It’s that time of year again.  The overflowing basket of zucchini that magically appears on your doorstep because your kind, elderly neighbor, Mr. Green Jeans, wants to dump share some with you but you already have 182,976 zucchini sitting on your kitchen counter.  What to do?  What to do?  Oh, I don’t know, how about a few…ok, 100 recipes.  That oughta hold ya.

Stuff ‘em

1. Dana’s Stuffed Zucchini @ Homesteading Housewife
2. Foot Long Stuffed Zucchini @ Sage Trifle
3. Lamb and Ricotta Zucchini Boats @ Delementals
4. Zucchini Boats with Puree of Parsnip @ Chocolate Chip Trips
5. Southwestern Stuffed Zucchini @ Mindful Plate
6. Stuffed 8 Ball Zucchini @ Aileen’s Musings

Make a salad

1. Zucchini Carpaccio @ Gina’s Weight Watcher Recipes
2. Cold Tomato Zucchina Pasta Salad with Sherry Salad Vinaigrette @ The Cooking Corner
3. Corn, Zucchini and Blue Cheese Salad @ Sugar Laws
4. Farmer’s Market Zucchini Salad @ Freshly Baked
5. Zucchini Ribbons Salad @ My So-Called Kitchen
6. Arugula, Zucchini and Fennel Salad @ La Tartine Gourmande

Saute ‘em

1. Lemon Garlic Zucchini @ dlyn
2. Braised Zucchini Wheels with Almond-Mint Pesto @ Cooking Books
3. Ravens’ Restaurant Crabless Crab Cakes @ Just Veggin’ Out
4. Zucchini Cakes with Dill and Feta @ Sounding My Barbaric Gulp
5. Sauteed Zucchini with Spinach and Basil Pesto @ Kalyn’s Kitchen
6. Zucchini Fritters @ Chickens in the Road
7. Shrimp, Eggplant and Zucchini Spaghetti @ Kath Eats Real Food
8. Seared Flounder with Zucchini and Toasty Garlic Mojo @ Eats Well with Others

Bread ‘em

1. Breaded and Baked Zucchini @ The Perpetual Plum
2. Breaded Zucchini and Squash @ Our Life in Food
3. Corn-Breaded Zucchini @ Savin’ It Up
4. Baked Breaded Zucchini Sticks @ Healthy Life with Jenny
5. Breaded Zucchini @ Dumpling

Make soup

1. Zucchini Spinach Soup @ What’s for Dinner?
2. Zucchini Basil Soup @ Caviar and Codfish
3. Spicy Summer Zucchini Soup @ Sideoats and Scribbles
4. Quick and Easy Zucchini and White Bean Soup @ Dinner Cakes
5. Roasted Zucchini Soup @ Salty Spoon
6. Cold Zucchini and Summer Squash Soup @ Two Kitchens

Make pasta

1. Pasta Primavera with Garden Zucchini and Herbs @ goodLife {eats}
2. Zucchini, Soba Noodles and Cake @ Cookie Crumbs
3. Zucchini and Summer Squash Fettucini @ Jenn Cuisine
4. Pasta with Zucchini @ Morta di Fame
5. Zucchini Tagliatele Alfredo @ FoodieTots
6. Summer Risotto with Corn, Zucchini and Cherry Tomato Oil @ Herbivoracious
7. Zucchini and Tomato Couscous @ Friesencold

Bake ‘em

1. Zucchini Gratin @ The Italian Dish
2. Ratatouille @ Gluten Free Homemaker
3. Zucchini Pizza @ Brick and Plastic
4. Zucchini Gratin @ The Italian Dish
5. Ovenroasted Zucchini Wedges with Proscuitto Crudo and Oregano @ Lucullian Delights
6. Zucchini Polenta Tart @ Chocolate and Zucchini
7. Zucchini Strudel @ Gotta Little Space
8. Zucchini Mexican Lasagna @ What’s Cooking
9. Dilly Zucchini Casserole @ Frugal Upstate
10. Zucchini and Tomato Gratin @ Pinch My Salt
11. Zucchini Tart with Raclette @ Kosher Camembert
12. Creamy Potato and Zucchini Gratin @ Not Quite Nigella
13. Zucchini Galette with Heirloom Tomatoes, Asparagus and Pesto @ Spatulas, Corkscrews and Suitcases
14. Zucchini Sausage and Feta Casserole @ Elizabeth’s Edible Experience
15. Zucchini Tart on a Hazelnut Thyme Crust @ Once Upon a Plate
16. Vegetable Casserole with Zucchini, Tomatoes and Potatoes @ Soupbelly
17. Zucchini and Goat’s Cheese Pizza @ Purple Foodie
18. Zucchini Pie @ Dinners for a Year and Beyond
19. Zucchini Biscotti @ Treehouse Kitchen

Roll ‘em

1. Zucchini Rolls with Goat’s Cheese aka “Makis” au Chèvre @ Nami Nami
2. Zucchini Wrapped Salmon with Dill @ One Tree Past the Fence
3. Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini Rolls @ Apple Pie Patis Pate
4. Zucchini Roll Ups @ The Party Dress
5. Lemon Grilled Zucchini Rollups @ Fab Frugal Food
6. Zucchini Rolls with Roasted Garlic Ricotta @ Pithy and Cleaver

Transform ‘em

1. Zuni Cafe Zucchini Pickles @ Cookography
2. Patyence’s Spicy Turkey Meatballs and “Zughetti” @ The Yuca Diaries
3. Zucchini Ribbons with Mint @ Zoe
4. Veggie Burger # 1 @ Mango Power Girl
5. Chicken Breasts with Zucchini Pappardelle @ The Bitten Word
6. Zucchini Lemon Basil Toss @ Once in a Blue Moon
7. Zucchini Pickles @ Kitchen Gadget Girl
8. Zucchini Relish @ The Abundant Life

Grill ‘em

1. Mediterranean Vegetable Grilled Wrap @ Panini Happy
2. Grilled Fresh Zucchini @ Simple Daily Recipes
3. Quinoa with Grilled Zucchini, Chickpeas, and Cumin @ Dana Treat
4. Grilled Halibut Esconsced in Zucchini @ Hot Off the Garlic Press
5. Grilled Zucchini with Pine Nut Butter @ Lime in the Coconut
6. Grilled Zucchini Rolls with Herbs and Cheese @ Indulge and Enjoy

Go international

1. Mini Burger Pitas with Zucchini Yogurt Sauce @ The Cooking Photographer
2. Soba Noodles with Edamame, Zucchini, and Spinach @ Two Peas and their Pod
3. Zucchini and Corn Quesadillas @ random anderson
4. Zucchini Fritters with Tzatziki Sauce @ The Noshery
5. Hibachi Shrimp Zucchini @ Beachlover Kitchen
6. Zucchini Sushi @ CreatiVegan
7. Spicy Migas with Zucchini @ The Accidental Housewife

And, of course, bread and cake

1. Whole Wheat and Honey Zucchini Bread @ Heavenly Homemakers
2. Geeky double chocolate zucchini bread @ What Geeks Eat
3. Special Zucchini Bread Recipe @ 101 Cookbooks
4. Zucchini Bread @ Simply Recipes
5. Zucchini Cakes @ The Pioneer Woman
6. Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread @ Home Joys
7. Whole What Zucchini Cake @ Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures
8. Whole Wheat Zucchini and Cherry Bread @ Daily Unadventures in Cooking
9. Zucchini Pecan Flaxseed Bread @ The Kitchen Sink
10. Zucchini Pistachio Cupcakes @ Noble Pig
11. Chocolate Wave Zucchini Bread @ Taste Tell and Blog
12. Blueberry Zucchini Bread @ It Feels Like Chaos
13. Zucchini Muffins With Walnuts and Cranberries @ Mango & Tomato
14. Dolce Italiano’s Zucchini Olive Oil Cake @ Stacey Snacks
15. Zucchini Brownies @ Pantry Diva
16. Zucchini Cheddar Bread @ Honey and Jam

Now smile and say thank you to Mr. Green Jeans!

        

You know, being a food blogger can be stressful, chickens.  I have to cook up incredible recipes, write something instructional and funny about it and do it by deadline.   A good glass of wine (or six) helps but sometimes, the chocolate siren whispers in your ear and nothing else will do.  And while I’m not advocating stress eating, because that’s something you all know I would NEVER do,  just one of these sends me into a chocolate coma away from the stresses of the day.

INCREDIBLE DEEP CHOCOLATE COOKIES
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans

Melt the butter in a saucepan.  Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate chips.  Let ‘em rest for a minute to melt and then stir again.  If they’re stubborn and not quite melted, you can put them on the burner again for just a minute on low.  (You can do this in the microwave if you want…just be careful not to burn your precious chocolate!) Let them cool off to the side. (Quit licking that spoon!)

In a bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla together for about 3 minutes.  It’ll turn a lovely creamy yellow.   Add in the melted chocolate mixture and mix til combined.

Sift together the flour and baking powder and then add that in too.  Make sure to scrape the bowl so you get all that goodness combined.  Add in your nuts and stir.  Now resist all temptation to eat the entire bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for about 1/2 hour to set that chocolate back up.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a greased cooking sheet and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.   Cool them as long as humanly possible before eating (about 4.28 minutes).   Bite.  Sigh.  Enjoy chocolate coma.

        

I don’t know why the French think Americans are clueless when it comes to cooking.  I mean, America has made its own incredible contributions to the world of fine food such as Spam, beef jerky, and our best export, McDonald’s McRib sandwich.

I will admit that the French do know how do soup.   This recipe for Best Onion Soup Ever gets its “Best” and “Ever” from fond.  Fond, as many of you know, is French for “that really tasty stuff that’s stuck to the bottom of your pan, you uncivilized American!” This is a Sunday kind of recipe in that it takes a few hours but you’re not really hands on for most of it.

* That lid is now serving time as a the cymbal in my daughter’s stuffed animal band.

You’ve all heard that you should only cook with wine or spirits that you would drink.   That’s why I advocate tasting the wine before you pour it into your recipe.  Sometimes I test 4 or 5 glassfuls just to be sure.

Now, you may be asking, why are we reducing this over and over and over?  Good question.  (Let’s just pretend you asked, ok?)  Every time you add more liquid and evaporate down (that’s called reduction which is something else the French perfected, you clumsy, cooking-challenged American!), you’re making more sticky brown fond stuff that equals flavor to the nth power. So be sure and scrape down the sides and bottom each time!

Let it simmer for about 20-30 minutes.

If you want extra crispy crouton-like bread, toast your slices in the oven first.

Best Onion Soup Ever

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 3 pieces
• 6 large yellow onions sliced
• Kosher salt
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 tablespoons dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Fresh black pepper
• 1 small baguette cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 8 ounces shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese

Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees.

Spray the inside of a Dutch oven with a nonstick cooking spray. Place the butter in the pot and add the onions and a pinch of salt. (It will help draw liquid out of the onions.) Bake in the oven, covered, for about 1 hour. Remove the pot from the oven and stir the onions, scraping the bottom and sides of the pot. Return the pot to the oven with the lid slightly ajar and continue to cook until the onions are very soft and golden brown, 1 1/2 hours longer, stirring the onions and scraping bottom and sides of pot after 1 hour.

Remove pot and place over medium-high heat. (Careful!  The handles are still hot!)  Cook the onions, stirring frequently and scraping bottom and sides of pot, until the liquid evaporates and the onions brown, 15 to 20 minutes, reducing the heat to medium if the onions are browning too quickly. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the pot bottom is coated with a dark crust, roughly 6 to 8 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary.

Stir in the sherry and cook, stirring frequently, until the sherry evaporates, about 5 minutes.   Stir in 1/4 cup water, scraping the pot bottom to loosen that yummy fond and cook until water evaporates and pot bottom has formed another dark crust, 6 to 8 minutes. Repeat process of deglazing 2 or 3 more times, until onions are very dark brown.

Stir in the broths, 2 cups of water, thyme, bay leaf, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, scraping up any final bits of browned crust on bottom and sides of pot.
6. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf, then season with salt and pepper.

While the soup simmers, toast the sliced baguette if you like.  Set individual broiler-safe bowls on a baking sheet and fill each with soup. Top each bowl with 1 or 2 baguette slices (do not overlap slices) and sprinkle evenly with  a good melty cheese like Gruyère or Swiss.  Broil carefully until the cheese is melted and bubbly around edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving or you will burn yourself,  you senseless American!

What else is cookin’

• Piña Colada Doughnuts
• Simple Vinaigrette – A Visual Recipe
• Roasted Vegetable Sandwich

        

Once again, I’m divulging another of my famously fabulous Christmas recipes to you, dear readers, because I lost that bet love you all so much. These aren’t exactly fancy, schmancy but they are sooo much better than those famous peppermint patties that are supposed to make you feel like you’re on a snow covered ski slope, you know, the ones that rhyme with dork.

Sooo easy!  Here’s how.

PEPPERMINT PATTIES

1 can sweetened condensed milk
6 c. powdered sugar plus about about 1/2 cup for dipping
1 tsp. peppermint extract
24 oz. good dark chocolate
1 tsp. shortening

Pour the condensed milk into your mixer and gradually add the powdered sugar slooooowly (unless you like the pale look). Add the extract and taste.  If you like it “peppermintier,” add more extract.

Drop the dough by rounded spoonfuls into a small bowl of extra powdered sugar and roll into balls (about 1″-1.5″).

Putting these in the freezer lets you dip them without them melting and drooping and no one wants a sad peppermint patty, right?

When they’ve been in the freezer long enough so they can hold their shape, melt the chocolate with the tsp of shortening and dip them then cool.  The payoff?  Ooey, gooey, pepperminty goodness!

        

For years I begged my husband to get a dog.  After all, I reasoned, he’d have someone to point the blame on when the room was less than fresh.  He had always pointed the finger at our small cat, but I called him out because based on the sounds I heard, if our cat had been the culprit, she would have hit the wall at a force of Mach 5. So he broke down and got the dog.  But here’s the funny thing.  The dog is worse than my husband…much, MUCH worse.  We happened to adopt the one dog from the shelter whose gastric emissions put my world-champion husband’s to shame.  Still, the dog does come in handy for hubby who happens to get gas when he eats most any vegetable of which beans are his digestive mortal enemy.  If my husband were James Bond, beans would be Dr. No. And yet, he loves this soup.  I love it too because it’s cheap, healthy and made in 15 minutes with pantry ingredients.

BEAN SOUP WITH SALSA VERDE

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 poblano pepper, seeded and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz.) can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz.) can fat-free refried beans
1 (8 oz.) jar salsa verde or 2 c. of your own green chili salsa
1 c. chicken stock
1 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. chili powder
Juice of 1 lime
Fresh cilantro
Sour cream
Your favorite shredded cheese

You probably already know how this goes.  In a large pot or Dutch oven, saute the onion and poblano in the oil until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, beans, salsa and chicken stock stirring gently to blend in the refried beans.  (The refried beans really thicken the soup.  You can leave them out if you prefer a broth type soup.)  Add seasonings including salt and pepper to taste.  Stir in the juice of 1 lime.  Simmer about 10 minutes until warmed through.  Serve with fresh cilantro, sour cream and shredded cheese.  Warn the kids and ask hubby to sleep in the spare room tonight.

        

So now that we’ve filled our elastic pants with the feast, we all have a fridge full of leftovers – nice big bowls of mashed potatoes, yummy stuffing, sweet potatoes and that scrumptious pie.  Well, most of you do.

As everyone was saying their Thanksgiving goodbyes, I asked if anyone would like a little food to take home.  Suddenly there was the sound of running feet along with a cloud of dust and 2.6 seconds later, we were facing a bare carcass and empty bowls that were still spinning as they ran out the door with enough leftovers in Cool Whip containers to feed them for a month. I think someone even foraged out of our pantry.   These are the same scavengers loved ones who contributed a packet of Kool Aid, a half eaten bag of chips and a can of lima beans to the feast.  Not that I’m bitter.

Of course, you’d be bitter too if you were mourning the loss of that beautiful next-day turkey sandwich..you know, the one with big slices of turkey breast, lovely cranberry sauce and just a schmear of mayo?   Anyway, after the dust settled, I picked the bones clean of the last few tiny shreds of turkey.  I was wondering what I could possibly do with them when my husband asked for Buffalo Chicken Dip and a light bulb went off over my head.

Here is a manly man’s appetizer that hubby loves to devour while watching manly man things like football or home improvement shows or Days of Our Lives. And I bet all the ingredients are already in your pantry…unless your relatives cleaned you out too.

Here’s the actual recipe:

Buffalo Chicken Turkey Dip

2 c. cooked turkey or chicken, finely shredded
3/4 c. Ranch dressing
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
6-8 Tablespoons Tabasco or your favorite hot sauce
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Mix the cream cheese and Ranch dressing together until smooth and well combined.  Add the Tabasco, salt to taste and fold in the chicken/turkey.   Spread the mixture in a pie plate and top with shredded Cheddar.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes or until gooey and melty.  This is good served with celery sticks and thick tortilla chips.  You’ll need a manly man cracker…your sissy little Wheat Thins are no match for this hearty dip.

Just don’t tell my cousins.

Also on:

        

Ok, so I took my girls to The Cheesecake Factory, where just walking past the dessert display will cause you to balloon five pounds.  And my youngest ordered Snickers Cheesecake.  This was her first cheesecake and when she bit into it, her eyes grew round and I think she heard angels singing in the background.  Needless to say, she begged me to take her back for more of THAT cheesecake.

However since I have approximately $1.32 in my wallet and a visit to The Cheesecake Factory costs the equivalent of our monthly electric bill (hey, SOMEBODY’S gotta pay for those faux art murals), I promised to make her one at home.  Fortunately, we have, and this is just as an estimate, 4,122,583 pieces of candy in the freezer left from Halloween. The real recipe follows but here’s the short and sweet version.  Oh, and be sure to read my blatant begging at the end of this post.

Let the crust cool for a few minutes while you…

Add 1 c. of sugar and mix it in.  THEN…..

Just give in and pour this chocolaty decadence on top of the cheesecake.

Now sprinkle come more of those cut up Snickers over the top.

SNICKERS CHEESECAKE

CHEESECAKE

20 chocolate graham crackers
4 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 Tablespoons water
1/4 c. sugar
3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream
1 c. sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature

GANACHE
2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons butter
1/3 c. heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350.  In a food processor, crush the graham cracker crumbs.  Add the melted butter, water and sugar and process until well blended and mixture clumps.  If necessary, add a bit more water.  Pat into the bottom of an 8″ springform pan.  Bake for 6-7 minutes and let cool.

In a mixer, beat the cream cheese until fluffy then mix in the sour cream.   Add the eggs, one a time, mixing well after each.  Pour in the sugar and add the vanilla.  Mix until blended.  Fold in the chopped Snickers (you could also add mini chocolate chips and chopped peanuts if you wished).  Pour into the cooled crust and bake about 45-50 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean in the center (it will be slightly moist…don’t overcook it.)   Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

In a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips and butter.  Whisk in the heavy cream.  Pour mixture over the cooled cheesecake and top with chopped Snickers, chocolate shavings and/or chopped peanuts.

And now, a naked attempt at begging.  I love this blog, I do. But it costs money and time to run, and I haven’t been breaking even lately.  Please leave a comment to let me know what you really think of FHC.  And if you want to do a good deed for a poor defenseless blogger, please help support me by submitting this post to your favorite social media site using the buttons below.  Thanks!

Francie

        

The candy bowl has only been empty for one hour and I’m already feeling too cranky to participate next year.   We’ve never been big on all the gore and dark elements of Halloween, but I will admit loving the little ones going door to door in their 100% adorableness.   But it’s official….I’m now an old geezer because I found myself muttering, “Parents these days!” the entire night.  Those costumes!  When I was a kid, most costumes involved mom’s hair curlers and Dad’s shoe polish.   On a really special year, we’d get a plastic mask that wouldn’t allow you to see or breathe and was held on to your sweaty face by a thin elastic string that always broke and whipped straight into your eyeball, you young whippersnappers! And we LIKED it! Excuse me while I slip into something more comfortable like old geezer rant mode.

Yes, this is an ACTUAL child costume available
in sizes starting at Ages 6-8!

1)  Britney Spears, Bratz and Sexy School Girl costumes

Call me crazy but I don’t think little girls should dress like Playboy bunnies.  Apparently, many parents (and any pedophiles who may be wandering the neighborhood) disagree with me.  Maybe next year, I’ll just hand out safety pins and the missing pieces of fabric.

2) Adults who use an infant to trick or treat

To the adult who held their month old baby up to me, said “Trick or Treat” and then asked if I had any Reese’s Cups and proceeded to take a handful, I’m sure you know that you would get decked if people weren’t afraid you would drop your candy mooching machine…er, I mean, baby.

3) Adults who pull in front of our house, drop off a van load full of little kids and then drive off

Talk about scaring me on Halloween.  I’ll not even go into the safety issue here.  Dear parents, I hate to interrupt your private time, but our street wide babysitting service is officially closed.

4) Adults who instruct their child to grab more candy when I’ve just said, “One piece, please.”

We all know who the extra candy is for.  Especially when you get specific about which flavors to grab.  Forgive my sarcastic “You’re welcome” as you stomp on our flowers as y’all leave.

5) Adults who escort their toddlers while wearing gory, horrific costumes.

Ooooh, Mr. Big Man.  Since you were laughing,  you obviously think it’s hilarious to scar little kids for life as they scream and cry in terror, but it’s only fun for you, you smoldering pile of virility.  Please find some way to prove your manhood other than traumatizing toddlers.

6) And lastly, to the elderly cashier at Wal-Mart who angrily complained to me that she #%@!%# had to work on Halloween.

And good morning to you too!  A)  I’m not sure what pretend world you live in where employees get the day off on Halloween, but I want to live there.  B) The local anger management center is always open on Halloween.  You should give them a call.   C) As someone who very much reminded me of my 80 year old grandmother, you might have picked a more decorous costume than Leather Rocker Chick with Chaps. I don’t know when I will get that image burned out of my brain.

Do I sound bitter?  Do I sound angry?  Do I sound like an old crotchety woman complaining and rambling about everything that crosses my mind?  Actually, yes, I do.  That is all.

        

I think I mentioned before that I grew up smack dab in the middle of an Amish community and learned a lot about simple, easy, frugal recipes.   This one is a fave because you can toss it in the fridge and throw it in the oven the next day (I’ve broken a few dishes from all that throwing and tossing in my kitchen)!

Let me count the ways I love this recipe.

1. It’s like eating a cookie for breakfast.  Don’t tell Mom.
2. You can prep it the night before and pop it in the oven while the kids are getting dressed.
3. Leftovers are yummy warmed up in the microwave.  In fact, I often double this and have a warm, filling, healthy breakfast in the bag for the whole week!

Ready to rock your breakfast world?

You’ll get 9 servings out of this so don’t freak out about the butter.

Now if you don’t think that looks like a great way to start a fall day, I’m beginning to wonder if I’ve ever really known you.

        

You know how you see these holiday specials that show how to make treats for Halloween but they show it to you the DAY before Halloween (I’m not mentioning names…MARTHA!).  Well, how is THAT supposed to help me?  Unlike you (MARTHA!) I don’t have 30 yards of muslin, 2 pounds of fresh truffles and a container of edible gold dust in my closet unlike some insanely rich entertaining guru who has a full time staff, show and a magazine but shall remain nameless.

So, chickens, here is an EASY Halloween treat that you can do with your kids with only three (yes, I said THREE!) ingredients.  And in plenty of time before Halloween.  You’re welcome.

I found these skinnier pretzels. The thick pretzel logs would work fine though.

Ok, ok, parchment or wax paper is technically four things you need.

Yeah, I know we all buy a type of that gel stuff once a year and use only 1/100th of the tube.  So you could totally use chocolate chips, M&M’s, raisins or whatever you have in your cupboard here.  (What UP, Martha!)

Which we totally did.