Halloween Dog Parade

Posted by Alexis Tirado

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's fun to dress up for Halloween. Tomorrow night, I'm going to be decked out as Lisa Turtle and I'll be joining friends who are dressing up as the rest of the "Saved by the Bell" cast. But it's even more fun to put a costume on your furry friend -- dogs are way cuter than us and usually much smaller (so you can put anything on 'em). I don't have my very own dog but luckily for me, Tompkins Square Park is host to the annual Halloween Dog Parade. Check out the photos below from this year's parade -- costumes ranged from Michael Jackson to Jackie O! And beware: there are some green creatures too.

Whoa! It's Charlie Brown hanging out with Snoopy and Woodstock (in plane).

Looks like Snoopy and Woodstock are napping.

He's mean, he's green...

it's the incredible HULK!

I thought this dog was an ewok but he was a monkey. Awwww!

The one-gloved wonder -- Michael Jackson.

Another MJ -- on his Thriller set.

Nerds rule! A Napoleon Dynamite dog.

I thought this English Bulldog was Annie but he was actually a French maid.

A Chihuahua Pope!

Three dogs in banana suits! Haha.

A classy Jackie O pitbull.

Feeling thirsty? Have one of Mollie's margaritas.

Two bad-to-the-bone dogs in a motorcycle.

An angelic English Bulldog!

If there's something strange in your neighborhood. Who ya gonna call?

GHOSTBUSTERS! The dog goes through the hole for the costume.

SEE MORE PET COSTUMES AFTER THE JUMP

Halloween Cocktails

Posted by Naomi Gabay

Halloween weekend is here, and you'll no doubt be in search of the perfect cocktail with which to celebrate. With fresh fall flavors and brilliant orange colors, Allen Katz once again provides us with the perfect menu for the weekend. So when the trick or treaters have left, treat yourself to your own special treat!

Vaulted & Buried
Ingredients:
1 1/2 ounces Absolut Mandarin
3/4 ounce Aperol
3/4 ounce fresh orange juice
3/4 ounce pineapple juice

Directions:
1. Shake ingredients over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with orange zest.

October Breeze
Ingredients:
2 ounces Jameson whiskey
1/2 ounce passion fruit syrup
4 ounces fresh apple juice

Directions:
1. Shake ingredients over ice and strain into a collins glass filled with fresh ice.

Cherry Combine
Ingredients:
2 ounces Jameson whiskey
1/2 ounce Cherry Heering
1/2 ounce Sweet Vermouth
2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Directions:
1. Shake ingredients over ice and strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with an orange slice.

Bobbing For Apple
Ingredients:
1 1/2 ounces Absolut 100 Vodka
1/2 ounce Torani Cinnamon Syrup
2 ounces fresh apple juice
1 ounce cranberry juice

Directions:
1. Shake ingredients over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with shaved apple slices.

Sandy's Cider and Pumpkin Roll

Posted by Sandy Gluck

I'm sitting here with a smile on my face, thanks to Shavon Meyers our engineer! She found my favorite spooky song, "Goblins" by Fred Penner -- perfect for Halloween. Also perfect, a couple of ciders and a handsome pumpkin roll filled with a cream cheese frosting. I cut back a little on the sugar in the filling. It was delicious and easy to make -- get the recipe here.

Today we talked a lot about ciders; how to make them hot and what to put in them. Cinnamon sticks always come to mind, but why not change it up a bit? Citrus zests, coriander seeds, peppercorns and the like bring lots of different flavors. Sure you want the cider (apple or pear) to shine through but those flavors will jazz it up a bit. Here's one that has a little star anise. And for serving, well I think a cauldron would be pretty cool. Now practice cackling, put on your best witches' hat and stir away. And most of all -- have fun! Happy Halloween!

The Gardener's Nightmare

Posted by Stacey Hirvela

The candy bowl was empty, the candles burned down,
So I grabbed a volume of garden verse
And went to bed in my long flannel gown

I read a few poems, a couple of horticultural tips
But soon began to doze and nod
With the words, “plant the rest of those crocus” still on my lips.

I awoke quite suddenly to a din, a true cacophony
That seemed to be coming from my garden
Somewhere around my beloved Daphnes

I went to the window, pulled back the shade
I ran down to the yard to witness
An eleven mile long garden pest parade


Slugs and snails led the way, leaving trails of slime
And not a single raven flew in the sky
To prey upon these vile things, one at a time.

A million Japanese beetles followed, shells shining in the light
They skeletonized every leaf they came across
and there was no bT nor bucket of soapy water in sight

After them came mice and voles in terrifying array
They gnawed at the roots and the trees
Where was that red tailed hawk I saw yesterday?
Shouldn’t he be taking care of all of these?


Next the gophers and woodchucks lumbered as they may
They laughed wickedly as they walked
and mocked me standing there with hot pepper spray

But they were nothing compared to two thousand rabbits
That mowed down every plant at the base
Causing even more damage than is their normal habit

Deer, of course, were the main attraction, so regal they appear
And they browsed and rubbed every tree and shrub
I could only sit and watch, paralyzed with fear

Bringing up the end were acres of poison ivy and weeds
There was dandelion and dock and grass galore
And each planted itself in the space that had just been freed
then cloned itself and planted one more.

Wake up, its just a dream, yelled a voice in my head
But I woke to muddy footprints on my sheets
And a trail of fallen leaves, ending at my bed.

Happy Halloween from all of us at Homegrown!

Fruit & Vegetable Challenge: Keeping Healthy for Halloween!

Posted by Lisa Mantineo

'Tis the season to indulge in our favorite candy...and fruits and veggies! With Halloween weekend upon us, there are treats everywhere we look, so this week we've made sure to provide you with some healthy and delicious meal choices like a simple side of beans and a perfectly poached salmon. These recipes will keep you nourished and feeling good --in between all of that sweet snacking!

For new listeners: If you're interested in making your meals a little healthier by using more fruits and vegetables, then you might want to sign up for our Fruit and Vegetable Challenge. The goal of the program is to incorporate more produce into your busy schedule. If you want more info on the challenge, read our first post about it.

Don't forget: Keep track of the amount of servings you are eating throughout the week. Simply email us -- everydayfoodradio@yahoo.com on Thursday night with the fruits and vegetables you've consumed and the number of servings per day.

Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower with Lemon and Garlic
Poached Salmon with Sauteed Cabbage
Soupy Black Beans

SEE MORE RECIPES FROM PREVIOUS FRUIT AND VEGGIE CHALLENGES:

65 Frightful -- and Fun Flicks!

Posted by Katie Macpherson

What do you pop in the DVD player to get yourself in the Halloween spirit? That’s what we asked our Morning Living listeners and they came up with a full list of frightful and fun flicks. Check them out after the jump and let us know if you’ve got any to add to our list!

1. Hocus Pocus
2. I Know Who You Are and I Saw What You Did
3. E.T.
4. Night of the Living Dead
5. Alien
6. Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown
7. The Birds
8. Shining
9. Silver Bullet
10. Rosemary's Baby
11. Wizard of Oz
12. Psycho
13. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
14. The Omen
15. Poltergeist
16. Ghostbusters
17. Jaws
18. Wait Until Dark
19. Evil Dead
20. When a Stranger Calls

Image courtesy of babble.com

READ 45 MORE MOVIE TITLES

Word of the day: mischief.

Posted by Marc Bailes

Are you up to no good? It’s okay--‘tis the season to be a little mischievous, right? Be careful, though. Most of the time, mischief is not always playful. In some contexts, mischief is an done with the intent of causing damage or harm. Other times, it’s largely innocuous, amounting to little more than a prank. But think about the word mischief carefully. Not the chief? What could this possibly have to do with mischief, regardless of the intention. It’s true that chief does come from the Latin word for “head.” Like the chief of police, for instance.But it’s helpful to think of the chief hidden in achieve, the verb meaning to obtain something successfully.

Mischief was invented to be the opposite of achieve. In fact, in the Middle Ages, there was a common English verb mischief. Something that fails to achieve is damaged--in a sense. That was the original mischief--a misfortune. From there, mischief became the *source* of harmful things. In some parts of the United States, Mischief Night is the name given to October 30. This is the night when teens roam the town and cause all sorts of mischief--largely in the form of making a mess. Not to be confused with Mischief Night in the United Kingdom, which in the 19th century was on April 13: the eve of May Day. In some parts of England, though, Mischief Night was November 5, to coincide with Guy Fawkes Day. Today in the U.K., Mischief Night coincides with Halloween.

Image courtesy of Dr. Fingers blog.

Mario presents his play in Texas!

Posted by Mario Bosquez

My play, "Los Duendes (The Restless Spirits)" recently opened at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center in San Antonio, Texas. The play is about three misfits from a Mexican-American family who must face their personal demons at midnight, in their late grandmother's house! The cast, crew, and production team did a wonderful job of bringing the story to life.

On the set of Lod Duendes.

The marquee!

In addition, the Center hosted a fundraising dinner for their theater arts program. The "Dinner with Mario" fundraiser featured the food from the amazing Diana Barrios-Trevino of Los Barrios restaurant in San Antonio and Chef Michael H. Flores, author of "My Family, My Friends, My Food" cookbook.

Mexican-Style Table Settings

Diana and I had the opportunity to appear on a television show, "Fox News First" in San Antonio to talk about the fundraising dinner and play. She prepared her famous Chicken Chipotle (see the recipe after the jump). This recipe is featured in her wonderful cookbook, "Los Barrios Family Cookbook."

Diana Barrios-Trevino, tv host Monica Taylor, me and tv host Ernie Zuniga.

Thanks to the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center for presenting "Los Duendes" and thanks to Diana Barrios-Trevino and chef Michael for a wonderful Mexican-style dinner.

GET THE CHICKEN CHIPOTLE RECIPE:

50 Costume Ideas with a Box!

Posted by Katie Macpherson

Planning on making an eco-friendly recycled costume this year? You can’t go wrong with a box! Our Morning Listeners came up with 50 creative costumes to make out of any old box lying around. Let us know if you’ve got any other ideas!

1. Blockhead
2. Nightstand
3. Road with a car on it
4. Geico money
5. Ballot Box
6. Lego
7. Toy Box
8. Food Box
9. Cereal Killer
10. Circus Cage
11. Dice
12. Queen of Hearts
13. Robot
14. Garbage Truck
15. Crescent Moon
16. Doghouse
17. Radio
18. iPod
19. Gameboy
20. Present

Image courtesy of ThreadBanger.

GET 30 MORE CARDBOARD COSTUME IDEAS

55 Last-Minute Halloween Costume Ideas!

Posted by Jennifer Sendrow

Need a last-minute Halloween costume? Get inspired by Martha’s 20 simple, no-sew outfits for kids and adults, or check out the 55 great ideas we gathered from our listeners on Morning Living!

1. Leftovers: wrap yourself in foil, then saran wrap, then label. - Judy from MA
2. Puzzled: glue on puzzle pieces all over yourself. – Vicki from VA
3. Mother Nature: wear a brown outfit, twist on some artificial flowers and have small stuffed animals pinned on as well. – Jo from PA
4. Leaf Blower: have a leaf on a wire hanging in front of your mouth and blow on command. – Megan from Michigan
5. Dead Tired: just make big dark circles and such under your eyes.
6. Scarecrow: old outfit, just add some hay around collar and cuffs.
7. Static Cling: dress in black, stick clothes to yourself.
8. Fisherman: wear a slicker and carry tackle and rod.
9. Cheerleader: use colored tape to make logo on sweater and pair with skirt, carry pom-poms.
10. Bag of M&M's: wear a clear trash bag and fill with balloons with logo drawn on them. – Diana from Michigan
11. Bag of Trash: wear a black trash bag, have stuff sticking out of the top. Nancy from Florida.
12. Mummy: wrap yourself in gauze.
13. Stay-at-Home Mummy: cover your mummy outfit with a robe, task list, carry car keys. – Elizabeth on the road
14. Bag Lady: wear old clothes and carry lots of bags. – Ron from Florida
15. Re-Gift: wear a cardboard box wrapped in gift wrap, add bow and a tag that reads “RE” – Mark from Washington, DC
16. Snowblower: have a snowflake cutout on a wire hanging in front of your mouth and blow on command. – Diane from Maryland
17. Bag of Jelly Beans: wear a clear trash bag and fill with multicolored balloons. – Marie from Indiana
18. Bunch of Grapes: pin small purple balloons to an all-purple outfit and attach artificial vines to a knit cap for top.
19. Superman: wear a suit and old glasses with a camera around your neck, but then change into tights and cape. – Percy from Minnesota
20. Crayon: wear a solid color outfit, then use black tape to create logo and bands. – Joan from Virginia

GET 35 MORE LAST-MINUTE COSTUME IDEAS