Tie One On Tuesday!

Guess what I'm doing tonight? No, I am not sitting on my butt, sipping a few cocktails while watching Ghost Adventures. I'm decorating the house, sipping a few cocktails while watching Ghost Adventures. Geesh, what do you guys think? I sit and eat bon bons all day while downing a magnum of champagne-I mean granted that is my dream.

Anyhoo, where was I going with this? Oh yeah! It's October and that means Halloween and that means decorating and enjoying a few libations while making the house spooky. These are great drinks to bribe your friends to get them to come over and help you put out the plastic tombstones and fake spiderweb.

This is such an easy drink and people are able to handle it a lot better than Rob Zombie

Red Zombie
2 oz. Gin
Juice from 1 1/2 lemons
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
carbonated water (tonic or seltzer)
Shake gin, juice of lemon, and powdered sugar with ice.
Strain into a highball glass over two ice cubes.
Fill with carbonated water, stir, and serve.
Garnish with a red zombie eye by de-stemming a maraschino cherry and placing a chocolate chip (pointed side down) into the hole.

Okay, so you don't have friends to come over and help with the decorations. Grab those little goblins you call kids and put those nimble little fingers to work. You can reward them with Candy Corn Punch

Candy Corn Punch
1 Cup vanilla ice cream
2 cups orange-colored sorbet or sherbet
1 Cup yellow-colored sorbet or sherbet
1 gallon tropical blend juice
1 Liter ginger ale
Line a 4-cup 32 oz. Bundt pan with sheets of plastic wrap. Extend plastic wrap down into mold and over sides to make it easier to unmold the ice cream.
Soften ice cream so it is easy to spread, but not melting.
Add vanilla ice cream into the lined ring mold and smooth top surface making it level. Add orange sorbet on vanilla and smooth top surface making it level. Add yellow sorbet on orange sorbet and smooth top surface making it level. If ice cream in ring mold becomes to soft to support the next layer, put the mold in the freezer for 15 minutes until firm. Freeze mold until party time.
Pour juice and ginger ale into punch bowl. Invert mold on to a large plate and gently remove ice cream. Slide ice cream from the plate into the punch for a candy corn ice cream float.

So, you have no friends, no kids, only little furry beast looking up at you. They can't help, they have no thumbs. You can still whip up a cocktail to honor those furry creatures I guarantee that this will have you howling at the moon.

The Wolf Bite
1 oz Absinthe (in the US, we can't get real Absinthe, unless you make it, which I do not suggest-so just get the watered down version and be happy with it)
1 oz melon liquer
1 oz lemon lime soda
1 oz pineapple juice
In a cocktail shaker add  Absinthe,  Melon Liqueur, pineapple juice, and ice. Shake vigorously and strain into 2oz. shot glass. Splash lemon-lime soda on top and a drizzle of grenadine.

You don't have to be scared to stir up these spooky cocktails. They are easy to concoct and will leave you and your guest with big toothy smiles. Just a few sips of these yummy drinks and your friends, neighbors and even relatives should be willing to help put your decorations up while you kick back and relax, they may even put up your Christmas lights for you-yep, they are that good.

AGH! Monsters!

Well, well, well....will you look at that? It's time for Shocktober. Oh yeah, you  heard me right, a whole month of scary movies. One of my favorite things about scary movies are the monsters. The sillier the monster, the better!

My FAVORITE monster is the Creature in the Creature from the Black Lagoon. How can you not love a slimey monster that just wants to hang with the ladies. A scientific expedition looking for the proof of the fish missing link gets more then it bargains for when they find the real thing, not just the fossil remains. Lots of great underwater action, a guy in a rubber suit and one of the cutest bathing suits ever is all you need to know about this Universal Monster classic.

Do you like dogs wearing shredded carpets? If you do, than The Killer Shrews is the movie for you! Besides the shredded carpet dogs, James Best aka Rosco P. Coltrane of Dukes of Hazzard fame stars in this fine piece of cinema. Once again, we just can't keep our hands off mother nature and thus the killer shrew is born. How will the shrews be stopped? Who will save us? Well sillies! Rent it and find out.

 Okay, so I've noticed that in the 1940's and 1950's people really had a fear of gorillas. I don't get it? I mean, did gorillas run rampant on the streets? Did the people of that time already know that we were going to be ruled by apes a la Planet of the Apes? Anyhoo, Robot Monster has two things that our mid-century modern ancestors feared most. Robots and Gorillas. Oh yeah! I forgot about radiation, big lizards and cute girls screaming. The marrying of a diving helmet and gorilla suit? Pure genius !

These are just three bad monster movies that I highly recommend these cool Shocktober nights. If you are having a bad day, pop one of these fine *ahem* movies in your DVD player, sit back and have a good belly laugh.

Scrappy Dog Sunday!

It was one year ago today that we brought home our little bundle of joy. Mark had told me that he didn't want anymore kids-he was finished and then BAM he told me me that we were driving to rural Washington to look at a little man. We grabbed the girls, headed north, went past pasture after pasture of Alpacas(I'm pretty sure after saying 6 times that we should have the Alpaca lifestyle Mark was ready to turn the car around) we arrived at a  farm with tiny little babies running around everywhere.

There he was, running around like a maniac, keeping up with the girls and showing us that toothy grin that he is so famous for. At that very point, he melted our heart. We brought the little guy home and he cried for a little bit in the car but otherwise he was a perfect  angel....until that night. He would never settled down, cried the whole night and eventually Mark had to go downstairs with him and sleep on the couch. All I could think about was did we make a mistake? Are we crazy? We have two Jack Russells and now we have a Miniature Pinscher. The next night was fine and each night after that has gotten better. Of course, he thinks he security and must check out every little sound. If someone sneezes 2 hours away, Pete can hear it.
I'm not gonna say every day has been a walk in the park. We have had to secure the backyard more than ever because he is an escape artist, he's not a fan of little kids and will follow some house guest around barking at them. He has marked his territory in the house a few times and decides at 4am it's time for patrol of the backyard. Every time he does something he knows he shouldn't, he looks up at you with those little eyes, perks the ears up and gives you a toothy little smile as if to say, "I'm just a puppy, mom....I love you, did I mention that? I really do." Then my heart melts and I forget why I was so angry in the first place.

This little black and tan puppy, in a year, has managed to wrap us around his little paw. He brings Mark so much joy and when that little nubbin of a tail starts wiggling, well, it's all over. He loves to chase birds with the girls, steal treats when he gets the opportunity and snag your blankets in the middle of winter, but we love this little man. We can't imagine our life without him. The smile he puts on our faces and the laughs we have with him takes away all the cold feet nights. So, here's to you Pete! You are the sunshine on a rainy day and the rock in my shoe and I love you for that.

Salivating Saturday

Fall has started and that means that it's time to start baking! One thing that I love to bake is a super simple savory treat that you can literally make in under an hour-Cheese straws. Oh yeah....Cheese! (I immediately started saying it like Wallace from the Wallace and Gromit fame). This wonderful little cracker has a nice little spicy bite that will make your mouth happy.

Cheese Straws
2 sticks of butter
1/2 lb of sharp shredded cheddar cheese (you could try other cheeses but cheddar is traditional)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 cups all purpose flour
1/tsp salt

Cream the cheese and butter together. Mix dry ingredients together. Slowly add in dry mix. You can use your cookie press to makes these, again the traditional way or you can roll into little marbles and press with a fork on a cookie sheet. Press them so they look like Peanut Butter cookies. Bake for 8-12 minutes at 375 (start at 5 minutes and go up from there). Don't let them get too brown.

I usually make these in my cookie press with the star template but I was really lazy and didn't want to walk all of 5 stairs to the basement and pick up the press and then walk all the way back up.So, I made them into cracker/cookie like disc. No matter, they are still just as delicious.

These spicy morsels are great for a party, watching the football game (Go Heels!) or watching that super scary movie. The best part about these little guys, the smell reminds me of the holidays and I get all sentimental. Now, if you'll excuse me-I'm gonna go reminisce over a cracker.

Feel Good Friday!

Oh my goodness! I have been missing for a few days. I am so sorry! Life threw me for a little loop this week and I've been trying to pick up some pieces and place everything back the way it was. Anyhoo...enough of that mess! It's Friday and I am happy and SOOOO excited that October is finally here. It's the beginning kick off of my holiday season.

I always decorated for Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and this year I had the chance to film a video about making sugar skulls. They are so cool and now I want to have a decorating party for the season.

This has been my week....

Kunderwood kicks butt at stitching. I admire her work so much, plus...she is the sweetest super cute lady in the world!

Two of my favorite things in the the entertainment world is old time radio and horror/scifi. The Monster Club.com has both! Great old time radio broadcast with shows such as Lights Out, Mystery House and The Haunting Hour. My favorite story so far has been the Transylvania Robots who do everything they are told....

I think Jujube needs this costume or maybe I just need this dog. Oh My Dog Supplies.com have great low priced costumes and more. Right now they have a $12.00 coupon. Score!

Let me tell you...I feel SO much better! I hope you do to. I would love to spend more time with you but right now Turner Classic Movies is having a Hammer Horror film night and I've got some popcorn to eat, jammies to get into and snuggling to get down with. Have a great night my wonderful friends!

Top It Off with Topper

Some time ago, I  disliked movie series. The majority of the time, the second movie is an awful abomination put on this Earth to just swindle you out of your hard earned cash. This is not the case in 1-The Thin Man Series and 2-The Topper Series. I can't believe I haven't mentioned Topper before. Did you know it stars one of my favorite actors-Asta the dog. Yeppers, it's true.

To start off the series is Topper. Filmed in 1937, it stars several wonderful actors such as Cary Grant and Constance Bennett. The story is about a henpecked bank president who works for the  fun loving Grant and Bennett. Here's  the catch is that they are ghosts and he is the only one that can see them. They are stuck in limbo until they correct all their bad deeds with good ones. Roland Young plays Cosmo Topper but the film is definitely stolen by his clueless wife, Billie Burke.

1938 saw the return of Cosmo Topper and his favorite ghost Constance. Unfortunately Cary Grant did not make a return but we do get to see Asta. This time around a friend of Mrs. Topper convinces her that she needs to divorce Cosmo. Constance helps her favorite Toppy win back the love of his life and make her way to heaven.

A few years later, in 1941 Roland Young revives his role as Topper but this time Constance Bennett has made it to heaven and he is bothered by another blonde bombshell, Joan Blondell. We add a little mystery to the plot with Topper helping Joan's character find her murder.


I just adore this series. It's fun, lighthearted and all around great for laughs. Hey, just like me! Anyhoo, check out these great movies. You will thank me later.

Salivating Saturday

Early this week I made the best chocolate chip cinnamon sticky bun that you will ever put in your mouth. I am not kidding. This sweet concoction made the angels wept. I could hear trumpets of joy around me when they came out of the oven. Unfortunately I can't come to everyone's house and deliver them to you, so I decided to share the recipe. How I wish this was my own doing but it is actually from the Pioneer Woman. Have you ever seen her blog? How in the world does she do it all? I want to hate her but I admire her too much-plus, she's so damn nice! Anyhoo.....here's the recipe. Enjoy!

This is a basic cinnamon roll recipe. You can add all sorts of flavors to it. Fruit, chocolate, nuts, less cinnamon, more sugar for stickier buns.

Rolls
4 cups milk (you can use whole but we used non fat-gotta watch that waist!)
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Canola Oil
9 cups All-purpose Flour
2 packages (4 1/2 Teaspoons) Active Dry Yeast
1 Tablespoon  Salt
1 teaspoon  Baking Soda
1 teaspoon  Baking Powder
1 stick Butter
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 cup Brown Sugar
½ cups Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
1-½ cup Chocolate Chips
A light dusting of cinnamon

Icing
1 package 8 Ounce Cream Cheese
3 cups Powdered Sugar
1 stick Butter, Softened
1 cup  Milk
2-½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract
¾ teaspoons Salt

Directions

Mix milk, 1 cup sugar, and canola oil in a pot. Heat until very warm but not boiling. Allow to cool until slightly warmer than lukewarm.

Sprinkle yeast over the surface of the liquid, then add in 8 cups flour. Stir gently until totally combined. Mixture will be very wet and sticky. Cover with a tea towel, keep in a draft-free place, and allow to sit for 1 hour. I used the big pot I mixed the milk in and covered it with the lid but you can also use the tea towel method.

After 1 hour, add in an additional cup of flour, as well as the salt, baking soda and baking powder. Mix until combined. Refrigerate dough, covered, until you need it. (Refrigerating the dough helps make it easier to handle.) I didn't refrigerate, but I kind of wish I did, it was very sticky to work with. I would just refrigerate it for about 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread melted butter in the bottom of pie pans or 9 x 13-inch baking dishes.This is not the same butter you will use in the actual recipe.

Divide dough in half. The other half of the dough, you can put in the fridge or the freezer to make another batch some other day. Turn the other half of the dough onto a floured surface. Roll into a large rectangle, about 24 inches wide by 10 to 12 inches deep. Add vanilla to melted butter, then drizzle mixture all over the surface of the dough. Use fingers to spread evenly. Mix sugar and salt and sprinkle it evenly over the butter. Follow with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and  chocolate chips. This was the hardest part! The butter wanted to spread everywhere! If you have two people, that's better, one person can spread the butter, the other can pour the sugar mixtures. The sugar will soak up the butter.

Beginning at the side furthest from you, roll dough toward you until it’s in the shape of a tight log. Pinch the edges to seal. Slice into 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick rolls and lay, cut side down, in buttered baking dishes. Allow to rise for 20 minutes, then place in oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until deep golden brown on top.

Make the icing: Mix 1 stick butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt in an electric mixer or until smooth and pourable.

Remove rolls from oven and allow to sit five minutes before drizzle icing all over the rolls. Be sure to get the icing all around the edges and covering the surface so they’ll be nice and moist!

* I did not make the icing. The rolls were just fine and just sweet enough on their own. Maybe the next batch I make I will whip up the icing. 

These cinnamon rolls are seriously the absolute BEST ever! Even half of the dough made quite a bit so we ended up wrapping the individually and freezing them, then when we want a quick treat, we can just pop one in the toaster oven. Oh yeah, don't even get me started on the sugary goo at the bottom of the pan. Seriously, when you bite into these...you will think you died and went to heaven! Now if you will excuse me, my mouth is watering just writing this! I need a bun fix!