Hi Ho Halloween
Halloween has been my favorite holiday since I was a little girl. I don’t have very many childhood memories, but I can vividly recall the store-bought and homemade Halloween costumes through my years of growing up—a Dalmatian, Mary Poppins, a fairy. That last one stuck, and I have been a fairy or a fairy-witch every year (actually, most every day) of my adult life. The allure of adopting the look, characteristics and identity of an ethereal, magical being is impossible for me to resist. I have even participated in conference calls for work in fairy wings and tiara, but of course, before the days of Skype.
All year long, I wait for October to arrive. There is something so indescribably wonderful about waking to a chilly crisp morning; pulling sweaters, coats, and boots out of storage; and putting up the orange, red, gold, and black decorations made, bought, and saved over decades of delightful finding, collecting, and displaying the colors and symbols of the season. Pumpkins, skeletons, and vintage cloth and paper decorations adorn every corner of the cottage for this high harvest holiday. Hardly anything compares to the delicious aromas and tastes of the foods associated with fall—oatmeal butterscotch and chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven, cream of carrot soup, no-beans chili, and parmesan rolls are among our family favorites. (Recipes can be found below).
As a mother, I loved sharing my favorite holiday with my son, Ian, as we made a life size “dead guy” who was dressed in a black suit we bought from Deseret Industries and who was moved around our house from place to place—in the closet, bathroom, and sitting at the dining room table “reading” from Zolar’s Book of Ancient Knowledge and Forgotten Secrets, a chapter called Animating Inanimate Objects. The fall family traditions now extend to my grandchildren, Cameron (8) and Hunter (1½), as my husband, Jack, and I host an annual event on the Sunday morning before Halloween called Brunch n’ Carvin. This is, as the name suggests, is a party for kids and families where we serve brunch and carve jack-o-lanterns. In addition to brunch and pumpkin carving, there is a trunk called the October Box, filled with hats and other instant costume articles, and usually an impromptu puppet show at the One Green Eye Puppet Theater in our back yard. The event makes for happy memories that last the whole year ‘round.
I hope you enjoy your fall family traditions this year, our photo tour of 3 Squares Cottage at Halloween, the photo collage from some of the Brunch n’ Carvin events over the years, and recipes of the season.
Living room + Entry
Shop: Monaco Rug (8 X 10) Area Rug, eSaleRugs.com; Haobo Club Chairs with nail for Living Room or Reception Room (Set of 2) Accent Chair, Black, Amazon; Art Prints: Suspension in Disbelief and Imago Sky by Duy Huynh, Duy Huynh; Skeleton shhh-ing in Jack-O-Lantern, Modern Display; Madam Zola Fortune Teller (Previous Year), Grandin Road; Gray Iron and Glass Tube Lantern, Hobby Lobby; Skinny Timer LED Candles, Seasons by David; Orange Button and Black and Gray Stripe Pillows, TJ Maxx; Throw Pillows, Smith's Marketplace; 3 Squares Cottage personalized sign - Farmhouse wood, Amazon; Dancing Fairies Necklace (on Lilly the Dog), Dancing Cranes Imports; Bed and Breakfast Halloween Sign, at Gardner Village; CF Home Furniture & Design Store at Gardner Village; Antique Wall Decor, Garner Antiques; Basic Party Fans, Zurchers and TJMaxx; Orange Flowers and Pumpkin on Stems, Michaels; Frames for Pictures, Michaels; Flower Arch - Flowers, Hobby Lobby; and Open Sign, TJ Maxx.
Dining Room
Shop: Table Decor - Chicken Lips, Etsy Store by Folk-artist David H. Everett; Tablecloth, TJ Maxx; Throw Pillows, TJ Maxx and Smith’s Marketplace; Dishes, TJ Maxx; and Wall Decor, TJ Maxx.
kitchen
Shop: Antique Kitchen Equipment, Garner Antiques; and Pottery, Ben Behunin.
bedrooms
Shop: Elephant Bedding, SteinMart; and Desk, Garner Antiques.
bathroom
Shop: Black 2’ x 6’ Monaco Runner Rug, eSaleRugs.com; Shampoo and Conditioner, TJ Maxx; and Towels, TJ Maxx.
Family and Friends at Brunch N’ Carvin’ through the years
Favorite Fall Recipes
Cream of Carrot Soup
Roux:
½ cup (1 stick) butter
1 medium yellow onion, diced into small bits
¾ to 1 cup flour
Course salt, pepper, season all, and thyme to taste.
Combine butter and onion in a frying pan and cook on stove top on medium stirring frequently until onion becomes clear-ish and begins to brown on edges. Stir in dry ingredients and continue to stir frequently until mixture becomes slightly browned. Set aside.
On stovetop in large stockpot combine and bring to a boil
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1 heaping tablespoon chicken Better than Bullion
4 or so pounds carrots, chopped and scrubbed (Don’t peel. discard tips and about 1 inch of the top.)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 t. dried ground curry
1 T. light brown sugar (optional- use if carrots are bitter)
Cook on low boil until carrots are completely soft (about 20-30 minutes)
Use immersion blender to puree cooked carrots and other ingredients. Add approx. 2 cups of hot carrot mixture to roux and stir while heating until well blended and thick. Stir all of this mixture back into the stockpot with the rest of the soup.
1 pint half-and-half or 1 pint Mocha Mix non-dairy creamer (Mocha mix will keep the soup from separating if it needs to stay hot for a long while, like at an event)
10 or so shakes of Cholula hot sauce
Add half-and-half or Mocha mix and Cholula.
Top with croutons, sour cream, and/or grated Parmesan cheese. Serve.
No Beans Chili
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/74334/no-beans-about-it-chili/
Note: This recipe has the basic ingredients, but I alter it quite a bit. I start a few days before by making 2 beef eye-of-the-round roasts in the crock pot—one for dinner that night, and one for the chili (chop into bite size pieces and refrigerate). I add a pound of spicy sausage to the hamburger when browning it for this recipe and simmer, along with the rest of ingredients in the recipe link, in the crockpot for several hours. It makes a big batch, so I freeze half for a meal for another day.
Quick and Easy “Homemade” Garlic Parmesan Rolls
Two local bakeries in the Salt Lake City Sugar House area make and freeze roll dough for their customers. I love this option because I know it is closer to homemade and fresher than what I can buy in the grocery store. I can buy just the right number of white and wheat rolls for each time I make them. Note: I omit the Italian seasoning.
Oatmeal Scotchies
https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2018/04/19/oatmeal-scotchies/
Variation- I use half butterscotch and half semi-sweet chocolate chips. Served hot with a glass of milk, these cookies are the pinnacle treat of my autumn.
Wishing you happy Samhain and Hi Ho Halloween! —Kari