Welcome
to a Secret Subject Swap. This month 5 brave bloggers picked a secret
subject for someone else and were assigned a secret subject to interpret
in their own style. Today we are all simultaneously divulging
our topics and submitting our posts. Read through mine and at the bottom
you’ll find links to all of today’s other Secret Subject participants.
My subject is: There's a ghost in your house. What are you going to do?
It was submitted by: Sarah of What TF Sarah.
Well, this first thing that comes to mind, Sarah, is a question. Like does she (he?) do dishes? Or maybe have a long unrealized desire to be a sous chef, do some chopping, pass the ingredients? 'Cause I could learn to live with that.
But really, if there's going to be another person (former person?) living in this house, freeloading, there are going to have to be some ground rules.
Although I don't know who was here first, me or my newfound specter, let's just put it this way, as long as I'm the one paying the mortgage, my house, my rules. If it turns out spirits can actually pay bills (can they? 'Cause that would be otherworldly in the very best way), we can talk.
Until then, clear boundaries must be set. These are the expectations:
1) No watching me when I'm sleeping. That's just creepy. And I'll know, get that being watched feeling. It'll wake me up. Every time (I had little kids, I know). Let me just tell you, you may be a ghost, but me without sleep? I'd be a witch.
2) If you're going to enter rooms through walls, you need to knock first. It's only polite.
3) I'm aware that ghosts like to scare. Control yourself. But if you absolutely must, for the sake of efficiency, restrict yourself to when we're already on the potty. Unless you plan to do clean up.
4) If you're going to have a party (do you still celebrate birthdays? Or just Halloween?), you, Casper, Bloody Mary, Marley, Andrew and Sarah Borden, and Elvis better pick up after yourself. No ectoplasm in the house.
5) About the dress code. Should you require a change, after all, you don't want to be wearing white after Labor Day, do not even think about cutting eye holes in my bed sheets.
6) Chain rattling, although I know that's your thing, is strictly forbidden between the hours of 11:00 pm and 9:00 am. Plan accordingly.
7) There's no free ride, everyone has to make household contributions. You'll need to earn your keep, make yourself useful now and then. Like the next time someone
comes to the door selling . . . anything . . . could you get that? And can I watch?
Meanwhile, there's always that
French Toast Pumpkin Pie
Oh, and I just have to ask. I don't know what kind of company you keep over there in the other realm, but I would love for you to hook me up. Any way you could arrange a quick meet and greet for me with RBG?
Here are links to all the sites now featuring Secret Subject Swap posts. Sit back, grab a cup, and check them all out. See you there:
The Diary of an Alzheimer’s Caregiver
French Toast Pumpkin Pie
©www.BakingInATornado.com
4 TBSP butter, melted
6 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs
OPT: powdered sugar or maple syrup, and/or whipped cream
Directions:
*NOTE: you will not use all of the French toast sticks.
*Place
a piece of tin foil around the outside of a springform pan, covering
the bottom and partially up the sides. Spray the inside of the pan
with nonstick spray.
*Melt the butter.
*Take
out 24 French toast sticks and cut 1/4 of each stick off. Place these
smaller pieces into a food processor and crush. Mix with the butter and
press into the bottom of the springform pan.
*Press
the remaining larger pieces of the French toast sticks all around the
edges of the pan, so they stick straight up, circling the side of the
pan. Freeze for at least one hour, up to overnight.
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*Remove
the crust from the freezer. Beat the softened cream cheese with the
brown sugar. Once smooth, beat in the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk,
cinnamon, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Last, beat in the eggs.
*Pour the filling into the springform pan, making sure the French toast sticks lining the side stay in place.
*Bake for 40 minutes. Place a pie shield over the top edges and bake another 75 - 80 minutes until the center is set.
*Cool
to room temperature on the counter. Then refrigerate for at least an
hour before running a knife around the edging and removing the side of
the pan.
*OPT: dust the edges with powdered sugar or drizzle with maple syrup and/or top with whipped cream.
Good ground rules! Widely applicable too.
ReplyDeleteAlways got to set clear limits. My kids taught me that.
DeleteI think you have it all covered! If they answer apropriately I would be open to my own sous chef and that scaring salespeople thing sounds like heaven to me!
ReplyDeleteYes, the salespeople at my door went to a whole new level last week. Could have used a ghost then.
DeleteI am pretty "woo woo" but not sure I'd like to keep company with a ghost. Unless I knew them.
ReplyDeleteI'm not an expert at the whole ghost thing, but I'm pretty sure the theory is that you don't always get to choose whether or not they decide to keep company with you.
DeleteI follow this girl on Tiktok that has a ghost that she talks to that she named Chad. He seems pretty polite. We have a ghost...well, sort of. Matthew's dad likes to hang around and hide stuff on us. Might want to add that to your list. lol
ReplyDeleteOh, didn't think of that one!
DeleteInteresting expectations... Ghosts are to pay bills, do dishes and operate the food processor ;-))) I can totally relate to your house rules, they are more than reasonable. Your dessert sounds delicious! I'm always amazed about the kind of items you get to purchase in the U.S. - Cinnamon French toast sticks! How awesome is this?
ReplyDeleteYou can't get frozen French toast sticks? You need to talk to someone about that. I use them in recipes often.
DeleteYou gave me some ideas, thanks, if a ghost shows up. My ghost had better be good at the stuff I misplace, which is all the time. No staring, no chain rattling (your rules) and let me add, no lecturing me about spending too much time online. Also, said ghost should be good at getting knots out of my crochet yarn.
ReplyDeleteOooh, I like that no lecturing thing.
DeleteHahahahahaha! Great ground rules. I am totally set.
ReplyDeleteI will add one more. Mr./Ms. Ghost, do you need the bathroom at all? Then we'll definitely need that talk. Because I hate sharing a bathroom. Just sayin'...
We'll have to put in an outhouse.
DeleteWe live in a "no solicitation" neighborhood, and several of the neighbors are quick to call the sheriff's department. Of course, it doesn't apply to religious or political door to door people, so someone to scare them away would be welcome.
ReplyDeleteYou've set excellent rules for almost any houseguest here.
Wait! There's such a thing as a "no solicitation" neighborhood? Sign me up!
DeleteYes, the ghosts better abide by the rules. Funny.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds really good.
Funny that I think I'm the one in charge, 'cause I'm willing to be any ghosts would have other ideas.
DeleteJust when I thought I'd heard all the permutations of cheesecake, you go and change it up with the crust!
ReplyDeleteIt's really much more a pumpkin pie, not really a cheesecake.
DeleteFrench Toast pumpkin pie! wowsers what will they think of next. I had some fabulous german chocolate cake for Bday. Now to hide the leftovers.
ReplyDeleteThey? Or me?
Delete