Southern Lady Halloween 2010

I remember with great fondness Halloweens when my boys, Eric and Brian, were young. We would create costumes for weeks. My favorites were the clown costumes I sewed for days. I had a standard outfit that I wore every year—an orange chiff on robe with miles of fabric in it. I reversed the eye shadow and lipstick for the evening. My lips were painted blue, and my eyelids were always red. Of course, I put on a black hat and whooshed to the door when little treat seekers rang the doorbell. They made interesting comments about my getup. When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a gypsy on Halloween. Mom would get out her costume jewelry, and I would meticulously restring beads and baubles, creating the most ornate…

Tie ’Em Up Perfect for packaging candy or sweets for your favorite little trick-or-treaters or for creating gift bags for partygoers. Visit midoriribbon.com. Parasol Party Picks Decorate your table, or add some spooky flair to your Halloween cocktails or snacks with these weblike umbrella picks. Visit partycity.com. Skull Shakers These handmade salt and pepper shakers will add a little fright to your tabletop. Visit frankjwalker.etsy.com. Bone Appetite! These dancing-skeleton plates are great for servings appetizers or desserts at your Halloween open house. Available in a set of 4, or customize your own plates at customsepia.etsy.com. Happy Jack Need a little help carving the pumpkin this year? Masterpiece Pumpkins can create anything you desire on a Fun-kin, which is made from a lightweight, flame-resistant material. Visit masterpiecepumpkins.com. Monster Mug Hand sculpted from stoneware clay, this frightening fellow holds 24 ounces of your…

Monster Marshmallow Pops Makes 2 dozen pops 24 large marshmallows, 24 (4-inch) lollipop sticks 1 recipe Royal Icing (recipe follows) Assorted Halloween sprinkles Candy corn Sanding sugar Royal Icing eyes 3 (9x4x3-inch) pieces floral oasis Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Insert 1 lollipop stick in one flat side of each marshmallow. Dip each marshmallow in desired colored icing, gently shaking off excess. Place dipped marshmallow, stick end up, on prepared baking sheets. Let stand until icing begins to dry but is still slightly sticky, about 5 minutes. Decorate as desired. Insert finished Monster Marshmallow Pops in floral oasis to dry completely. Royal Icing Makes 2 cups 1 (1-pound) box confectioners’ sugar 5 tablespoons meringue powder ½ cup water Assorted food coloring In a medium bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar, meringue powder, and water. Beat at low speed with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, 7 to…

Cover Recipe Candy Corn Cheesecake Makes 1 (10-inch) cheesecake 2 cups finely crushed chocolate cream-filled sandwich cookies* . cup butter, melted 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1 (8-ounce) package mascarpone cheese, softened 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream 1. cups honey 1. cups sugar 6 large eggs ? cup all-purpose flour 1 cup heavy whipping cream, divided 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 24 drops yellow food coloring, divided 8 drops red food coloring Garnish: candy corn Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, combine cookie crumbs and butter. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 12 minutes; remove from oven; cool. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, mascarpone, and sour cream. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add honey and sugar; beat until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Using a rubber…

On the morning before Halloween, pumpkins go on sale, and the competitive carving begins. Later in the afternoon, the public can get into the carving act, but only the students’ pumpkins are allowed entry in the contest. In early evening, more than 400 pumpkins are judged for creativity and craftsmanship. Then once the awards are presented, the public may buy the pumpkins for only $5 each. Just think, a prize-winning pumpkin without the mess. For more information on the day, check out cadc.auburn.edu/pumpkincarve/.…

Once the kids had outgrown trick-or-treating, Julie Blackstone went looking for a fun way to celebrate one of her favorite holidays. In 2005, the Haunted House on the Hill was created. Julie and her 86-year-old father, James Stone, actually made all the life-size replicas of monsters and creatures displayed around the house. And their collection grows every year. James builds the frames, and Julie creates the characters with masks and vintage clothing. It is a truly unique fatherand- daughter bonding experience! Date Bugs Makes about 5 dozen dates 1 (10-ounce) package pitted dates 4 ounces cream cheese, softened 2 ounces crumbled blue cheese 2 tablespoons mayonnaise ¼ cup chopped toasted pecans Cut dates in half lengthwise. Split one half lengthwise, leaving top intact to look like wings. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, blue cheese, and mayonnaise. Beat…