To honor October’s National Dessert Month in style and celebrate all things mystifying and spooky for Halloween, how about pairing some delectable treats with some ghoulish cocktails?


Inspired by Halloween and captivating the spirit surrounding the holiday, famed pastry chef Martin Howard has created brand-new desserts that feature Lucid absinthe, launched in 2007 as the first absinthe to be legally available in America.

“Absinthe is such a powerful and flavor-packed ingredient, that can be used in both contemporary cocktails and also in food. Using Lucid absinthe in my desserts really allows the American consumer to discover the rich anise flavor like never before,” says Howard. “For Halloween, absinthe is a natural fit, not only because of the seasonal fall-time herbs (the wormwood, star-anise and fennel), but also there is a quality of excitement and mystery behind absinthe.”

Whether it’s an almond cake trifle or devil’s food cupcakes filled with absinthe-spiked buttercream, Howard provides three fresh ways to spice up your dessert course.


1. The Eyes Have It

A devil’s food cupcake filled with Lucid buttercream, topped with a rich ganache and white chocolate eyes.

And 7th Sin cocktail

Lucid absinthe, lemon lime soda, garnish: lime wedge

The Eyes Have It


¾ c. Water
¾ c. Cocoa powder
¾ c. Butter
2 c. Sugar
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
1 TBSP. Lucid
3 eggs
2 ½ c. Flour
1 tsp. Baking powder
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 c. Buttermilk

In a small pot, bring water to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in cocoa powder. Cover and set aside. In a bowl, cream together butter, sugar, salt, Lucid and vanilla. Add eggs and continue to cream until light and fluffy. Sift dry ingredients and add alternately with buttermilk. Add cocoa-and-water mixture and combine. Scrape bowl well and mix until smooth. Scoop into paper lined cupcake pans filling them 2/3 full. Bake at 350⁰ for 20-25 minutes or until springy to the touch for medium sized cupcakes, 10-15 minutes for mini.

Buttercream filling

4 Egg whites
¾ c. Sugar
1 c. Butter, soft
½ tsp. Vanilla extract
1 TBSP. Lucid

Whisk together egg whites and sugar in a bowl. Place over a double boiler until sugar is melted and mixture is very warm. Remove from heat and whip with electric mixer on high until stiff peaks form. Turn mixer to low and add butter in small pieces. Add vanilla and Lucid and blend until smooth. Add a drop each of green and yellow food color if desired. Place into a pastry bag with a small round tip( 1/8 ”) and pipe into center of cooled cupcakes.

Creamy Chocolate Topping

8 oz. Dark chocolate chips
2 TBSP. Butter
¾ c. Heavy cream
2 TBSP. Sugar

Put chocolate chips and butter in a bowl. In a pot, bring cream and sugar to a boil and pour over chocolate and butter. Stir with a rubber spatula until smooth.

Dip tops of filled cupcakes in chocolate topping and let set. When set. Decorate tops with remaining buttercream.

If you have chocolate topping left over, warm in microwave and add a little Lucid and pour over ice cream for a Chocolate Lucid Sundae!


7th Sin


1 oz Lucid® absinthe

3 oz lemon-lime soda


Mix together in tumbler glass with ice. Garnish with a lime wedge.


2. Lucid Apple Pan Dowdy

Apples, Lucid soaked raisins, brown sugar and cinnamon baked in a casserole dish covered with a flaky pastry crust served with a Lucid whipped cream

And French Pear Cocktail

Lucid absinthe, fresh pear juice, simple syrup, lemon juice


Apple Pan Dowdy with Lucid whipped cream


Crust

1 c. Flour
4 TBSP Butter
4 TBSP Shortening
1 tsp. Sugar
½ tsp Salt
¼ c. Cold water

Blend together flour, butter, shortening, sugar and salt with a pastry blender. Add water and mix just until combined. Wrap and chill.


Filling

4 Apples
¼ tsp Nutmeg
1 tsp. Cinnamon
½ c. Sugar
1 TBSP. Flour
2 TBSP. Lucid

Peel, core and slice apples. Place all ingredients into a bowl and toss together with your hands and place into individual baking dishes. Dot with butter if desired. Roll dough into slightly larger rounds than the diameter of the dishes. Egg wash edges and place dough over dish. Egg wash tops and crimp edges. Make a slit in top of each. Bake at 400⁰ for 15 minutes. Turn oven down to 325⁰ and bake for 30 minutes or until apples are soft.

Whip together 1 c. heavy cream, 1 ½ TBSP sugar, ½ tsp vanilla extract and 1TBSP Lucid to medium peaks. Serve on side or pipe into slit in top of crust. Makes 4-6 portions depending on size of dishes.



French Pear Cocktail


1 oz Lucid® absinthe
2 oz fresh pear juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
1/2 oz lemon juice

Shake all ingredients well in mixing glass with ice. Pour into highball glass and garnish with sliced pear.

Have you bought enough doggie biscuits to give out to trick or treaters this Halloween? That’s right, doggie biscuits. But whatever you do, don't give them to the kids – it may anger some parents in the neighborhood! You should be prepared, however, to have some biscuits for those four-footed ghost and goblins that may bark at your door this Halloween.

We mustn't leave out our pets when celebrating special occasions – and Halloween is no exception. Ever noticed the glare and stare from Fido when everyone is getting dressed up for Halloween, laughing, having a wonderful time – and he's left out just because he's a dog?

Bitch New York (http://www.bnydogs.com/) has one thing on their minds -- our doggie loved ones – and they have created fun ways to involve your pet in every special occasion.

Here are just a few suggestions from Bitch New York to make this Halloween season the best ever:


Watch Fido's eyes light up when you put on the this latest tiger costume. WARNING: don't be surprised if you notice some new found courage or larger than life roar while in costume.


Can you say food? One of the most popular shows on cable TV these days is The Food Network. I love the competitive nature of the male chefs; the warm personality of the female chefs. This year you can dress up your doggie after your favorite Food Network personality! Don't tell Paula Dean, but doesn't this beautiful doggie chef resemble her a bit?


Sports are a favorite past time for people and doggies too! Halloween wouldn't be the same without a football costume... Check out this cool costume for Fido. If you have teenage boys, they might throw the dog though, so this football costume would probably be a safer choice while still keeping with the football spirit.


We are a country of proud Americans and that is demonstrated by millions across this great country every day. Well, this may be news to you, but our doggies are proud Americans too and they want to support this great nation this Halloween by dressing up in her colors. Check out this Uncle Sam Costume for Fido and Lady too... They will look great this Halloween and will walk tall and proud in their patriotic costumes.


Don't forget to stock up on special doggie treats this Halloween Season... Don't worry, if you have left-overs, all doggie treats will be gone in no time and Fido will love you for it!


If sweets are not an option for your pet, be sure to spoil him with an unforgettable Halloween dinner. Check out these scrumptious meals they will remember until next Halloween: Chicken and Fried Rice, Organic Bison or a Veg to Bowl for our vegetarian friends - we aim to please all of our doggy appetites.


By the way, if you haven't started brushing your doggie’s teeth, this Halloween would be a great time start. Clean teeth and fresh breath are essential for your doggie’s love life and a welcome response from you with all those wet kisses he loves to give you! Regular oral hygiene will ensure your doggie’s teeth are healthy, fresh and white.

What a great Halloween it's going to be for you and your pet this year! Make sure to take lots of pictures of your doggie in costume - there will be many Halloween memories to share together for many years to come and Bitch New York wants to put a few of our best doggies in costume in the spot light! All you need to do is send in your pics and we're going to pick the top three doggies to profile in a story and give him or her their 30 seconds of fame. The top three winners will also be able to pick a gift of their choice from our doggie accessory store. Good luck to all and we hope this year will be the best Halloween ever for you and your beloved companion.

Bitch New York is proud to make contributions to benefit the welfare of animals. We regularly donate merchandise and proceeds to charitable events that surround the animal community. Click Here if would like to read more about our charity work or if you would like to donate something to the cause.
 
- Stacy Braverman
 
Founder of BNYdogs.com

Remember when you were a kid at Halloweentime... you'd play those albums of scary Halloween sound effects and scare the jeepers out of yourself!  Those kind of sound effects are still around (only in CD or MP3 form now) - but they tend to be pretty creepy, not exactly something that kiddos would like so much.

Until now....


Enter "Halloween with the Kiboomers" - The newest offering from Kiboomu Kids.  Kiboomo, the groundbreaking kids music people offer more than just cd's of updated, really fun kids music - they offer really fun iPhone and iPod apps like Old MacDonald Piano!  In the new Halloween with the Kiboomers, the Kiboomer family decides to visit a spooky haunted house at a theme park and that's where the fun begins.  Reminiscent of old-time radio shows, this CD takes kids on a journey through the haunted house guided by their friendly tour guide Boris.  Each room is a new adventure of creepy and spine-tingling sounds - just spooky enough to be fun and not too scary.  The creepy fun is enhanced when the Dad, Kevin decides maybe this is just a little too scary for him and the rest of the family talk him into continuing on their trip.  My favorite line is when Boris tell them "If I want an Editorial, I'll buy a newspaper". 

Fun and just scary enough to keep kids of all ages entertained and in the Halloween, uhm... spirit.  Halloween with the Kiboomers is available on iTunes.

Thanks to our friends at Kiboomu Kids, we have two copies of Kiboomu Kid's Top 30 Preschool Songs to give away to two lucky readers (each winner will receive one (1) copy of the album to be downloaded through iTunes).

Giveaways on Pink Lemonade are now easier than ever to enter!

Simply visit  Kiboomu Kids and check out the fun albums and apps they have. Leave us a comment here at Pink Lemonade - share with us which is your favorite and what your child's favorite song is.

This contest ends Sunday, October 31st at 11:59pm (pdst) so don't wait - enter now!

Please note:

entries received after the cutoff time will be deleted prior to drawing a winner.


Your email address MUST either be in your comment or available on your blogger profile or your entry will NOT count!! - Giveaways are open to those with a US shipping address ONLY.

Complete rules can be found on our Contest page.

Please Note: Pink Lemonade received a complimentary copy of this album for review purposes.

After the candy binge, RADIUS knows you’ll need a tool to deal with the Halloween “hangover” on your children’s teeth. This year, RADIUS recommends a more responsible way to trick-or-treat and avoid the Halloween hangover by treating your trick-or-treaters to a Radius toothbrush instead of the clichéd chocolate, gummies and crunchy candies that rot teeth.

RADIUS knows that fighting with your children to brush their teeth is not fun, especially when they are in a candy coma. However, RADIUS’ selection of colorful, fun and more comfortable brushes means they will be actually looking forward to brushing their teeth, instead of dreading it.

To support responsible trick-or-treating and help ease the pain of the Halloween hangover, RADIUS is offering a special online deal during the month of October – with the purchase of four six packs of RADIUS Pure Baby, Totz, Kidz or Scuba brushes, receive a fifth six pack for free. RADIUS six packs cost $16.75 for Pure Baby, $17.71 for Kidz, $16.75 for Totz and $38.16 for the Scuba.


RADIUS’ recommended brushes include:


RADIUS Pure Baby: For ages 6-18 months old, RADIUS Pure Baby is a perfect way for parents to care for their baby’s sensitive mouth. With a tapered handle to provide maximum control and guidance, the oval head is designed without corners for babies’ soft mouths and is the world’s first completely dye-free, BPA-free toothbrush




RADIUS Totz: For children ages 18 months and up. With its tapered handle for parents and young tots, the FDA approved and Bisphenol-A Free brush is safe for young children’s teeth and sensitive gums. Its oval head is designed without corners for delicate gums and teeth




RADIUS Kidz: A mini-sized version of the Original RADIUS, the RADIUS Kidz offers even softer bristles for children’s sensitive teeth, a wide head, thumb grip and comfortable handle to makes brushing teeth fun and easy for all kids. Children are no longer fighting. The RADIUS Kidz, designed for children 6 years old and up, has become the fun, cool and effective way for kids to brush teeth. The Kidz is accepted by the ADA.



RADIUS Scuba: Ideal for harder brushers and for those who wear braces, the RADIUS Scuba’s flexible rubber neck and non-slip handle reduces pressure, while the wide oval head and 300% more bristles than ordinary toothbrushes leaves the mouth clean and healthy. Available in a variety of fun colors, the Scuba is also ADA accepted and available for both right- or left-handed users and children 12 and up.


RADIUS also offers parents additional tips for having a healthy Halloween:


·  A good meal prior to parties and trick-or-treating will discourage youngsters from filling up on Halloween treats.

·  In addition to a fun toothbrush, consider purchasing other non-food treats for those who visit your home, such as coloring books or pens and pencils.

·  Wait until children are home to sort and check treats. Though tampering is rare, a responsible adult should closely examine all treats and throw away any spoiled, unwrapped or suspicious items.

·  Ration treats for the days following Halloween.

For additional information on RADIUS, please visit http://www.radiustoothbrush.com/.


ABOUT RADIUS RADIUS is a 26 year-old family-owned consumer products company. It is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of specialty toothbrushes and complimentary products, including toiletries’ travel cases and floss. RADIUS is a leader in the natural products industry in personal care and is renowned for its combination of innovative designs, premium materials, and eco-conscious manufacturing that redefines ordinary personal care products with the goal of enhancing the quality and enjoyment of everyday routines. The company is vertically integrated, designing and manufacturing all of its products in-house, with parallel goals of promoting energy-efficient manufacturing and a focus on a clean and cutting-edge design presence.

What can you do at a noted golf resort this Halloween? Well, at Innisbrook, you can take a Ghoulf lesson, of course!

Innisbrook, a Salamander Golf & Spa Resort, in Florida’s Tampa Bay area, is offering a complimentary and tongue-in-cheek Ghoulf Clinic during Halloween weekend. Starting at $119 per night families can stay at the resort and enjoy haunted hallow evening activities such as:

* Ghoulf clinic from 6-7 p.m.

* Dive-in scary movies at Loch Ness Monster Pool

* Haunted Hallow Trail from 6-10 p.m., featuring 11 scenes inhabited by creepy creatures and sounds.

* Photos with werewolves

* Costume Contest


Golfers of all ages and abilities are welcome to the Ghoulf clinic, and costumes are highly encouraged. Family of four tickets cost $40 and can be purchased in advance by calling 727-942-2000. Day-of-event admission costs $15 for adults and $10 for children under 10. Each ticket includes one hamburger or hot dog, one non-alcoholic beverage, chips and one trick-or-treat candy bag for children.To make a room reservation, call 800-492-6899 or visit http://www.innisbrookgolfresort.com/.

Owned by Sheila C. Johnson and managed by Salamander Hospitality, Innisbrook recently completed over $26 million in resort-wide renovations to include new restaurants and a gourmet market, the addition of a new 20,000-square-foot spa and fitness center, and enhancements to its golf courses, clubhouses, lodging and tennis facilities. Innisbrook is the home to the PGA TOUR Transitions Championship played at the Copperhead Course, and the ISPA Legends Tour Open Championship played at the Island Course.

CyberDefender, a Los Angeles-based security company, just announced that parents searching online for Halloween decorating ideas are at a high risk of malware.

CyberDefender found the malware when using the search term “Halloween decoration ideas” on Google.

Clicking on infected links can redirect users to fake scan pages (Rogues or Fake AV in security lingo) and fake video codecs that can even affect Macs, all leading to annoying and potential disastrous consequences. The user’s internet experience can also be affected by hijacking search pages and redirecting to payment pages.

Tips from CyberDefender on safe searching:


Make sure you have a security software suite installed in your computer (like CyberDefender’s Early Detection Center, for example)


Check that your software subscription is active and that all updates have been installed


Go to the website you are interested in directly (putting the link into the address bar) instead of clicking on links found through Google. This will save you from being re-directed to an infected site


Be extra careful when searching for any hot topics such as holiday or celebrities. They’re prime targets for malware authors. Look for pages hosted by a site you know (like AOL, MSN and Yahoo!)

Halloween is definitely a child’s favorite holiday, but it can sometimes cause stress on the parents. As the night falls, kids are running from house to house in the dark, which can be nerve-wracking and dangerous. This Halloween, ease your worries and help light the way with ICON’s Link - a light weight LED flashlight that will keep your child safe.

The modern design of the Link (myiconlight.com) features a fully integrated carabiner that allows the device to be clipped almost anywhere –either to your child’s costume or for you to lead the way. Its power-regulated LED maximizes output and runtime, which makes it a long-lasting light option. The Link is offered in a stylish orange color (perfect for Halloween!) and has an ergonomic "clickie" tailcap switch for ease between two output levels. Link's high-beam light setting gives off 50 lumens of light for navigability in the dark. Its compact, four-inch body is sealed with O-rings to make it waterproof.


Make Halloween a little less stressful this year with the Link.

Halloween is the second most decorated holiday, so it won't be long until ghouls and goblins, witches and vampires, pumpkins and candy corn adornments begin appearing in advance of trick-or-treating and haunting celebrations.

This year, instead of buying your decorations, why not brew a little imagination? Just stir in a few items you already have around the house and a couple of cans of spray paint to create bewitching, inexpensive pieces for your home and yard.

Here are three project ideas to inspire and help you easily put some extra spookiness in your Halloween trick-or-treating.


Ghoulish gravestones

Turn a couple of old boxes into a chilling graveyard to keep the goblins and vampires at bay.

What you'll need: Black granite textured "stone" spray paint, such as Krylon's Make It Stone; spray adhesive; glow-in-the-dark paint; boxes (note: old shipping boxes work well); foam or wood letters; various Halloween decorations; hot or super glue; packing tape; newspaper; large nails or ground stakes; and scissors.


How to do it: Set up a spray paint area in a well-ventilated area by covering a table with newspaper. Assemble a box and tape over folded seams leaving one end open, as that will serve as the bottom of your gravestone. Cut a name plaque to fit the box from the cardboard of another and affix with spray adhesive. Glue letters onto the plaque.

Embellish the top of your gravestone with glued-on Halloween decorations, like a bat or skull. Paint the entire gravestone with two to three coats of "stone" spray paint, letting it dry between coats. Once it's dry, highlight areas with glow-in-the-dark paint. Place a stake in the ground, prop up your box and enjoy scaring the neighbors with your ghoulishly gorgeous graveyard.


Ghostly globes

Add a spooky twist to your outside walkway on All Hallow's Eve - without having to carve several messy pumpkins - by creating glowing ghostly globes.

What you'll need: Round glass votives; newspaper; one can each of white frosted glass, white and glow-in-the-dark spray paint, such as Krylon Glowz; and a black craft pen.


How to do it: Cover your workspace with newspaper. Spray several light coats of white frosted glass paint on the lip of each votive and let dry. Next, add several light coats of white paint to the outside bottom of votives, blending the white seamlessly with the frosted glass. Let dry completely.

Spray the entire exterior with glow-in-the dark paint, which will allow your votives to shine even when not lit. Finally, draw facial features with a black paint pen.


Spooky party servers

Embellish your Halloween party buffet by transforming ordinary terra cotta pots into spooky party servers.

What you'll need: White primer; pumpkin orange, gloss white and gold glitter spray paint; black webbing spray from Krylon; brush-on black paint; repositionable adhesive; assorted terra cotta pots and saucers; metal or enamel bowl; glue; paper; pencil; scissors; and a small paint brush.


How to do it: Wash the pots and saucers. Allow to dry. Spray all the terra cotta with white primer. Let dry and spray with gloss white. Once dry, turn pots upside down and glue the bottom of a saucer to the bottom of each pot. Draw ghosts, tombstones and other scary characters on paper. Cut the shapes out and spray one side with repositionable adhesive.

Position the paper shapes randomly on the pots. Spray the outside of the bowl and terra cotta pieces with pumpkin orange paint. Once dry, spray all the pieces with black webbing spray, then lightly with gold glitter spray. When all the paint is dry, remove paper templates and add details, such as features on the ghosts and words on the tombstones, with black paint. Be sure to not to place unwrapped food on any painted surface.


For more Halloween decorating inspiration, there are a plethora of arts and crafts websites, such as yourholidaystyle.com, offering tips, tricks and inspiration to help you spook your family, guests and trick-or-treaters.

Celebrate Halloween this Year with a Family Friendly and Fun Halloween Movie


WHAT:   Kidtoons Films Inc., a division of Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. (NASDAQ: CIDM), announced today it will bring “Spookley The Square Pumpkin” to 155 Kidtoons theatres across the nation beginning every weekend in October.


Spookley The Square Pumpkin was created by Joe Troiano and delivers heartwarming and fun Halloween entertainment for the entire family. The story of the unique little square pumpkin resonates deeply with ALL families, as well as organizations supporting special-needs children.


WHEN:   Every weekend in October, beginning October 2, 2010, at most locations.


WHERE:   A full list of participating theatres can be found at http://www.kidtoonfilms.com/

 
NOTE:   Spookley The Square Pumpkin is also available in the iTunes App Store as an interactive eBook for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Narrated by Bobby "Boris" Pickett, The Legend of Spookley The Square Pumpkin eBook includes custom music, background audio and enlarged artwork for each scene. The Legend of Spookley The Square Pumpkin is available for $2.99.

With Halloween creeping up on us, we wanted to help participators get in the spirit of things early and help prepare for the long awaited, spook-filled night. Whether you are going to be playing at work, at that eerie Halloween party, or welcoming a slew of Trick-or-Treaters to your home, we wanted to offer the Top Halloween Apps to add to the fun. Many of these apps are family and kid-friendly.

GetJar—the world’s second largest mobile app store (next only to Apple) has a list of the top Halloween apps in categories such as: games, pranks, pictures, recipes, music/sounds, and books. For instance, download the app, Horror Attack and get a list of the scariest pranks to play on your friends and make shivers run down their spine.
 
 
Halloween Game Apps



· Dragon and Dracula 3D V1.01– Green-skinned friend, a disaster of saber-toothed bats returns, this time in all the glory of fascinating 3-Dimensional universe, providing absolute freedom of movements and full vision of real world. Intriguing large labyrinths full with various clumsy scum are shivering, waiting for the enraged lord of the sky. (2009. 134,940 Downloads)

· M:Vampire – M:Vampire is a vampire RPG created by Moblyng that launches players into the dark world of Dracula and his fanged friends. (2010. 40,443 Downloads)

· Halloween Candy – Mmmm... licorice, candy apple... Indulge yourself with this delicious Halloween game! (2009. 30,745 Downloads)

· HorrorMaze – Help Dracula to collect all the blood potions. (2007. 18,262 Downloads)

· IQ Halloween – Thematic software for celebrating Halloween. Launch the application and enjoy the laughing pumpkin. (2010. 14,304 Downloads)

· Frankenstein Bot Army – Armed with three all time great Bots, defeat Frankenstein at his own game. Launch your Bots and break through Frankenstein`s wall before his Bots breach your wall. Once you are through the wall, you win! (2009. 8,900 Downloads)

· Halloween Winter Ride for Palm OS – A funny Witch has to be in time at the Halloween party riding the broomstick, but her ride is full of unpredictable dangers. You can help the witch to control the broomstick, to avoid the smash with the dropping icicles, enchanted spruces, black cat in the Dracula castle and other devilries on the way. (2007. 262 Downloads)

· Free Hangman – Play the traditional paper and pencil guessing game of hangman on your iPhone or iPod Touch, which includes a Halloween word list to get you in the holiday spirit. (2008. 240 Downloads)

· Haunted – Your mind will struggle to comprehend the absolute heart-stopping experience. Download "HAUNTED" today if you DARE and experience the greatest adrenaline filled ride of your life! (2008. 26 Downloads)

Pranks

· Horror Attack – The most awaited prank makes its way to your mobile phones, bringing you the scariest pranks to play on your friends. Now, you can scare them like never before using the built-in ‘Scare Machine’ and make them run down shivers. (2010. 5,887 Downloads)

This Halloween you can make devilishly creative Halloween recipes that can double as party decorations. Whether you create your own or use ours, Duncan Hines provides YOU with the coolest cakes and cupcake inspirations on the block. The real man, Duncan Hines, spent years discovering new trends in food and sharing them with his extensive following of “foodies.” Now you can get in on the fun and bake like the pros. The chefs at Duncan Hines and best-selling authors Karen Tack and Alan Richardson of Hello, Cupcake and What’s New, Cupcake share their original ideas for to make you a Halloween superstar!

The only trick in these treats is that the kids will never know they came from a box!


Spice Pumpkin Cake
*Duncan Hines Original

This wonderfully moist cake has pumpkin, crunchy nuts and a creamy vanilla icing. Enjoy the warm and spicy aroma as you apply your own decorative touches

Hands On Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 pkg Duncan Hines® Moist Deluxe® Spice Cake Mix
2 large eggs
1 cup water
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup chopped nuts
2 tubs Duncan Hines® Creamy Home-Style Classic Vanilla Frosting
green, red and yellow food coloring
1 flat bottom ice cream cone


Baking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 10-inch Bundt pan.

2. Combine cake mix, eggs, water and pumpkin in large bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer for 2 minutes. Stir in nuts. Pour into pan.

3. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 25 minutes. Invert onto serving plate. Cool completely.

4. Measure 1/4 cup frosting into small bowl. Tint with green food coloring. Place ice cream cone upside down on waxed paper. Frost with green frosting. Refrigerate.

5. Tint remaining frosting with red and yellow food coloring until frosting is desired orange color. Measure 3 tablespoons orange frosting in small bowl; add green food coloring to brown frosting

6. Frost cake with orange frosting. Make eyes, mouth and nose with brown frosting as desired on pumpkin. Place green frosted ice cream cone in center hole of cake for stem.

Makes 12 to 16 servings



Werewolf Cupcakes
*Karen Tack and Alan Richardson Original

Hands-On Time: 1 hour and 30 min

Howlingly delicious! - If you have a monster appetite for baking adventures, then this is the project for you! Scare up some friends to join in the werewolf cupcake fun! Use Duncan Hines Devil's Food cake mix to get started.

Ingredients

12 Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Devil's Food cupcakes baked in brown paper liners
½ cup Duncan Hines Creamy Home-Style Classic Vanilla frosting
1 cup Duncan Hines Creamy Home-Style Dark Chocolate Fudge frosting
Black food coloring
1 can Duncan Hines Creamy Home-Style Milk Chocolate frosting
24 marshmallows
Red leather fruit
24 orange, yellow and green candy coated chocolates (M&M)
12 black jelly beans


Baking instructions

1. Spoon the vanilla frosting into a ziplock bag. Tint the dark chocolate frosting black with the food coloring. Spoon half of the black frosting (about 1/2 cup), up one side of a ziplock bag. Spoon half of the Classic Chocolate frosting (about 3/4 cup) up the other half of the bag. Repeat process with another ziplock bag.

2. Cut 1 inch corners from each side of the 12 marshmallows to make the ears. Cut a 1/2 to a 1 inch V shape notch from the remaining 12 marshmallows to make the muzzles (see step photo). The size of the notch will determine the size of the howling mouth.

3. Snip a small corner (1/8 inch) from the bag with the chocolate frostings. Pipe a small dot of chocolate frosting to attach the marshmallow ears and muzzle on top of the cupcakes. Cut 2 inch ovals from the red fruit leather and press onto cut notch of marshmallow muzzles to stick. Trim any excess fruit leather.

4. Pipe several vertical lines of chocolate frosting to cover the marshmallow ears. Starting along the outer edge of cupcakes, pipe the fur, about 1/2 inch in from edge to go completely around cupcake. Pipe another row of fur in from first row, slightly overlapping. Continue piping rows of fur with the chocolate frosting to cover the cupcake and marshmallow just up to the red fruit leather. Continue with remaining cupcakes and chocolate frosting.

5. Add 2 like colored M&M's, pressing them lengthwise, into the frosting at an angle to make the glowing eyes. Snip a very small corner (1/16 inch) from the bag with the vanilla frosting and pipe fangs all around the mouth at the edge of fruit leather using a squeeze and pull motion. Add the black jellybean to make the nose.

Makes 12 werewolf cupcakes



Spooky Surprise Cupcakes
*Duncan Hines Original

So deliciously simple, it's scary! That's the secret behind this recipe for moist chocolate cupcakes with a sweet cream cheese surprise filling. Scare up some smiles from your little monsters with these frightfully fun treats.

Hands on Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients

1 (8ox.) block of cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
4 lg eggs
8 drops yellow food coloring
4 drops red food coloring
1 pkg. Duncan Hines® Moist Deluxe® Devil's Food Cake Mix
1 1/3 cups water
½ cup vegetable oil
1 tub Duncan Hines® Creamy Home-Style Classic Chocolate Frosting
1 tub Duncan Hines® Creamy Home-Style Classic Vanilla Frosting
Chocolate decorating decors


Baking Instructions

1. Blend together cream cheese, 1 egg, sugar, 2 drops of red food coloring and 4 drops of yellow food coloring until smooth and creamy; set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350° F. Place paper baking cups in muffin cups.

3. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Fill each muffin cup ½ full of batter. Place a dollop of cream cheese mixture in center of each cupcake.

4. Bake for 23-26 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan 5 minutes then remove to cooling rack to cool completely before frosting and decorating.

5. To decorate cupcakes -- frost top of each cupcake with chocolate frosting. Tint ½ cup of vanilla frosting with 2 drops of red food coloring and 4 drops of yellow food coloring: set aside. Place remaining vanilla frosting into plastic resealable bag. Cut a pinpoint hole in one corner of the bag. Starting in the center, pipe frosting in circles on top of cupcakes, making each circle larger than the previous. Drag a toothpick through the circles in an outward, spoke like motion to create a spider web.

6. Place orange frosting into plastic resealable bag. For the head of the spider, pipe a small dollop of frosting onto frosting spider web. Pipe a slightly larger dollop beside the small dollop, for the body of the spider. Use chocolate decorating decors for the legs of the spider.

Makes 24 cupcakes



For more information on Duncan Hines or additional recipes log onto http://www.duncanhines.com/.

Shouldn’t wear your sexy Super Woman get-up to the annual office Halloween party? Prefer to look chic – not scary – for the October 31st festivities? Spreadshirt , a leading online platform for creating, buying and selling "me-shirts"--stylish conversation-starters that people love to wear—is offering the top trends for Halloween 2010 for style-conscious partygoers and trendy trick-or-treaters.

“This year’s big costume trends include modern day vampires, Lady Gaga and over the top blockbuster movie and 80’s-inspired costumes,” said Spreadshirt’s Trend Expert, Kristina Michniak. “Spreadshirt always makes it fun and easy for trick-or-treaters of all ages to customize their own stylish take on the latest trends.”

Spreadshirt recommends the following tips for perfecting your look, while still looking fun & festive for the holiday:


1. Ghosts Can Be Girly – It doesn’t have to be all about blood, guts & gore. Don’t be afraid to incorporate a feminine color into your Halloween-wear with a color like pink or purple, or opt for details like a heart-shaped spider web.


2. Pumpkins Are So Predictable – Instead of the ubiquitous plastic jack-o'-lantern, put your trick-or-treat loot in a reusable tote bag made of organic cotton as a stylish - and eco-friendly - alternative.


3. Opt for a Classic Tee – Cheeky and fun, costume tees are a great way to be festive, without looking freaky. Go for a belted waist with a faux pirate tee, or an edgier look by showing some ribs .


4. Don’t Forget Fido – Your stylish sidekick shouldn’t go without a festive accessory. We suggest a bandana with a design to reflect their own little personality.


Beginning October 1, 2010 Spreadshirt will offer 15% off all orange, black and white apparel for your trick-or-treating ensembles with the coupon code “october2010”. The promotion will run through October 26th and requires a minimum purchase of $30.

To learn more about Spreadshirt and express your personality on a shirt, visit http://www.spreadshirt.com/.


About Spreadshirt


Spreadshirt (www.spreadshirt.com ) is a leading online platform for creating, buying and selling “me-shirts”, stylish conversation starters that people love to wear. Everyone has ideas and many of them fit on a shirt. We give those ideas the space they deserve: Spreadshirt's customers can let their fantasies run free on over 100 different articles of clothing. They can use their own designs and texts, or use works from other designers. Companies and clubs, artists and bloggers, individuals can also sell their ideas on clothing with Spreadshirt -- in their own free Spreadshirt shop. There are more than 500,000 Spreadshirt shops opened by famous brands, up-and-coming artists, and everyday folks. All they need is some inspiration and 10 minutes. To learn more about Spreadshirt, visit www.spreadshirt.com

Every great party starts with the perfect invitation - introducing the Amy Atlas for Cocodot Halloween Collection of sweet online party invitations, greetings, photo cards and thank you notes, making Halloween entertaining easy and effortless. Sweets display expert Amy Atlas brings a modern approach to classic Halloween style through her collection - visit http://cocodot.com/amy_atlas for more details and to view the full line.

Enter TREAT2010 on www.cocodot.com/ to sign up for cocodot’s unlimited year membership for a special price of $29 for the month of October.




Adults and kids can enjoy this easy and fun Owl Cookie recipe from lifestyle and entertaining expert, tabletop designer and author of Coming Home – A Seasonal Guide to Creating Family Traditions, Rosanna Bowles. Below are a few photos as well as the full recipe. And be sure to visit www.rosannainc.com/ to take a peek at her chic table top line, Rosanna, Inc. – her Rococo Noir collection (featured below) is a must-have for any Halloween table.







Ingredients:

This dough is enough to make a large batch of cookies for Halloween school parties or Halloween home parties.



3 cups all-purpose flour

3 tsp. Baking powder

1/2 tsp. Ground sea salt

11/2 sticks organic butter

1 1/3 cup white sugar

2 large eggs

4 tsp. vanilla

1/2 package semi-sweet chocolate chips



Mixed the dry ingredients well in bowl. Cream the butter and add sugar to dry ingredients. Beat eggs and add vanilla separately then add slowly to mixture. Blend well.

Separate the dough. Take approximately 1/3rd of the dough and mix in half a package of melted semi-sweet chocolate chips. The dough will become chocolate dough. Take the chocolate dough and form a log. Roll the dough very quickly before the chocolate solidifies. Make sure it is a solid roll. Cover with wax paper and put in the refrigerator.

With the remaining vanilla dough (white) roll it out in a long rectangular shape, this dough will be the outer layer that will encase the chocolate log. It should resemble a bulls-eye, an outer vanilla layer, with the inner chocolate roll.

Wrap the log in wax paper and refrigerate until firm. Wait at least 2 hours or you can freeze the dough a head of time for up to one month.

When ready to assemble the owls, place the semi-sweet chocolate chip in a small bowl for easy access. Place the cashews in another small bowl.  (If there are nut allergies you can substitute with candy corn for the nose)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease the cookie sheets with butter. Cut the logs into 1/8-inch slices. On the cookie sheet join the two slices together, by pinching them. Slightly pinch the two opposite sides of the rounds into pointy ear shapes. Place a chocolate chip upside down in the center of each chocolate eye. Then place the cashew embedded into the center of the two joined circles. It is now complete.

Continue the same process. Place the cookies about 2 inches a part. Bake at 375 degrees, for about 10 minutes. Watch closely until lightly browned. Remove and cool on a cookie rack.

Have a nice large tin to pack away between layers of waxed paper. Keep the tin in a cool place until Halloween or freeze the cookies a head of time. Be careful not to fill the containers too full, to avoid breaking the two halves. Serve on a shiny Blake cake pedestal for a very spooky effect.

Original Television Soundtrack: The Vampire Diaries is available today! The compilation features the hit single "Obsession" by up-and-coming pop singer Sky Ferreira along with a mix of exclusive tracks unavailable elsewhere including “On Melancholy Hill (Feed Me Remix)” by Gorillaz, “We Radiate” by Goldfrapp, “Hammock” by Howls, “The Fellowship” by Smashing Pumpkins, “Head Over Heels” by Digital Daggers, and “All You Wanted” by Sounds Under Radio.

Grab your copy of the soundtrack on iTunes today via Virgin Records.



Track Listing - Original Television Soundtrack: The Vampire Diaries

Stefan’s Theme - Mike Suby
Running Up That Hill - Placebo
Currency of Love - Silversun Pickups
Hammock - Howls
Sleep Alone (909s in the DarkTimes Mix) - Bat for Lashes
Bloodstream (Vampire Diaries Remix) - Stateless
We Radiate - Goldfrapp
Obsession - Sky Ferreira
Head Over Heels - Digital Daggers
Down - Jason Walker
Beauty of the Dark - Mads Langer
Cut - Plumb
All You Wanted - Sounds Under Radio featuring Alison Sudol of A Fine Frenzy
The Fellowship - Smashing Pumpkins
On Melancholy Hill (Feed Me Remix) - Gorillaz
1864 - Mike Suby

this year for Halloween they are offering some extra cute and cuddly Halloween costumes for babies and toddlers that won’t leave anyone frightened! The collection features a variety of microfleece extra comfy body suits of furry creatures for baby. These include:


Friendliest Green Monster: SRP: $25.50

Black and Red Ladybug: SRP: $21.00

Orange and Black Tiger: SRP: $25.50

And your toddler can also get in on the action with his own cozy costume. Toddler costumes include:

Little Ducky with Striped Matching Tights: SRP $21.00

Go Bananas Furry Gorilla: SRP: $31.50

Glow in the Dark Skeleton: SRP: $15.00
 
All costumes are available at your local retailer that carries Carter's merchandise (click here to find a store near you) or on the Carter's website.

Kids love candy and Halloween is a great time to celebrate that love. However, what is a parent to do if they are worried about tooth decay from all this candy consumption? Candy usually contains sugar, which the bacteria that cause tooth decay dine on. So eating a food loaded with carbohydrate or sugar feeds the bacteria that cause tooth decay. Consequently, to avoid negative impacts from candy, we have to do two things: 1) Avoid excessive consumption of these sugary treats and 2) Lessen the amount of time the sugar is present in the mouth.  As the owner of Mitchell Dental Spa, a dental spa facility in Chicago’s Water Tower Place, I’d like to offer the following tips to for protecting your kids teeth at Halloween:

·  Examine your child’s candy to see if it meets your approval.

·  It is okay for your child to eat any candy that you approve of, but to help lessen the chance for tooth decay, have them brush as soon as possible (after eating the candy). If a child or adult brushes right after, the impact of the candy on the teeth is minimal.

·  Avoid sticky candy such as taffy, gummy bears, caramel, etc. Sticky Candy adheres to teeth and causes decay

·  Kids can eat candy ANYTIME, there is not a good time of day/night to eat candy

·  Prior to Halloween, visit your dentist to have sealants put into the child’s teeth grooves


If brushing soon after eating is not possible, then try the following:


·  Consume the candy with a meal. The increased saliva production while eating will help wash the sweet off the teeth.

·  Rinse the mouth with water.

·  Chew a sugarless gum (especially those containing xylitol) after snacking on candy. The increased saliva from chewing will help wash the sugar off the teeth and xylitol gums help control the bacteria that cause tooth decay.

·  Eat the candy quickly in one sitting to decrease the amount of time it is contact with the teeth. Avoid eating any candy slowly over an extended time or over multiple sittings. Recent studies have shown that length of time eating a sweet can be more harmful than the amount of sweet consumed. This means hard candies, breath mints, etc. (long residence time in the mouth) can actually be worse for your teeth than a chocolate candy bar (shorter residence time in the mouth).

·  Avoid sugary sodas. They are: 1) Loaded with sugar (often over 10 teaspoons per 12 ounce serving), 2) Are acidic enough to dissolve away tooth enamel, and 3) Are often sipped for long periods of time, resulting in teeth that are being bathed with sugar and acid almost continuously throughout the day.

For more information, please visit http://www.mitchelldentalspa.com/.

By Dr. Margaret Mitchell


About Mitchell Dental Spa


The philosophy of the Mitchell Dental Spa is over-the-top dentistry combined with over-the-top amenities. Unlike other cosmetic dental offices which only have dental services, the Mitchell Dental Spa is a full-service facility offering dentistry along with massages, facials, and skin rejuvenation. Complimentary 10-15 minute spa treatments are included with every visit and this is offered up along with refreshments, a friendly staff and world-class professional service. The Mitchell Dental Spa is located at 845 North Michigan Avenue in Suite 922 East in Chicago’s Water Tower Place. For more information, please call (312) 642-1014 or visit http://www.mitchelldentalspa.com.

Most days, you probably want visitors to feel welcome and secure in your home. But one day a year, it's fun to scare the dickens out of them - so make the most of Halloween and all the good-natured frights that come along with the spookiest of holidays.

While your neighbors may pull out all the stops decorating outdoors for Christmas, an over-the-top Halloween display can also earn you a place in neighborhood lore. The Halloween decor experts at online retailer SeventhAvenue.com offer some tips to consider as you create a spooky playground to impress the trick-or-treaters:


* Know your audience. It might be a good idea to match the level of scary in your Halloween decorations with the age of the children you expect to come trick-or-treating. For younger children, think fun. Older kids might appreciate a good scare.


* Choose a theme. Halloween is the perfect holiday for creativity, so when it comes to the front yard, don't limit yourself. Decorations that center around a theme are the most impactful and will delight children when walking to your doorstep. You could choose something as simple as a graveyard theme, leading visitors through a path of gravestones and creaky gates, with zombie decorations for good measure. Or use ideas from your favorite scary movie. If you need ideas, try browsing outdoor Halloween decor at online retailers like http://www.seventhavenue.com/.


* Direct traffic. Now that you've chosen a theme, think about how you want your guests to experience it, beginning with the sidewalk and ending with your front door. For example, if you went with a Dracula theme you could lead your visitors to the front door with lights that resemble chandelier candles. Solar lanterns could also be used to light the path, as they won't leave you burning through batteries or electricity. Well lit signs could also be used to lead visitors through a scavenger hunt through your front yard.


* Dress the part. To make your theme really work for you, wear a costume to the door that goes along with it. It's a great way to get in touch with your inner child and to thrill the kids in your neighborhood.


* Safety first. While it's great to create the scariest yard on the block, you should also make sure it's safe. Walkways and hazards like ponds or stairs should be well lit.


* Get help from nature. The trees in your yard make a great place to hang spooky decorations. Use old grass clippings to give a spookier feel to zombies and gravestones. You can use leaves as stuffing paper for bags and figurines, filling them with life.


* Treats matter. We all know the number one reason kids look forward to Halloween is the bounty they'll bring home from a long night of trick-or-treating. Considering that everyone else will give out candy, make your house more memorable by giving a toy related to your theme. Or, give glow bracelets that are not only fun but will also keep them safe by making them visible in the dark.

The season of bewitching is upon us which means everyone is scrambling to find the best costume this year. In honor of the spooky holiday, MyJewelryBox.com has the scariest deals on jewelry trends you can wear all year long. From Swarovski crystallized cats & snakes to black diamond rings, get the latest looks that you can wear after the rest of your costume gets put away for next year.

Every Halloween, kids across the country parade neighborhoods in search of the most glorious prize: candy. The build-up for Halloween is almost as exciting as the day itself with pre-Halloween festivities like pumpkin-picking, pumpkin carving and selecting the perfect costume for the big day. And though the holiday calls for fun, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) stresses the importance of taking proper precautions to avoid injuries this Halloween.

A nine-year study* examined holiday-related pediatric emergency room visits between 1997 and 2006. Results of this study show Halloween among the top three holidays producing the most ER visits:

•  Finger/hand injuries accounted for the greatest proportion of injuries on Halloween (17.6 percent).

•  Of the finger/hand injuries sustained on Halloween, 33.3 percent were lacerations and 20.1 percent were fractures.

•  Children ages 10-14 sustained the greatest proportion of injuries (30.3 percent).


AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEONS SAFETY TIPS:

•  Never let children carve pumpkins. Adults carving pumpkins should remember to use specifically designed carving knives, rather than kitchen knives, as they are less likely to get stuck in the thick pumpkin skin. Carve the pumpkin in small, controlled strokes, away from oneself on a strong, sturdy surface.

•  Carving knives should be kept in a clean, dry, well-lit area. Any moisture on the tools, hands, or table can cause the knife to slip, leading to injuries.

•  Should a pumpkin carver cut a finger or hand, make sure the hand is elevated higher than the heart and apply direct pressure to the wound with a clean cloth to stop the bleeding. If continuous pressure does not slow or stop the bleeding after 15 minutes, an emergency room visit may be necessary. Additionally, it may be wise to follow-up with a hand surgeon to make sure everything is okay and nothing needs repair.

•  Be considerate of fire hazards when lighting jack-o-lantern candles or use non-flammable light sources, like glow sticks or artificial pumpkin lights. Alternatively, try painting pumpkins for a fun, creative option and removes the risks of carving.

•  Halloween costumes should be light and bright, so children are clearly visible to motorists and other pedestrians. Trim costumes and bags with reflective tape that glows in the dark.

•  Costumes should be flame-resistant and fit properly. Be sure the child’s vision is unobstructed from masks, face paint or hats. Costumes that are too long may cause kids to trip and fall, trim or hem their costumes as necessary.

•  Children should wear sturdy, comfortable, slip-resistant shoes to avoid falls.

•  It is important that children walk on sidewalks and never cut across yards or driveways. They should also obey all traffic signals and remain in designated crosswalks when crossing the street.

•  Trick-or-treaters should only approach houses that are well lit. Both children and parents should carry flashlights to see and be seen.

•  Be aware of neighborhood dogs when trick-or-treating and remember that these pets can impose a threat when you approach their home.

•  It’s also a good idea to carry a cell phone while trick-or-treating in case of an emergency.


AAOS EXPERT ADVICE:

“It’s so important to realize that there is a wrong way to carve a pumpkin! You should always use a carving knife, carve away from the body and never rush. It’s possible to cut tendons, particularly when your finger slides down the knife and the knife gets stuck in the pumpkin” said Elizabeth A. Ouellette, MD. “For this reason, children and adults should not carve pumpkins with kitchen knives. Besides the potential dangers from pumpkin carving, parents and kids need to be aware of their surroundings, and instinctually participate in activities safely, no matter the holiday.”
 
 
*Source: D'Ippolito A, Collins CL, Comstock RD. Epidemiology of pediatric holiday-related injuries presenting to US emergency departments. Pediatrics. 2010 May;125(5):931-7.

Every year around Halloween people choose to indulge in delicious candies, desserts and sugary beverages. There is no reason to deprive yourself from yummy treats at a Halloween bash, but why not prepare a drink that you won’t wake up feeling so guilty about!? Instead of using sugary mixers to go along with your alcohol of choice which contains tons of unwanted calories, prepare drinks that contain the 0 calorie, 0 sugar and 0 artificial flavor/sweetener HINT Essence Water.

A couple drinks that everybody’s guests will be sure to love are the Black Cat and Wicked Witch’s Watermelon!
 


Black Cat Martini


1 ½ oz. Blackberry HINT Essence Water

2 oz. Blavod Black Vodka

½ oz. Chambord

2 Blackberries, garnish





Wicked Witch’s Watermelon


1 ½ Watermelon HINT Essence Water

2 oz. Watermelon Vodka

1 Splash Lime Juice

1 Watermelon Slice, garnish

Emotional vampires are lurking everywhere and wear many different disguises--from needy relatives to workplace bullies. Whether they do so intentionally or not, these people can make us feel overwhelmed, depressed, defensive, angry, and wiped out.

Without the self-defense strategies to fend them off, victims of emotional vampires sometimes develop unhealthy behaviors and symptoms, such as overeating, isolating, mood swings, or feeling fatigued.

Here are five types of emotional vampires you're likely to encounter, and some "silver bullet" tips for fending them off.


Type #1: The Narcissist. This vampire is grandiose, self-important, attention hogging, and hungry for admiration. She is often charming and intelligent--until her guru status is threatened.

Self-defense tips: Enjoy her good qualities, but keep your expectations realistic. Because her motto is "me-first," getting angry or stating your needs won't phase her. To get her cooperation, show how your request satisfies her self-interest.


Type #2: The Victim. This vampire thinks the world is against him, and demands that others rescue him.

Self-defense tips: Don't be his therapist, and don't tell him to buck up. Limit your interactions, and don't get involved in his self-pity.


Type #3: The Controller. This vampire has an opinion about everything, thinks he knows what's best for you, has a rigid sense of right and wrong, and needs to dominate.

Self-defense tips: Speak up and be confident. Don't get caught up in bickering over the small stuff. Assert your needs, and then agree to disagree.


Type #4: The Criticizer. This vampire feels qualified to judge you, belittle you, and bolster her own ego by making you feel small and ashamed.

Self-defense tips: Don't take what she says personally. Address a misplaced criticism directly. Don't get defensive. Express appreciation for what's useful. Bounce back with a massive dose of loving-kindness.


Type #5: The Splitter. This vampire may treat you like his BFF one day, and then mercilessly attack you the next day when he feels wronged. He is often a threatening rageaholic who revels in keeping others on an emotional rollercoaster.

Self-defense tips: Establish boundaries and be solution-oriented. Avoid skirmishes, refuse to take sides, and avoid eye contact when he's raging at you. Visualize a protective shield around you when you're being emotionally attacked.


By Judith Orloff, MD

(Adapted from the new book, Emotional Freedom)


Judith Orloff, MD (www.judithorloff.com), is an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA. Her new book, upon which these tips are based, is Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself from Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life (Harmony Books, 2009, $24.95), on The New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers lists.

Say yes to this year’s Halloween party! The Sports Club/LA offers advice on how to look good and feel comfortable in that sexy little Halloween costume. These simple tips can point you in the right direction for your trick-or-treating excursion as you go from pumpkin to princess!

Here are the top 5 tips to help you slim down before the big day:


*  Find a partner: If you are trying to cut calories and lose weight, do it with a friend, family member or co-worker. You’re twice as likely to stick to your healthy choices when you have someone to be accountable to. If no one you know is cutting calories it’s easy to find a diet BFF using a free service like bluepont.com.


*  Read Packaged Food Labels: Labels don’t lie. You’ll be amazed to find out that a tiny bottle of OJ really has 2.5 servings or 20 grams of sugar. Vow to swear off any packaged food whose first four ingredients you don’t recognize.


*  Watch Your Sleep Schedule: Often dieters consume more between Saturday and Sunday than they do during the entire week. What’s the cure for weekend splurges? Set your alarm. Don’t oversleep, and don’t forget about breakfast so you won’t overcompensate with a large lunch or larger dinner.


*  Dust Off Your Stove: Most diners grossly underestimate calories and fat consumed at restaurants. Challenge yourself to cooking a healthy calorie –conscious meal instead. Cook at home just three days a week and you could lose a pound a week.


*  Invent Incentives: There’s motivation, and then there’s motivation. Put aside cash for every pound you lose, use the money to treat yourself to a manicure or earmark it for a favorite charity. Maybe buy a teeny bikini and hang it on your refrigerator.


About The Sports Club/LA


An innovative leader in the fitness industry since 1979, The Sports Club Company develops, owns and operates luxury sports and fitness complexes on both coasts. The Sports Club/LA members have their choice of a one-club membership or a Bicoastal membership, which allows the member the use of The Sports Club/LA in Los Angeles, The Sports Club/LA in Beverly Hills, The Sports Club/LA in New York, The Sports Club/LA in Washington DC, The Sports Club/LA in Boston, The Sports Club/LA in San Francisco, The Sports Club/LA in Orange County, The Sports Club/LA in Miami, as well as Reebok Sports Club/NY.  For further information on The Sports Club/LA and/or the self empowerment classes, please visit www.thesportsclubla.com.

While Americans celebrate the fall harvest with pumpkin pies, soups, pastas and more, participating IHOP restaurants nationwide are observing the season by serving their popular pumpkin pancakes again this month. Although the family-friendly restaurant chain does not share its secret recipe, which includes real pumpkin and seasonal spices, IHOP is offering tips for everyone to enjoy perfect pumpkin pancakes this fall:


·  The batter – Start with your favorite pancake batter recipe and simply add canned pumpkin pie mix.

·  Water temperature – When preparing dry pancake mix, it is essential that the water is chilled to less than 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Use ice to bring the temperature of the water down.

·  Lumps are good – Do not over mix the pancake batter. Small lumps of flour are what make pancakes tall and fluffy.

·  Grill temperature – Use a 350-degree grill and make sure there are no hot or cold spots that can affect cooking time.

·  Cook time – The appearance is how you judge when a pancake is ready. When dropping the pancake batter, watch for bubbles to form and for the batter to have a dull appearance. This takes approximately 2.5 minutes. After flipping, cook approximately 2 minutes.


IHOP tops its pumpkin pancakes with creamy whipped topping.

Pumpkin pancakes will be available at participating IHOP locations throughout October in stacks of four (or two if part of a combo meal). Guests can also enjoy Trick or Treat All-You-Can-Eat buttermilk pancakes during the entire month October. In observance of Halloween, IHOP will offer free Scary Face Pancakes for trick or treaters 12 and under from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Friday, October 29. The Scary Face Pancake includes an oversized signature buttermilk pancake, served with crushed Oreo cookies, candy corn and whipped cream on the side to allow guests to customize their own Halloween hotcakes.

For more information or to find an IHOP restaurant near you, please visit http://www.ihop.com/. Become a fan of IHOP on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ihop.

Fun fact: Pumpkins are widely regarded as vegetables, but are technically fruits. Early American settlers made pumpkin pies (of sorts) by making stewed pumpkins or by filling a hollowed out shell with milk, honey and spices, and then baking it in hot ashes. It’s actually a myth that the first Thanksgiving had a present-day pumpkin pie, as there was no baked crust since ovens to bake pies were not available at that time.


Here's your freebie - click the image for details:



ABOUT IHOP


For 52 years, the IHOP family restaurant chain has served its world famous pancakes and a wide variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner items that are loved by people of all ages. IHOP offers its guests an affordable, everyday dining experience with warm and friendly service. The first IHOP opened in Toluca Lake, Calif. in 1958, and as of and as of June 30, 2010, there were 1,476 IHOPs in 50 states and the District of Columbia, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. IHOP restaurants are franchised and operated by Glendale, Calif.-based International House of Pancakes, LLC and its affiliates. International House of Pancakes, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of DineEquity, Inc. (NYSE: DIN).

Before the fall wind blows trick-or-treaters to your front door, make the most of the season with a few simple projects that your kids will love and you will too. They're easy, fun and very affordable. All it takes is a little imagination and a few things you already have around the house to transform your home into Halloween central.

"Halloween can be so much fun, especially if you involve the kids," says Paintideas.com blogger Angie Stinner. "Painting pumpkins or creating simple crafts to decorate your home doesn't take much time and can be done on a shoestring budget. It's a great way to share some quality time before the busy holiday season."

Here are a few easy, affordable projects from Angie's Halloween bag of treats:


* Go batty - Create adorable beverage can bats to hang on your porch or anywhere in your home. Just rinse a few empty beverage cans with soap and water and allow to fully dry. Remove the ring that's attached to each can and bend the can slightly at the middle. Then, in a well-ventilated area like a garage with an open door, lay out old newspaper or an old sheet and spray several light coats of Rust-Oleum Universal Gloss Black spray paint onto each can and allow them to dry for 24 hours.

Once the can has dried, glue bat wings to the sides of the can, teeth to the drinking area on the can, eyes to the top of the can just above the drinking hole and bat ears to the outer ring of the can (right above the eyes). The wings, teeth, eyes and ears can be found at your local craft store or you can make them yourself from foam or construction paper. Glue a piece of fishing line to the can, allow the glue to dry and then unwind a paper clip and tie the other end of the fishing line to the paper clip to hang. Leave this "welcome bat" plain, or use orange puffy paint to write a fun Halloween message.


* "Trick" their treats - Don't send your little ghost or goblin out with an ordinary treat container when it's so easy to personalize it to reflect their Halloween style. Recycle the old plastic pumpkin they used the year before and transform it into something unique and special with spray paint. Try Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch Ultra Cover 2X. It is available in a rainbow of colors to coordinate with any costume. Try a color like Grape or Berry Pink for your little princess or ballerina. Do you have a Shrek in the family? Try a color like Key Lime or Green Apple for their carrier. Once the plastic pumpkins are painted, let the kids decorate them using markers, puffy paint, stickers or stick-on jewels and they're ready for a night full of candy goodness.


* Instant messaging - Leave the carving knife in the kitchen drawer and try a new twist on pumpkin decorating. Buy a pumpkin or two at the supermarket or farm stand, clean it well to remove dirt and debris and paint it with Rust-Oleum Chalkboard Paint. Spray paint it traditional black - or brush on one of 14 colors in the chalkboard palette with a foam brush. Remember to "scuff" up the pumpkin with the rounded edge of the chalk - then write messages to your kids throughout the season. The paint preserves the pumpkin, so you can have some Halloween fun right through Thanksgiving.


Looking for more inspiration or Halloween ideas? Visit http://www.blogger.com/www.paintideas.comor www.facebook.com/RustOleum.