REDRUM! REDRUM! Frozen RedRum Punch

REDRUM! REDRUM!

RedRum Punch just in time for Halloween!

bone chilling frozen RedRum punch

Who hasn't seen the movie The Shining? 

Well, if you haven't, you need to.

I will be the first to admit that scary movies are NOT my favorite. Especially the slasher kind.

But movies like this one, that keep you on the edge of your seat, biting your nails, or snuggling close to that special someone only to leave a bruise on their leg where you grabbed it in a moment of fear...

...these movies are so worth it!

The Shining is a movie like that.

A family trapped in a snowstorm in a hotel in the mountains, totally alone, and totally losing their minds.

"Here's Johnny!"

Jack Nicholson plays an author that thinks an opportunity of spending the winter at this hotel with his family to work on his book, sounds like the perfect way to spend the winter.

But quickly things turn badly.

all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

As he types and types and slowly begins to lose his marbles his son begins seeing things and people that aren't there.  Peddling the halls on his big wheel, he begins to repeat the word "REDRUM."

the twins

the mom is played by Shelley Duvall

One night the son walks into his mother's room where she is sleeping, and takes her red lipstick and writes REDRUM on her door. 

She awakens to see him standing over her with a butcher knife, repeating REDRUM, REDRUM over and over again.

She looks to the door and then looks in the mirror across from it to see that REDRUM, spelled backwards spells MURDER.

This is the scene from the movie

~LINK TO MOVIE CLIP ~

This movie was released in 1980, and it still scares the bejeepers out of me!!

One night last week, I was laying in bed trying to fall asleep, and my mind was wandering to food...my blog... the places it usually goes.

We had tickets for the Husker game that Saturday, and it was an early one, so I was trying to think of what to make for the tailgate before.

I decided to make those little cocktail weenies wrapped in bacon and baked with brown sugar. 

They are always a hit, and seemed good for the morning!

I didn't take a picture of them, but here is a link to the instructions for them:

Bacon Wrapped Cocktail Weenies with Brown Sugar

Turns out, the weenies also doubled as a nice handwarmer!

I needed something creative for the Huskers and for Halloween weekend.

I started thinking about drinks that were red.

  All of the sudden, REDRUM popped into my brain and the drink was born.

The next day I started creating it to put it in the freezer. 

 I have made my recipe for Vodka Slushes many times, and I know that the recipe is tried and true, so I used the alcohol vs. liquid in that recipe to gauge measurements for this one.

frozen RedRum punch

Frozen REDRUM Punch

750 ml bottle of Bacardi Razz

2 Frozen Concentrate Orange Juice (the makes one quart size)

8 Cups of Hawaiian Punch

2 packages of  unsweetened Tropical Kool-Aid

1 cup Sugar

Stir ingredients together and freeze for at least 24 hours.

Scoop into glass and pour 7UP over the top.

It was 27 degrees yesterday morning when we were tailgating, it was sort of nippy for a frozen drink, but the sun was shining, my Huskers had won, and life was good!

We took my brother and his fiance to the game, we had a GREAT Time!

enduring 27 degrees of fun!

My husband and I , my brother and his fiance

"Here’s to the Witches,

Here’s to their cats,

Here’s to the hoot owls

And Whirring bats;

Here’s to the ghosties,

In robes of white,

Here’s to the thrills of

Hallowe’en night."

 

Cheers!!

Want to read more on The Shining?

IMDb - The Shining

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Hello Winter.

Hello there Winter.  You're a wee bit early.  Next year please wait your turn and allow Autumn to have her time in the sun.

Walking through dirty, slushy sidewalks is no way to travel while trick-or-treating.

Regards,
Mommyhood

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Here's Peeking at you...OWL Cupcakes

Today, my husband's office is having a little Trick-or-Treat get together for it's employees and their kids.

We used to do this every year, but when the office manager left a couple of years ago,

 the fun kind of went by the wayside.

Well, this year, two of the gals that work there decided it was time to do a little something fun for the kids.

So, they are doing trick-or-treating through all of the offices.

It's nice and warm inside,  AND it's a great opportunity to get more use out of their costumes!! 

We're in!

They are having some snacks in their break room, but I called and said I would bring 

something a little special.

My daughter, Josie and I have been wanting to make owl cupcakes, so I thought this would be a great opportunity!

how cute are they?!? 

The other day I decided they needed to perch in a tree, so I taped two cake card boards together, covered them in brown paper and got the art supplies out.  

I drew up a big harvest moon behind a spooky tree.  

Here are our owls perched.

My assistant baker, she's sporting my candy corn apron, and her rollers! 

I said, "wait a second, I am the one going as a Desperate Housewife!!"

If you have never seen these done before,  trust me, I am not saying this is an original idea by me,

 here is what you need.

owl cupcakes

OWL Cupcakes

Chocolate Cake Mix, baked into cupcakes

Chocolate Frosting, we went the easy route and used the stuff in the can.  

(Did you know Pillsbury has it with a decorative tip and everything now?

It's like spray cheese but FROSTING! ;)

Oreo Sandwich Cookies

M & M's

Candy Corn

Bake your cupcakes, cool and frost them.  Break the cookies apart using the frosted side, press an M & M in the middle of each to make his eyes. 

Of course, the bag of M & M's we bought had hardly any brown, so some of our owls have green eyes! 

Press the cookie eyes onto the cupcake, using your frosting as the glue.

Add an upside down candy corn for his beak, and you are all set!

I don't know about you but, 

OWL-uv this idea!

Here are my little trick-or-treaters ready to head out on their first candy spree!!

on the left we have WWE Super star, John Cena and 

on the right, complete with beauty mark and leg warmers, my little 80's Girl!

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Stand Aside and Let Him Climb

A few years ago, while at a local festival, my Sports Fanatic asked to climb a rock wall.

The wall was high.  There were grown men unsuccessfully attempting to climb the same wall.

My boy was only 7.

Since I am not a fan of heights, or any experience that requires a safety belt and a helmet, I was hesitant.  But my little guy insisted he wanted to climb the wall.

And so we let him.

To make a long story about a phenomenal memory short, he took our breath away.

He never looked down, never quit climbing, and he went all the way to the top.

As a parent it's tough to push my own fears aside and let my munchkins discover who they are.  I constantly fight the urge to shield them, protect them and keep them under my wing.

I'm forever reminding myself to stand back, breathe, and remember how much they are capable of.

Because it's so much more than even they could imagine.

 

Happy Weekend ~ hope it's amazing!

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My Exercise Mentality

Every year, I run a pretty tight exercise ship from March until the end of October.  I run four or five miles several times a week.  I interval train and I run in local races.

Even if squeezing in a run means running at 6:30am, I am on the pavement.

Once the air turns crisp and the days get shorter I lose my rhythm.  Time slips away from me and the sneakers take a backseat to Ugg boots.  Running shorts are tucked away and jeans and sweaters call my name.

My obsessive "how will I squeeze in a run today?" voice dulls down and pretty soon days will pass without even a thought of exercise.

It's quite lovely.

Usually I spend November and December decorating, baking and shopping.  I run enough holiday purchases up and down the basement stairs to qualify as cardio.  I carry toddlers in stores and lug shopping bags in sub zero temperatures.

"Mommy Sweat" hits its annual peak.  And that is all I need until January rolls in.

Within reason, everyone needs a breather.  The pace has to slow and the body and mind need to regroup.  I don't advocate letting a fitness regime go, I advocate allowing the bare minimum for awhile.

The bare minimum is all that is needed when I'm wearing five layers every day.

This Spring, when the Earth begins to thaw and the sun is shining early, I will once again lace up the sneakers and hit the pavement.

For now I look forward to my "modified" exercise regime.  Holiday shopping bags, occasional treadmill, toddler lugging and everything in between.

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Sunday Dinner anytime with this easy baked chicken stuffed with long grain and wild rice

chicken stuffed with long grain and wild rice

This is a family favorite on Sundays.  It's so easy though, you can make it any 'ol time!

I always make this ahead in the morning and put it in my roaster, then bake it for a no fuss meal that looks so much harder than it is!

Chicken Stuffed with Long Grain and Wild Rice

1 large whole chicken, washed (I try to find one that is 3+ lbs for our family of six)

2 packages of Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice Packets, cooked according to package instructions

this is it!

spray butter

sea salt

cracked black pepper

Spray your roasting pan with non-stick cooking spray. 

Wash your whole chicken in cold water, inside and out. 

this is where I usually make him "dance" for the kids... but of course this step is optional!

 Stuff chicken with 2 packages of rice.

Place in roaster.

Spritz the outside of the chicken with spray butter and sprinkle with sea salt and cracked black pepper.

Bake at 375 degrees covered for 90 minutes.  For 30 minutes more,  uncover and baste the chicken a couple of times.  For a large chicken stuffed like I make it, total cooking time is about 2 hours.

*You may need to adjust if you are making a smaller chicken stuffed with only one packet of rice.

*Just use your meat thermometer, and test to see if it's done.

The breast should be about 170 degrees when chicken is done.

This always turns out good for me.  The meat is juicy and tender and the skin is crispy.

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My Favorite Halloween Costumes

I have been a mommy for ten Halloweens.  Over the years we have collected many costumes, some original and some not-so-original.

We do have the giant orange pumpkin suit in our costume bin.  And the pirate.  And the princess.  Ah, and of course the witch.

Naturally my favorite costumes are the ones that took some thought.  They took some preparation.  I can thank my mother for 90% of the preparation, the thinking end I handled just fine.

A few years ago, LLG loved to read Where the Wild Things Are.  He still loves to read it.  With my mother's help, LLG was able to be Max for Halloween.

For one evening, he was King of Where the Wild Things Are.

He gnashed his terrible teeth and roared his terrible roar.  And he sailed back over a year, in and out of weeks and through a day, and into the night of his very own trick-or-treat paradise.

Last year, with my oldest son finally outgrowing dressing as Mario and Luigi, we were able to get a little creative with his Halloween gear.

He asked if he could be a UPS man.  With some Rit dye and some iron on letters from Michaels he was part of the UPS team.  And his box was ideal for holding candy.

My Gymnastics Queen has a severe weakness for the Costume Express magazine that arrives twenty times every fall.  While we manage to make any costume she chooses a tad unique, her most original was the 50's girl.

With black shoes, ribbon and some felt these are easily homemade.  And adorable.  And warm with leggings underneath.

Halloween is a magical time when munchkins can be anything they like, all day long.  If you celebrate, share your favorite costumes.  I'd love to see them. 

Happy costume preparations - five days and counting until the universal sugar coma.

Mommyhood Footnote:  The Moopa has yet to ask for any particular Halloween gear.  Until she does, she will choose from the hand-me-down bin we tuck away in the basement.  That's how the cookie crumbles.

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Halloween Activity: Haunted Halloween Houses

My mother, who raised six kids, has long made these houses with munchkins over the years.  My mom has taught me just about everything I know when it comes to fun for my munchkins.

And what she didn't teach me came from the genes.

These houses are perfect for Halloween parties, sleepovers or just for fun on a weekend with your munchkins.

Supplies:
empty, rinsed dry small milk or orange juice cartons
vanilla frosting
graham crackers
haunted house decor (gummy worms, gummy skulls and spiders, chocolate candies, cereals, etc)
paper plates
paper bowls
plastic knives (or wooden Popsicle sticks)

The trick with haunted house making is pre-assembly.  Have cartons dry and ready for graham cracker walls the night before you need the houses.

Assemble roof and walls with vanilla frosting and graham crackers.  Set each house on paper plate, securing with frosting.

Let set overnight.

Once munchkins are ready to make their haunted houses, set out a small bowl of assorted candies and cereals next to each munchkin.  This makes all the finger licking MUCH more tolerable.

I also give each haunted house assembler their own bowl of frosting and their own plastic knife.

This goes back to the licking thing again.

Some munchkins take their time and construct a masterpiece, some slop it all on there and eat the candy.  Either way, the activity is always a big hit.

Mommyhood Footnote:  Remember to supply exciting candies.  Play Halloween tunes.  Make a house with the kids.

As with everything in life, "Halloween House Making" is what you make it.  So make it totally awesome.

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Field Buddies

Usually, when I truck my munchkins to any practice or event there is an abundance of kids awaiting them.  These kids also are dragged from event to event because they aren't in school yet.  Or they aren't on a team yet.  Or they are watching their siblings play in a game.

Regardless of why they ended up there, I love all these kids.  They make my life easier.

Usually all the "field buddies" congregate and find each other.  They make up games to play and they run around like crazy people.  Every mom keeps one eye out for all of them and we throw down the hammer when things get out of control.

My munchkins look for these "friends" at every field.  They come to know the kids who will be at each practice.  Many of these kids are in different grades and even different schools, but they are buddies.  They forge a strong "we live a similar existence" bond.

And having these kids around makes "waiting around" so much easier.

There is no greater disappointment than arriving at a destination and finding no "friends" for my munchkins to play with.  I immediately must think of ways to keep them busy and dig out snacks from my purse.

"Field Buddies" make my life easy.  I love easy.

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Bubblicious Bubblegum Cupcakes with Bubblegum Buttercream Frosting

bubblegum cupcakes with bubblegum buttercream frosting

So I guess I bake a lot of cupcakes. 

My kid's friends seem to think I always have cupcakes on my kitchen counter.

My daughter's friend Amelia (Aimee) LOVES to see them when she visits. 

So, how could I let her birthday go by without something baked especially for her?

I racked my brain to come up with something worthy a girl's slumber party in honor of her 15th birthday.  Then it hit me... BUBBLE GUM!!

I searched high and low for bubble gum extract, and finally found it, then the idea was born and the cupcakes were baked.

 how cute are they?? and the gift bag...it screams 15 year old girl!

Even better, the bubble gum pink frosting went so well with my cute Zak cupcake shaped tray!

LOVE my Zak wear!!

scoop your frosting on your cupcakes with an ice cream scoop for a different look!

CUTE!!

So, pull up a chair, grab your coins and see if you get your favorite colored gumball...

I always liked the pink and white...

 can you find the cupcake?

Bubblegum Cupcakes with Bubblegum Buttercream Frosting

Cake:

1 box white cake mix

1/8 teaspoon bubblegum extract

brightly colored sprinkles

Frosting:

4 cups powdered sugar

1 stick of butter

1/4 cup milk

3/4 teaspoon bubblegum extract

bubblegum balls

sprinkles

pink food coloring gel

Make cake mix according to the package directions. Add 1/8 teaspoon of bubblegum extract. Fold in brightly colored sprinkles.  Bake in cupcake liners. 

when they come out of the oven they look like they have gumballs baked right in!

To make frosting whip all of the ingredients together,  color until bubblegum pink and pipe onto cooled cupcakes.  

my pampered chef easy accent decorator loaded and ready

I have used the icing bags many times to decorate, or even just a plain 'ol plastic bag with the corner cut out, but I have to say I LOVE my Pampered Chef decorator! 

I always use it at Easter to make my deviled eggs, too!!

 I sprinkled them with "bubblegum blue" crystals. Then top the cupcake with a gumball!

the frosting smells AMAZING!



 
   

Ooooo.... and when you EAT them!?!?

yum.

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY Aimee!!

my daughter and Aimee on "Neon Out" night at the football game

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A 32nd Birthday

Today I am 32. 

Birthdays, for me, are much like any other day.  The munchkins need breakfast.  Everyone still needs clean underwear and dirty floors still drive me insane.

But this morning my munchkins showered me with birthday love.  My boys each gave me earrings they chose at the store.  My girls gave me slipper socks because my feet resemble icicles on any given evening.  Hubby presented me with my favorite candy store chocolates and lotto tickets. 

The sun is shining outside my windows and the air is crisp.  There is a cold Red Bull waiting for me in the fridge.  This morning I will watch my daughter at gymnastics and this afternoon feasting on cake and chocolate.

And tonight I will be freezing on the sidelines as my son quarterbacks in his football game.

Life doesn't get much better than that.  Happy Birthday to me.

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The very last Banana Bread recipe you will ever need.

grandma's banana bread

How does that saying go?

"when life hands you lemons...make margaritas??? er...uh... I mean lemonade?"

Well what do you do when life hands you overly ripe bananas??

Make banana bread,  of course!

I just have to ask a somewhat unrelated question.... am I the only one who thinks of Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl" song when I spell Bananas?!!?

"This shhhh is bananas... B-A-N-A-N-A-S!!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kgjkth6BRRY

Figured I would add the link to her video, in case you wanted to listen to it while you baked bread...

but don't blame me the next time you spell bananas as a "cheer!" ;)

I have always liked banana bread since I was a kid.  But when I grew up, for some reason it just never turned out right when I made it. 

 I mean, SERIOUSLY how hard could it be, right?

Well, I was over my friend, Tonja's house when our oldest were knee high and she had made banana bread. 

It was SO GOOD!!  She looked at me like I was nuts, I mean it's banana bread right?? 

Well, Tonja, is an incredible baker, so I am sure my "wow factor" to her was like...

"gee...ok...it's pretty good...it's just banana bread."

So, needless to say I got the recipe from her.

Banana bread at my house hasn't been the same since.

I guess I wasn't so crazy, because I have had many friends say they don't have a good banana bread recipe either and I have shared it with them, and they think the same thing. 

This isn't your average banana bread, folks.

When my kids were little, we would make this together. 

I mean what kid doesn't like mashing bananas with a potato masher?!

We would follow the recipe, and mix it together and I would say

"There's one ingredient that isn't on the recipe."

I told them it was "my special ingredient" and I would whisper that they needed to keep a secret. As I looked over both shoulders to make sure that no one was watching, I sprinkled in cinnamon to the batter.

Ok... I'm not so cool to you guys, but my kids thought I was telling them something very top secret!

Well, my secret is out...and it's safe with you right?

This amazing recipe only gets better when you add the cinnamon.

Thank you, Tonja, from me, and from all of the others who had banana bread recipes that were just "okay." 

This one is a treasure!

Tonja's Grandma's Banana Bread

The Last Banana Bread Recipe You Will EVER Need

3 ripe bananas, mashed

1 cup sugar

1 stick butter, softened

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups flour

6 Tablespoons milk

(shhhhh....) 1 /2 teaspoon of cinnamon

Combine all ingredients and bake in a prepared loaf pan at 350 degrees for one hour.

You can add nuts if you desire

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"Pumpkin Patch" Cupcakes

These little beauties were inspired by Charlie Brown.  "The Great Pumpkin" is a timeless classic that will forever hold a place in our mess of DVD's.

Last week I purchased a bag of those delightful candy corn pumpkins that can only be bought this time of year.  They are 100% sugar and my munchkins swarm to them like moths to a flame.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

These cupcakes can be whipped up in a flash.  All you need is candy corn pumpkins, vanilla frosting, food coloring, and some Vince Guaraldi tunes.

Green decorator's sugar, which has been in the Christmas aisles since August, adds a nice touch. 

24 cupcakes, any flavor, baked and cooled
2 containers vanilla frosting
green food coloring
green decorator's sugar
1 bag Brach's Candy Corn Pumpkins

Frost cupcakes with vanilla frosting.  I speak for munchkins everywhere when I ask you to please frost generously.

In a small bowl, add a few drops green food coloring to approximately 1/2 icing from one container.  Mix until icing is a nice shade of green.

Spoon 1 tablespoon green icing on top of each cupcake, and spread with a fork to create "grass".

Sprinkle "grass" with green sugar.

Top each cupcake with pumpkin.

Simple.  Easy.  Fun.

Happy Friday!

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Chocolate Macaroon Tunnel Bundt Cake

Happy birthday to my sweet hubby!!

My husband's favorite cake has always been chocolate macaroon.

chocolate macaroon tunnel cake

Many moons ago, when my husband and I were planning our wedding, and I was having bridal showers, my Aunt Carol gave me my first (and only) bundt cake pan.  She had remembered Brian mentioning his love of this cake.  Inside the cake pan was the box mix for Chocolate Macaroon.

 I think it was Pillsbury that made it?

Anywho.... he was excited and I baked it for him for his birthday.

no need to put ALL of those holes in the cake with THAT many candles. four will do

The very next year, they quit making it.

Now I am not a fan of coconut, so if it wasn't his favorite cake,

this would have gone totally unnoticed by me.

But it was.

I searched high and low, and couldn't find one anywhere.

For years I tried to find him one that was similar, or maybe turn him on to a new cake?

One year I made this tall gorgeous Waldorf Astoria cake.

Red  is his FAVORITE color...

The cake was gorgeous!! But, it weighed about 50 pounds.

Epic fail.

I am most definitely a cake mix kinda girl!!

Well, back in the dark ages when we got married, and the cake was ripped from the grocery shelves,  Google wasn't even born yet.  It wasn't like today when you can just hop on your computer, or your phone for that matter and find whatever you want!!

But once google was born, I started trying recipes that said they tasted like the old box mix.

Year after year I tried. 

Bless his heart, he was so sweet to say "it's okay, I mean it's close...but not quite there"

He ate them every time so I wouldn't feel bad.

Finally, I decided to take a couple of different recipes and tweak them and merge them and

By George,  I had it!! 

I think his words were something like "You FINALLY did it!!"

In our house, on your birthday, you get to choose what you would like me to make you for dinner. 

(trust me when I say, that this gets VERY interesting with twins.

Most often their requests don't exactly "go" together!)

Then your dinner is served on "the birthday plate."

(compliments of my friend Candi who sent these to me long ago. Yes, of course, we have two!)

Brian's request last night was spaghetti and meatballs.  I made it using my spaghetti sauce I canned a couple of months ago. 

LINK to Tomato Sauces

spaghetti with meatballs on the birthday plate

We enjoyed a dinner of spaghetti and meatballs with a side of sweet corn (don't ask me, he said his Mom always made corn when she made spaghetti... it's his birthday I didn't ask questions!! ;)

 and ciabatta cheese bread.

After his dinner I brewed some decaf coffee and we blew out candles and enjoyed his cake!

it looks like a giant donut from this angle!  That "puddle" of icing in the middle is the BOMB.  just sayin'....

In our family when one of us has a birthday, after the birthday person blows out the candles, we go in order of "who's birthday is next" and they get a trial run at the candles!

one of our twins... he's got four candles down, now he needs to get nine next month!

So here is the recipe that I use for his birthday cake every year.

I just have to say that when I put this on the fireplace to take a picture, my boxer looked at it then at me with that look like "For ME?!?!"

Chocolate Macaroon Tunnel Bundt Cake

Cake

One Chocolate Cake Mix- prepared according to box instructions

(I have used German Chocolate or Devils Food)

Filling

2 egg whites

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups flaked coconut

2 Tablespoons flour

2 teaspoons vanilla

Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar

1 Tablespoon butter 2 Tablespoons Milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

for chocolate glaze you can add 2 Tablespoons of cocoa to the above mixture.

(I glaze with both flavors.  Because did I mention how good that puddle of icing int he middle is?!?!)

If you're in a hurry, you can cheat and microwave frosting in a can and drizzle over the top. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray your bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Prepare cake mix as per box instructions.  In a separate bowl mix up the coconut filling.

Pour about 1/2 of the cake mix into your bundt pan. Now spoon filling in a "tunnel" on top of the batter.

Be careful not to let the filling touch the pan.

 Now pour and evenly cover the tunnel with the rest of the batter.  

Bake the cake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool in pan for 20-30 minutes and turn onto a plate to cool the rest of the way.

Drizzle with frosting if you desire.

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