkins & gourds piled high out front at Wal-Mart. The only reason he isn't peering wistfully over the side of the pumpkin corral with the other kiddies is that he's 6'4 and can scope out the choicest specimens from a respectable distance. Of course, he isn't fooling anyone, grinning ear to ear like that.

To keep things manageable, I've been doing a little each day to transform our apartment for this year's Halloween Party. Himself comes home from work at night and prowls around, saying "Wow!" each time he finds a new spooky feature and giving me a hug. Wow! for the black & orange-striped witch's tights I stuffed (with newspaper) into a pair of my old shoes and left poking out from under the patio table. Wow! for the motion-sensitive, black cat candy dish on the mantle. (Word to the wise, here. Do not put the batteries in until Halloween.) Wow! for the magnificently creepy way I set the dining room table. I got two hugs for that! And now we can enjoy the spooky theme all month at suppertime. It may seem like a lot of work for one evening of fun. After all, who's going to see it before then? Just us. The thing is, I love seeing him excited.

We are party people. Both love nothing more than flexing our culinary creativity and throwing a bash to remember. Himself is already knee-deep in Halloween party details: where to find straw bales? Should we have bugs in the ice cubes or eyeballs? Dry ice in a cauldron or a fog machine? Bloody Mary's or Mauled Cider with Cinnamon Schnapps for the signature cocktail? He is an accomplished cook and consummate host. Any party benefits from his jovial manner and thorough attention to detail. I'm thrifty and relish finding creative solutions to otherwise expensive party dilemmas. My mantra: Why spend X when you can make something tailored to your party for much less?

If you're stumped for party ideas, take heart. All this month, I will share my favorite ideas, recipes and inspiration for a fabulously memorable Halloween. I'll also throw in quite a bit of holiday joy. We're big on that at my house. Actually, we're big on joy in general. And on making memories. It would tickle me pink to help you make some too. Thank you, gentle reader, for perusing this first post of Ordinary Wonderment.

*photo by talekinker*