TIME TO PARTY..... again

Yup! You know me, any reason for a party! And here's a good one....

I think if you're one of those people who love (or not) to trudge out into the cold and fight the crowds for BLACK FRIDAY shopping, I say, let's make a party out of it!

Since most stores will stay open late, or open before the crack of dawn, it's a super-fun opportunity to get the usual band of girlfriends together, and host a fabulous dinner (or breakfast) party! Everyone knows that shopping alone is no fun, so let's make Black Friday shopping something to look forward to.

Start off with printed invitations that include the your menu, and throw in a few store coupons that you can use during your shopping trip. (Be sure to include a dress code that includes flat, comfortable shoes!)

And don't forget the party favors.... a Black Friday swag-bag complete with a bottle of water, fruit snacks or a granola bar, to keep you hydrated and give you shopping energy. Add something cute... like a funky, inexpensive watch to coordinate meeting times with your troops! And don't forget to include a mini shopping list note pad,  a coupon organizer, and funky pen, too. Also be sure to print up an itinerary and shopping route or map, to plan your strategy during dinner (or breakfast)!

Once you plan your route, hit the stores, and check off everything on your list.... go home and take a nap!
And it could be the start of a new holiday tradition! Ready, set, GO!

HAPPY FRIDAY

I don't know about you, but this sure has been a loooooooong week! I think we need to be glad that we finally made it to Friday and start enjoying the weekend!

And what a better way to enjoy the weekend, than to have a little get together with a few of your favorite ghouls?! You  all know I love to host spooktacular dinner parties, and macabre movie nights.... so how about something different? Let's try a Frightful Family Game Night!

Think easy snacks like Yummy Mummy Wraps and some cheesy Goblin Grub to munch on. Remember, the easier, the better!

Let's start off with getting out the old board games..... Clue is a must, Scary Scrabble, (the same but only with Halloween theme words) and even a kid-friendly fortune telling card game is always good for a few shrieks and howls!

And if it's a rainy, chilly night in your neck of the woods..... turn off all the lights and an inside game of Flashlight Tag is a blast! This was a slumber-party-must when I was a kid! But if not.... and you and the kiddos want to venture out into the darkness... I say wrap up the evening with a few rounds of "Ghost in the Graveyard!"

What???? You don't remember how to play Ghost in the Graveyard???? Well, here are a few easy instructions:

1. Designate one house's yard or another area in the neighborhood for the playing field. You will need a home base on which everyone can stand or all touch at the same time such as a large tree, front stoop, or back patio.
2. Choose one person to be the "ghost". You can do this any way you like: picking a number, rock, paper, scissors, etc....
3. Have everyone but the ghost stand at the home base while the ghost runs off to hide somewhere outside.
4. Chant slowly as a group, "One o'clock... two o'clock... three o'clock..." and so on, up to twelve o'clock. Then shout, "Midnight! I hope I don't see the ghost tonight!"
5. Leave the home base and search for the ghost in the yard. The ghost's job is to jump out, surprise, and tag a player. When anyone encounters the ghost they should yell, "Ghost in the graveyard!" and try to run away. When the ghost catches someone, the new person becomes the only ghost. This makes it less scary for young ones, who don't like to venture very far away from the home base.
6. Have all the people who were caught go and hide with (or close to) the original ghost. The people on the home base start again with the chant, "One o'clock... two o'clock..."
7. Continue the game like this until everyone is caught. The last person caught becomes the ghost for the next round.

And then back inside for a warm mug of hot chocolate with monster marshmallows! And for more spooky-fun recipes, check out some of my Devilish Delights!

Happy Friday to all my Ghoul-friends!

"HOOT" WANTS SOME CUPCAKES?

You gotta looooove the folks at Duncan Hines.... they always come up with the best (and cutest!) cupcake recipes! You know, even though Halloween has come and gone, you can still scare up something fun for your little monsters.

Check out these owl cupcakes, how cute for a slumber party or boy scout meeting.... and soooo easy to make:

INGREDIENTS:
•12 Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Devil's Food cupcakes baked in brown paper liners
•24 mini Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Devil's Food cupcakes baked in brown paper liners
•24 cream filled chocolate sandwich cookies (Oreos)
•48 mini cream filled chocolate sandwich cookies (Mini Oreos)
•2 cans (16 ounces) Duncan Hines Creamy Home-Style Classic Chocolate frosting
•2 tablespoons Duncan Hines Creamy Home-Style Classic Vanilla frosting
•12 small banana shaped hard candies (Runts)
•24 yellow candy coated chocolate covered sunflower seeds
•24 mini chocolate covered mints (Junior Mints)
•48 brown mini candy coated chocolates (M&M's Minis)

INSTRUCTIONS:
1.Split the sandwich cookies, regular and mini, in half crosswise, keeping the cream side hole (microwaving a few cookies at a time for several seconds helps to keep the cream side solid). Use a paring knife to remove any excess crumbs from cream filling.

2.To form the ears make 2 parallel cuts with a serrated knife in the large plain chocolate cookies 1/2 inch from each rounded side, discarding the 1/2 inch strip that remains from the center of the cookie. Cut the mini plain cookie in half.

3.Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the chocolate frosting and the 2 tablespoons of the vanilla frosting into separate ziplock bags; set aside. Spread the remaining chocolate frosting on top of the standard and mini cupcakes and smooth.

4.To make the ears, attach the large cut cookies on top of the 12 standard cupcakes with some of the chocolate frosting, round side facing each other, at an angle, about 1 1/2 inches apart and hanging over edge of cupcake about 3/4 inch. Repeat process with the mini cut cookies and mini cupcakes, with a 1/2 inch overhang.

5.Place the large cream sided cookies, cream side up, on the upper half of the large cupcakes. Do the same for the mini cupcakes with the mini cookies

6.Snip a small corner (1/8 inch) from the bag with the chocolate and vanilla frostings. Pipe the chocolate frosting in vertical lines over the cookie ears to cover. Starting at the outer edge of cupcake pipe the feathers with the chocolate frosting around top of cupcake and under the eyes.

7.Press the yellow candies in between the cookie eyes as the beak. Attach the chocolate covered mints on top of the cookies with some of the vanilla frosting on the larger cupcakes and the mini brown candies for the smaller cupcakes. Position the eyes in different directions to give the owls character. Pipe a white highlight on the eyes.

To find more sweet creations, check out Duncan Hines.com!

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST

Well.... we've got another successful Halloween under our belts, and it's time to relax! I hope that everyone is still basking in the glow of spooky cobwebs, parties, tricks, and treats.

Now, if you're like me and you bought too much candy, first thing you need to do, is take it all and separate it (just the mini chocolate stuff like peanutbutter cups, Snickers, KitKats, etc.) into little Ziploc bags, and flatten them out, and store in the freezer. Trust me on this.....

You'll thank me, when it's a cold, stormy night, and you wake-up around the witching hour, and your sweet tooth is calling. Just go to your little stash and take out a piece (just one!) and it'll work like magic!

That's your "Tip of the Day", now take today to enjoy what you've accomplished. Just look around.... you did a great job, and everyone was in awe of what an amazing Halloween Hostess you are! Congrats!