Showing posts with label Just for fun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Just for fun. Show all posts

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Halloween Treats

I know, Halloween is long gone.  However many of us had a lot going on.  I was all excited about posting my Halloween Treats and Hurricane Sandy hit.  We did not have school for two days and alas I was not able to make my treats until the actual day of Halloween and 2 days after.  My plan was to have most of it done BEFORE!  As a teacher trying to reschedule all that cooking and to rearrange the other classes.  AND, keeping my plan to decorate my room for the kids, taking it all down and decorating the house for the kids in the neighborhood.  Between making the treats, passing them out, remembering to take pictures, decorating  (....oh did I mention I had hall duty that week that requires me to monitor the hall 20 minutes before I normally come to work so that means I can't do anything in my room?)  So if I only worked 3 days last week, why did it feel like a full 5 days?  Fortunately, we lost no power and maintained no house/tree damage.  The "cat lady" above and her "roadie" are very blessed.  Enough whining....let's get to the treats, shall we?


Charlotte’s Web Cake

Create a spider web on top of a cake!

Start by spreading a round cake with white or orange frosting. Thin some chocolate frosting with milk until it's about the consistency of melted chocolate, and place it in a piping bag with a ¼-inch tip.  Starting in the center, pipe a spiral pattern radiating out until you come within an inch of the edge of the cake. Now, pretending the cake top is the face of a clock, gently drag the tip of a toothpick from the center to 12 o'clock, continuing all the way to the edge of the cake. Drag the toothpick from 1 o'clock back to the center, and then from the center to 2 o'clock. Continue in this fashion until you have completed the circle. You can also do this on a smaller scale with cookies and cupcakes. Decorate your 'web' with plastic spiders (or gummy ones) and bugs!



Used Tampons
from Divine Dinner Party (digusting food section)

Ingredients:
20 large marshmallows
1 can sour cherries in juice (not cherry pie filling!)
5, 8-9" lengths of food-safe string

 Instructions:
1. String four marshmallows on each of your five strings. I find the easiest way to do this is wrap the string around a wooden skewer, skewer the marshmallows, and pull the skewer out. You can also tie one end of the string around a toothpick.
2. Line the marshmallows up on one end of the string. Knot the bottom of the string.
3. Place marshmallow "tampons" on a serving tray. 5. Pour an undrained can of dark, sour cherries (it's best if you cut up the cherries a bit) over. Or use cranberry juice and dried cranberries.
6. Enjoy!  


Bloody Worm Sandwiches
from Divine Dinner Party (more gross food section)

Ingredients:
8 hot dogs
8 hot dog buns
1/4 C. ketchup Instructions:
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
2. Slice each hot dog into long, worm-like strips.
3. Dump hot dog strips into boiling water and cook until they begin to curl a bit. 4. Drain.
5. Return cooked hot dog worms to pan and toss with ketchup until thoroughly mixed.
6. Serve in hot dog buns.



Breadstick Spiderweb

1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated breadsticks (8 breadsticks)
 1 egg
 1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz)
Pizza sauce or marinara sauce, heated, and garnished with chopped fresh basil leaves or flat-leaf parsley

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray. Separate dough into 8 pieces; roll each piece into 12 to 14-inch rope. On cookie sheet, place 4 dough ropes overlapping to look like asterisk; with remaining 4 dough ropes, make concentric circles to create spiderweb.
In small bowl, beat egg and water; brush over dough. Sprinkle with cheese.
Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm with sauce for dipping.


Hairy Armpits  
(sorry no picture, what was I thinking? Just imagine some European chick dancing with her arms in the air and you get a quick glance of her unshaved armpits!  lol)

3 large shredded wheat bundles
3 TBSP. honey
1 TBSP. light brown sugar
1 6oz. bag milk chocolate chips
2 TBSP. butter or margarine

Directions:

Break up shredded wheat bundles into single long strands, so that they have the appearance of armpit hairs. Set aside. Place the honey, brown sugar, chocolate chips, and butter in a medium sized heavy saucepan and heat over low to melt. Gently stir mixture with a rubber spatula. Mixture should be smooth and glossy. Remove the saucepan from burner and place it on a heat safe work surface. Gently fold in shredded wheat. When the shredded wheat is completely coated, scoop it onto wax paper in nine equal portions. Use a fork to gently rake "hairs" into one direction. To set Chocolate Armpit Hairs, place them in refrigerator for about thirty minutes. If there are any hairy bundles left over, keep them stored in the refrigerator.


Froot Poops My school site has a photo gallery of these plus many others...


1 and 1/2 pkg (12 oz) chocolate chips
1- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
Dash salt
2 tsp. vanilla
1 and 1/2 cups chopped, dried mixed fruit

1. Line the bottom of a 9 inch square pan with waxed paper.
2. Pour chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and salt into large glass bowl and melt in microwave. Stir constantly to determine when melted.
3. Pour in vanilla and dried fruit. Stir into chocolate mixture.
4. Pour chocolate mixture into lined pan and spread it evenly with your rubber scraper. Place pan in the refrigerator and chill for at least two hours.
5. When thoroughly chilled, invert chocolate mixture onto cutting board. Cut into 1 inch squares.
6. Create loads of uniquely shaped diarrhea dumps by rolling each square between the palms or your clean, dry hands. Make some flat, round disks, some short, thick poops, and some long skinny ones!

Really Gross: Make sure you present your diarrhea delight on toilet paper wads!

Please print these out for next year.  Again I am sorry for these GREAT recipes being poor timed....but stuff happens.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the people of New York City, Staten Island, Long Island and New Jersey Shorelines.  Of all the people of our Wonderful US of A.  I feel the folks of NY and NJ have the stuff that make them strong survivors.  They survived 911 and this too shall pass.  If you can make a donation to the Hurricane Sandy Fund, even the smallest bit can help. 

Slurp,

Saturday, July 7, 2012

What? Is vacation over?

Well, the TRIP is over....but since I am a teacher....I have all summer off (you did NOT just roll your eyes?) so I am still vacaying...however we are having such intense heat it's hard to really enjoy the outdoors.  It's gonna be a LULU of a summer I think.
So not much foodie stuff today just a few pictures but the main goal is I want to feature a fellow blogger I used to follow.  Her name is Cassie and she did a food blog called How to Eat a Cupcake. Her videos were a HOOT.  (Un?)fortunately all great blogs can turn into something MORE wonderful and Cassie opened her own bakery (with alot of friends and family support).  She went from How to eat a Cupcake....to Flour Child Bakery. I've been dying to visit her since we have a time share in Virginia Beach.
I know many my followers don't live in this area or state or even continent but you just never know where your travels may take you.  If you are EVER in Virginia visiting our HUGE Navy ships in Norfolk, Va or watching an airshow in Oceana NAS in....google Cassie to her bakery for a sweet treat.  It's worth the trip!!!  Here are a few pics:
 Cathy (Cassie's mom) on the left, hot mess in the middle and Cassie.  How appropriate their last name is BAKER?  Well it works.  I was so entertained with all our conversation and stories that I NEGLECTED to take pix of their TREATS in the cases (head slap).  But I did take a lil pic of what we got when we drove back.


 From the left, Key lime shortbread cookies, Death by Chocolate Cupcake, macaroons and under.....YAY- a T-shirt....now I am walking advertising!!!

I wanted to buy one of everything!!!  She had cake pops, cookies (the ginormous ones) cupcakes, bar cookies....It was really hard picking out what I wanted for we kept talking and talking....and I was getting distracted and HUNGRY.  I got the Key Lime for K-man for he loves lemon/lime....unfortunately, he never tasted them (frown)....for I got there first, lol.  We both loved the macaroons...so light and fluffy.  Not at all dense and overly chewy light most macaroons.  LOVE!  Not pictured was a chocolate covered strawberry cake pop.  K-man inhaled that in the car.  After his yummy noises I think I heard him say...'should have gotten more'  Lastly, I save for last, the DEATH BY CHOCOLATE cupcake.  OMG.  I am not kidding you.  One of the best I've ever eaten and I've eaten plenty of chocolate cupcakes in my life.  Here's why it's the best.   Most bakeries do the overly stiff, HEAVY, shortening based frostings.  This frosting was so light and cake so moist.  I tried to stop eating it halfway to save it for the next day.  But I started thinking "what if it's not as good tomorrow?  what a waste.."  SNARFFFFF.....gone.  CASSIE and CATHY....we will be seeing you again next year FOR SURE!!!

Here are a few of our vacay pix to entice you to stay at Virginia Beach....
  • View from our balcony....there is benefits to staying at the end...beaches aren't as crowded....
  •  Parallel to the boardwalk is a bike path...perfect flat 3 miles to get some exercise!  Here's my cool bike...Betty. 
Lots of cool things for the kids to do....a big blow up slide for the kids in the middle of the beach.  I think it was 4 bucks a slide.  YIKES.  Also a permanent amusement park with rides and games to get a stuffed animal.

  •  Neptune statue (taken at night) for everyone to marvel at...I bow to King of the Seas....
  • Everywhere there are places for a refreshing drinks....K-man surprised me by getting a 'fruity' drink instead of his usual Corona.  Mine had swedish fish as a bonus.  Um, NOT Paleo....but hey I was on vacation...
  •  Um....the result of adults being 'funny' after a few of those drinks....who's worse?  Teens or adults....not sayin'.

  •  The said "adults" after....at one of the many bands who play on the streets every night. K-man had a coworker Pink Lloyd and his lovely bride Christine join us for the evening.
 Poor K-man after his 'fruity' drinks the next day.  Isn't that what the beach is for?  Recovery.  lol


  •  Surf lessons anyone?  Well, only for kids....right outside our balcony every morning.
  •  6th street turtles.  Between each hotel/resort each street has 'stuff' to view or climb on....fish, turtles, seahorses....etc.  Fun.

  •  Beautiful skies at the end of a wonderful day.


 I hope you have a wonderful, safe, fun vacation where ever it is....

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Fractured pieces of my Michael Jackson experience.....

HOLY CRAP!

After 7/25/09 and all this hubbub around Michael Jackson's death....I had totally FORGOTTEN about 16 years ago. I guess I am so stunned about his complicated death and all the drama that is GOING to ensue....A friend emailed me and reminded me of this forgotten event in 1993.

Let me tell you my story.

We had eaten at the Olive Garden (the silver wrapper on the left) and walked over next door to a Hallmark Store to purchase some cards a little before 3 pm(receipt of date and time on the top right).

As we were shopping, people were talking excitedly in the store. "Michael Jackson is shopping at the Toys R Us across the street"....Yeah, right.....Nuh-uh....

Of course, my friend and I being skeptics yet curious (and with nothing to do really) we walked across the major six lane road called Leesburg Pike or Rt. 7 at Bailey's Crossroads in Falls Church, VA.

It after lunchtime and the parking lot at the Toys R Us was pretty empty. We walked over and sure enough, there was a huge stretch limo in the parking lot. A few security guard like guys lingered around the door. Toys R Us was not open.... they had closed it for the day. They said nothing about who was in there. Just a few people were lingering around the parking lot. So we waited by the limo. It wasn't really long and out comes Michael Jackson (he didn't have kids during this time), his entourage carrying many big bags of toys. No waving, no handshaking. No talking. Just his hat and big glasses to shroud his face as he was hurriedly ushered into his limo, oddly his staff seem to linger outside the car. 'Why aren't they driving off?' I wondered.

I was suddenly getting a rapid heartbeat....I asked his staff "will he do some autographs?" The burly guy coldly said, "that depends on him" Meanwhile I am clamoring around in my purse for something suitable for him to sign. Dammit. Random stupid slips of paper. I didn't want his autograph to be on my grocery list or some tampon coupon.....Wait! I went to the card store. An envelope would be perfect! Large and plenty of room for an autograph!

So I waited by the limo door. Slowly the motorized tinted window went down to give an 3 inch opening. Very white fingers rapped on the top of the window to get our attention as he flipped his hand out as to say 'gimme your stuff to sign!' We all were looking back and forth at his hand and at each other....so nervous by celebrity, yet confused as to what his hand gestures meant. Of course none of his 'bouncer guys' were gonna tell us what that meant it seemed. So I thought....'well let's see if he takes it'....so I handed the ghostly fingers my purple envelope. He snatched it and up went the window. I can't even remember if I gave him a pen or he had one or what....I was so flustered.

A few seconds later, like an ATM slip sliding out of a tinted slot. Out came his autograph:

Love, Michael Jackson.

Was I a rabid fan of Michael Jackson at the time? Nope. I enjoyed his music and sang to it on the radio. Unfortunately, the music of his I DID have was in form of cassette tape. My collection has long since gone. Really, I was more into his sister's music - Janet Jackson. I have some of her CD's and even went to one of her concerts here in DC.


But when a celebrity of ANY level appears in your proximity.....JUMP on the opportunity. You just NEVER know. It just so happened to have gone to a card store and had the receipt. I didn't realize then how THAT little slip of paper that we always throw out or don't take from the clerk when they ask if we want our receipt could be so important...TAKE IT....you just never know. More importantly, keep it organized! Weird though, for some reason, despite my not-so-rabid fanship of Michael Jackson; I took the time to permanently seal my memorabilia under plastic in my photo album later on that day.

Somewhere deep down, I knew that this would be special to me one day. I feel sad for what is about to unravel about Michael's life now. His dirty laundry, his alleged prescription drug use, the fight for his kid's, the debate over this will and it's contents. Let's not even talk about the number of books that will be mass produced about him and his life now that he's passed. How many books about Princess Diana have come out since her accidental death?

As for my friends email....not only did she remind me of this forgotten event in my life, she was asking if I was going to put my autograph on Craig's list and she wanted know how that worked. I told her to try E-bay, it was more secure and she probably could get more for hers there, I dunno. I am keeping mine.

Do you have any brushes with celebrity?