BONE APPETIT!

Three days till Halloween and counting. And eating...or at least preparing for it.

My plans for this eery, batty, bone-rattling, gruesome, chilling, haunting (gasp for air) weekend include Rotten Teeth (see yesterday's recipe), Flesh'n'Blood (blood-curdling drink), pumpkin pie, Phantom Sausages, Haunting biscuits and lots of decorations.

What do you say to a creamy pumpkin pie? Are you ready to tackle this challenge? If you are, please, please, send us a photo of your great effort at the kitchen.

PUMPKING PIE RECIPE

ingredients:

1. 450 g/1lb prepared weight pumpkin flesh, cut into 1in/2.5 cm chunks

2. 2 large eggs plus 1 yolk (use the white for another dish)

3. 3 oz/75g soft dark brown sugar

4. 1 tsp ground cinnamon

5. ½ level teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

6. ½ tsp ground allspice

7. ½ tsp ground cloves

8. ½ tsp ground ginger

9. 10 fl oz/275 ml double cream

method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

2. Use a shop bought sweet crust pastry case, about 9 inch/23 cm diameter and 1½ inches/4 cm deep.

3. To make the filling, steam the pumpkin then place in a coarse sieve and press lightly to extract any excess water.

4. Then lightly whisk the eggs and extra yolk together in a large bowl.

5. Place the sugar, spices and the cream in a pan, bring to simmering point, giving it a whisk to mix everything together. Then pour it over the eggs and whisk it again briefly.

6. Now add the pumpkin pureé, still whisking to combine everything thoroughly.

7. Pour the filling into your pastry case and bake for 35-40 minutes, by which time it will puff up round the edges but still feel slightly wobbly in the centre.

8. Remove the pie from the oven and place the tin on a wire cooling rack. Serve chilled (stored loosely covered in foil in the fridge) with some equally chilled créme fraïche, but warm or at room temperature would be fine.

Now to finish with a bewitching note, here I present you a Halloween joke that's sure to make your friends drop their jaw.

Do you know what happened to the boy and girl vampires?
They loved... in vein.

HAVE A DREADFULLY GOOD HALLOWEEN.

creepy and yummy

Hi, Halloweenies!

Here we go into scrumptious details as promised. I have time for one recipe today, but it’s tested and gobbled up so be brave and try your hand. It’s worth it, said she with a satisfied grin. And a full stomach.

PEANUT BUTTER POPCORN aka Rotten Teeth

ingredients --------

• 1 large bag of popcorn
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup peanut butter

directions ----------

Mix the honey and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.

Let is simmer for a couple of minutes, then remove from the heat and add the peanut butter.

Stir vigorously until all the peanut butter is melted.

Immediately pour the peanut butter caramel over the popcorn and stir with a long-handled wooden spoon until it’s all coated.

Once it’s mixed you can put it in an appropriately scary serving bowl.

Cover tightly after it’s cooled.

Bon appétit!

BOOOOOOOOOOO

 Halloween is here again to spook us all for one TERRIBLE night.

If you are hard put to dig up new ideas to celebrate this old, old custom, do not despair. Or then again, do despair! It’s the right mood for this celebration after all.

Les us do all the bloody work for you as we offer inspiration to create a truly frightening yet stylish Halloween party.

Here we go with some spooktacular suggestions:

• What about a comfy movie night with your best friends and a bowl of devilish popcorn? (popcorn sprayed with ketchup and nuts)
• Dare to become a chef from Hell with recipes of SPIDER CAKES, SCREAM COOKIES & EYEBALL SOUP. (link)
• Challenge your DIY powers with this creepy-cute tree decked with pumpkins and spider web as a centerpiece or this spidery candle that will light you through a pitch-black night.  (link, link2)
• Create a costume with a simple box and a bit of imagination. (link)
• Tell ghoulish jokes to your friends or total strangers! (link)
• SOUND EFFECTS.

You can record several scary sounds and play it back during the festivities. A very large sheet of poster board or sheet metal makes great thunder. Uncooked rice poured onto a cookie sheet sounds like rain. Crinkle a handful of cellophane for a roaring fire. Snap carrots in half for the sound of breaking bones. To get a good scream you can, well -- scream.

Halloween is one of the year’s biggest holidays for taking pictures – whether snapping shots of that perfect, homemade costume or a panic-inducing fancy dress bought at a shop. So we dare you to send a photo during this week. Photographers of all ages and skill levels are encouraged to submit Halloween-themed photos. The winner of this year’s contest will receive a monster prize… in the flesh.

MUUUUUUHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAMUAHAAHAHAHAHHA MUAHAAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAA (translation: evil laughter).

And soon to come, loads of photos from the real event. Check out our website and this very blog in the next few days.

HAVE A SPOOKY HALLOWEEN!