Pumpkin Spice Ghost Cake

One of the things I remember my mother telling me is always trust the recipe in back of a product.  It has to be good, after all it showcases the product.

With that in mind, look what I found in the Libby's website.  Just by reading the ingredients,  I can tell it has to be good.  Maybe I will invite my granddaughter for an afternoon of Halloween baking!

Ingredients

CAKE

1 pkg. (18 oz.) spice or carrot cake mix

1 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin

3 large eggs

1/3 cup water

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

2 pkgs. (3 oz. each) cream cheeese, softened

2 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups powdered sugar

*Black string licorice, NESTLÉ RAISINETS Milk Chocolate-Covered Raisins and Halloween candy corn (optional)


Directions


FOR CAKE:

PREHEAT oven to 350º F. Grease and flour two 8- or 9-inch-round cake pans.

COMBINE cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, water, vegetable oil and pumpkin pie spice in large mixer bowl until moistened. Beat for 2 minutes or until thoroughly mixed. Pour batter into prepared pans.

BAKE for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

FOR CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

BEAT cream cheese, margarine and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar. Spread between layers and on top and side of cake.


TO GARNISH:

FORM licorice strings into ghost shapes; press into side of frosted cake. Use Raisinets for eyes. Arrange candy corn between ghosts on side and around top edge of frosted cake.



Recipe and photo from Libby's.

Christmas At The Lake

Well, the house is finally decorated for Christmas this year and I am happy to say not a dollar was spent on new decorations.  Everything is from the garden or from Christmases past, except for the wreath and the Christmas tree that we always pick out at the Kinsley Family Farm. 

Yes, this year we are having a "new economy" Christmas and spending our dollars on presents for the children and for the family.  Nothing extravagant, just things that we know they will like and appreciate.

The mantle has been decorated with juniper branches from a tree in our yard and they actually look much better than the picture.  The wreath has fresh berries from the garden added to some fake ones I found on a box and a not so perfect bow that I made.  Definitely not my strong suit but I got tired of asking my daughter for help.  You know how that is.

I found beautiful tree ornaments at World Market, inexpensive too.  Check them out.  Homegoods has a big supply and Target, well I don't know what happened to them this year...not much excitement in their selection.  If you happen to find the gold and silver snowflakes that are hanging on my tree, grab them.  I saw them at Bergdorg Goodman in NYC for more than 3 times the price at Target.  We bought ours last year, and I think I saw them again when I checked a couple of weeks ago..  They look great on the tree.

Eddie Ross Holiday Decorating Tips Plus A Giveaway!

Eddie Ross is simply the best when you are looking for simple and inexpensive holiday decorating tips.  Last year I posted on instructions for a holiday ornament wreath and now I am including his post for decorating your entrance, the mantlepiece and the Christmas tree...all with inexpensive materials from Kmart and Sears.  Oh, and did I mention there is a  $250 giveaway on his site? Check it out!

•Sears Entryway: http://www.youtube.com/sears#p/u/3/MpGbmvZMQWA

•Kmart Mantel: http://www.youtube.com/user/kmart?blend=1&ob=4#p/u/0/xUh3MNWiX4Y

•Kmart Tree: http://www.youtube.com/user/kmart?blend=1&ob=4#p/u/1/zQZe5vxsi40

Photo Eddie Ross

Thanksgiving Centerpiece... Simple & Inexpensive

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Good Housekeeping

You can play with this and use it as a centerpiece on your dining table or on the sideboard.  Actually, you can use anywhere in the house!

Pull out all of your glass containers -- hurricane lamps, vases, glasses, and stemware. The different shapes and sizes will give your tablescape an interesting topography.

Make sure the glasses are sparkling clean without any trace of fingerprints. Depending on the size of each container, place either a pillar, votive, or tapered candle into each glass. Fill with hazelnuts, walnuts, or pecans. Stagger the amount of nuts in each container.

Tip: This is the time of year where you can find unshelled nuts quite easily in the produce section of your local market.

Once your dinner is over, you can pour all of the nuts into one big bowl for everyone to enjoy while watching the football game. Don't forget to supply nutcrackers!


Good Housekeeping

Decorating With White China...Thanksgiving

If I could only have one set of china it would be white.  Why? it goes with everything and you can dress it up or down as the mood fits you.

My everyday set and the one I have been using for the last ten years, is from Pottery Barn and luckily, my daughter has the same pattern and we can borrow from each other as the need arises.  Between the two of us we have dinner and dessert plates for 24 and soup bowls and bread plates for 16.  I don't bother with cups and saucers since, when I am entertaining,  I serve espresso and have a  white demitasse set which goes with everything.

Pottery Barn

Now, one of the reasons I usually get extras from places like Pottery Barn is they tend to discontinue a lot of their things including some of their best selling china!  My pattern, (and Carolyne Roehm's),  has been discontinued, but is similar to the one above except it is a purer white.  I find off white to be a little difficult to work with.

This year I am in a mellow mood for Thanksgiving and a little tired of orange and red. I'm gravitating towards the whites and tans, and brown, with maybe an accent of color here and there. Look at the following ideas.  Love the simplicity.






A Taste Of Home





House & Garden TV



Everything Fabulous

Martha Stewart

House & Garden TV


And, if you must...a little color!

 





Halloween Ideas

Nobody does Halloween better than Martha Stewart, although I used to think I came in a close second!  Last year was too busy with the move and the floods that hit our area earlier in the Fall, but this year I think I will have a bonfire out back and invite all the neighbors.  So what are your plans???



Window covers

 





Coffin boxes for candy

 



Cupcake wrappers






Treat bags






Treat bags






Bottle labels






For more Halloween ideas from Martha Stewart go {here}