Downtown Denver Outing

My Pumpkin and his pumpkin


Just for fun, we invited some friends to join us for lunch in downtown Denver. Naturally, we rode the light rail because...well, what else would we do? The day was so nice that we took a short stroll after lunch. Then, we boarded the free Mall Ride for a spin "around the block" before heading back home.



Halloween Recipes

I'm posting this for the fam, but anyone's welcome to use these recipes! I got them from various sources.

MUMMY DOGS
INGREDIENTS
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations™ refrigerated flaky dough sheet
2 1/2 slices American cheese, quartered (2.5 oz)
10 large hot dogs
Cooking spray
Mustard or ketchup, if desired

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 375°F.
2. If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough; separate at perforations, creating 4 rectangles. Press perforations to seal. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough; cut into 4 rectangles.
3. Cut each rectangle lengthwise into 10 pieces, making a total of 40 pieces of dough. Slice cheese slices into quarters (1/2 slice cheese, cut in half).
4. Wrap 4 pieces of dough around each hot dog and 1/4 slice of cheese to look like "bandages," stretching dough slightly to completely cover hot dog. About 1/2 inch from one end of each hot dog, separate "bandages" so hot dog shows through for "face." On ungreased large cookie sheet, place wrapped hot dogs (cheese side down); spray dough lightly with cooking spray.
5. Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until dough is light golden brown and hot dogs are hot. With mustard, draw features on "face."

Pumpkin Shaped Ham-n-Cheese Sandwiches
INGREDIENTS
1 box (15 oz) refrigerated pie crusts
6 oz sliced Black Forest or Virginia ham
8 oz sliced extra-sharp Cheddar, Swiss or Gruyère cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
PREPARATION
1. Heat oven to 425ºF. Line a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick foil.

2. Unroll pie crust and cut each of the two crusts into 12 pumpkin shapes with a 3-in. pumpkin cookie cutter. Using a 2-in. round cutter, cut 24 rounds from the sliced ham and 24 rounds from the sliced Cheddar.

3. Put 2 slices each ham and Cheddar in the center of each of 12 pumpkins. Brush beaten egg around edges.

4. Top with remaining pumpkins, carefully pressing on edges to seal. Using a spoon, make ridges on pumpkins by pressing into tops in a few places. With a small knife, pierce ridges in a couple of places to vent.

5. Place on prepared pan. Brush tops with beaten egg. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until light golden.

Bewitching Brownies
INGREDIENTS
1 box (1 lb, 6.5 oz) brownie mix, prepared and baked according to package directions
Violet, red and white tube decorating icing
1 can (16 oz) vanilla frosting
1 can (16 oz) dark chocolate frosting
Wilton jumbo confetti and Halloween confetti sprinkles
White fondant

PREPARATION
1. Cut prepared and cooled brownies into eight coffin shapes, using a 3-in. coffin-shaped cookie cutter. Using a 2 1/2-in. round cookie cutter, cut six brownies into rounds for vampire faces.

2. To decorate coffins: Pipe on rim of coffins with violet and red decorating icing. Pipe "RIP" using white decorating icing.

3. To decorate vampires: Spread top of circles with vanilla frosting. Pipe on hair and eyebrows using the chocolate frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a #3 tip. Use jumbo confetti sprinkles for eyes and Halloween confetti sprinkles for pupils. (You can also pipe on the pupils with some of the chocolate frosting.) Using fingers, form fondant into ears, nose, and fang shapes; attach to face. Pipe on mouths using red decorating icing.

Ghostly Shepard's Pie
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 C. chopped onion
1 bag (12 oz) frozen mixed vegetables
2 C. diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, undrained (from 28-oz can)
1 jar (12 oz) beef gravy
1 3/4 C. water
2 Tbsp. butter/margarine
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 C. milk
2 1/4 C. Potato Buds mashed potatoes (dry) or any other dried potatoes
1/4 C. grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, slightly beaten

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 12-inch skillet with cooking spray. Add beef and onion; cook over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain.

2. Set 12 peas (from frozen vegetables) aside for garnish. Add remaining frozen vegetables, tomatoes and gravy to beef mixture. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender.

3. In 2-quart saucepan, heat water, butter and garlic powder to boiling. Remove from heat; add milk. Stir in dry potatoes and cheese. Add egg; blend well.

4. Spoon beef mixture into ungreased 2 - 2 1/2 quart baking dish. With large spoon, make 6 mounds of potato mixture on top of beef mixture to resemble ghosts. Place 2 reserved peas on each mound to resemble eyes.

5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until potatoes are set and mixture is thoroughly heated.

Green Goblins
Ingredients:
6 C. Kix Cereal
1 package marshmallows (about 40 large)
3 Tbs. butter or margarine
4 drops green food coloring
Wax Paper
Nonstick Cooking Spray
1 package circus peanuts (you need 2 per goblin)
1 can Pillsbury vanilla icing
assorted candies

Directions:
Put Marshmallows and butter in large mirowave-safe bowl. Microwave on high power for 2 minutes. Stir and microwave 1 additional minute. Remove from microwave and stir in green food coloring.

Place Kix cereal into your cauldron...I mean large bowl...
Pour marshmallow mixture over Kix and stir well. Let cool for 3-5 minutes.

After mixture has cooled slightly but is still moldable, spray hands generously with cooking spray (otherwise you'll get VERY sticky!). Scoop out 3/4 C. of the mixture and shape into a firm ball. Place on wax paper to harden. After the Goblin Bodies are set (about 30 minutes), place on top of two Circus Peanut candies. Your Goblins are ready to decorate.

Spiderweb Cheese Pizzas
INGREDIENTS
1 pkg (10 oz) prebaked mini 8-in pizza crusts (we used Boboli)
1/3 cup pizza sauce
2 (1 oz each) mozzarella string cheese
3 large pitted black olives

PREPARATION
1. Heat oven to 450°F. Place crusts on a baking sheet; top with sauce. Pull cheese into thin strips; place on pizzas in the shape of a web.

2. Bake pizza for 8 to 10 minutes until cheese melts. Cool 3 minutes.

3. Cut off one end of 2 olives for spider heads. Halve remaining olives lengthwise. Use one half for body; cut remaining pieces into strips for legs. Assemble spider on each pizza.

Spooky Spinach Dip in Cauldron
INGREDIENTS

[u]Dip[/u]
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cup shredded carrots
Wilton leaf green icing color (optional)

[u]Cauldron[/u]
2 refrigerated breadsticks (from an 11-oz can)
Wilton black icing color
1 round loaf pumpernickel bread
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese

PREPARATION
1. To make Dip: In medium bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, basil, black pepper, garlic powder and salt; mix well. Stir in spinach, scallions and carrots; blend well. Tint green with icing color if desired. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight for flavors to develop.

2. To make Cauldron: Heat oven to 350°F. Unroll 2 attached breadsticks from package of refrigerated breadsticks. Twist and form into handle shape. Insert toothpick into each end and bake as package directs. (You can bake the remaining breadsticks as well and serve them as an accompaniment to dip. Make sure to bake them immediately after opening the package.)

3. Remove to rack to cool completely. Paint handle with black icing color. Cut top off bread and hollow out to form a bowl. Insert handle into top of bread bowl.

4. In a small bowl, tint cream cheese black with icing color. Transfer to ziptop bag. Snip 1/2-in. hole from one corner of bag. Pipe around top of cauldron. Spoon dip into top of cauldron. Serve with Pumpkin-Shaped Tortilla Dippers and raw vegetables.[/quote]


This came from [url=http://www.x-entertainment.com/halloween/2006/september28/]X-E's 2006 Halloween Countdown[/url]. It may not be pretty, but the article is hilarious!

To make this pizza, use a Boboli crust and cut the top an bottom to make it look more pumpkin-shaped. In the picture, he used pepperoni, green peppers, yellow peppers and black olives to decorate. I used more orange cheese and fewer pepperoni on top.

For smaller bite-size or kid-size version of the pumpkin shaped pizzas, use English muffins in place of pizza crust. Green pepper for the stem, orangey cheese for color. Cut pepperoni and/or yellow peppers into triangles and half-circle pieces for eyes and mouth.


KITTY LITTER CAKE

This one's very realistic looking, haha.

INGREDIENTS
New kitty box
new kitty box scoop (both totally worth buying for this cake!)
1 (18.25 ounce) package German chocolate cake mix
1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix (or vanilla for more flavor)
2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix (or you can use chocolate for a"used" kitty box)
1 (12 ounce) package vanilla sandwich cookies (I use nilla wafers)
3 drops green food coloring (optional, but does make a big difference)
1 (12 ounce) package tootsie rolls

DIRECTIONS (put a bib on a kid over age 1 and have them help!)
Prepare cake mixes and bake according to package directions (any size pan, whatever cooks quickest).
Prepare pudding according to package directions and chill until ready to assemble.
Crumble sandwich cookies in small batches in a food processor, scraping often (or give it to a small child in double ziplocs and a wooden spoon). Set aside all but 1/4 cup. To the 1/4 cup add a few drops of green food coloring and mix.
When cakes are cooled to room temperature, crumble them into a large bowl. Toss with 1/2 of the remaining cookie crumbs, and the chilled pudding. You probably won't need all of the pudding, you want the cake to be just moist, not soggy.
Line kitty litter box with the kitty litter liner if desired (liner not necessary, but does make clean up easier). Put cake mixture into new and clean box.
Put half of the unwrapped tootsie rolls in a microwave safe dish and heat until softened. Shape the ends so that they are no longer blunt, and curve the tootsie rolls slightly. Bury tootsie rolls randomly in the cake and sprinkle with half of the remaining cookie crumbs. Sprinkle a small amount of the green colored cookie crumbs lightly over the top.
Heat 3 or 4 of the tootsie rolls in the microwave until almost melted. Scrape them on top of the cake and sprinkle lightly with some of the green cookie crumbs. Heat the remaining tootsie rolls until pliable and shape as before. Spread all but one randomly over top of cake mixture. Sprinkle with any remaining cookie crumbs. Hang the remaining tootsie roll over side of litter box and sprinkle with a few green cookie crumbs. Serve with the pooper scooper for a gross Halloween dessert.


Jack-O-Lantern Layered Mexican Dip

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients
1 - 16 oz. can of refried beans
1 - 4.5 oz. can of chopped green chiles
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 avocadoes, peeled and diced
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 cup Stonewall Kitchen Black Bean Salsa
4 scallions, chopped
2 cups shredded orange cheddar cheese
Blue corn tortilla chips, triangle shape
Sliced black olives, drained
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a greased deep pie dish, spread the refried beans and then layer the green chiles.
For the next layer combine the sour cream and the mayonnaise and spread over the chiles. Continue layering the avocadoes, lemon juice, Stonewall Kitchen Black Bean Salsa, scallions, and cheddar cheese.
Bake for 20-30 minutes until heated through and bubbly.
Decorate top of dip with three tortilla chips forming the eyes and nose of the jack-o-lantern. Use the sliced black olives to form a mouth.
Serve hot with additional tortilla chips.


SKELETON DIP

Assemble skeleton with your favorite veggies and serve with any dip of your choosing. SUPER EASY!










Edible Eyeballs (recipe card is the next picture)

Pumpkin Patch

A few weeks ago, after our family photo shoot at Star K Ranch, we met up with some of our friends at a pumpkin patch north of Denver. It's the same farm we visited last year, only this time, we forgot our camera! Fortunately, we found a disposable 35mm camera in the truck and were at least able to capture 24 images from our outing on film. Unfortunately, the camera had languished in the glove box for who knows how long so the picture quality was not that great to say the least.

Since QT made sure to avoid the barrel car ride this time around, fun was had by all...except for those friends of ours, who failed to heed his advice and rode the barrel cars anyway. Ouch!





The Queen of All Wild Things

We waited until Beautiful Grandma and Bapu could come for a visit to have Giggles' 1st birthday party. Our theme was, naturally, Where the Wild Things Are, and Giggles was, naturally, the Queen of All Wild Things.

We had a handful of little friends over, and our neighbor across the street held a Kindermusik session with us. Very cute. Lots of fun. Here are a few pics.




































And, what was Daddy doing while the Grands and I prepared for this epic party? Oh, yeah, he was on a "business" trip.