Halloween party ideas

TWO WEEKS ago, I was speechless to see Halloween decorations already out in many stores and ready for purchase. It was August! Either they take them out earlier every year or I'm really in denial about how fall is near. I mean, can you really blame me? No amount of BBQ, wine tasting, wedding vow renewal parties, are ever enough. Don;t get me wrong, I love Halloween. But it's just that closer to winter is all...

Well, if you can't beat them, join them I guess.... *sigh*

The lovely Jennifer at Decorating Ideas has a page up and it is full of fun dessert ideas for your coming up Halloween parties, one of which, is yours truly; an idea that totally came from an accident. So head on over there and have some fun preparing your goodies for a scary feast.

While you wait, enjoy some of my newest creations. They are partly responsible for my absent the passed few months on here.

 

A giveaway and a yummy Apple Pie Bar recipe

Happy Halloween to all you zombies, monsters and ghosts out there gathering around your witch's brew. I hope your Saturday night parties were great fun and that you are spending more time treating than tricking.

I, did just that for the passed few days. Lots and lots of treats... Oof!!!! If it wasn't for the love of making treats, I think sugar and I would have to go on a break for a while...

Gluten-free chocolate cake pops, with added kicks of Nutella, Frangelico and Amaretto liqueur

 

 This guy here, is my favorite!!!!!

On another fun note, a week and a half ago, I was interviewed online along with the East Coast Canadians featured in the Foodista Best of Food Blogs Cookbook. A few days later I received my copy and my excitement went through the roof. It really only hit me then, how proud I am to be featured amongst all the amazing food bloggers from all over the world and their delicious recipes. I mean, I have been estatic ever since I found out, but until I was actually flipping through the pages, it all just felt unreal. Thanks so much to the people at Andrews McMeel Publishing and Foodista for the chance to be in this first ever social media cookbook.

As that wasn't cool enough, there is a sale promotion for the book on November 3rd, between 10 and 11 am PDT / 1-2 pm Eastern Time, and Foodista is holding a giveaway with really cool prizes. Go ahead and enter to win!!! I can't wait to see how this turns out :)

Now, onto yummy things.... Apple Pie Bar!!!! This is of course, from THE book, and the author is The Runaway Spoon in Memphis.

• 1 cup vegetable oil (I used 3/4 cup)
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups sugar (I used 1/2 cup, and 1.5 cup apple syrup that I saved from this apple pie)
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 large baking apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped ( I didn't have any! So no apples in mine...)
• 6 ounces butterscotch chips (I used a handful)

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray (I used an 8x8 because I figured without the apples, it wouldn't take up a 9x13)
In the bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly combine the oil, eggs and sugar.  Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, soda and spices together in a bowl, then add to the oil mixture in the mixer, beating until thoroughly mixed.  The batter will be thick.
Use a sturdy spoon to stir in the apple pieces.  Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan, spreading it out evenly.  Sprinkle the butterscotch chips over the top, pressing them into the batter lightly.
Bake for 45 minutes to one hour, until the golden and pulling away from the sides of the pan slightly.
Cool thoroughly and cut into squares.

As I am blogging this, pieces have already started to disappear from the baking pan. Yes, it's REALLY yummy! Enjoy and I hope you enter to win! (P.S: I don't have any financial gain from sales of the book. This stems purely from passion and support)

Happy Halloween!!!!

Oh boy...

So, I was immediately M.I.A again after the first disappearance due to our Europe trip back in the summer. But this time, it wasn't such a pleasant one... My laptop went into a coma after an attack of trojans, malwares & who-knows-what, even though the only porn I ever went to look at, was the ones on Tastespotting & Foodgawker... I was lucky enough to get tremendous help from a couple of friend, who backed up everything I had, then proceeded to wipe out the whole thing & gave my precious a new life. Cheers!!!!

It took a while, but Tramie's Kitchen is back!!!! Technically, the kitchen never shut down, but that's just too many details... I'm just excited to be back and share my yakking & goodies. Yay!!!!

Tomorrow is Halloween, and it would only be appropriate for me to post something that has to do with it, right? So here is my share of ghouly, gross & weird-looing cupcakes for this wonderful day.

All cupcakes are chocolate, and frosted with cream cheese base frostings that come in various flavors:

Jack, from Nightmare Before Christmas, is covered in Lemon cream cheese frosting and melted dark chocolate.

Owl, is frosted with Dark Chocolate cream cheese and Peanut Butter cream cheese, decorated with mini Oreos, yellow Cry Baby candies, and split Toasted Marshmallow Jelly Beans.

Pumpkin, is frosted with Peanut Butter crweam cheese, Green Tea cream cheese, melted Dark Chocolate. The spaced-out looking spider is made out of fondant, cut Red Licorice Wheels and White Chocolate pellets.

Pumkin is made of fondant, and the basket is Green Tea cream cheese frosting.

Mummy: Lemon Cream cheese Frosting with eyes made from yellow colored White chocolate pellets.

And the obvious Eyeball of Lemon cream cheese & veins of Peanut Butter cream cheese frosting. Topped with an eye of Green Apple Gummy Ring and a Dark Chocolate pellet.

So what are you serving for your Halloween party?