Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

Frighteningly Whimsical

The Art of John Zellner

A Healthy Dose of Macabre

The art of William Basso

Pumpkins, Ghouls and Monsters...Oh My!

Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze

The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze of Hudson Valley

and Sleepy Hollow

Cat Tales ~ Pumpkin Muffins

Mommy did some cooking recently with some of those big round orange things she calls PUMPKINS. 

Me likes cooked Pumpkin. And Mommy let Me eat some Pumpkin before she started cooking. 

Mommy made Pumpkin Bread and Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese filling and Streusel topping. Mes not the only one who likes Pumpkin in the house 'cause neither the bread or the muffins lasted long. Mommy ask Me if Me would share the recipes.

• Pumpkin Bread/Muffins
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 15 - ounce can pumpkin
• 3/4 cup raisins (optional)
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

directions

1. Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar and oil with an electric mixer on medium speed. Add eggs and beat well; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, ginger and cloves. Alternately add flour mixture and the water to sugar mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Beat in pumpkin. If you like, stir in raisins and walnuts. Spoon batter into the prepared pans.
3. Bake in a 375 degrees oven for 55 to 60 minutes for the 9x5-inch loaves; 40 to 45 minutes for the 8x4-inch loaves; or 35 to 40 minutes for the 7-1/2x3 1/2-inch loaves or until a wooden toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks. Wrap and store overnight before slicing.

Cream Cheese Filling

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Combine above ingredients with electric mixer. Mix well. Chill until it can be handled. Make balls the size of ping pong balls and place on waxed paper. Chill. Place small amount of bread batter in bottom of muffin pan which has been lined with muffin wrappers. Place a chilled cream cheese ball on top of batter. Continue filling each muffin wrapper with batter until 2/3 full. Cream cheese ball should be completely covered.

Streusel Topping

½ cup sugar
5 tbsp. flour
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
4 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Combine above ingredients and then crumble on top of muffins before cooking.

Happy Halloween!

Cat Tales ~ Halloween Decorations

Purz and Catnip Dreams ....... Gomez

Cat Tales ~ Searching for the Great Pumpkin

Recently, Mommy and the Little, Sticky, Noisy People in the House went looking for The Great Pumpkin. Mommy said She thought She had seen Him on the roof of a building when they first set out on their journey. 

But it ended up being just a big, giant FAKE Pumpkin.

So they traveled further. And came upon a sign that pointed them towards what seemed to be a very sincere Pumpkin Patch.

There were many Pumpkins all lined up waiting to be taken to their new homes. 

Mommy said that after much looking and looking the Little People finally found the Pumpkins they wanted to come home with!

Wickedly Wonderful Wallpaper

Don't forget to decorate your computer for Hallowe'en!

Here are a few links for some wickedly wonderful wallpaper ~

Smashing Magazine

Halloween Wallpaper HD

How to Geek

Cat Tales ~ October Pumpkins

Seems like forever since Mes been here and given you a Pumpkin update! 

Mommy has been sooo busy with all sorts of fruit and vegetables. She said it was for them to eat this winter. She even harvested some catnip for Me. {{purrrrzzz}}

But Mommy hasn't harvested the Pumpkins in the front yard. She is leaving them on the vine until Daddy and the Grandkids get ready to carve them for the upcoming holiday. 

We got four pumpkins all total. And they haven't really gotten any bigger since Mes last report. But they sure is a pretty orange color.

But Mommy said that The Weatherman used that four-letter "S" word when he talked about the weather forecast! 

{{???Mes puzzled???}}

Mommy said that if Jack Frost comes knocking on our door, this little guy that just showed up on the front step might be in trouble. Me told Mommy that maybe this Jack Frost guy will knock on the neighbors door.

Purz and Catnip Dreams ....... Gomez

Cat Tales ~ Pumpkin Update 9.10.12

No measurements this week. Mommy couldn't find her tape measure. Me heard her muttering something about the gremlins borrowing it and then not putting the tape measure back like she had ask them to.... Mommy's funny!
But Me did get Mommy to go take some photos of the four Pumpkins. They are such a pretty orange color!
And sorrowfully the powdery mildew is winning the battle. Of course, Sylvester is happy to hear that news 'cause it means that Mommy isn't spraying any more milk on the Pumpkin leaves and he can have more milk to drink every morning.
Anymew...here's the Pumpkins!

Jack

Jacquette & Jacque

Jackie

And don't forget to enter Mommy's give-away!!!  

Click here to go to that post! 

Purz and Catnip Dreams ....... Gomez