image:  www.freeimages.co.uk If you are preparing for a Halloween party, looking for a basic cocktail for your guests or maybe just something to down while you are handing out Halloween Candy, this may be a nice pick-me-up.  Rachael Ray’s Evil Spirit Cocktail: Ingredients: Ice cubes 2 1/4 cups vodka Juice of 6 lemons 1 cup grenadine Club soda, chilled Directions: Fill a pitcher with ice cubes. Pour in the vodka, lemon juice and grenadine and stir until chilled. Strain the mixture into martini glasses and top with club soda. [Read more]

 image:  www.freeimages.co.uk If you are like me you always have the best intentions, but some how life gets in the way.  For example, I am having people over this weekend and yikes….have no clue what I am feeding them.  Now if you are entertaining some Halloween guests, whether they be little or big, there are a couple of great places to go for easy, breezy ideas. Busy Cooks at About.com has some tasty and easy Halloween ideas…it is for the “busy cook”.  Kraft Kitchens has a lot of ideas that will appeal to the young and young at heart.  I think I am going to try this Graveyard Crunch and a recipe that I am sure you have seen around, Pillsbury’s Crescent Mummy Dogs. Graveyard Crunch Prep Time: 5 min Total... [Read more]

I tried this recipe from Rachael Ray this week, it was delicious, easy and a nice meal to enjoy before the plums are gone for the season.  Serve these pork chops alongside her Jalapeno Rice. Plum Good Pork Chops Ingredients 2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil 4 bone-in pork chops (each about an inch thick) Salt and ground black pepper 6 plums (it’s better if they’re under ripe), pits removed and sliced 1 large red onion, thinly sliced 2 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed from stems Juice of 1 lemon 2 tablespoons honeyYields: 4 servings Preparation Preheat oven to 375ºF. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper, and... [Read more]

I received a couple of emails today and checked over at Snopes to verify the rumors..the following is true.  Chocolate Gold Coins from a distributor in Canada have been called due to detection of melamine in the product.  The coins are being sold at Costco, dollar shows and other retailers.  It is amazing how this story grows and grows and yet again tonight I saw nothing on the news locally or nationally.  I know this election is important, but the welfare of our children is worth a minute or two. Here is the Consumer Advisory from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency: OTTAWA, October 8, 2008 – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume, distribute, or sell the Sherwood Brands Pirate’s Gold Milk Chocolate... [Read more]

image:  www.freeimages.co.uk Martha Stewart’s favorite holiday is Halloween.  The girl just wants to have fun.  I will have to admit I sometimes have a hard time picturing Miss Stewart letting loose during a kids Halloween party.  But, she and her staff have come up with some great ideas, including Eerie Edibles. What do you get when you mix pears and white chocolate?  How about Scary Pear Heads.  They look like pirate skulls. Scary Pear Heads Makes 8 Ingredients: 8 firm ripe seckel pears 1/2 pound white chocolate, coarsely chopped 1 ounce semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped Directions: Remove the stem from the pears. Using a wooden skewer, make a hole in the stem end of each pear. Insert a lollipop stick in each hole. In a double... [Read more]