Domestic Geeks

my halloween menu

happy halloween! i whipped up some horrific but delicious treats to celebrate my favorite holiday:

of course, you should always start out with a festive drink.

witches brew (spiced rum & apple cider)

appetizers...

strawberry spider bites (Robusto gouda, spinach, strawberry, and a dash of raspberry dressing)

pigs smothered in a blanket (croissant rolled mini turkey sausages with mustard, dijon, & spicy ketchup dipping sauces

 

chum chili (chicken & veggie packed 4 bean chili)

and last but not least, for dessert...i was inspired by a new blog i am following, One Charming Party.

spooky owl cupcakes

hope you had a SPOOKTACULAR halloween!

<3 kt

uses for your apple peels

its fall and tis the season for apple picking!  i came across this article today by http://www.thekitchn.com and it made me think about what i do with my apple peels!  here are their suggestions:

1. Make jelly: Any apple peels will do, but red colored ones make an especially lovely jelly. The Recipe Link has a recipe that calls for added pectin, while Craftster has one that simply uses peels and cores.

2. Brew tea: Pink tea! We can't wait to try this recipe from Finding Joy in My Kitchen.

3. Add to oatmeal: Store peels in the freezer and add them to simmering oatmeal along with raisins and cinnamon. For a finer texture, process the peels in a blender first.

4. Add to smoothies: Throw some frozen apple peels into a smoothie for extra fiber.

5. Clean aluminum cookware: According to DIY Network, the acid in apple peels can remove stains and discoloration from aluminum pots and pans. Fill the pan with water, add apple peels, and simmer for about 30 minutes.

here are some of my own suggestions:

• start a compost!
• add them to a salad.
• make them into a crunchy snack: place on parchment lined baking sheet and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. bake them at the lowest temperature for a couple of minutes until they start to curl.  NOM NOM!

<3 kt

 

 

tentacle pot pie

yes, OF COURSE i am making this amazing personal pot pie for Halloween this year: while i stay at home on ALL HALLOWS EVE and countdown to AMC's WALKING DEAD, i will be nom noming on this!

*thanks to Babble.com & Megan Reardon at NotMartha.org!

<3 kt

Mario Cakes, Bomberman Cupcakes and Raving Rabbit Truffles...Oh my!

I was browsing a list of Geeky Party Ideas on Geek Sugar when I came across a photo of one woman's incredibly cute Mario star cookies.

Cute huh? Well guess what, this girl is just getting started! Check out some more of her greatest geeky baking hits.

Lego truffles

Super Mario Chess Cake

Rayman's Raving Rabbits truffle

Pokemon truffles

PacMan truffles

Bomberman Cupcakes

All of these are the work of Brazilian confection master Ana Fuji and I really wish I could read Portuguese so I could understand her blog. But at least her Flickr stream provides some excellent eye candy. Be sure to check out her Game World set for all things sugary and geeky.

<3 seanalyn

Special brownies

Hey I know what youre thinking! Well these arent THOSE kind of brownies! These are normal wholesome delicious brownies that I have no control over if you decide to modify the recipe in honor of today. Mardbled Cream Cheese Brownies I am an admitted cream cheese addict so of course my favorite brownie recipe involves the harmonious union of cream cheese and chocolate. Bacon Brownies Of course, how could I leave bacon off this list? Delicious delicious bacony brownies. Cookie Dough Brownies My favorite flavor of Ben & Jerrys has always been Half-Baked because of the harmonious blend of brownie batter and cookie dough. This is basically that ice cream but actually baked. Jalepeno Brownies I know this sounds weird, but you would be surprised at how well chocolate and peppers go together. Just give it a shot before you knock it! Grilled Brownie Sundae Panini Apparently you can grill a brownie on a panini press...who knew? Top it off with some ice cream and a balsamic and blueberry sauce and you have a match made in heaven. Burbon Fudge Brownies Add a little bit for Grandpa's medicine to this treat and you have a recipe for good times. Elaichi Brownies The hint of cardamom in these brownies adds a subtle but exotic flavor. I'll add some more to this epic brownie list later and if you have any of your own please submit them! <3 seanalyn