Haiku of the Week

dry heat
thinking of October
summer pains

Recipe of the Month – November: Cranberry Crisp

Since November’s Friday falls on the day after Thanksgiving, I’m breaking my own rule and posting a recipe this week.

Let’s be honest, next to green bean casserole, cranberry sauce is the least desirable dish on the holiday table. I suspect that’s because it’s so plain. Well, I found a recipe that might spruce up the trimmings, thanks to the good people over at Gimme Some Oven and their recipe for Cranberry Crisp.

CranberryCrisp3 GimmeSomeOven — Photo **©GimmeSomeOven**

INGREDIENTS

CRANBERRY FILLING INGREDIENTS:

24 ounces (about 6 cups) fresh cranberries
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
zest of one orange

CRISPY OATMEAL TOPPING INGREDIENTS:

1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds, pistachios…you pick!)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup melted butter or coconut oil
1/4 cup flour (or almond meal)
pinch of salt and ground cinnamon

©GimmeSomeOven

For the full recipe and baking instructions, please go here: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/cranberry-crisp/

Now, instead of a boring side dish, you can serve a sweet and healthy dessert. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to really make it pop!

Sinister Saturdays – Pumpkin Pie Crumb Bars

Happy National Pumpkin Day!

Pumpkins are the most important element of the Halloween season. It is the symbol of Halloween itself. Pumpkin desserts have been getting a bad rap lately because of pricey, syrupy pumpkin spice drinks served at the coffee place that shall not be named, but pumpkins themselves are quite healthy, being high in potassium, vitamin C, fiber and antioxidants. So, remember to look up some creative ways to use leftover parts of your carved pumpkin this weekend.

Cooking Classy knows the perfect way to end the Halloween season with this fangtastic recipe for Pumpkin Pie Crumb Bars.

pumpkin_pie_crumb_bars13.

Ingredients (12 servings)

1 1/4 cups (176g) all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups (116g) quick oats (old fashioned works too)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup (105g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (110g) packed light-brown sugar
3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract

Pumpkin Pie Filling

1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (55g) packed-light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups (296g) canned pureed pumpkin
1/3 cup (85ml) evaporated milk or half and half
Sweetened whipped cream and cinnamon , for serving (optional)

For the full recipe and baking instructions, please go here: https://www.cookingclassy.com/pumpkin-pie-crumb-bars/

Spice up your Thanksgiving by serving these crumb bars instead of boring ole pumpkin pie. Your family will thank you.

Friday Fright Nightcaps – Frankenstein Cocktail

Today is the last Friday in October, which means it’s National Frankenstein Friday! Weary from the work week? Well, give your system a jolt with a spookalicious drink to kick off the last big weekend of the Halloween season. Miss Information teaches us that science can be fun with this freaky good Frankenstein Cocktail.

halloween-frankenstein-cocktail-gummy-eyeballs

Ingredient List

gummy eyeballs
ice
black sanding sugar
2 Shots Vodka
1 Shot Triple Sec
1 Shot Rose’s Lime Juice

For full mixing instructions, please go here: https://www.missinformationblog.com/halloween-cocktails/

halloween-frankenstein-cocktail-gummy-eyeballs-vertical

halloween-cocktails-drinks-frankenstein-FB-398x400

Hey all you scientists, if you prefer your monsters to be a little more green (or blue or purple or whatever), a dab of food coloring should help.

Wicked Art Wednesdays – William Basso

New Jersey native William Basso grew up in a home, surrounded by art, courtesy of his parents, who were both artists. After graduating with a degree in illustration from Parsons School of Design, he moved to California to work on special effects in the movie industry, lending his talents to such blockbusters as Jurassic Park, Terminator 2, Edwards Scissorhands.

Influenced by comics, horror and Renaissance and Eastern European art, his artwork is a combination of mixed media including drawing, sculpture, and photography, among others. Vivid in detail and heaving with emotion, Basso’s art tells stories though his character creations, not unlike something you’d find in a stage play.

Artist: William Basso
Where to Purchase Goods: Online store, gallery shows, specialty stores, and special events
Website: http://www.basso-art.com/
Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/williambasso_art/?hl=en and www.facebook.com/The-Art-of-William-Basso-207495642744549/

©William Basso

Why we love them: Basso’s ornate art usually incorporates light, pale or soft colors, which slowly draw viewers into his strange and creepy world, which is sometimes gruesome, but not jarring or in your face. It’s a subtle morbidness that allows our lingering curiosity to play out naturally.

“The Halloween Lady” ©William Basso

“Pumpkin Patch Goblin” ©William Basso

Poe Sundays

ALONE
by EDGAR ALLAN POE

From childhood’s hour I have not been
As others were; I have not seen
As others saw; I could not bring
My passions from a common spring.
From the same source I have not taken
My sorrow; I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone;
And all I loved, I loved alone.
Then — in my childhood, in the dawn
Of a most stormy life — was drawn
From every depth of good and ill
The mystery which binds me still:
From the torrent, or the fountain,
From the red cliff of the mountain,
From the sun that round me rolled
In its autumn tint of gold,
From the lightning in the sky
As it passed me flying by,
From the thunder and the storm,
And the cloud that took the form
(When the rest of Heaven was blue)
Of a demon in my view.

Wicked Art Wednesdays – Sam Heimer

Happy October! Kicking off Wicked Art Wednesdays this Halloween season with illustrator, designer, and master horror artist, Sam Heimer, who credits Edward Gorey, H.P. Lovecraft, and Alfred Hitchcock, among others, as early influences on his work. His art invokes the Halloween spirit with scenes of trick-or-treaters, skeletons, pumpkins, classic movie monsters, aliens, and Victorian and Steampunk themes, as well as film noir.

Artist: Sam Heimer
Where to Purchase Goods: Etsy shop, horror conventions, gallery shows, and special events
Website: https://samheimer.wordpress.com/ and https://www.etsy.com/market/sam_heimer
Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/sam_heimer/

Why we love them: Chances are you’ve come across Sam Heimer’s art before and a big part of the reason is he still takes custom orders. No, seriously, I’m not sure if you all understand how big an opportunity that is. From magazines to book covers, t-shirts to beer cans, Sam Heimer’s work is everywhere and Halloween fans are better for it. He smoothly blends horror with whimsical trick-or-treat scenes, reminding us just how thin the veil between innocence and evil is on Halloween night. If terrifying could be cute, it would be a Sam Heimer piece.

©Sam Heimer

Haiku of the Week – September 30

october shadows
jack-o’-lantern smiles
spooky season returns

halloween-glowing-pumpkins

Return to Spooky Season – Happy October

oct shadows

October 1st is only a few days away and it’s one big Halloween party all day, every day, around here. This season, I’m encouraging people to do two things, 1) be Green for Halloween, and 2) take the Halloween Pledge, a pledge to practice one old Halloween tradition and introduce a random new tradition into your celebrations this year.

Before I share the schedule of festivities coming in October, I have an exciting new development to report, Halloween Haiku has new message boards! You can access the forum by clicking on the spinning pumpkin on the right sidebar of the home page.

The forum hopefully will be a place where we can have a little fun together. There’s going to be Halloween trivia, scary movie trivia, along with random chat and silliness, and a special contest on Halloween Day.

Halloween 2019 Schedule

Monday Macabre

Every Monday, you’ll find spine-tingling haiku so scary, you’ll sleep with the light on

Tuesday Terror

Every Tuesday, we’ll be celebrating the best of horror cinema, dug up from the Hollywood Vaults

Wicked Art Wednesdays

Every Wednesday, I’ll be showcasing art from five of the most brilliant Halloween artists in the industry

Throwback Thursdays

Every Thursday, we’ll share in the memories of vintage Halloween and Halloween traditions

Friday Fright Nightcaps

Every Friday, you’ll find chilling adult cocktail recipes from the other side

Sinister Saturdays

Every Saturday, I’ll be serving up decadent desserts and savory Halloween recipes so sinful, you might need an exorcism on November 1st.

Poe Sundays

Grab a cup of tea, sit back, and read the chilling classics of the Master of the Macabre, Edgar Allan Poe

October 31^st – Halloween Haiku Challenge

On Halloween day, people will have the opportunity to post their own original, spooky haiku for a chance to win a prize bag, valued over $25 (more details to be announced).

31 Days of Halloween (on Social Media)

Instagram – Halloween Haiku Photo Challenge
Join us in posting cool pics to match the #HalloweenHaikuPhotoChallenge this October. Don’t worry about missing any days. It’s Halloween, you should be out having fun. You can post anytime, just remember to use: #HalloweenHaikuPhotoChallenge

Halloween Photo Challenge (1)

Twitterween
Halloween Haiku is a proud member of the Samhain Society, and I’ll be happily sharing the Halloween fun and festivities of my fellow community-goers. Everyone has been working so hard and I’m super stoked to join in the celebrations.

Pinterest
Check out our boards for more Halloween fun ideas and inspiration. We’ve got at least 5 new boards!

Wishing you all a fun, safe and memorable, haunting season!