Three Holidays One Great Party

Halloween, Divali and Dios di Muertos all intersect this year.That means endless arrays of savory and sweet treats to enjoy. They can be traditional or exotic, full of chocolate or full of spice.It's just a fun way to celebrate ancient traditions.

Halloween and the Mexican  Day of the Dead have always intersected. Halloween is All Hallow's Eve is when the spirits come back while the next day is dedicated to remembering those who have passed. All Hallows is a time for fun parties, with usually ghoulishly themed foods and drinks. They can be entwined by having  a ghostly guacamole and vampire red salsa,For the first sprinkle a layer of Monterey jack or crumbled queso fresca, a kind of south of the Border fromage It can easily be made at home using just milk and distilled white vinegar.It's then cooking over a low heat so that curds are made,It's then ready for tacos and fajitas. A fun drink after a chilly night of trick or treating is Mexican hot chocolate. It's just adding the tiniest pinch of chili pepper and cinnamon  to hot cocoa mix or Droste cocoa powder. Add a big puff of whipped cream for a cooling sweetness Day of the Dead also had sweet treats, usually sugar skulls,There is also a bread too,It is a sweet, glazed loaf laced with orange juice and orange zest. There's also the addition of anise to give it more sweetness and a slight licorice taste. Another offertory gift is candied pumpkin, Cubed pumpkin is cooked in butter and sugar until tender, Maple syrup mixed with cinnamon and ginger is then poured over it. and allowed to marinate for two hours in the fridge.

The Indian festival of Divali also intersects with Halloween this year, and is celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs The holiday's dishes can be easily integrated into a party.with American treats.One of the most famous and party friendliest is biryani, This is a tasty rice dish made with chicken along with a variety of vegetables and spices.Tomatoes and potatoes round it out along with cumin, turmeric, and ginger.itlaso has the zing of chili powder  , perfect for warming up on a cold fall night. Samosas are a fun finger food that would be great on any party menu.They are baked  turnovers stuffed with peas , and potatoes. The flavor comes from garam marsala which any home chef can make.It's an intoxicating blend of cumin, cardamon, coriander, cinnamon , ground clove and nutmeg. This can also be sprinkled on a Divali- Halloween veggie pizza, and, yes, this is served during the holiday. Doughnuts are always a must at a Halloween party.Divali has its' own too, this time savory.instead of flour its' made with urad dal which is ground, roasted lentils and can be found at any market. The fritters  or medu  vada are zested up with coriander and coconut  along with fresh ground peppercorns and green chilis, It's usually served with a tamarind and veggie sauce called sambar.

This is a triple holiday, celebrating life and the afterlife. It's a time of fun and feasting, of trying fun foods. Enjoy it ,both the savory and sweet side of it.

Fun And Scary Treats

Halloween is definitely the time for creative baking and decorating., All it takes is cake mix , icing and candies to create creepy treats , sure to bring smiles to big and little monsters. Have some fun making these ghoulish goodies that taste devilishly fun.

There's a big push for confetti cake,  a cake with a good cup of sprinkles added in. You can start off with a white or butter cake and add  black, orange and purple sprinkles. A more Halloween centric cake is a  rich , fudgy devil's food  speckled with just orange sprinkles. The icing is usually a buttercream or chocolate frosting coated completely in  - what else - more sprinkles. Cupcakes can also be done this way too.If you're wondering on where to get sprinkles or jimmies in holiday colors, look no further than your local grocery. Its' bakery department always bakes holiday themed cakes and cupcakes ,using  specifically colored sprinkles. The extra ones are then put on sale for home bakers to buy. Other sweet All Hallow's treats are themed cakes.It's all about the frosting and decorating. A simple idea is  just orange icing, drizzled with chocolate. Scatter traditional or the new salted chocolate candy corn over or arrange in a fun mosaic.  Jack o'lantern cakes are always a crowd pleaser. There are cake molds, usually Bundt pans to give you a perfect sphere. It's then decorating with orange butter cream and making the features and pumpkin stem out of black and green dyed fondant.

Cupcakes are another tasty treat, everyone likes. Home bakers can go wild with creating fun toppings , sure to please the fussiest little trick or treater. A fun idea is the ultimate Halloween symbol, the black cat. Frost cupcakes with bought or homemade chocolate frosting. Add two blobs of green frosting for the eyes. Put a small dot of black frosting in the middle of these. The nose can be a pink Tictac flanked by black licorice strings. The kitty's pointy ears can be chocolate morsels.. Take away the nose and ears , put more licorice strings and you have scary spiders.Tombstone cakes are another ghoulishly great idea. Take Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies , break in half  , then coat with a pale brown or pale grey icing. Use a toothpick to write  BOO! in chocolate on them.For the cupcake frost with green icing and then stick the "gravestones' in them.Party guests can also ice their own if you set up a frosting bar. Have prizes for the scariest and the cutest decorated.Cookies are another fun Halloween delight . Make chocolate cat or bat cookies. They can even be turned into sandwich cookies. Fill with a tasty orange flavored creme  that' can be either made with cream cheese, butter or margarine along with confectioners sugar, fresh squeezed orange juice and orange zest.

All Hallow's is a time for sweet treats and scary fun. Celebrate it with yummy cakes and toothsome cupcakes and cookies. Have a sweet Halloween and enjoy!

A Teen Most's Sweet Mission

Most thirteen-year-old boys barely care about their rooms , let alone the environment. Yet there is one kid who is making a tremendous impact , thanks to  his curious mind and dedicated heart. Not only that he's saving bees as well as giving the food world an extraordinary new brand.

The young man responsible for all this is thirteen (!) year old Jake Reisdorf of Carmel, California. He was eleven at the time of creating  Carmel Honey Company, thanks to a school project. It was a "real world" homework assignment where he researched and wrote about bees it got him an A but also a passion for bees as he learned about Colony Collapse Disorder and  honey. The first is a serious disorder where a majority of worker bees disappear ,leaving behind just the queen and a few nurse bees to care for immature bees. Jake was curious about this and wondered what he could do to amend the situation. After all , there has been a scary decrease in the insect for the last few years.Everything from crops to livestock  will wither without them. Unlike kids his age who have a huge collection of skateboards, Jake put his money into hives and started his own apiary or bee farm.Soon he was selling honey and honeycombs. the profits going to research and educating the public about these vital insects.jake even travels to schools, giving lectures about the importance of bees Even the company website gives tips about attracting bees into yards and gardens.

The bees have also produced delicious types of honey as well. Carmel Honey Company sells honey and honeycombs. The first comes in four plant infused flavors. There is Meadowfoam which  has a vanilla taste and would work well over vanilla ice cream as well as sweetening vanilla chai tea.  Sage honey is another big seller and has a slightly sweeter taste than the average honey.Use it to make holiday mead drinks.There's also wildflower honey , made from the nectars of several different flowers indigenous to the Carmel area. This has a dark, earthy taste, that's delicious glaze for roast chicken or sweetening cocktails and even tomato sauce.. My favorite is the Orange Blossom which has a mellow citrussy tang to it.  There is a sampler pack of the four flavors  which would make a great gift for any foodie.Jake also sells the convenient Honey Stixs. These are long plastic straws filled with the wildflower\version. Each straw holds a teaspoon of honey. and is a great picker upper for those who want a better sweet boost than candy. Jake also sells actual honey filled honeycombs. a  must for any kitchen.It is rich , fresh honey that is a must ingredient for any holiday cooking, sweet or savory,

It's amazing how a school project turned ino a passion and a business. Even more amazing is the young man behind it, Jake Reisdorf. He will definitely be one of the movers and shakers of his generation!

Funfetti Confetti Cake

Cake is festive. That's a universal truth. It usually symbolizes a party , especially if it's a colorful one, dusted with a rainbow of sprinkles. Now those sprinkles are inside the sweet treat, giving a more festive look.

Julia Moskin wrote about a new party classic - confetti cake in yesterday's New York Times Food section. Whatever you call them, whether they're candy confetti, sprinkles ,jimmies, or hundreds of thousands, they are big right now.Pro bakers and even mixologists are using them on  everything from cocktails to croissants.They're even used to decorate phone cases,scented candles and even press on nails ! Now they're exploding all over cakes, turning bland white cake into a Jackson Pollack canvases. Why now?Most bakers were kids in 1989s when a new product burst upon supermarket shelves.Pillsbury came out with Funfetti Cake,a vanilla cake mix that came with multicolored sprinkles.The twist was that they were going to be baked into the cake. They'd melt into streaks and dots of vibrant color which made them into an instant hit. Funfetti cake was then a definite must for every home party.Copycats soon abounded.A year later, Betty Crocker came out with Dunkaroos, a snack pack of cookies with sprinkle laced icing. Even Dannon Yogurt jumped in on the craze.In 1992 they came out Dannon Sprinklins, with candy confetti packed separately in the lid.

Now there are grown up versions of the cake all through Manhattan.Pastry chef , Christina Tosi, of Milk Bar in New York was one of the first to produce colorful cakes. Her passion for sprinkles started when she was young and it was with , of course, Funfetti. She cleverly turned the cake batter into cookie dough. Her current take is still the number one requested dessert, and at the NoLiTa outpost of MilkBar, there's even a wall of sprinkles. She's also put them in homemade tahini ice cream sandwiches and mandelbrot, the twice baked almond cookie.Chef Yeh loves them so much that she even had guests throw them at her wedding.Fancier bakers around the city have even put them in croissants and macarons along with giant Funfetti wedding cakes Some are even making their own hundreds of thousands. Sohla el- Wayly of the Hail Mary Diner in hipster Greenpoint makes her own. These are vanilla and rose flavored, made with egg whites,confectioner's sugar and food coloring. She pipes them in long, skinny lines on parchment paper, allowing them to air dry. They're then  "plastered" on the diner's tall vanilla cake giving it a wild , eccentric quality, like something from the Mad Hatter's tea party. The best bet is to go to your grocery store's bake shop where you can buy medium sized cups of multicolored sprinkles. some even have holiday colors, like black
and orange for Halloween and red and green for Christmas.

Sprinkles amp up a cake's fun factor. Go crazy with them and create an explosion of color with every slice.It's a fun way of celebrating cake.

Your Holiday Cooking Guide

Hard to believe we're entering the start of the holiday cooking season.It's a time when even the most experienced home chefs panic. Don't. There's a guide to help you navigate any big meal fromThanksgiving to Christmas, from New Year's to just a big Sunday dinner with family and friends.

The New York Times put out this special guide in their Wednesday paper today. It's separate from the  Food section but it has some of the best recipes from the Times recipe book plus a day to day guide on getting ready. It is a four-page fold out and the recipes can be cut out if need be. To be honest you'll want to keep this intact.it is very handy.It features the classic turkey, sides, and pies.What I like is the timeline in which to prepare. It makes planning for Thanksgiving a dream and can be altered to fit any prep time before a big meal. It starts with making a guest list which will give an idea of how big a bird to buy.A second and definite must do is deciding whether to have a sit-down dinner or buffet., depending on the number of guests.One of the smartest suggestions is taking stock of kitchenware along with the oven. Are there enough pots and pans for the sides? Is the oven big enough for the bird you want? You may have to get two turkeys or have a diner roast your bird. Two weeks before , check t see if you need tablecloths . extra glasses or even a gravy boat. Also The Times recommends writing up two shopping lists; one for perishable goods and one for non perishables. A week before it's time to make the pie crusts and cranberry sauce along with cleaning out the fridge and freezer to make room.

The recipes come from the best. Julia Moskin, Melissa Clark, Sam Sifton and Kim Severson have contributed as well as the famed Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey. Emily Weinstein and  Amanda Hesser have also given recipes as well. Kim Severson gives us a dry brined turkey that's punched up with white wine.Gravy is a must and Sam Sifton has a good one.It too has a half cup of white wine along with the turkey fat, flourn and turkey or chicken stock.Of course, there has to be stuffing, also coming from Mr. Sifton.It has apples and chestnuts along with a cornucopia of herbs and spices. A dash of hot sauce is added for kick. Every holiday meal needs sides and there are some tasty ones here. Guests and family will flip over the Hassselback potatoes made rich with both Gruyere and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Even the most adamant Brussels sprout haters will think twice about them being served with heavenly pancetta.Thanksgiving is all about the dessert and there are three good recipes to choose from (Or you can make all three).Melissa Clark gives us her double apple pie which is not only spiced with cinnamon but with ginger and nutmeg.She also has a brandied pumpkin pie given a kick with the liqueur and enriched with whole cream and three eggs. There is also Craig Claiborne's cheesecake, a great ending to any meal.

Thanksgiving and any holiday meal should not be a time for panic or fear. Follow The New York Times guide and recipes and watch the big day breeze by.it'll be not only a time of giving Thanks but also for good eating!

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Tricks, Treats Or Favors

One of the best aspects of any party are the favors. Since Halloween is all about treats then make the favors at your costume party savory and sweet fun. These can be eaten as games are being played or later on as a nice snack at home.

Many party givers lean towards the sweet but savory favors are also a fun gift. Think flavored popcorn. in festive All Hallow's bags.Making the different flavors is easy to do.Start off with about twelve to sixteen cups of plain air-popped corn. For a zingy lemon -brown butter  heat six tablespoons of butter in a skillet until browned.It usually takes about seven minutes. Afterward, stir in one and a half teaspoons of lemon zest and toss. It can also just be a plain buttered, perfect for watching those scary movies. Give your popped corn a Mediterranean twist with the addition of za'atar, that spicy mix of sumac ,dried thyme, and sesame seeds . Or try it Cajun style with  cayenne pepper, oregano, black and red pepper. Another fun party bag treat is the classic  Chex mix. Again this is an easy make. It's a mix of all Chex cereals, rice , corn, and wheat tossed with mixed nuts and bite-sized pretzels, whether sticks or nuggets. Garlic and onion powder along with Worcester sauce is added for flavor. You can vary the recipe or tailor it to suit your guests' tastes with dashes of dried herbs , spices or even freshly ground pepper. The recipe may have to be altered a bit to suit those with wheat and nut allergies. Sunflower or pumpkin seeds can be subbed in. The last would be keeping with te holiday.

A bag full of sweet treats is always nice. Both big and little party guests love a favor bag of goodies.One of the most fun and festive is Halloween bark This can be made with white,tinted, dark or milk chocolate as the base. Candy corn, whether the traditional or new salted chocolate from Brach's is a definite add in.Popcorn is another . Many recipes call for caramel but just plain popcorn would  be better to prevent the bark from becoming too sweet.Some party givers add Oreos but plain chocolate wafers give the chocolate burst without all that sugary creme For some fun toss in a dash of cayenne pepper, however, be sparing with it..For the orange chocolate add the tiniest bit of orange juice for some citrusy bite. Cranberries are another fun and colorful add in.Give a homemade bark a burst of saltiness by throwing in some crushed pretzels. Break the finished candy into small pieces that fit easily into a goodie bag. Dipped Oreos are another fun  nosh . Coat them in white chocolate and then , using a toothpick, draw faces on them with melted dark or milk chocolate or edible ink. This last can be bought online or at craft shops such as Michael's. Oreos can also be dipped in orange chocolate and decorated like jack o lanterns. Encase them up in black or orange saran wrap and then tie with a black or orange bow.

Halloween party favors can be savory or sweet. They're fun mementos to be enjoyed at the party or afterwards. They definitely more treat than trick!

Halloweenies And Fright Burgers

It's the start of Halloween week and that means one thing  -fun food!! It 's getting creative and coming up with ghoulishly good treats and meals. Make these scary dogs and fright burgers for dinner or for a weekend of parties! They're sure to be loved by big and little trick or treaters across the board.

Hot dogs are one of the best mediums for All Hallow's fun. They can be dressed in as  costumes just as  real dogs can. One of the most fun is mummy dogs, These are simply taking a sheet of Pillsbury crescent rolls and first pressing the perforations to seal them. Take a knife and then cut each dough rectangle into ten thin strips.Also, cut slices of American, cheddar, or Monterey Jack cheese into four pieces..  Wrap four dough strips around the dogs and cheese and leave a 1/2 inch space for a 'face'. Bake for thirteen to seventeen minutes or until golden brown. Use a toothpick and mustard to draw on faces.Serve with any kind of mustard , from honey to spicy Dijon. For a healthier spin use soy dogs and soy cheese. You can also make your own gluten-free dough too.Another cool ghoul idea is monster fingers. It's just simply cutting the franks so  they look like fried, boiled or - really creepy - grilled fingers.Slice a square top layer off so it looks like a nail bed. Then slice two lines an inch below the nail and three lines midway to resemble knuckles. Make it look even gorier by putting a thin line of ketchup along the nail bed and maybe a little oozing out of the "knuckles".Serve on pita rounds cut square  to resemble bandages.

Burgers are another versatile "dress up" dinner. They , too, can be turned into yummy mummies. It's just taking any of your favorite sliced cheese  and  cut it into strips. Place haphazardly across a cooked burger, leaving a space for eyes. Cook burgers and cheese for five minutes or until cheese gets melty. Put two dots of mayo  in the eye space. Top with olive quarters. Jack o lanterns are another fun dinner, Use slices of good sharp cheddar and a paring knife to cut out eyes, nose, and teeth, Place cheese on burgers five minutes before serving or until cheese melts around the edges. You can make homemade devil burgers, patties that carry a huge amount of heat. It's taking a regular hamburger recipe and livening it up a dash of chili powder. This is perfect for teens and teens, but be careful with younger kids - who many not be used to hotness. Sriracha sauce can be subbed in  for the chili powder. Serve your devil burgers not with ketchup or barbecue sauce but with a cool ranch dressing or dip.This ices down the burgers a lot and it also goes well with onion rings and fries which have to be served.You can also make devil meatballs too to go with an equally fiery arribiata sauce.

Hot dogs and hamburgers are even better to decorate than pumpkins. There are so many neat methods to serve them for  Halloween week. Discover the fun! Make them for  tasty treating.