Happy Halloween!

Hi Friends,

May your Halloween be filled with Fun, Magic, Memories and Great Design.

Happy Halloween from your friends at Interior Design!

Your kind contribution will allow us to continue sharing great, no cost and cost saving ideas for your space. Click the "Donate" button below to make a contribution. Thank you!

Live well,
Yvonne

Ways to Use Leftover Halloween Candy

Courtesy of Allie Holcomb King

Happy Halloween Friends,

Expect to be Drowning in Halloween candy? Here's a solution...

Ah, leftover Halloween candy! It’s great — until you realize you’ve singlehandedly consumed an entire bag in less than 24 hours and, in fact, have no semblance of self-control remaining. Then, my friends, it comes time to make a plan for that candy. So, when the chocolate temptation is too much to bear and your self-control is waning, try one of these 15 ideas.

Use different varieties of crushed Halloween candy as creative toppings for the featured Homemade Candy Apples. The tasty treats are perfect for a fall party or get-together.

Make It: Candy Apples

Candy Cake

Jackie Alpers

You can whip up this dessert in a snap by using a store-bought cake and icing. If you’d rather make it from scratch, bake the cake in advance to give it time to cool. Either way, frost the cake yourself to create a sticky surface. Then, cover it in leftover candies.

Candy Bar + Bacon Rolls


Yes, you read that right. Candy bars pair with bacon and crescent rolls to make these irresistible delicacies.

Make It: Candy Bar + Bacon Rolls

Candy Garlands

Brian Patrick Flynn

String colorful candies on ribbon or string to make decorative garlands to hang around the house. The kids will love seeing the project displayed.

Candy Jewelry

Brian Patrick Flynn

Create yummy bracelets and necklaces with candy and string. Consider using the handmade jewelry as a teaching tool. Have your kids wear them for a spelling bee or math game, and let them eat a piece of candy each time they get an answer correct.

Thanksgiving Snack Mix

Believe it or not, Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Stash some Halloween candy to make this adorable snack-mix station when the upcoming holiday rolls around.

Make It: Thanksgiving Snack Mix

Donate It


This is a great way to see off every last piece while helping others. Consider donating your unopened candy to organizations like Operation Shoebox, Operation Gratitude or Ronald McDonald House Charities. You can also call local soup kitchens, homeless shelters and nursing homes to see if they accept candy.

Gummy Worm Margaritas

H. Camille Smith

Use gummy worms for this tasty twist on the classic margarita. Your inner kid will rejoice.

Make It: Gummy Worm Margaritas

Chocolate Candy Pie

Matt Armendariz

Gather all your chocolate candies to make this delectable chocolate pie. If you have loads of candy, make a couple of extra pies to share with friends.

Make It: Chocolate Candy Pie

Candy Bar Cookies


Rich and decadent, these cookies are a chocolate-lover’s dream. Simply chop up Halloween candy, and fold it in the homemade batter before baking.

Make It: Candy Bar Cookies

Bon Appétit...

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Live well,
Yvonne

Olive Tapenade Recipe

Courtesy of Annette Joseph
Debroah Whitlaw Llewellyn
"I used a wooden sculpture as the serving platter for this appetizer," says Annette Joseph. "It had been hanging on the wall of my guest room, and when I thought about how to serve this simple dish in an interesting way, it seemed a great answer to my problem. Find your own interesting serving plate to dress up any appetizer recipe."

Happy Halloween Friends,

Expecting guests? Everyone will love this savory Kalamata olive and feta cheese dip on crunchy, toasted crostinis that you can whip up in just a few minutes.

Ingredients

For Olive Tapenade:

• 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives
• 3 garlic cloves
• 3 tablespoons good-quality olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

For Crostini:

• 1 French bread baguette
• 1/3 cup olive oil

Instructions

For Olive Tapenade:
In a food processor, combine the olives, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper and pulse for 30 seconds. Add the lemon juice and pulse for an additional 30 seconds. Stir in the feta cheese.

For Crostini:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice the baguette diagonally into 3/4"-thick slices and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush each slice on both sides with the olive oil and bake for 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Arrange the crostini on a platter along with a bowl or jar containing the olive tapenade.

Note: The olive tapenade may be made the day before the party and refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to serve. The crostini may be baked in the morning and stored in a large zip-top bag at room temperature until you are ready to serve.

Bon Appétit...

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Live well,
Yvonne

Curse of the Mummy Mushrooms Recipe

Courtesy of Beryl Cohen

Happy Halloween Friends,

Cremini mushrooms stuffed with walnuts, cream cheese and fresh herbs make the perfect Halloween party appetizer.

Yield: 20 mushrooms

Ingredients

• 20 large cremini mushrooms
• 3/4 pound spicy Italian sausage, removed from casings
• 1 small yellow onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
• 3 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
• 1 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large skillet, brown sausage and break into small chunks with a spoon. Drain sausage on a paper towel.
3. Add minced onion to skillet and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook until golden brown. Turn off heat.
4. Add cream cheese, parmesan cheese, spices, walnuts, sausage, and fresh herbs. Mix together until well combined.
5. Stuff mushrooms so the stuffing is piled high.
6. Bake until golden brown.
7. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves.

Bon Appétit...

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Live well,
Yvonne

Halloween Cupcakes in a Jar

Courtesy of Glory Albin

Happy Halloween Friends,

Perfect to take on the road to holiday parties, school events and more, these Halloween treats look as good on a table as they do on the go.

Materials Needed:

• 1/2 pint canning jars (16)
• chocolate cake mix (or a from-scratch recipe)
• white frosting
• piping bag with large swirl tip (1M)
• standard cupcake pan with liners
• orange food coloring
• brown or black sprinkles

Bake and Cut Cupcakes

Layering cupcakes or desserts in a jar is such a great way to add some pizzazz to an individual serving of dessert. They make great gifts or party favors and are easy to transport. Start by baking a regular chocolate cake recipe in standard cupcake liners. Once the cupcakes are baked and cooled, remove the paper liners and cut the cupcakes in half horizontally.

Decorate in Jars to Go

Prepare a batch of frosting and add orange food coloring. Fill a piping bag fitted with a large tip 2/3 full with icing. You could also simply fill (2/3 full) a large plastic zip-top bag, and cut off one corner.

Layer the cupcakes and frosting in clean jars, starting with a cupcake half, then frosting, until there are three layers of cupcake, and three layers of frosting. Top with sprinkles if desired. Serve jars open, or top with lid.



Bon Appétit...

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Live well,
Yvonne

Learn How to Safely Use Dry Ice This Halloween

Courtesy of Sam Henderson

Happy Halloween Friends,

Dry ice is a great way to kick up the fear factor for Halloween. Learn how to safely handle it and cool ways to use it.

Dry ice adds an extra spooky element to your Halloween decor. The gentle drift of chilly fog gives the feeling that something very scary is just around the corner — but using dry ice doesn’t have to be scary. With the right tools and careful handling, you can safely create Halloween magic.

For safe handling of dry ice, use:

• hammer
• screwdriver or chisel
• tongs
• tray
• safety goggles (recommended)

Use the hammer and chisel or screwdriver to break the block of dry ice into workable pieces. Break it up on a tray with a rim to stop the pieces from scattering too far. Keep the broken pieces in the freezer until ready to use.

Things to consider:

• Dry ice is actually the solid form of carbon dioxide. It's called 'dry ice' because it doesn't melt like frozen water; instead, it converts into carbon dioxide gas as it breaks down.
  
  
• Much colder than water ice, contact with dry ice will, within seconds, cause burns at the site of contact.
  
  
• Carbon dioxide gas is heavier than air, causing it to sink to the floor. A high concentration of this gas reduces the available oxygen in the air and can cause breathing problems for pets and small children so only use dry ice in a well-ventilated area. When in doubt, keep pets safely away from the area.
  
  
• Before handling, cover yourself appropriately with long sleeves and long pants.
  
  
• NEVER touch dry ice with bare hands, always use tongs.
  
  
• NEVER ingest dry ice or let it touch your lips or the interior of your mouth.

Fun Dry Ice Ideas



Keep It Cool: Add a smaller serving bowl to a larger serving bowl with about an inch of space between the two. Fill the inside bowl with punch. Place small pieces of dry ice between the two bowls. Just before serving pour warm water between the two bowls to activate the dry ice.



Creepy Cocktails: Drop a small piece of dry ice into a cocktail before serving. The dry ice cannot be ingested, but it sinks to the bottom so small sips are okay while it's still present. However, guests should be cautioned to not drink the dry ice or wait until it has melted fully before drinking.



Spooky Jack-O'-Lanterns: Place a small, shallow bowl or dish inside a carved pumpkin. Add warm water to the dish to activate the dry ice.



Double, Double Toil and Trouble: Make a mound of small sticks and orange mini-lights. Place a black kettle or cauldron on the sticks. Place a bowl inside the kettle and several pieces of dry ice. Pour warm water over the dry ice to activate it.

Trick or Treat...

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Your kind contribution will allow us to continue sharing great, no cost and cost saving ideas for your space. Click the "Donate" button below to make a contribution. Thank you!

Live well,
Yvonne

Quick and Easy Halloween Jack-O'-Snacks

Courtesy of Layla Palmer

Happy Halloween Friends,

Treat small Halloween guests to a snack size cup of pudding that looks like a mini jack-o'-lantern. They're a snap to make so the kids can even help whip them up before gobbling them up.

Materials Needed:

• 1 box vanilla instant pudding (makes 3 treats)
• 2 cups cold milk (per box of pudding)
• mixing bowl
• wire whisk
• disposable clear punch cups
• black permanent marker
• snack-size candy bars (to act as the pumpkin's stem)
• red food coloring

Make and Tint Pudding


For every 3 treats, mix two cups of cold milk with one box of vanilla instant pudding and whisk together for 2 minutes (Image 1). To turn the pudding orange, add 5 drops of red food coloring and mix well (Image 2). Tip: If making multiple batches at once, increase the amount of food coloring accordingly (5 drops/box of pudding). Let pudding stand for an additional 5 minutes to firm.

Add Jack-'O-Lantern Faces and Fill Cups


Use a black permanent marker to draw a sinister, sad or happy jack-o'-lantern face onto the front of each punch cup (Image 1). Carefully scoop pudding into cups and insert a snack-size candy bar into the center of each to act as a stem (Image 2).

Bon Appétit...

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Live well,
Yvonne

Salty and Sweet Halloween Snacks

Photography by Matt Armandariz
Courtesy of HGTV

Happy Halloween Friends,

Fill kids' trick-or-treat bags or delight Halloween party guests with our quick-and-easy recipes for salty and sweet snacks. The featured Salted Caramel Popcorn Balls are great to gather the ghouls to enjoy this tasty update on the seasonal favorite.

Get the recipe: Salted Caramel Popcorn Balls

Marshmallow Popcorn Balls

CookingChannelTV.com

Sweet, gooey, salty and crunchy, this popcorn ball recipe has a little something for everyone.

Get the recipe: Marshmallow Popcorn Balls

Snack Bar Chocolate Chip Cookies

Claudia Sidoti

These chewy cookies are endlessly customizable to suit your mood. Add any combination of nuts, candy or dried fruit. The potato chips add a salty finish that really works for those who love the sweet and salty combination.

Get the recipe: Snack Bar Madness Chocolate Chip Cookies

Maple-Nut Popcorn

Kelsey Nixon

Savory, sweet and crunchy, this fall favorite really satisfies with pure maple syrup, mixed nuts and a kick from cayenne pepper.

Get the recipe: Maple-Nut Popcorn Recipe

Apricot Dark Chocolate Trail Mix

Sarah Copeland

With dried fruit, toasted nuts and dark chocolate, this healthy treat is actually as good for you as it tastes.

Get the recipe: Apricot Dark Chocolate Trail Mix Recipe

Sweet and Spicy Popcorn Snack Mix

Andrea Albin

With lemon zest, cayenne pepper, and chili powder, this popcorn packs a lot of flavor into very little prep time.

Get the recipe: Sweet and Spicy Popcorn Snack Mix

Bon Appétit...

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Live well,
Yvonne

Halloween Treat: Mummy Cupcakes Recipe

Rennai Hoefer
Courtesy of Kim Stoegbauer

Happy Halloween Friends,

Surprise your favorite ghouls and ghosties with this sweet Halloween treat that's fun to make and even more fun to eat. They're easy enough to whip up that the kids can even help with the mixing, baking and decorating.

Ingredients:

• chocolate cake mix
• black cupcake liners
• vanilla frosting
• white fondant
• candy eyes
• pizza cutter/knife

Instructions:

1. Prepare cupcakes according to package directions and bake in black cupcake liners. Remove from oven and allow cupcakes to cool completely.
   
   
2. Top each cupcake with a thin layer of vanilla frosting. Roll out fondant to about the thickness of a fettuccine noodle. Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut it into 1/4" wide strips.
   
   
3. Place fondant strips on top of the cupcake, layering the pieces as you go to resemble the look of a mummy's bandages.
   
   
4. When you're happy with the bandaged look, use a knife or kitchen scissors to cut off any extra fondant. Use your fingers to press the fondant layers and vanilla frosting together around the edges.
5. Finally, add candy eyes.

These chocolate cupcakes frosted with vanilla frosting and topped with sweet googly eyes are not only cute but delicious!

Bon Appétit...

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Live well,
Yvonne

Pumpkin Spice Halloween Punch Recipe

Courtesy of Liz Gray

Happy Halloween Friends,

Pumpkin pie spice and apple cider lend autumnal flavor to this Halloween take on classic sangria. Serve in a hollowed-out pumpkin for a dramatic presentation.

Ingredients

• 2 honeycrisp apples
• 2 pears
• 1 orange
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, or more to taste
• 1 cup bourbon
• 3 cups apple cider
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 2 bottles pinot grigio, chilled
• 1 pumpkin, for serving (optional)

Directions

Thinly slice apples, pears and oranges lengthwise, then place in a large bowl. Coat with lemon juice to prevent browning. Add honey, brown sugar, bourbon, apple cider and pumpkin pie spice, stirring gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours, or overnight. Top with chilled pinot grigio and serve.

For Serving

Serve in a pitcher or punch bowl, or give the punch extra Halloween flavor by serving inside a Jack O' Lantern. Cut a circle in the top of a large pumpkin, then completely remove seeds and pulp. Fill with fruit and punch, then enjoy!

Tip: Decorate the exterior of pumpkin using a silver paint marker. Here, the cocktail name lets guests know what's inside.



Cheers...

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Live well,
Yvonne

Zombie Slime Shooters Halloween Cocktail Recipe

Courtesy of Andrea Correale

Happy Halloween Friends,

"Blood slime" gives this fruity martini a creepy look that's perfect for Halloween gatherings.

Ingredients

For cocktail:

• 1 ounce vodka
• 1 ounce peach schnapps
• 1 ounce sour apple schnapps
• 1 ounce coconut rum
• 1 ounce sweet and sour mix

For blood slime:

• 3 tablespoons corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring

Rim Instructions

1. Mix corn syrup with red food coloring.
2. Dip the rim of martini glass into the mixture, and slowly spin the glass to coat it.
3. Turn the glass upright and the blood will begin to drip slightly. Set aside.

Cocktail Instructions

1. Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes.
2. Shake well and pour over ice cubes into slime-rimmed martini glass.

Cheers...

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Live well,
Yvonne

Smoking Skulls Halloween Cocktail Recipe

Courtesy of Andrea Correale

Happy Halloween Friends,

Dry ice chips make this tasty bourbon shot a smoking Halloween favorite.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce bourbon
• 1/2 ounce lime juice
• 1/4 ounce grenadine
• splash of Mountain Dew
• dry ice chips, for presentation (optional)

Note: Always observe dry ice safety measures: Never touch dry ice with bare skin and do not swallow.

Instructions

1. Pour bourbon, lime juice and grenadine into a shaker over ice.
2. Shake well and strain into shot glass.
3. Drop dry ice chips into shot glass and top with Mountain Dew.

Note: Dry ice chips will sink to the bottom of the shot glass. Do not swallow them, wait till dry ice has evaporated to consume the drink.

Cheers...

Check back for more great ideas from your friends at Interior Design!

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Live well,
Yvonne

Black Magic Halloween Cocktail Recipe

Courtesy of Andrea Correale

Happy Halloween Friends,

This deliciously layered cocktail blends together orange juice, triple sec and black vodka.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup ice
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 1/2 ounces black vodka
• 1/2 ounce triple sec
• orange wedge, for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add orange juice and triple sec over ice. Shake well, and strain into a glass.
   
   
2. Using the back of a spoon, pour black vodka slowly into a glass so that the vodka sits atop the orange juice and triple sec mix.
   
   
3. Carefully dip one edge of the orange wedge into the vodka for a spooky presentation, and sit the wedge on the rim of the glass.

Cheers...

Check back for more great ideas from your friends at Interior Design!

Your kind contribution will allow us to continue sharing great, no cost and cost saving ideas for your space. Click the "Donate" button below to make a contribution. Thank you!

Live well,
Yvonne