Hi Everyone!  October’s Halloween class was a lot of fun and VERY creepy!  I first greeted everyone with a Halloween T-shirt that I created in My Digital Studio and printed out on a transfer that I ironed to a white T-shirt.  For my very first try at this, I thought it turned out pretty good.  Watch for more of these in the future!  Here is a picture of the front and back of my shirt – way cool!

Here is the back:

Next, everyone was greeted with spooky spiders and mice and rats – creepy, right?

Ok, you really just want to see what we did!  Here are our projects.  We made this cute Halloween card using the Bootiful Occasions stamp set on Page 50 in the new catalog:

Then we made these cute little treat bags from the Ghoulish Googlies Designer Kit Bundle found on Page 27 in the Holiday Mini Catalog.  It is a KIT that contains 10 glassine treat bags, labels, googlie eye and Baker’s twine.  We ran the glassine treat bags through embossing folders to give them a design:

And lastly, we created a cute witch treat holder using our cellophane 1-8 bags, the Top Note die, the stocking Builder punch and the fabulous Designer Rosette Bigz XL die – it turned out TOO CUTE!

Here is a closer look at the top:

Thanks to Ellen who brought me with a beautiful purple mum.  And thanks to Joani who brought me one of her homemade candles (which smells divine) and also made us all snickerdoodle cupcakes.  She shared the recipe, so I’m also sharing that with you below!  I also have the casserole from Sue below that, and the recipe for the fabulous stuffed peanut butter cookies from the Christmas Stamp-A-Stack that were soooo yummy and low-cal – NOT!  LOL!

Here is the recipe for the Snickerdoodle Cupcakes (from FamilyCircle.com):

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes and Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

Makes 22 to 24 cupcakes and 3 1/2 cups of frosting

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-capacity cupcake pans with paper liners.
2. Combine 1 box (18.25 ounces) white cake mix, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup (1 stick) melted unsalted butter, 3 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down side of bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping side again if needed. Using a standard ice cream scoop, fill each liner two-thirds full.
3. Bake cupcakes at 350 degrees F until they are golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool cupcakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes.
4. Remove cupcakes directly to the wire racks and cool completely, 30 minutes more. Meanwhile, place 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened unsalted butter in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, or until fluffy. Stop the mixer and add 3 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Blend with mixer on low until sugar is incorporated, 1 minute. Increase speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 1 minute more. Blend in up to 1 additional tablespoon milk if frosting seems too stiff. Spread onto cooled cupcakes.
CHICKEN & ASPARAGUS CASSEROLE from Sue Thornton:

Serves 6-8 guests:

6 oz. cooked chicken (I use Perdue diced/cooked chicken strips)

4 large eggs

2/3 cup half and half

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1/2 tsp. garlic

1 small onion, diced

1 fresh bunch of asparagus (chopped)

8 oz. grated cheddar cheese

8 oz. Swiss or Guyere cheese

Optional:  4 oz. of shredded carrot to add color.

Mix above ingredients in bowl and pour into a 9×9 greased casserole pan.  Bake for 40 minutes at 350 or until knife comes out clean.  I also use this as a quiche recipe and pour it into an unbaked piecrust and bake for approx 1 hour.  Serve with fresh fruit.

Colleen’s Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies:

DOUGH:

2 cups flour

1-1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 Tsp. salt

1 cup unsalted butter, room temp.

2 cups creamy peanut butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla flavoring

FILLING:

6 ounces cream cheese, room temp.

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cut confectioner’s sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350, line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. In large bowl beat butter, peanut butter, and both sugars with mixer until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Gently fold into flour mixture until just incorporated.
4. Roll rounded tablespoons of dough into balls and place on prepared baking sheet.  Flatten slightly with fork dipped in sugar (croscrossed).  Bake 14 minutes.  Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes.
5. For filling, beat all ingredients together until creamy.  Spread 1 tablespoon filling between 2 cookies.

(Tip:  I use crunchy peanut butter in dough & filling.  I also use 8 oz of cream cheese (whole brick) and increase peanut butter & sugar slightly.)

Well that wraps up this lengthy but yummy and creepy post!

Stampin’ Hugs!

~ Gail