Halloween, finally an excuse to eat more sweets!

Halloween cupcake bites.  Cute little pumpkin, spider web, googly bloodshot eyeball and the bloody bone.

Many people think of candy when Halloween rolls around.  Me? Not so much.  I buy the kind of candy I would never eat.  Like gummy, sour stuff or candy bars with fillings or smarties or something. That way I won't eat any of it.  But then I go and create things like cupcake bites and all restraint goes out the window.  I think I have spoken of these lovely little morsels before.  I make a cake, crumble it and mix it with frosting.  (You can use any combo, but red velvet and cream cheese are hands down, my customer's favorites.)  Roll it into balls, chill and then dunk in chocolate, white chocolate or candy melts.  Then finish them off with many different types of decorations. I used fondant to make the eyes, chocolate covered sunflower seeds for the pumpkin stem, Wilton candy bones and Halloween sprinkles. Really the possibilities are endless!

I also turn to seasonal ingredients this time of year.  Like, pumpkin.  Kowalski's Market loved my samples and now they sell my Perfectly Pleasing Pumpkin Bread, in two flavors. Can't keep it on the shelves.  What a "perfectly pleasing" problem to have, right?

Cranberry pecan

Choco-chip

So, it is the day before Halloween and my kids have changed their minds on their costumes about 12 times.  I put my foot down and made them decide this afternoon.  The decisions are in.  And now, I am about to run around town looking for the details that we "have to have" to complete their costumes. Next time, I won't be so organized and demanding.  I will let them wait until about an hour before trick or treating to see what they are wearing.  At that point, they will scramble to find anything we have in the house.  Just like I did when I was young.
Except for that one year where my mom got creative and made me a present box.  The box was so big and the arm holes so small, I couldn't get past any kid who was running by, let alone ring any doorbells.    I ended up with very little candy and very big bruises on my arms.  Moms have the best intentions.

Next year, I will try not to be such a good mom. :)