Good to the Last Drop.

By now, you must realize I am not the "love 'em and leave 'em" type.

I really am trying to pry myself away from Halloween. See, I am not even highlighting it in orange. But, then I saw this and well, after today, I am ending it. For sure. Stick a pitchfork in it. Done.

Until then...

What a hoot! This recipe is from a collection of "What do I do with leftover candy" tips.  It looks like so much fun to make up and dress up. Rarely to I do a two drink week, but maybe you do have candy left over? I don't and may have to go get a dark chocolate candy bar to try this out. It sounds more after dinner and dessert-y than "kick one back on the porch" to me. But, with one recipe serving 3, you and any lingering ghosts hanging around can decide when you want your last sweet sip of Halloween...before or after.

And, we actually had a couple of kids come dressed just like this cute little pink flamingo...

Leftover Halloween Chocolate Mudslide (complete with costume still intact!)

1 1/2 ounces Kahlua
1 1/2 ounces Irish cream liqueur
3 ounces vodka
3 ounces milk or cream (I think coconut milk here would be delish)
2 cups ice
1 (1.55-ounce) chocolate bar (better the chocolate, better the mudslide!)

Combine all ingredients with ice in a blender. Blend until smooth. Makes 3 servings

Okay...so, now I am done. I am putting the full color, Special Collector's Edition, 116 page The Best Of Martha Stewart Halloween Handbook a-w-a-y. Drat.

Drink up, pal. I've got a nice pine box just waiting for you.

Oh, and in case you have a box of spices hanging around and aren't quite sure what to do with it, come to Eggshells Kitchen Company on Monday, November 8th at 6. I am doing a spicy workshop...guaranteed to take the lid off any spice box you've got! Go here to register: http://www.eggshellskitchencompany.com/
 

Giving the Family the Bird

Breaking news for our family!! We are having a turkey for Thanksgiving...

Adopted. And you can, too. Here is a picture of our sweetie, poster girl Daphne, and you can give your own family the bird by going here  http://www.adoptaturkey.org/.  She has some great looking pals waiting.

Daphne

"A compassionate world for you and me begins at the holiday dinner table.”

I just love this project. I hate to leave the afterglow of Halloween, but felt I had to get cracking on this so you, too, can add a new member to your own flock and give your compassionate heart a chance to spare another. This lovely gal is adopted in honor of our kiddos oxoxoxo

After you go pick your sweet bird out, perhaps you'd like the scoop on America's original "native spirit"...Wild Turkey. On their website, they give the whole tale and even have a tour set up http://www.kybourbontrail.com/

From the mouths of Bourbon drinkers themselves, you are a very opinionated bunch on how you like yours and so I am just going to suggest a shot...of kindness...as a toast. Cheers!

Tonight is also First Thursday in Hillcrest and for those of you who are local, I will be at Shoppes on Woodlawn from 5-8 with my Natural State Granola and cruelty-free, toxin-free skin "food" for you to sample. Hope to see some of you there.

My Hair Peace

I am not sure having a Halloween wig that exactly matches your non-wig hair is a compliment.

You know...maybe it's a heads up? Hmmm...check this out. A little freaky how close a match it is to my own hair, right? It's hard to tell where the real stops and the fake begins. And, it is super freaky that some people wore it Halloween night as part of a costume...geez. I mean really. Show some respect.

And now, given how the cyber world works, you know what has come next. All this week, I am getting all kinds of weird "wild hair" emails, special offers from Clairol for "corrective hair color" and lots of "We can fix your hair problem!" and "Tame your mane!" spam. Come on people.

Anyway, I am way ahead of the Internet bots. For the past couple of shampoos, I have been trying out some new products. They score "0" on the hazard scale which means they are 100% non-toxic and I think are really helping moisturize my hair. Curly hair is naturally dry and mine has been on frizz frenzy all summer...kinda like the wig. I will keep you posted on all the great changes I expect to happen.

To try these products out yourself, check in Our Little Green Book of Resources and go visit the hair care suggestion. Ask for Lorrie and tell her Penny sent you! She and I have been using each others products. I am detoxifying her skin with the "0" hazard, 100% non-toxic products I love. There is a link for those skin care products also...or rather for you to send me an email and I can forward you the link for free shipping all this month (can't figure out how to get the link directly on this blog).  Great skin and hair...now that's teamwork...love it!! And, my hair peace should quiet the bots.

Today is the day

when I get to stand right side up or upside down for my right to VOTE!!!

YAY! Such a gift...I wouldn't miss voting on Election Day for anything. I love voting the day of...there is nothing like it. I get pretty emotional really. I love everything about it...standing in line, saying "hi" to my neighbors, giving my name to the election clerk, seeing it checked off as I sign in, collecting my ballot, VOTING, sending my ballot into the machine and then getting my "I voted!" sticker. Love it.

Many communities still have Election Day Suppers. My mom is going to one today. There is nothing more The Red White and Food than voting and if you get a community dinner along with your freedom to voice your choice, that is icing on the cake. However you spend your day, however you vote, whatever you eat, be appreciative to the bottom of your heart that you get to choose. Freedom is oh-so-sweet...the real deal. Don't ever accept imitations!

Act on your love of freedom and just do it. Go

See you at the polls!

Boo and Double Boo

Boo...it's over. I am counting the 364 days 'til Halloween is back!

Double Boo...Christian and Resh left this morning at 6. We had tons of fun and a neighborhood full of wonderful kiddos: princesses with sparky blue slippers, zombies, blood thirsty vampires, super creepy clowns. Such a night! Here are some pictures of our freaky fun (which I had to take during the day...with hundreds of kids and adults blazing a trail to our street, there were.no night-time photo ops!) Let your imagination darken the scene as we did with eery strobe lights, creepy music, cackles, the pitter patter of hairy feet and calls of the "wild". Way below is a recipe for a bloody good dip!

Stu checks out the pumpkins and rats

Christian and Reshma carvin' up some pumps

Witches Stew

"Chuckles" getting ready to rock

One house guest won't be back

The Ghoul Squad

Even Stu made a heart-pounding appearance while

The Sisters robo-barked their warnings

Will they let you enter?

Beware of silent stalkers and druids

The Cemetery has plenty of vacancies. Just check in at the first coffin...

Here's looking at you. Good Bye, Halloween!

And now for the dip...

Syrian Roasted Red Pepper Dip

3 large red bell peppers, roasted over a gas burner or in the oven until blackened
   Let cool at room temeprature and then peel off charred skins

Into a blender or food processor*, place peppers and these ingredients:
1 cup toasted walnuts
1 tablespoon toasted cumin seeds, ground
1 large clove garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon olive oil
Harissa or chile powder to taste (add to your own heat level)

Blend or pulse until finely chopped, not pureed! Leave a little chunky. *You can also do this by hand instead of using a blender or food processor. Serve with any crackers or Middle Eastern flatbread you like. It pairs really deliciously with hummus.