Between drafts of my book and Kraft’s Battle of the Kitchen Bloggers, I never got around to sharing all my Halloween photos with you guys.

But, who says you can’t have a little Halloween in December? After all, signs of All Hallows Eve are never far away, especially when you live in Salem, Massachusetts, a.k.a. Witch City.

Here’s a look back at this year’s spooky season in Salem. We actually (oddly) enjoyed a little wintery weather on Halloween this year. Even though December has been unseasonably warm here so far, it actually snowed on Halloween weekend. That’s Pickering Wharf, below.

Costumes: Here, there, and everywhere

Hands down, Salem is my favorite place on the planet—even when we get flooded with tourists in October who come seeking glimpses of the strange and unusual.

The first of the costumieres start to show up the last week of September. By the last week of October, more folks are walking around in costume than not. Here are some of our favorites from Halloween week.

There were the pirates…

…who were conveniently located right by the Pirate Museum.

A posse of mice (!!!) hanging out by the fountain on Essex St.

And pointy hatted witches, real and pretend, in all shapes and sizes…

It’s a given that most of the street entertainers are dressed up.

And all the kids, too. (Even this very bored looking little yellow M&M…)

There were colonial folk…

…a Frankenstein…

…and a very authentic Captain Jack Sparrow.

We saw steampunks…

…and, um…a super awesome, snarly werewolf creature. (We weren’t too concerned. Seems like he had just eaten…)

There were fancy folks…

(That’s Witch City Ink in the background, one of the best places to get a tattoo in the greater Boston area.)

…and angels…

…and more than the city’s regular allotment of demons…

Not to mention some fabulous, classic costumes, like Beeker from the Muppets…

…a Ghostbuster…

…and Superman. (Yep, that’s me climbing on the light pole to get a little height. Next year, stilts!)

And that’s mostly all before the lights went down…

The spooky factor goes up tenfold after dark on Halloween night. I mean, just take a look:

(Pretty good Pinhead, right?)

The sketchy factor was also representing. (Hello, Spy vs. Spy!)

Thankfully, not everyone out that night was quite as terrifying.

Edward Scissorhands was posing for pics with party goers.

We even saw a Rebel from Hoth getting pretty cozy with a Jawa…(we blame the unseasonably cold weather).

And don’t forget the bride of Frankenstein…

…a super nice Indian chief…

 …and Batman (who was watching the religious protesters, who also always come out on Halloween in Salem).

There were more than a few Stanley Cups floating around…

And a hungry shark…

…who very obligingly tried to eat his friend when I asked.

We even saw a zombie banana smoking a stogie.

There were a bunch of bananas out and about, but this fellow was unquestionably the best.

Oh, and let’s not forget the gang of psychotic clowns.

And someone, somehow, managed to capture a picture of yours truly dipping into a glass of wine later that night.

Best costume of the night goes to…

Call me a geek, but hands down, my favorite costume of the night was Lloyd Dobler from Say Anything. (Yep, the boom box worked, and yep he was playing In Your Eyes.) It was kinda epic. It was totally epic.

Don’t underestimate the size of the crowds

When I say we get a ton of tourists at Halloween, I’m not joking. Take a peek.

(Even the dead aren’t safe from the horde…)

There’s plenty to see aside from costumes

Like the zillion attractions in town, which are almost always packed, with lines out the door. That’s Count Orlok’s Nightmare Gallery down on Derby Street.

Food vendors sprout up out of nowhere and take over empty nooks and crannies all around the city.

Including on the Salem Common.

Nom, nom, nom.

The Common plays host to the city’s annual pumpkin decorating contest.

If I haven’t mentioned it before, when you walk around Salem, especially in October…if you squint just right…it kinda feels like you’ve gone back in time.

A little local love

The shops around town get a ton of action in October. We love our local businesses, and are happy to be able to share a little of our city with you. That’s the window of the local knitting shop below.

The Broom Closet sells all sorts of herbs and magical wares…

They have a ton of dresses and cloaks…

…not to mention a massive wall of herbs.

Crow Haven Corner, Salem’s oldest witch shop, sits at one entrance to the Essex Street madness. It’s a great place to shop or get a reading.

Hex, Old World Witchery is another wildly popular shop.

Hex sells all sorts of goodies.

Three happy local authors

Rev. Lori Bruno (Dr. Leo Martello’s Weird Ways of Witchcraft) and Hex owner Rev. Christian Day (The Witches’ Book of the Dead) were kind enough to stop and snap a few pictures with me. If you visit Salem, be sure to have Lori read your tarot cards. She’s absolutely amazing. (Not to mention, our favorite person in town!)

Sigh. I’ll have a copy of my book in the spring. We might just have to have a do-over.

Oh, and speaking of local authors, our friend Sean is an amazing horror writer. If that’s your thing, check out his blog here.

A magic circle on Salem Common

Christian and Lori are the same folks who host a public magic circle on Salem Common every year.

Even the mounted police stopped by to check it out.

Curious? I thought you might be. Take a peek at the footage on YouTube.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Never let it be said that we locals don’t decorate

We may not always dress up in costume, but we do like to put on a good display around town.

Dave Eng, Derby Street florist extraordinaire, puts up our favorite display every year.

Spooky, eh?

And let’s not forget the Great Pumpkin!

A stroll around Old Burying Point Cemetery

Now, folks come from far and wide to visit Salem in October. They come for the Halloween attractions—and the historic ones. Old Burying Point cemetery is the oldest burial ground in Salem, and always attracts a ton of visitors.

Folks buried here include Jonathan Corwin and John Hawthorne, both judges in the infamous witch trials.

It’s not uncommon to see coins or other small items left at the the graveyard’s gate as offerings for the dead.

Let’s take a peek inside, shall we?

The cemetery definitely felt the effects of the recent storm we had.

Even though we were in the height of tourist season, it was still relatively tranquil.

There are a bunch of traditional gravestone carvings.

Hope you enjoyed the tour!

Somehow, it seems like we always end up walking the wolves down on Salem Wharf late Halloween night. That’s the Custom House below.

Always love the sight of the carnival ferris wheel, lit up over the water. Happy haunting until next year!

Want more Halloween in Salem?

Take a look back at previous years here:

• A Halloween Tour of Salem’s Essex Street

• Halloween 2010 in Salem, MA: A Photo Tour

• Celebrating Halloween in Salem, Mass. (2008)

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Here are a handful of great candy recipes that you can make at home. They’re tried and true favorites at The Mouse House. I’ve even included a few treats for the, um, bigger kids on your list.

Make your own candy

Even though I don’t really have a sweet tooth, I find myself making a lot of candy. Here are some ideas if you want to stuff your Easter baskets with homemade goodies.

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups are always a hit with kids—and adults. My recipe includes instructions on how to make homemade s’mores cups, too (graham cracker, marshmallow, the whole shebang.)

Fudge is always good, too. This Easy Dark Chocolate & Walnut Fudge is really (really, really) simple to put together. If you’ve failed with fudge before, definitely give this one a shot.

And, of course, Homemade Marshmallows. You can add food coloring to them, cut them in shapes, dip them in chocolate, etc. I was talking to a friend of mine the other day about trying to figure out how to make homemade Peeps. More on that if we can noodle it out.

Treats for adults

OK, so all of the above also count, as well. But if you’re looking for something a little more sophisticated, try Candied Fruit Peel…

…or the ever-popular Homemade Irish Cream (needs to be refrigerated).

Drunken Coffee Jello Squares are fun and festive, too (also need to be refrigerated).

Other Easter Ideas from Breakstone’s & Better Homes and Gardens

Plan your own Easter egg hunt.

Make a chicken pinata (who doesn’t love a pinata, right?).

Use stickers to make pretty patterns on dyed eggs.

Enter to win $2,500!

Don’t forget, Breakstone’s is hosting a big sweeps on Better Homes and Gardens, where one lucky winner will win $2,500! Enter today!

Thanks to Kraft & Breakstones!

This post rounds out our participation in The Kraft Breakstone’s Holiday Celebration Program, which included our Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus Bundles…

…and the surely-soon-to-be-famous Peep Topiary.

We had a ton of fun. Stay tuned for more fun from the folks at Kraft Breakstone’s around the winter holidays.

Please note: This is a sponsored post for Breakstone’s Sour Cream. All ideas, thoughts, experiences, photos are my own.

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If you know me, you know what I’m talking about. And if you have kids under five, chances are that I’ve told your wee ones a tall tale or two.

For example, if your kids think that squirrels grow on trees, they probably got that from me. (Everyone knows that if you plant acorns in the fall, they’ll sprout into squirrel trees in the spring.)

And the terrible tale of the eight-legged cat? That’s one of mine, too.

Which brings me to Peeps. Specifically, Peep trees. Much like squirrels, it’s a little known fact that Peeps grow on jelly bean trees. Topiaries, to be exact. It’s true. It must be. I have one in my kitchen right now. See?

I can’t make these things up.

If you look closely at a Peep tree, you can usually spot the leader.

If he gives you too much trouble, well, you know what to do.

Thankfully, a Peep topiary makes a fabulous (and delicious) centerpiece for your Easter table. Here’s how to make one of your very own.

It’s a fun, sticky, and totally ridiculous way to spend an afternoon. Make them with your kids. Just be careful with the toothpicks.

This table top idea is my contribution to the Kraft Breakstone’s Holiday Celebration Program. Check out a handful of other great Easter decorating ideas from the other program bloggers here.

About ingredients

Definitely switch up the candy to suit your taste. Here’s what I used.

A bag of seriously old-school jelly beans. (Think I’m kidding? Go to a drugstore and try to find regular, old-fashioned jelly beans. They’re, like, a rarity. At least around our parts.)

Boxes of Peeps, or any other festive marshmallow-y type confection. You’ll need 6 or 7 boxes. I bought a few different colors so I could make a flower-y pattern.

A styrofoam flower ball. You can find these at any big craft store.

A stake or dowel. Your Peep topiary is going to be heavier than you think by the time it’s done, so you’ll need a sturdy stick to hold it up.

A flower pot. You want it to be about the same size as your top topiary ball, so it’s stable enough to hold up the ball. So, for a 7-inch styrofoam ball, I grabbed a 6-inch pot. It worked out great. If you want to, paint the pot, cover it in glitter. Go nuts.

A box of regular old wooden toothpicks.

Here’s how I made my Peep topiary. It will give you the general idea. Improvise and change around the ingredients as you like. If you have any tips or tricks, definitely leave them in the comments. This was my inaugural Peep tree. I can only imagine that the next one will be even better.

I could see making these on the cone-shaped forms around the winter holidays with green and red, Christmas-y Peeps. (They make those, right? They must.) You get the picture.

In truth, there’s probably no limit to the marshmallow sculpture you can create.

Peep Topiary

Peep topiary
1 6-inch pot
1 7-inch styrofoam ball (for topiary top)
1 4-5 inch styrofoam chunk (for inside the pot)
1 12-inch wooden stake or thick wooden dowel
1 box of wooden toothpicks
6-7 boxes of marshmallow Peeps
1 bag of jelly beans

Other table decorations
Assorted foil covered chocolate eggs
Plastic easter eggs
Easter grass
Assorted silk flower garlands

Makes 1 Peep topiary that will knock your socks off

Assemble the topiary top

Pick your workspace carefully. It’s going to get covered in sugar.

Gather all your ingredients together on a workspace.

Poke the stake or dowel into the styrofoam ball, about into the center.

Give it a quick check to be sure you’re happy with the basic shape.

Wedge a piece of styrofoam in the bottom of the pot. You want it to be really snug, so it doesn’t move at all. This is going to anchor your topiary. I cut this piece of styrofoam from a larger piece to ensure a snug fit.

 

Cover the ball with Peeps

To begin, set the ball in the flower pot, so you can work on the center of the topiary.

Poke 3 toothpicks into the ball in a triangle, about an inch apart from each other. Insert them about halfway into the ball. This is the center of your topiary.

Insert 10 toothpicks in a large circle around the triangle. Make them about an inch or so apart. Don’t make yourself nuts with precise spacing. You’ll be able to adjust them later if you have gaps.

Do the outer ring first. Stick one Peep onto a toothpick. Do it so that the toothpick goes through the center of the Peep, up through his head. This will give him the strongest anchor.

Smoosh him down gently to be sure he sticks.

Repeat with the rest of the Peeps.

Next, do the center. I used the little purple guys.

Nestle them together. If you need to, remove and readjust the toothpicks so that there are no (or very few) gaps.

To do the rest of the ball, you’re basically going to place each layer of Peeps in between the Peeps on the previous layer. Like this:

Once you’ve completed each layer, start on the next.

When you’ve covered one side of the ball, it’s time to put it in the pot. Insert the stake or dowel into the center of the styrofoam in the flower pot. Stick it down far enough so that the topiary stands upright and is stable.

Work your way around the ball, alternating rows of Peeps until the entire ball is covered. I only did the flower-y face on one side of my topiary, but if you wanted to, you could do one on the other side, too. You get the idea.

A note on the very bottom of the ball. Some of your Peeps may fall off the very bottom. When the whole ball is covered, they do a nice job of sticking together and holding in place. However, if you do lose a few to gravity (I did), I think that’s just fine. When the whole thing is complete, the bottom of the ball is actually very hard to see.

When your ball is totally covered in Peeps, it’s time to finish the display.

Finish the Peep topiary

Cover the styrofoam with colored tissue paper or a few paper towels.

Pour in the jelly beans to cover.

And…voila! One Peep topiary! How about it?

Create your table top

Grab your Easter grass and your silk flower garlands.

Set the Peep topiary in the center of your table. Wrap the garland around in a loose circle. Fill in the area between the pot and the garland with Easter grass.

Fill a handful of plastic Easter eggs with candy and chocolate.

Nestle the filled eggs into the Easter grass.

Surround with more silk flowers, if you like. Forsythia are particularly Spring-y.

And there you have it! One Easter table top, complete with Peep topiary. (Who says the Easter isn’t fun for adults?)

Enter to win $2,500!

Don’t forget, Breakstone’s is hosting a big sweeps on Better Homes and Gardens, where one lucky winner will win $2,500! Enter today!

Please note: This is a sponsored post for Breakstone’s Sour Cream. All ideas, thoughts, experiences, photos are my own.

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See, I do eat vegetables. (Granted, they’re almost always wrapped in some kind of pork product, but still.)

Asparagus, even! Some folks would say it’s not possible. When I was a kid, I hated asparagus so much that I used to hide it behind the couch. True story.

Oh, how times have changed.

So, this is a fancy and fun way to serve asparagus, the springtime queen of green veggies. It’s easy to throw together, and makes a totally impressive table presentation.

This appetizer recipe is my contribution to the Kraft Breakstone’s Holiday Celebration Program. Check out a handful of other great Easter recipes from the other program bloggers here.

The short version of the recipe goes like this

Basically, you take three spears of asparagus, wrap them in prosciutto and puff pastry, then bake for about 20 minutes.

The asparagus is fork tender. The prosciutto is crisp and salty. The puff pastry is golden and buttery.

I served it with a tangy sauce made with Breakstone’s Sour Cream and Parmesan cheese that’s laced with cracked black pepper and fresh, minced sage.

Use regular, medium sized asparagus

The huge stalks might not cook through before the pastry burns. The super skinny stalks will get mushy on you (you know the ones I mean…the little scrawny guys that could double as toothpicks and barely stand up on their own).

Buy domestic prosciutto—not imported

When I’m cooking with prosciutto, I always buy domestic prosciutto—not imported. It’s significantly less expensive, and tastes just as good. Save the imported stuff for antipasto platters or other cold apps.

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus Bundles with Sage Infused Sour Cream

Asparagus Bundles
12 spears asparagus
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
12 slices prosciutto
Olive oil
kosher salt
1 egg, beaten

Sage Infused Sour Cream Sauce
1/2 cup Breakstone’s Sour Cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. fresh sage, minced + a few whole sage leaves for garnish
freshly cracked black pepper

Serves 4

If you can, make the sauce a day ahead of time

This will let the flavors mingle. If you can’t, don’t sweat it. It’s still really good if you make it the same day.

Put the Breakstone’s Sour Cream in a medium-sized bowl.

Toss in the grated Parmesan.

Mince up your fresh sage. Five or 6 leaves should give you about a teaspoon.

Toss the sage in the bowl. Add a little freshly cracked black pepper, to taste. Skip adding any extra salt until you taste the sauce at the end. It should have plenty from the cheese.

Mix with a whisk or wooden spoon.

Give it a taste and correct the seasoning if you think it needs it.

Transfer to a serving bowl. Right before serving, garnish it with a few whole sage leaves.

Do a little prep

Take your puff pastry out of the freezer about 30 minutes before you want to use it. Unwrap one sheet and let it sit on the counter to thaw.

Rinse your asparagus under cold water. Pat it dry with paper towels.

Trim the asparagus

Asparagus ends can get a little woody. Nip off the bottom half inch with a sharp knife.

Wrap the asparagus bundles

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set it aside. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Lay a slice of prosciutto down. Set three spears on top of it, so that they’re centered.

Roll the asparagus up in the prosciutto.

Grab your puff pastry. It’s most likely folded in thirds. Unfold it so you have one big sheet.

Cut off a long strip that’s about an inch or so wide.

Basically, you want to cut the pastry so that it makes a band around the prosciutto, like this:

Wrap the puff pastry strip around the prosciutto.

Trim it so that the ends just meet underneath.

To make the bow, cut a thin strip of puff pastry.

Fold one end over in a loop.

Then cross it with another loop to form a bow.

Dab the pastry with a little cold water, and set the bow down in the center. The water will help it to stick. Press down gently in the center (where the knot on the bow would be) to help secure it. If you’re not crazy about bows, definitely make another shape decoration. Hearts would be good. Stars. You get the picture.

Carefully transfer the bundle to your parchment lined pan.

Repeat until you’ve made all your bundles.

Brush & bake

Beat one egg in a medium sized bowl.

With a brush (or your fingertips), gently dab the puff pastry with beaten egg. This will give the baked pastry a really nice gloss.

Brush the exposed parts of the asparagus with a tiny bit of olive oil.

Pop the pan into your pre-heated oven. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and golden brown.

Serve & enjoy!

When the pastry is puffed and golden, remove the pan from the oven.

The bottoms should be brown, as well.

Transfer to a serving platter.

Serve hot or at room temperature, garnished with the sage-infused sour cream sauce.

If you’re going to plate them individually, put a smear of sauce on the plate, and nestle an asparagus bundle on top. (Do this *right* before serving, so the sauce doesn’t make the pastry soggy.)

Enjoy!!!

Please note: This is a sponsored post for Breakstone’s Sour Cream. All ideas, thoughts, experiences, photos are my own.

Enter to win $2,500!

Don’t forget, Breakstone’s is hosting a big sweeps on Better Homes and Gardens, where one lucky winner will win $2,500! Enter today!

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So last year, you guys may remember that we entered the Better with Breakstone’s Challenge—and won! (I’m still totally floored by this.)

The good folks over at Kraft have asked us to participate in two more challenges this year: one focused on Easter, and the other at the end of the year, around the winter holidays.

Now, I’ve used Breakstone’s sour cream for years at home, so I’m happy to help promote them. I really do think it’s the best sour cream out there.

Here’s the scoop.

The Kraft Breakstone’s Holiday Celebration Program

The goal of this program is to help women make their next holiday celebration easy, fun, and delicious. This means that I’ll be posting recipes, decorating tips, and craft ideas along with 2 other bloggers.

Look for the Easter posts in the coming weeks, including an easy recipe with Breakstone’s sour cream and an Easter table top design. I’ll be posting my appetizer recipe on April 4.

My posts will also be featured on Breakstones-Holiday.com, a special advertising section on Better Homes & Gardens website, where you can find tons of other great recipes & craft ideas. You can also enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win $2,500 by sharing your favorite Easter tradition.

Sound like a good way to get a little holiday inspiration? We think so.

Stay tuned for more info coming soon.

How do you celebrate Easter?

In typical carnivorous, Mouse House style, our Easter is always centered around roasting some kind of big beast.

This year, I may forgo the traditional ham if I can get my paws on a goose. Now, I know roasted goose is more of a Christmas-y thing, but I’ve never made one, and have been insanely curious for years. I may just have a crowd this year that will indulge me. Now, to see if I can find the bird…

What’s your favorite Easter memory?

Hands down, mine has to be hunting for Easter eggs. As an only child, I kind of had a corner on the market, but my folks were tricky and would stick them in the darndest places.

I also loved those hollow eggs made entirely out of sugar with the little diorama inside. (Like these.) If I get really ambitious, maybe I’ll give it a shot and try making them.

How about you?

*Please note that this is a sponsored post for Breakstone’s Sour Cream. All ideas, thoughts, experiences, photos are my own.

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