Celebrating Halloween in your late 20s

I turned 27 last weekend and realized I am now considered in my late 2os. Aren't people supposed to be married and have kids by now? Well, that is what I thought growing up in a small town where that did happen very often and if that didn't happen to you, you were probably not coming back anyways.

I was never a party hardy gal in my early and mid 20s and this Halloween is no exception. We have been gearing up for the big day by carving pumpkins tonight and thawing ze sweess cheese for a fete de fondue Halloween night. I must be getting old if I have to break up my pumpkin carving session into two nights, or my dad did way more carving on my pumpkins than I remember as a little girl. (Probably the latter.) Our porch will host an eclectic bunch of orange globes: Yoda, Jack (from "The Nightmare before Christmas) and a happy monkey (I think :). Pictures will follow tomorrow due to one member of this household taking on a rather difficult design. (up a little and to the right)

Cleaning out pumpkin guts means eating roasted pumpkin seeds. Roast clean seeds on cookie sheet at 300F degrees for 30-45 minutes, until golden brown. Just as you are taking them out of the oven, quickly sprinkle salt or other seasoning so it melts and sticks to seeds. I was thinking it would be yummy with a spicy cajun seasoning too. Next year...

To relax after the grueling pumpkin carving I made my first batch of hot mulled cider of the year. Mulled cider is one of my favorite drinks during the holiday season and if I lived in a cold, wintery city I would probably make it everyday.

Marci's Mulled Apple Cider

Ingredients:

1/2 gallon good quality apple cider
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon whole allspice
3 cinnamon sticks
1/4 cup brown sugar

Add all ingredients to sauce pan and heat on medium high until gently boiling. Lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve in mug with cinnamon stick.

You may also combine the spices and tie them up in cheese cloth and add to hot cider.

A couple years ago for Christmas I bought glass jars and filled them with the mulled cider dry ingredients and recipe as gifts to friends and family. It turned out quite cute I might say.

So this Halloween will be a relaxing, belly filled with cheese kind of night. And hopefully with a few trick-or-treaters that we can greet and act frightened by their monster, witch, vampire costumes.

Still loving fall,

Marci