OOEY-GOOEY, TOASTY-GHOSTLY, INDOOR S'MORE RECIPE

MY FAVORITE INDOOR S'MORES RECIPE! 

(Because y'all know I hate camping)

What you'll need:

Marshmallows (I've been thinking about trying the caramel apple ones for this, too)
1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 box of graham crackers
2 Hershey chocolate bars
1 bottle of your favorite Halloween sprinkles (Mine are ghosts from Home Goods!)

1 baking sheet
1 small pot
1 rubber spatula
Aluminum Foil
Wax Paper
1 Plate
*This recipe yields approximately one dozen S'mores*

STEP 1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. While you're waiting, pull out a baking pan and line it with foil.
You can use Pam for good measure, but its not necessary


STEP 2

Carefully, I repeat, carefully break the grams in half. Save any casualties/scraps for later.
 Place them as you go roughly an inch apart on the baking sheet.


STEP 3

Dress half of the graham crackers with marshmallows and the other half with 2 blocks from the Hershey's chocolate bar.
I give the marshmallows a little squeeze before putting them on so they don't roll.


STEP 4

The oven should be preheated by now. Stick those puppies in and stand by.
I'm telling you based on personal experience, don't walk away!
You can expect to let these bake for approximately 3-5 minutes.

STEP 5

Once the marshmallows have a golden color pull them out and set them on the stove. Save the lined baking tray to use again later.

*Burnt S'mores? If you like your campfire marshmallows extra toasty, don't worry. They still taste great dipped in chocolate! 

STEP 6

Sandwich the S'mores together and place them on a plate.

Once plated, stick them in the freezer for 5 minutes.

STEP 7

While the S'mores are cooling in the freezer, melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips.

I don't have a double boiler so I simply turn the stove on low and continuously stir the chocolate until it is melted.

*Again, don't walk away. Burn't marshmallows are okay but burnt chocolate? Gross.

STEP 8

 Line the baking sheet with wax paper and transfer the S'mores from the plate back to the tray.

Next, dip your S'mores into the chocolate. I typically only dip half of the S'more in.

A rubber spatula will help you stop the chocolate from dripping.


STEP 9

Use the plate from the freeze to put sprinkles on.
Finally, roll the S'mores in the sprinkles and wah-lah!

*Above you can see how in Step 8 I used the broken pieces for tiny dipping sticks.

STEP 10

Place the S'mores sprinkle side down on the wax paper and put them back in the freezer to cool for approximately 10 minutes. 

STEP 11

Grab your favorite Halloween Plate.


STEP 12

Pull out your S'mores and plate them.

STEP 13

Enjoy!
Warning: these are messy! Use a napkin to avoid crumbs and sprinkles everywhere.
Place any leftovers back in the fridge.


Have a favorite Halloween recipe? Share it with me below!

A FEW OF MY FAVORITE SCARY THINGS

Warts on witch noses,
And vampires once bitten,
Shiny crucifix metals,
And spell-books handwritten,
Evil black bats flapping their wings,
These are a few of my favorite things.

Hey y'all! Today I am sharing a list of my favorite Halloween things. 
I feel like Oprah! Except I'm tiny and pale and not giving you anything for free.
Anyway-
Initially, I hesitated to create this post because I like to keep an enigmatic glow surrounding my Halloween decor. I believe it's more magical for those who see it in person to wonder where I acquired my five foot Vintage "BEWARE" marquee instead of telling you I got it at Pottery Barn (totally a Phoebe Friends moment, see clip below ). 

And then I remembered- I'm sharing these items with you, my beloved reader! So after a quick change in heart, I'm delighted and excited to reveal to you my most prized Halloween decorations this year.

Sidebar rant: Every time I pin an item on Pinterest, for instance a bejeweled skull replica or a golden fly ashtray, I follow the link only to find out that it no longer exists.
@%&$#*!!!
There's no worse pain.
In the list I provided, you will find the item, price, and website or location included.
No more shouting obscenities at the computer for crushing your dark dreams.
It might grow as I continue to shop so check back periodically.

Enjoy shopping!

TWINKLY THINGS
CREEPY SPIDER STRING LIGHTS

WEBSITE

Where can I buy it?
Pottery Barn
How much does it cost?
$34.50

PRE-LIT CANDELABRA

WEBSITE

Where can I buy it?

Pier 1
How much does it cost?
$69.95

HOCUS POCUS NEON SIGN

WEBSITE

Where can I buy it?
grandinroad
How much does it cost?
$69



CLASSIC THINGS

FRANKENSTEIN COLLECTION

 WEBSITE

Where can I buy it?
World Market
How much does it cost?
$3.99 - $20.96

DRACULA NAPKINS

Where can I buy it?
TJ Maxx
How much does it cost?
$3.99

SPOOKY THINGS

EYE-BALL ORBS

WEBSITE

Where can I buy it?
grandinroad
How much does it cost?
$29

BUTTERFLY HALLOWEEN WREATH 

WEBSITE

 Where can I buy it?
grandinroad
How much does it cost?
$39
(Also available in bats)

 HAUNTED SEANCE BOARD

WEBSITE

 Where can I buy it?

Spirit Halloween

How much does it cost?

$39.00

(Plachette moves)

ADORABLE THINGS

Howl-O-Ween Pirate Pup

WEBSITE

 Where can I buy it?

Pier 1
How much does it cost?
$16.95

HALLOWEEN FABRIC BIRDS

WEBSITE

 Where can I buy it?

Target
How much does it cost?
$5
(Also available in Phantom outfit)




PRETTY THINGS

TEAL PUMPKIN 

WEBSITE

 Where can I buy it?

Pottery Barn
How much does it cost?
$24.50

SKULL ON STAND

WEBSITE

 Where can I buy it?

Pottery Barn
How much does it cost?
$99

 TEAL HALLOWEEN DOORMAT

WEBSITE

Where can I buy it?

Pier 1
How much does it cost?
$19.95

SMALL DECORATIVE WHITE PUMPKIN

WEBSITE

 Where can I buy it?
Target
How much does it cost?
$7.99

DESCALED BUTTERFLY ANATOMY

WEBSITE

 Where can I buy it?
Bugs Under Glass
How much does it cost?
$65
(I've purchased from these guys before, exquisite work!)

I can't wait to have some of these items in my home! Remember to check back to see what other curiosities I have found in my travels.
Do you have a favorite Halloween decoration or store? Something pretty or something twinkly?  Tell me about it below!

VIDEO RENTAL STORES: HOW PLASTIC CASES MOLDED MY CHILDHOOD, AN EXCERPT

One of my favorite scenes in my story is when P goes to the video rental store.

In the 90's, my childhood revolved around movie rentals and late fees (sorry mom). When I decided my character P would pay a visit to her local video store, happy memories flooded me.


My brother, John, and I watching movies.

On Fridays after school my family and I would jump into our wood-paneled mini-van and rush down to West Coast Video, a chain located in Olympia shopping center in Pittsburgh. As we entered, the bell would ding behind us and we'd split in different directions: my parents to the new releases, my brother to comedies, and me, of course, to horror. I'd stroll through the two long aisles scrutinizing the pictures while fantasizing about which I'd like to take home (and wondering what the adult section hidden in the backroom was). My hands would graze over each plastic case, hoping someday I'd be able to pop one into my VCR.

In my chapter book, P and her brother Felix ask their father to rent a R-rated movie. P's father decides as long as their mother doesn't find out, it'd be okay with his discretion. Just like P, I daydreamed about what it would be like to take home "Night of the Demons" or "Hellraiser".


IMAGE

Finally, the summer of 1997 rolled in and changed my life forever. My close friend and neighbor had just returned from camp.
The phone rang.
"Guess what?" I heard at the other end of the line. It was Chrissy.
"What?" I asked anxiously.
"My older cousins let me watch "Scream," she responded.
My mouth dropped to the floor and my blood boiled with envy.
"Awesome" I said quickly, "I gotta go."

I hung up the phone and spent the rest of the summer begging my mom to let me watch the slasher-flick too.
"Chrissy already saw it" I reminded her, "She'll tell me everything anyway. You may as well just let me watch it."
After what seemed like a short eternity of relentlessness pleading, my mom gave in. That night, the neighborhood girls gathered together for a sleepover to watch it.
I'll never forget the feeling I had knowing we had an R-rated video in our possession. It was like having a chest full of gold in our basement.



P feels the same titillation after returning home from the video store.
Below is an excerpt where P shares her selections with her brother, Felix, on Halloween weekend--




The kids then examine P's choices:



Although video stores are long gone, they have a permanent place in my heart. 

Thank you to the neighborhood gang for sharing a wonderful and gory childhood with me.
What were your fondest childhood movie memories or favorite videos to rent?