Halloween pics



I went to a  Pre Halloween bash last night, it was great fun, but I have suffered today with a hangover from hell... anyway a few pics of our goings on...

Spooky cupcakes

Werewolf  cakes

Daughter had fun dressing up as a witch

Little witch

Goth bride

This was my attempt, at kind of fancy dress... the make up was more vivid in real life than in this pic, but it looked good overall, a fun night was had by all, too much wine was consumed by myself, as well as some strange concoction from Germany, which I downed 3 shots of....  I need a week to recover!

Looking foward to half term, with the kids, with more pumpkin carving at the weekend, and an extra  hours sleep on Sunday!

Comfort food...

BBRRR,well, its turned very cold hasn't it? Hats, scarves and gloves for us, on school run yesterday and today, heating on. On cold days like this, don't we all want and crave, warm comfort food.

I fancied  pasta bake today, and its always quick, and easy to cook,  (20 mins prep, plus 20-25 mins in oven), you could make this up in the morning, and pop into oven, when you get back from school, or work. I just made this up as I went along today, with stuff I had that need using up, and it turned out rather superb!

                                                         Smokey Sausage Pasta Bake
                                                       
                                                                  Should serve 6                                  


                                                         1x 500 g packet penne pasta
                                                          6 Cumberland pork sausages
                                                                      I large onion
                                                                     2 cloves garlic
                                                              1 tin chopped tomatoes
                                                          1 heaped tsp smoked paprika
                                                              2 slugs dark soy sauce
                                                              2 slugs balsamic vinegar
                                                                        1tsp sugar
                                                            1tsp wholegrain mustard
                                                             Salt and pepper to taste
                                                       100 ml double cream (optional)
                                                 Grated medium cheddar to cover the top
                                                              
   Preheat oven to gas 6/200
  Boil pasta  in salted water, until nearly cooked, drain, set aside in a large baking dish
  Grill sausages, until cooked through. slice diagonally when cooled.
  Slice onion, fry until soft, add chopped garlic, cook for 1 min, add tomatoes, and all other ingredients, except the cream, bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 mins. Season to taste.
Add the cream, personally I love it, makes it a little more luxurious, but not so healthy, hey ho, it's ok  once in a while ;) heat through add a slug of milk so its not too thick, then mix into the pasta, into prepared oven dish, add the sausages, mix everthing together then sprinke with cheese. cover with foil.

                                                    
   Bake in centre top of oven for 15 mins, take foil off cook for further 10 mins until golden and crispy.

Serve with some green salad.

Yummy!

I also made the kids some very moreish chocolate brownies.

  These are dead simple to make and don't need any expensive chocolate, just plain cocoa, but they taste luxurious!

   This  recipe is from my fellow blogger Choc girl here

4 tablespoons cocoa powder

100g butter

200g sugar

2 eggs

75g plain flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

*Tweak* I like couple small handfuls nuts, hazlenuts, pecans and walnuts are good!

 preheat your oven to 180°c/gas 4/350°f

grease or line a 20 x 20cm baking tin

over a low heat melt the butter and cocoa powder :

* I give it a quick zap in the microwave until melted*

leave to cool :

In a large bowl mix the dry ingredients together and add the vanilla extract :

break the eggs to your cooled chocolatey-butter mixture and stir well :

now tip the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry stuff and mix carefully :

don't over do it!

your mix will be quite thick and gorgeously glossy :

Spoon into your prepared tin, smooth over and bake for

15 - 20 minutes ~ it should be springy to touch but squidgey inside

You need small child or older ones to lick the bowl clean! 

Gooey chocolately heaven

    I'm off to my halloween party tomorrow, so pics to follow of  cakes, outfits etc, as mentioned in previous post.   Happy weekend to you all :)

                                                                                          

    

                                       
                                             




Rainy October...Halloween fun!

Rain, rain, and more rain, so far this month! I really love the autumn (when its dry!) the damp is horrible, it just takes a bit of getting used to, being stuck in so much, after the glorious summer we have had. But  yay!we have all the festivities to look foward to, Halloween, Bonfire night, and Christmas.. dare I mention it yet?

Saturday was a mega busy day, we layed laminate in our lounge, WOW what a killer that was, hubby and myself are hobbling about, like we are both 85! both have a dodgy back now! Still its a job well done, and we will be warm for winter with no draughts.

Whilst hubby was laying floor , I had a cooking fest, and  made a scrummy chicken chorizo, and chick pea casserole, with  home made foccacia with red onion, and rosemary (sorry no pics, because I forgot, what with all the commotion! ) but MY it was fabulous! Definitely be making it again, a real peasant dish with max flavours, it was so good to tuck into after all that hard work.  I did take some pics of the choc chip muffins I made, they were very good too! I only had 1 of course.;) 

Choc chip muffins

I then took daughter to park,  as weather was quite pleasant , we found conkers, fed the ducks, went squirrel spotting, and daughter got filthy on the slide as she went down head first at least 15 times!

Conker stash





Vampy inspired  dress!

 I am really looking foward to Halloween, my stepmum revels in this celebration in a big way, so is throwing a BIG bash this year, it is fancy dress (compulsory, or no entry)  I am NOT one for dressing up, I always feel really silly, think its for kids! but this year i'm wholeheartedly going the whole hog,and going for the black gothic bride look, make up, hair and all, (pics to follow) daughter is going to pumpkin carving the week before, and we have got her a cute little witch outfit,with broom, and I will paint her face green. Whether I get my man dressing up is another thing, I may have to bribe him...                                                   


Loving this gothic make up!

I'm going to HAVE to make some spooky cupcakes, to take  to the kids party I never need an excuse to make them, I LOVE, LOVE making cupcakes, so much more fun, and more intricate than everyday baking, I wish we had a local cake suppliers shop, I hate paying the extortionate delivery prices online, just for a few sprinkles, decorative bits and bobs, etc, so will have to drive 10 miles or so to a good one that always has everthing I need, and stock up!  Have found some fab ideas online, here are some I may steal ideas from!









Black and orange combos

 



Spooky spiders

What's the betting I get roped into doing 100 + cakes for adult party, hmmm......