Launch the Fall party season with seasonal pumpkin beers.

If you’re the type that likes to grab a six pack and bring it to the party, try a seasonal pumpkin beer. Not only will you get a unique taste with these top rated brews, you’ll also have a conversation piece to break the ice.

Schlafly Pumpkin Ale - Saint Louis Brewery

This medium-bodied sweet and spicy beer is made with pumpkin and butternut squash and spiced with nutmeg, clove and cinnamon. The result is a creamy malt that provides a sweet pumpkin pie flavor.

The Great Pumpkin Elysian Brewing Company

Intense pumpkin, sugar and spice with a nice bready and malty backdrop make this a top pick. This earthy beer has tons of flavor. Perhaps that’s why Linus never saw The Great Pumpkin…somebody drank it.




 

T.R.E.A.T. (Imperial Chocolate Pumpkin Porter) – Midnight Sun Brewing Company

This blackish-brown elixir features notes of sweet spices, cocoa nibs and pumpkin. TREAT is a suitable pairing for both sweet and savory dishes.

 
Pumking - Southern Tier Brewing Company
This bewitching brew is an ode to Púca, a creature of Celtic folklore. Coming in at 8.6% abv it certainly has the ability to take you on a mystical journey. Pour Pumking into a goblet and allow its alluring spirit to overflow. As spicy aromas present themselves, let its deep copper color entrance you as your journey into this mystical brew unfolds.

 Kuhnhenn All Hallows Ale – Kuhnhenn Brewing Company

Made with Michigan pumpkins, brown sugar and a blend of spices, this crisp and bubbly brew has the unique flavor of a cinnamon roll and pumpkin pie in one. It’s light-bodied with a creamy texture suitable for long night of partying.

La Parcela- Jolly Pumpkin
This brew is only available for a few months in the Fall. It features real pumpkin with hints of spice and cacao. The result is more sour than sweet.

Imperial Pumpkin - Weyerbacher Brewing Company
This hearty brew has a higher alcohol content than most at 8.0% abv. It’s strong pumpkin and caramel flavor (and aroma) is balanced with hints of cinnamon, nutmeg and a touch of cardamom and clove. It truly lives up to its name!

Terrapin Pumpkinfest  - Terrapin Beer Company
This Octoberfest favorite is a lager with a true malty German flavor. A combination of pumpkin and pumpkin spice makes it a pumpkin pie in a bottle!

Punkin' Ale - Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Punkin’ Ale is named after the annual Punkin Chuckin event in Delaware. Despite that unusual birthright, it is a great accompaniment to turkey, duck, lamb and other seasonal dishes. Punkin’ is a full-bodied brown ale with hints of pumpkin and brown sugar.

Sugar Free Halloween Treats

Here's a recipe for your friends and family that require low sugar treats. Don't leave anyone out of the party!

Low Glycemic Sugar Free Halloween Meringue Bones
Serves: 12
Carbs Per Serving: 2.5 g
Prep Time:90 minutes
Skill Level: Easy

Ingredients:
2 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 cup Fructevia, Steviva Blend or a tiny dash to taste Steviva Brands Pure Stevia Powder

Instructions:
                     
1. In a small bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form.
2. Gradually add Fructevia, Steviva Blend or a tiny dash to taste Steviva Brands Pure Stevia Powder, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high until stiff peaks form.
3. Place mixture in a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in a corner of bag.
4. On parchment-lined baking sheets, pipe meringue into a 3-in. log. Pipe two 1-in. balls on opposite sides of each end of the log. Repeat with remaining meringue.
5. Bake at 225° for 1-1/2 hours or until firm.
6. Remove to wire racks.
7. Store in an airtight container.

Optional: add food coloring to enhance the spookiness.

Source: Steviva

Should You Tip Your Vendors?

To tip or not to tip?

That is the question that keeps popping up whenever we deal with service providers. But once you've negotiated a deal with your wedding or event vendor and scrimped and saved to pay them, do you have to tip them too?

Well, famed wedding designer Preston Bailey says:

"Tips should always be at the client’s discretion and should acknowledge truly exceptional service. If a vendor has gone above and beyond, a tip can be a wonderful way for a client to show her appreciation...But it’s also important to recognize that many couples can’t afford to tip. 

I think I can speak for a lot of vendors when I say that there’s something we value even more than tips: Respect and Graciousness. I would rather have a client who didn’t tip me but who was always gracious and polite to me and my team. Courtesy and kindness can go just as far as money if not farther!"

Preston adds, if you really appreciate the service, write a testimonial that the vendor can use on their website or to show to prospective clients.

Creepy Halloween Pizza Mummies!

I had to share these great ideas from Get Off Your Butt and Bake. Creepy fingers and mummies using bread dough and so easy to make!

For the mummies:

Rhodes Dinner Rolls thawed but cold, pizza sauce, string cheese & olives.

. .

 

Spray counter lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Flatten each roll into a 3 to 4 inch circle. Place on a sprayed baking sheet, parchment paper or silpat lined baking sheet.

Top each one with pizza sauce. Use as much or as little as you like.

 

Prick each little pizza with a fork several times to prevent big bubbles from forming. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

 

 

 

 

Tear one string cheese for each pizza into thin strips. Cut one olive in half for the eyes. Remove from the oven, and give your mummy some EYES! Layer cheese strips in random fashion to resemble mummy bandages. Trim any strips that are too long. Return to the oven and bake an additional 1 to 2 minutes to melt the cheese slightly.

 

For the Witches fingers: Rhodes Dinner Rolls, thawed but still cold, melted butter, Parmesan Cheese, garlic salt

Roll each roll into a 7 to 9 inch rope. Place on a sprayed baking sheet or line with parchment or a silpat.

Place a raw or blanched almond at the end of one side of the rope.

Add knuckles and lines along the finger with a sharp knife.

Pinch or press indentations to add form to your finger.

 

 

Brush each finger with melted butter, and sprinkle garlic salt & Parmesan cheese over the top if desired.

 

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about 10 to 15 minutes or until golden.

A Simple Costume

If you're not much into dressing up or costumes for Halloween but you have to play the part for the kids or colleagues at work, Victoria at A Subtle Revelry offers this great idea for making a honest effort.

It's by Cutture stationary.

If you go to A Subtle Revelry, you can download this Halloween mask and print it out for yourself. Happy Halloween!

Victoria says..."Print the mask out, cut around the edges, and glue it to a wooden stick for a perfectly subtle costume. Add glitter to the edges and wear it with a cocktail dress for a festive party, or keep the template plain and be ready for door to door candy gathering..."

Easy treats

If you're planning a party, you need to keep things as stress-free and complicated as possible. So that's why I love to see simple ways to dress up your party.


These cupcakes from Spirit of Halloween and Spooky Scary Halloween are easy to do. Start with store bought or homemade cupcakes and chocolate frosting. Top with chocolate sprinkles. For the ghouls, submerge M&Ms for eyes. For the spiders, add black licorice whips for the legs and marshmallows cut in half and black jelly beans for eyes.


Even your kids can do that for you. The result, however is a really scary treat!

Pumpkin Cooler

 

I'm no artist so when I saw this clever use of a Halloween pumpkin at MarthaStewart.com,  I got really excited. I love to make pumpkin muffins so I don't mind digging out the center. Then I roast the pumpkin seeds as well...yum! After all that work, who wants to carve the pumpkin too? The cooler is just a glass bowl placed in the hollowed out shell and filled with ice. Easy and effective. Thanks, Martha!