Batty about this Box!

It's Halloween! (Well, close enough!) The hurricane, at least in our neighborhood, was kind. We had our power through the entire storm. The worst was our very porous, very not-waterproofed exposed brick wall springing leaks all over the place. Six soaking towels and about 15 Tupperware containers and bowls later, the walls are finally drying out. Compared to the vast devastation and suffering throughout the Northeast, we have absolutely nothing to complain about. Not even a little bit. 

It looks like school will be in session tomorrow, so I'm dashing this off before I turn to grading and lesson planning-- my two least favorite job-related activities. 

In the spirit of Halloween (and my last Halloween craft and care package  post of the season), here's the package I sent Becky!

I included a deck of Pixar Uno cards, Halloween socks, Razzles, a Cadbury Screme Egg, and decorated candy bars (a bat, mummy, and Frankenstein).

My favorite thing about this box was gluing the rubber bat's string behind the scrapbook paper, to the top of the inside of the box. That way, when Becky opened the box, a bat "flew" out.

Happy Halloween, everyone! May the Great Pumpkin visit you tomorrow, and if you're cleaning up the storm, may it be easy and fast!

Nuts to You, Magillicutty!

By now, you know that I love fall and that John has asked me to try to send him healthy foods. I've got a whole battery of healthy recipes I'd like to try, but somehow the ones full of butter and sugar are just so much more fun to attempt!

So, I hunkered down and tried a pumpkin pie nut mix recipe from Pinterest. Usually Pinterest recipes are either excellent or awful (with almost no middle ground), so there's always the thrill of the experiment. 

Thankfully, this recipe was a winner and is a keeper. The first time I made it, I tried it with just almonds and misread the directions by putting about three times the amount of cinnamon needed into it. I tried my best to salvage it, and thought I had screwed it up for sure. When John got the almonds, he asked me for more, saying that he had "housed" the bag. (Sometimes I question if his taste buds are working.)

The second time I made it, I tried it with a mixture of whole nuts (read below for specifics). Smelling them bake in the oven is delightful and makes it feel exactly like it's mid-fall. I'd make this recipe for no other reason than to have that smell permeate the kitchen!

You can find the original recipe at Kneed to Cook. I'm copying the original below with my notes, changes, and suggestions, but please know that the original recipe is not my original content.

You need:

• 2 cups of raw almonds (The first time I made this recipe, I used almonds. The second time, I tried it with 1 cup of whole walnuts and 1 cup of whole pecans. I rather like the mix better, but I'm also not a fan of almonds and neither is John.)
• 3 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
• 2 1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice seasoning (Enjoy how delicious it smells when you open up the canister!)
• 4 tablespoons of organic agave or honey (I used honey.)
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• Sea Salt (About a teaspoon works.)

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  
• Line a cookie sheet with parchment or foil.
• Into a bowl place your almonds.  
• Then add cinnamon, spice, agave or honey and vanilla.  
• Toss to coat each nut. (I found that this coating is too sticky and thick to really toss efficiently. I stirred instead. That was much more effective.)
• Spread the nuts evenly on the cookie sheet.  
• Sprinkle with sea salt.  
• Bake for 18-20 minutes.  (When directly out of the oven, the coating on the nuts will look clumpy and spongy. Never fear! When cool, the coating will be crystallized.)
• Let cool and serve. (Or pack and ship!  Or freeze 'em for Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas gifts. Or eat them standing up over your sink! )

That's it! An easy recipe with common, simply delicious ingredients and little prep or wait time! What's not to love?

Sandy Update: While we're directly in the path of the storm, right now, we're still just experiencing minimal rain and wind around 30 mph. Maybe there's still a chance that she'll stall off-shore? Just in case, my sister and I are laying low with a gigantic bag of Halloween candy, among other supplies. And no, that Halloween candy is not for any cute little ghosts or princesses that brave the storm for treats.

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Before the Power Goes Out!

As I write this, fat raindrops are pinging off the windows, the dryer's doing the last load of laundry before the storm, and a bowl of (finished) icing and pretzels are on the floor next to me. Hurricane Sandy is slowly churning its way toward Maryland and the rest of the Mid-Atlantic States, work on Monday has been cancelled since Sunday, and I am furiously typing out this blog post and another before the power fizzles out.

This weekend, I trekked up to my beloved alma mater to see the IneligiBowl between the greatest university in the world and... Ohio State. While we didn't win the game, I tailgated with my family, saw my sister perform with the marching band, and got to drink in the excitement and spirit surrounding the contest. I'm sure everyone feels the same way about their college, but there is something so special about Penn State that makes going back rejuvenating.

And talking about marching band and football, I'd be remiss if I didn't talk about the first mobile game to be based on a collegiate marching band. (Spoiler alert: It's free and awesome.)

In Fight on State, a new iPod and iPhone game app, you are the drum major of the best marching band in the country-- nay, the world: The Penn State Blue Band! As you run down the field during pregame towards your iconic, and much anticipated, flip, you must avoid charging football players. Collect notes to gain speed and force as you M-Rob the players out of the way.

The game is completely free to download and play. In addition to playing the game, you can listen to Penn State's fight songs (as recorded by the Blue Band) and learn the lyrics. If you love the game, there is an option to donate to Penn State's THON-- the largest student-run philanthropy in the world. Regardless of your collegiate loyalties, get a free glimpse into another college tradition and download Fight On State from the iTunes App Store today!

Full disclosure: My youngest sister was involved in developing the concept and marketing, so of course, I'm a wee bit biased. I will mention that Max Besong, the designer, artist, and developer of the game is not in any way related to me. Even if I had no familial ties to the project, I would be so excited about this game. I am a band geek. I love all things marching band, and that includes this game.

If you've been keeping track: I've been promising a post about a pumpkin pie nut mix recipe for the last week. If we have power later this morning, it'll be up! I've been holding off to try to get a better picture of the final product, but I'm just going to go with what I've got. Get excited, because this recipe is easy and delicious! And it's coming your way pending Sandy's wrath.

If you're in the hurricane's path, be safe. If you're not close to Sandy, please keep the rest of us in your prayers.