Halloween Supper Soup

If you have children under the age of 12 - OK, let's be realistic: If you have children under the age of 18 - supper on Halloween night is pretty much a lost cause. Either you go trick-or-treating before supper and when they get back they're too full of candy to even consider eating anything with any nutritional value, or you go trick-or-treating after supper and they're too excited or too anxious to leave to eat anything nutritious, or they're saving their appetites for candy. So whatever you serve for dinner on Halloween needs to be quick, easy, light, and preferably somewhat healthy.

This year, it looks to be a bit chilly for trick-or-treating, so I decided that a nice warm soup and some freshly-baked bread would be a delicious and light dinner before we go. This recipe, which is called "Apple Pumpkin Soup" on the website where I found it, but which I have dubbed "Pumpkin Pie Soup," because that's what it tastes like and because my kids are much more likely to eat it with that name. You can find the complete recipe on the link above or at the end of this blog entry.

Enjoy, and happy Halloween!!

The ingredients you'll need are: canned pumpkin, chicken stock, an onion, two apples, applesauce, sage, thyme, nutmeg, brown sugar, half and half, salt and pepper, and olive oil. Optional: cinnamon, ginger, maple syrup, sliced almonds, roasted pumpkin seeds, and sour cream.

 Chop the onion relatively finely and set aside.

Peel and core the apples and chop them up. The firmer they are, the finer you'll want to chop them. Everything will be blended smooth after cooking, so the most important thing is to keep them a consistent size so all the pieces soften at the same time. 

Heat a tablespoon or so of olive oil in the bottom of a large stockpot and saute the apples and onion for several minutes, seasoning generously with salt, until softened, 3-4 minutes. (And boy, are they fragrant! Ooh, do apples and onions smell terrific together!)

Add the chicken (or vegetable) stock, applesauce, and spices and stir to blend. Bring to a boil and cook until the apples are tender. The time will vary based on the size and firmness of your apple pieces, but 5-10 minutes should do it.

Add the pumpkin and brown sugar and stir well. Continue cooking over medium heat for 10-15 minutes.

Puree the soup using an immersion blender. If the apples are soft enough, you don't need to do it in small batches. I blended it right in the stockpot. About 20 seconds on high was all it needed to turn smooth, but still thick.

Add the half and half (or cream, or milk) and stir in, then adjust spices to taste.

I wanted my soup a little more sweet than savory, so I added about a 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, a scant 1/4 tsp of ginger, and a dollop (probably about a tablespoon) of real maple syrup, and I also added a little extra salt (I used unsalted chicken broth). If your apples are quite tart, you may want to add a little more brown sugar or maple syrup; if they're fairly sweet, you can cut back on the sugar and even add a little lemon juice for tartness.

Serve with a garnish of sour cream, sliced almonds, roasted pumpkin seeds, or chopped apples.

Pumpkin Pie Soup
2 – 15 oz cans pumpkin puree
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2/3 cups applesauce
2 granny smith, or other tart apples, diced
1 small onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cream or half and half
kosher salt

olive oil
Optional: cinnamon, ginger, real maple syrup, roasted pumpkin seeds, sliced almonds, sour cream

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in the bottom of a large stockpot. Add diced onion, apples and a little kosher salt. Saute until onions are translucent. Add chicken or vegetable stock, applesauce, and spices. Bring to a boil and cook until apples are very tender. Add pumpkin and brown sugar and cook for 10 – 15 minutes over medium heat. Use a submersible blender to blend soup until it is smooth. You can also use a regular blender to blend the soup in batches. Add cream to soup and heat through, but do not boil. Add more cream or water if desired to thin out more. Adjust seasonings to taste. Remove from heat and serve. Garnish with sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds, chopped apples, or sour cream.

Best Kid-Friendly Halloween Movies

Halloween movies tend to be a mixture of silly and scary. When you have small children, it isn't always easy to strike the right balance between the two. I find that as my children have gotten older, they like movies that are a little bit scary, but not overly graphic or creepy. I also find that, as an adult, I often forget about parts of Halloween movies that don't strike me as scary or creepy. but that can be pretty overwhelming for a younger (or more sensitive) child.

So here's my list of the top Halloween movies that are appropriate for even younger or more timid children, but still fun and interesting for older ones (and for Mom and Dad)!

Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)

This lesser-known Disney classic stars Angela Lansbury as Eglantine Price, an apprentice witch who takes in three young children who are evacuated from London during World War II. Eglantine puts a spell on a bedknob which allows the bed (and its occupants) to travel wherever they wish. The children, Eglantine, and her magic professor (played by David Tomlinson, who is recognizable as Mr. Banks from Mary Poppins) have all kinds of adventures as they search for a magic book and use magic to foil the Nazis. The movie includes a clever mixed live action and animation segment (similar to the sequence in Mary Poppins) and lots of cheesy special effects (watch for visible strings and wires as items "magically" move),

There is a battle scene involving machine guns and swords, but there is no blood and no-one is killed or even hurt. The movie depicts witches as ordinary people rather than black-hatted, cackling evildoers. The Nazi issue is handled gently and subtly (the children do not seem frightened by the war, although it is mentioned that they have lost their parents in the war), and should not raise uncomfortable issues with youngsters, although the setting of the film can be a good kick-off for a discussion of World War II and its effect on children and families, as well as those who actually fought.

Hotel Transylvania (2012)

This animated film tells the story of Dracula (voiced by Adam Sandler) and his half-vampire, half-human daughter Mavis (voiced by Selena Gomez). After the death of his wife, Dracula built a "monsters-only" hotel, filled with funny monsters (mummies, invisible men, ghosts, vampires, Frankenstein monsters, werewolves, etc.) who act as aunts and uncles to Mavis. In the midst of planning Mavis' 118th birthday party (although she looks only 18), somehow a human named Jonathan (Andy Samberg) stumbles into the hotel and all kinds of hijinks ensue as Drac attempts to hide him and avoid panic among the monsters. When Mavis unexpectedly falls for Jonathan, and Drac realizes that not only is his daughter growing up, but that she belongs to both the human and the monster world.

This unexpectedly sweet movie touches on parent-child relationships, extended family relationships, romantic relationships, and finding your own identity. The monsters are silly rather than scary (although Drac makes a brief but scary face when he gets angry), and there is no violence or gore. It is an Adam Sandler film, so expect some poop and fart jokes, but nothing too offensive. Overall, it's a cute movie that shows monsters as being just like the rest of us.

The sequel, Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015), deals with Mavis and Jonathan's son and his relationship with Drac, and Drac's struggle with accepting that his grandson, like his daughter, is part of both the human and the monster world. A second sequel, Hotel Transylvania 3, is scheduled for release in 2018.

The Book of Life (2014)

The gorgeous, colorful animation in this movie, as well as the setting, is based on the traditional Mexican celebration of "Dia de los Muertos," or "Day of the Dead," similar to Halloween. The plot is somewhat convoluted, but it involves a young man, Manolo, traveling to the Land of the Remembered (the afterlife) in order to reunite with his love, Maria, but he discovers she is not really dead and must find his way back to the land of the living. The film celebrates the love of family and how those we love are always with us, even after death.

There are a few intense battle scenes and a bullfight, but nothing graphic. The dead appear as skeletons but in brightly colored clothing, and are not scary.

Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)

You'll recognize many of the voices in this beautifully-told story, including Charlize Theron, Ralph Fiennes, Matthew McConaughey, and George Takei. Although not really a "Halloween" movie, Kubo and the Two Strings features witches and spirits, so it can be considered a "spooky" movie. The film opens on a young woman capsizing in a boat and hitting her head. When she wakes, we see she has with her a small baby with only one eye: Kubo. We jump ahead ten years and see that Kubo is now caring for his mother, who is nearly catatonic with only brief moments of lucidity. We learn that Kubo's father was a bold samurai named Hanzo, and he goes on a quest to find Hanzo's magical armor, but is pursued by two witches, whom he later discovers are his mother's sisters. With the help of his parents, who sacrifice themselves for love of him, Kubo defeats his grandfather, the Moon King (who took his eye), stripping the King of his power, but becoming a great storyteller who passes down the story of his heroic parents and his grandfather to the next generation.

The themes in the story include the relationship of a mother and son, courage, and teamwork. There are a few battle scenes that can be a little intense, and some injuries are depicted (but not graphically), and there are a few deaths (but again, nothing graphic). My sensitive almost-8-year-old loves this film.

Monsters, Inc. (2001)

Featuring the voices of John Goodman and Billy Crystal as big blue furry monster Sully and his best friend, giant walking eyeball Mike Wazowski, respectively, this film depicts monsters as regular workaday guys. Sully and Mike work in a scream factory, generating energy for their city, until a chance encounter with a little girl names Boo changes their way of thinking about "toxic" humans. The plot is a fun twist, making humans the scary ones and monsters boring and ordinary. This definitely falls on the "silly" end of the "silly vs. scary" continuum.

This film is actually a great one for getting kids over their fear of monsters, as it depicts the "monsters under the bed" as not only being harmless and even silly, but as being terrified of humans. There's very little here to scare even the littlest of viewers.

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)

If you're not already familiar with the Wallace and Gromit shorts, you're in for a treat with their first feature-length film. This British Claymation film features a man and his dog attempting to solve the mystery of who (or what) is destroying all the entries in the local giant vegetable-growing contest.

Very little ones might find the transformation of the rabbit into a were-rabbit (although done mostly in shadow) a bit intense, but not likely too frightening. A few folks pursue the were-rabbit with guns and garden implements, but there's no real violence. And in the end, it all works out happily.

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)

This gem features the voice talents of none other than Basil Rathbone and Bing Crosby narrating two different stories: First, The Wind in the Willows (by Kenneth Grahame) and then a version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (by Washington Irving). In the first story, Mr. Toad gets into trouble with his desire for a newfangled car, and is saved by his friends Mole, Rat, and Badger. In the second, mousy schoolmaster Ichabod Crane falls in love with a beautiful young woman, and the town bully, Brom Bones, uses a creative (and cruel) way to send the message that Crane is not good enough for her.

The violence is cartoony and slapstick in the usual style of cartoons of that era, and the vast majority of the film is not scary or even "Halloween-y" at all.

Casper (1995)

Very loosely based on the cartoon series of the same name, Christina Ricci (was there any spooky movie in the 1990s that she didn't star in?) stars as Kat, the daughter of a paranormal researcher (Bill Pullman). The two are hired by a wealthy heiress (a delightfully scenery-chewing Cathy Moriarty) to cleanse her newly-inherited mansion of ghosts. They move into the mansion and Kat meets the friendliest resident ghost, Casper, who's delighted to interact with humans, and Casper's three uncles, who are determined to drive the "fleshies" away. Kat and her father work together, with Casper's help, to assist all the ghosts in crossing over to the other side.

This sweet and charming movie is not particularly frightening, but there is some talk of the death of parents and loss of loved ones, there are some scenes of bullying, and there is a theme of young romantic love that may be "squicky" for kids of a certain age. However, overall, it's a wholesome, fun movie that can be enjoyed by the whole family.


What's YOUR favorite spooky family movie?

You Say Potato, I Say Om Nom Nom

I love potatoes. I mean, I love starch in all its forms, but the potato is one of the best. If you love potatoes as much as I do (or even if you love them a little less), you're sure to love this collection of recipes featuring the humble - but delicious - potato.

Duchess Potatoes

2-1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
3 large egg yolks
¼ cup cold unsalted butter
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon salt, more or less to taste
½ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Peel the potatoes and cut into 1-1/2" cubes. Place in a large pot of generously salted water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender (15 minutes). Drain the potatoes and rice or mash in a large mixing bowl. While still warm, mix in the egg yolks one at a time. Add remaining ingredients and stir until butter is melted and mixture is smooth.

Transfer mixture to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and pipe potatoes into 2-1/2" diameter swirls about 2" apart. (You can also drop spoonfuls into mounds like drop biscuits, or pipe or drop into small ramekins.) Note: At this point, you can freeze the potatoes for about an hour, then place in a freezer bag. When ready to bake, return to a parchment-lined baking pan and continue with directions.)

Preheat the oven to 425 and place the racks so they divide the oven into thirds. Spray the potatoes lightly with cooking spray and dust with paprika, if desired. Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate the pans top to bottom and front to back, then bake for an additional 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them, as cooking time will vary based on size and moisture content. Remove from oven and allow to cool on baking sheets for two minutes before transferring to a serving platter.

Mashed Potato Cakes

1 3/4 lbs potatoes
2 eggs
2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
1 cup pancetta, ham, or bacon, diced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons chives, chopped
Salt and fresh cracked pepper
1 tablespoon milk
4 tablespoons breadcrumbs or Panko

Peel and cut potatoes into chunks and boil in salted water until cooked through (about 15 minutes). Fry onion until translucent and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine potatoes, eggs, onion, pancetta, butter, and chives. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Adjust texture with milk, if needed.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and use a ring mold to sprinkle a layer of breadcrumbs, then scoop in potato to a height of 1-1/2". Press down slightly with a small spatula and cover with another layer of breadcrumbs. Repeat until all cakes are formed (makes about 4).

Bake at 400 for 10 minutes, until just golden. Sprinkle with grated parmesan, if desired. Serve warm.

Crispy Rosemary Balsamic Potatoes

2 lb baby potatoes
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, diced finely
1 ½ - 2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Cut potatoes into uniform, small chunks. Place in a bowl and add all remaining ingredients except vinegar. Mix well and spread out on a baking dish lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 400 for 20 minutes, then drizzle vinegar over potatoes and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, until fully cooked and crispy.

Garlic Parmesan Potato Wedges

3-4 large russet potatoes, sliced into wedges
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
Chopped parsley or cilantro (optional)
ranch (or blue cheese) dressing for dipping

Place potatoes in a large bowl and drizzle with oil, the toss to coat. In a small bowl, whisk together salt, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Sprinkle the potatoes with the parmesan, tossing to coat, then sprinkle with the seasoning mixture.

Place potatoes skin-side down on a greased baking sheet and bake at 375 for 25-35 minutes until tender and golden. Sprinkle with parsley or cilantro if desired and serve with dressing for dipping.

Mini Potato Gratin Stacks

1-1/2 lb potatoes (as cylindrical as possible)
2 tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, crushed
¼ cup cream or half and half
½ tsp salt
Black pepper
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves or 1 tbsp dried thyme
1 cup grated cheddar (or other low-melting cheese)


Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray. Peel potatoes and slice into thin slices (about 2mm thick). Use a small biscuit cutter or a knife to form stacks of equal diameter and the same height as the muffin tin is deep.

Melt together butter and garlic in a small bowl in 30-second bursts in the microwave. Add cream, salt, and pepper to butter and stir until salt is dissolved.

Place half of each stack in the muffin tin and drizzle with half the cream mixture, then sprinkle with half the thyme and half the cheese. Replace the top half of each stack and drizzle with remaining cream then sprinkle with remaining thyme (set aside remaining cheese). Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and bake without foil for an additional 10 minutes, until potatoes are soft and golden. Let stand for 5 minutes before removing from tin with a butter knife or large spoon.

Hasselback Potatoes

4 russet potatoes
4-6 tbsp butter, melted
kosher salt and black pepper
fresh chopped herbs, any combination (rosemary, chives, sage, parsley, thyme, etc.)

Cut a thin slice off the side of each potato to make a flat base. Set slices flat side down on a baking dish or sheet lined with foil. Slice potatoes, 1/8" thick, almost all the way through (place chopsticks or wooden spoons on either side of potatoes while cutting) and place, flat side down, on top of reserved slices, allowing potatoes to fan slightly.  Brush generously with butter, allowing to drip between slices, reserving excess butter for basting. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and herbs. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes, baste with remaining butter, and bake an additional 30 minutes until crispy. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve.

Mashed Potato Puffs

2 cups mashed potatoes
3 large eggs, beaten
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
¼ cup bacon bits
¼ cup chives, chopped
Pepper to taste

¼ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
Sour cream, for garnish

Mix together potatoes, eggs, cheese, bacon bits, chives, and pepper. Grease a muffin tin and mound a spoonful of potato in each cup. Sprinkle with parmesan. Bake at 400 for 35-40 minutes until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from tin. Serve warm with sour cream.

Potato Pancakes (Latkes)

6 medium potatoes
1 onion
2 eggs
4 tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

4 tbsp oil
applesauce and sour cream for serving

Shred the potatoes in a food processor or grate by hand. Put in a colander over the sink and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Let sit for 5 minutes then squeeze out any remaining liquid. Grate the onion in a food processor or chop finely by hand. In a large bowl, mix together potatoes, onion, eggs, flour, salt, and pepper.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick frypan over medium-high heat. Form the potato mixture into patties (squeeze out any liquid) and place in pan. Fry for 5 minutes, then flip and fry for an additional 3 minutes, until golden brown and crispy, adjusting heat as needed. Serve immediately with applesauce and sour cream.

Crispy Potato Roast

3.5 pounds russet potatoes
1 small onion or 4 shallots, peeled and sliced very thin
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
½ teaspoon pepper
3 ounces bacon, cubed
4 - 6 fresh thyme sprigs or leaves

In a small bowl, combine melted butter and oil. Brush the bottom of a 9" baking dish or pie pan with the mixture. Peel the potatoes and slice very thinly with a mandolin, arranging in the prepared pan in concentric circles. Wedge onion or shallot slices between every few potato slices. Season with salt and pepper and brush with remaining oil mixture. Bake at 375, uncovered, for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

While baking, fry cubed bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towel and set aside. Remove potatoes from oven and sprinkle with bacon and thyme sprigs, then bake for an additional 35 minutes, until potatoes are fully cooked and top is crispy and golden. If potatoes brown too quickly, cover with foil. Sprinkle with salt before servings.

Mashed Potato Cheese Bites

2 cups cold mashed potatoes
¼ cup minced chives or green onions
16 cubes quick-melt cheese (aka Velveeta)
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
2 beaten eggs
1 cup panko

Vegetable oil for frying

Stir chives into potatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Form balls by scooping out golf-ball-sized portions of potatoes and pressing a square of cheese into the center of each, then enclosing the cheese and rolling into a ball. Roll each ball in flour, then eggs, then panko. Freeze the balls for an hour, until firm.

Heat 2" of oil in a medium suacepan over medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees. Remove balls from freezer and carefully lower into oil. Fry for about 4 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oil using a slotted spoon and cool slightly on a paper towel. Serve with gravy for dipping, if desired.

DIY Halloween Costumes, 2017 Edition

Last-minute Halloween costumes often tend towards the traditional: a white-sheeted ghost, a black cat with ears and tail, a fortuneteller/lumberjack/hobo - anything that can be easily thrown together using items that you already have around the house. But even the lastest of last-minute costume designers can manage to put together these easy - and unusual - costumes!

Historical and Cultural Figures

Rosie the Riveter

Items Needed: blue shirt (long- or short-sleeved), red bandanna, red lipstick

Frido Kahlo

Items Needed: Silk flowers, bobby pins or floral wire, brightly colored dress or blouse, large tropical earrings, bright shoulder scarf, eyebrow pencil, red lipstick

Amelia Earhart

Items Needed: Leather bomber jacket, long scarf, tan pants, boots, safety glasses or swim goggles.

Bonnie and Clyde

Items Needed (for her): Pencil or flared skirt, light round-necked jersey or sweater, neck scarf, large beret, pumps, Nerf pistol
Items Needed (for him): Three-piece suit, white shirt, striped tie, fedora, Nerf pistol

Girl with a Pearl Earring

Items Needed: Long blue scarf, long yellow scarf, white blouse, tan jacket, pearl drop earring

Book Characters

Mary Poppins (from Mary Poppins)

Items Needed: Black full skirt, black tights, black boots or shoes, high-necked white blouse, red bowtie, black hat, umbrella, large bag or tote. Can substitute a black overcoat and long scarf for the blouse and bowtie.

Greg Heffley (from Diary of a Wimpy Kid)

Items Needed: Black shorts, long-sleeved white t-shirt and leggings or pants), black electrical tape, photocopy of Greg's face, paper plate, narrow elastic. Apply the tape to the shirt and pants according to photo, above. Glue to face to a paper plate with eyeholes (and a mouth hole, if you prefer) and attach elastic to hold mask in place.

Pete the Cat (from Pete the Cat)

Items Needed: Blue hoodie, blue pants (or jeans), red sneakers, yellow t-shirt, multi-colored felt. Cut out 4 large felt circles and stitch to t-shirt for buttons. From blue felt, make cat ears and stitch onto hood. Optional: make cat nose and whiskers on face using an eyebrow pencil.

Harry Potter (from Harry Potter)

Items Needed: Black graduation robe, red-and-yellow striped scarf (or red-and-yellow striped necktie with white shirt), large round glasses, wand or stick.

Waldo and Wanda (from Where's Waldo?)

Items Needed (for him): Long-sleeved red-and-white striped t-shirt, jeans, red and white knitted cap with pom-pom, glasses, cane or walking stick (optional)
Items Needed (for her): Red-and-white striped tank or t-shirt, short blue skirt, red-and-white striped tights or socks, red and white knitted cap with pom-pom, glasses, cane or walking stick (optional)

Olivia (from Olivia)

Items Needed: Red tutu, red shirt or jacket, black and white striped leggings or tights, pig nose and ears (optional)


Puns and Wordplay

Social Butterfly

Items Needed: Butterfly (or fairy) wings, headband with pipe cleaner antennae, solid color shirt, printouts of social media logos, safety pins.

French Kiss

Items Needed: Black and white striped shirt, narrow red or pink scarf, black beret, white face paint, black facepaint (or eyeliner pencil), red or deep pink lipstick.

Identity Thief

Items Needed: Solid color shirt, "Hello, My Name Is" labels, Sharpie marker.

Fork in the Road

Items Needed: Black pants and top, wide yellow tape, plastic fork

Iron Chef

Items Needed: White t-shirt, white chef's apron, fabric marker

Formal Apology

Items Needed: Tuxedo or gown, "I'm Sorry" sign