Monday, October 1, 2012

It's October!



It’s October and Halloween build-up is officially on.  I’ve been seeing huge bags of assorted candy in the stores since August.  I saw my neighbors start to put out their Halloween yard art in September.  But I have a hard and fast rule: no Halloween anything until October.  But now it’s October: Unleash the kraken (always wanted to say that but anyone know what it means?).  It’s all out, full on Halloween season.  There’s a chance that I may not do much complaining about my kids in my posts this month.  I’m just too busy this time of year. 



Front Door Crime Scene | www.BakingInATornado.com |  #Halloween
Front door crime scene

When my kids were little, I’d have Halloween treats daily, decorations all over the place, a costume party at the house for all their friends with treats and crafts and games (OK, and maybe adult drinks for the parents).  I was not just a Room Mom for both of their classroom Halloween parties, but was usually assigned Head Room Mom (literally running back and forth between the two parties).  I would dress in costume at the school, and again for whatever adult parties Rick and I were going to that year.  In later years, when my boys had outgrown school parties I would fill the basement with home-made treats and kids would pour in.  We could have 40 kids down there (but at least I knew where they were).

Now I have no excuse, so I make no excuses.  My boys are older and have outgrown Halloween to a great extent (although they still think they should ring a few select doorbells and grab some candy just for old time’s sake).  Unfortunately for them, their Mom hasn’t quite caught up.  I haven’t outgrown Halloween and wonder if I ever will.  On October 1st I decorate the house and start baking.  For the past few years I’ve driven all of my FB friends crazy posting pictures, two and three times a week, of whatever Halloween treats had caught my attention and been attempted in my kitchen.  My sister put it best:  “you sure know how to amuse yourself this time of year”.

On your mark.  Get set.  GO!  Let the amusement begin.  You certainly won’t hear my kids (or their friends) complain.

Towards the end of the month, if the boys are going to have kids over on Halloween, we vote for our favorite treats from the month and that’s what I make for Halloween night.  A few times a week this month I’ll share some of the all-time favorites that win every year, and some of the new favorites that will make the cut for next year.  Here’s one of Older Son’s favorites from years past, it’s a mini cookie we call "Candy Corn” Poppers:

Candy Corn Poppers Cookies | www.BakingInATornado.com |  #recipe #Halloween


“Candy Corn” Poppers

Happy October!

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"Candy Corn" Poppers
                                              ©www.BakingInATornado.com


Printable Recipe

Ingredients: 
Use either your favorite cut-out cookie dough or use a pouch of store bought sugar cookie mix, mixed with: 5 ½ Tbsp butter (softened), 1 egg and 1 Tbsp of flour until it forms a dough.
Yellow food coloring
Orange food coloring
3 Tbsp baking cocoa

Directions:
*Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap so that the wrap spills over all ends of the pan.
*Divide the dough into thirds.  To one third, add the orange food coloring, to one third add the baking cocoa and the other third you can leave as is or add yellow food coloring.
*As best you can roll out the orange dough between sheets of plastic wrap until approx. the size of the loaf pan.
*Put this dough into the bottom of the pan.  Manipulate it so it covers the bottom of the pan in an even layer.
*Roll out the brown dough in the same way.  Place gently on top of the orange dough. Get it as even as you can, but don’t press down. You don’t want the colors to mix, you want one on top of the other.
*Repeat with the yellow dough.  Refrigerate 1 ½ hours until firm.  I often just do this the day before.


*When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Take dough out and cut into  slices about ¼ inch thick.  Lay each slice flat and cut at an angle so you’re making small triangles:
*Place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Cookies will hold their shape better if you put them into the fridge on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before you bake.
*Bake 6-7 minutes.  Watch them, don’t let them get brown.  Cool one minute, then remove from cookie sheet.

24 comments:

  1. I miss Halloween! We don't have it in Greece. We have the carnival in February (somewhat similar) but not Halloween! I used to enjoy it a lot when I was in the States, of course I was on the other side - the trick or treating and going to parties and finding all the sweets baked and ready to be consumed side!!! Didn't have the pleasure(?) to actually cook or bake anything Halloween! Maybe I'll try your recipes and surprise my kids who know about Halloween (thanks to the TV) but haven't tasted it!!!

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    1. I really do love this time of year . . . and the ability to embarrass my kids is just an added bonus!

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  2. I love, love, love Halloween and I'm going to make the most of it until my kids outgrow it...then probably for a few years afterwards.

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    1. After all those years of Halloween fun, it's just too hard to give up!

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  3. Halloween rocks! I'm glad it's finally October so you can talk about it! Our youngest is in second grade so we still get to be in the thick of it.

    Those cookies look so fun. I look forward to collecting a ton of recipes from you this month :)

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    1. Jealous. Second grade is SUCH a fun age when it comes to Halloween. Are you going to share some pictures?

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  4. I can totally relate to this post! I love October---Halloween was always one of my favorite days to celebrate with the kids when they were young. Loved getting their costumes ready, and wearing one myself (big kid at heart) plus baking some goodies. I have a special cake I make each year with candy corn that they love. The only thing that is missing is the true autumn weather--I live in sunny South Florida where in October it is still warm and muggy!!! I wish I could feel cooler temps and see the leaves change!!! Thanks for sharing your story and the recipe--I'm going to give this a whirl even though my kids are all grown up (well, except the 17 yr. old still living at home--he loves anything with sugar as a main ingredient!!!

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    1. Love sunny South Florida (Mom winters on Marco) but there are times of year when Fall weather is tied to the festivities of the month and October is one of them! Try the cookie, my teens love it.

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  5. You can borrow a couple of mine! I can't bake for the life of me and my kids love it.. I feel like a bad parent now I was just on twitter crabbing because I was given the job of party planner! Those look good I am just going to email these recipes to my daughter (14) she is the baking diva...

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    1. LOL, I miss my "party planner" days! Now I'm just planning all kinds of fun in my own home that will embarrass my kids. YAY.

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  6. Those are so cute! I wish we could use gluten flour baking like this would be so nice!

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    1. I wish I knew a way to make these without gluten flour but I just don't know enough about it.

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  7. You sure do have enthusiasm!! So, now I know where to come in case I ever need a recipe for Halloween goodies!!

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  8. You can NEVER outgrow Halloween!!! NEVER!!
    Release the Kraken comes from "Clash of the Titans". I know this because The Hubby used to torture me by making me watch the OLD version. Thank goodness for the new one!!! LOL
    I am definitely Pinning those cookies!!! YUMMMMMMMMY!!!!!

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    1. You won't be disappointed, the cookies are good (they're just sugar cookies after all) and they look really cute! "Clash of the Titans" thanks now I know. Wonder if I used it right?

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  9. Okay I'm not even going to attempt to make those cookies but they look delicious! Halloween is my favorite! Ive been watching my Roseanne Halloween DVD and I've already decorated a little. Oct-Dec are the best months of the year if you ask me :)

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    1. I agree, October is a fun month. I enjoyed Nov and Dec when I lived near ski mountains...now I don't and have my kids driving in the snow to look forward to, not nearly as much fun.

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  10. I miss Halloweens when the boys were small. I sewed their costumes every year, and have saved a few of them: Power Ranger outfits, pirate shirts and trousers, vampire capes, etc. Your post, and the Candy Corn Poppers makes me nostalgic! I LOVE candy corn and especially those mellocreme pumpkins!

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    1. I think it's great that you made their costumes and saved some. My Mom knitted my kids sweaters and blankets when they were babies and I saved some. Hope to someday have grandchildren use them!

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  11. The cookies are a cute idea for Halloween.

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  12. Hey from tessacotton! Love your creations. I would be so thrilled if you would link up to my new, halloween themed linky party, live today!
    http://tessacotton.blogspot.com/2012/10/halloween-link-party.html

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