Haunting Halloween Cocktails

 

If you are planning for a party, or maybe just want to treat yourself to something extra this Halloween, then you are in the perfect place to be inspired! I have gathered 10 of my favorite festive cocktails for the Halloween season to share with you. You can find a bonus of a few of my favorite cocktail recipes below too.

Hocus Pocus Cocktail by Easy Party Cocktails

Black Widow Martini by Burrata and Bubbles

Monkey Brain Shots by Aleka’s Get Together

Devil Margaritas by Sula and Spice

Witches Brew by Sugar and Charm

Wicked Things Cocktail by Like MK Library

Halloween Sangria by The Forked Spoon

Bloody Cosmos by By Andrea Jansen 

Lychee Gin Cocktail by Emily Fabulous

Green Appletini by The Art of Natural Living

Which of these sounds best to you? Those witches brew drinks look fun!

You might also want to try this sour apple margarita recipe

The Night King Cocktail is always a favorite!

5 Types of Seafood You Don't Know You Love

 

Red lobster on a white ceramic plate - Image Courtesy of Pexels

The ocean offers many minutes when it comes to food. But shockingly, over 80% of Americans don't eat seafood. So here is some seafood you don't know you love until you try it. 

Crabs Aren't Just Funny to Watch

There are many different types of crab, each with its own distinct flavors. There's king crab, snow crab, and blue crab. And if you've never had crab before, you must give it a go. The sight of crab and how you eat it can be off-putting for some people. But you can get more traditional-looking dishes such as deep-fried crab claws that might be more like what you are used to. Crab is a great first step on the road to sampling all the ocean has to offer. 

Seaweed is a Great Salt Alternative

Seaweed is full of vitamins and minerals like iodine, and it's high in antioxidants that help keep your gut healthy. If you go to the beach, you'll find a lot of different kinds of seaweed. While they all need different ways to cook and prepare, it's easy to get enough snacks for a year in just one afternoon. It's deliciously mixed into stir fry, just like you would with cabbage. Or you can even dry it out for a stronger taste that you can use to enhance a dish instead of using salt.

Expensive Seafood You Don't Know You Love

A lot of seafood is more expensive than meat because of the work that goes into catching and producing it. And if you want to treat yourself now and then, here are some of the best to try:

• Caviar is a delight that comes in many varieties, and some are affordable.

• Maine lobster is among the finest because of its softer shell and more meat.

• Swordfish steaks are a meaty delight and something a little different if you love beef.

Caviar is cheaper than it once was, making it available for all of us these days. While lobster is sold by the pound, you can try smaller ones. And swordfish is available at most fishmongers.

Bouillabaisse is a Classic for a Reason

Most of the time, "bouillabaisse" just means "fish soup," and it can be terrible. Even in some parts of France, bouillabaisse isn't as traditional as it used to be and can be a challenge to find. But you can find authentic bouillabaisse in coastal towns, made from four essential ingredients that include rockfish, fresh tomatoes, a dash of olive oil, and aniseed fennel. And there are spices you need, such as turmeric for color and saffron, the latter of which is rather expensive.

You Have to Try Gravlax before You Die

Gravlax is a great alternative with a familiar taste. It's just a fancy name for salmon that has been cured, but it's not cold-smoked. So ordering gravlax is like getting a strange yet familiar version of smoked salmon. But buying a salmon filet and curing it yourself with salt, sugar, and a mix of spices is a great way to sample it. If you try it once, you will never look back. And you might start making your own as a new foodie hobby since it's seriously addictive.

Summary

Expertly-prepared crab dishes, expensive delights like caviar, and the strange but equally familiar gravlax. These are seafood dishes you don't know you love until you try them.

Strawberry Ghosts

Trying to eat a little healthier this fall? You are in luck! With this simple recipe you can make a serving of candy coated fruit to satisfy your cravings.

I am always trying to make fruits and veggies more appealing to my kids. This recipe is a sure way to get kids excited about strawberries, while giving them a little of the candy they desire.

Supplies:

Strawberries

White candy melts

Candy eyes

Parchment or wax paper

Directions:

Wash the berries and dry them on a paper towel.

It is very important that you remove all the exterior moisture before you dip into the chocolate.

If there is still water/moisture on the berries when you dip into the chocolate; it will clump up fast.

When the berries are dry melt the white chocolate/almond bark according to the directions on the packaging.

Dip the berries into the melted chocolate, working fast.

Place the berries on the wax paper.

Before the chocolate has a chance to harden, drop 2 candy eyes on each berry.

When all of the berries have eyes, you can place them in the fridge to help the chocolate harden.

You can enjoy these within 15 minutes or so.

These are perfect for sharing at a Halloween party! What a sweet little spooky ghost!

I bet you can't eat just one!

These are delicious, easy to make, and while they do have a candy coating, they are so much healthier than some of the options Halloween is best known for!

Make a batch and stop by to share a little BOO! with a friend or neighbor!

Or maybe just eat them all by yourself! 

 You can find all of my Halloween ideas here

Reader favorites include:

DIY Halloween Tree

Pumpkin Face Window Clings

Play Doh Ghost Ornaments

Mummy Pretzel Snacks

Paper Plate Spiders

Play Doh Pumpkin Faces

Reclaimed Wood Black Cats

Hillbilly Cider Cocktails

This recipe for hillbilly apple cider is the best easy cocktail for fall. This easy 2 ingredient recipe adds the perfect amount of apple pie moonshine to fresh apple cider for a smooth sipping drink that will really give you a kick in the pants! I love this cocktail for evenings when I don’t want to make a lot of effort for a cocktail because it is ready in about a minute.

Ingredients:

Apple Pie Moonshine

Fresh Pressed Apple Cider

Ice

Optional:

Cinnamon 

Directions:

Fill a glass with ice.

Add 1 ½ ounces of apple pie moonshine to your glass

Top off with 5 ounces of apple cider.

Give everything a good stir.

If you like you can garnish with cinnamon.

Find other favorite cocktail recipes here:

Blueberry Gin Fizzers

Sour Apple Margarita

4 Ways to Find the Right Caretaker for Your Kid

 One of the most important decisions you will ever make is choosing a caretaker for your child. It is not only an emotional decision but also a financial one. You have to consider the cost of hiring a nanny or caretaker and the benefits they can provide your child. Even if it’s just a babysitter for the night, this is going to be a big deal. So, how can you find someone reliable? While there are services like Berry Family Services, are there ways to find individual caretakers for children? Here is everything you need to know!

Image credit

1. Ask family and friends for recommendations for a caretaker

There are many ways to find a caretaker for your loved one but the most common way is to ask family and friends for recommendations. Plus, the people that you know, like family and friends, are the best source of referrals for caretakers. But when you need a specific type of caretaker, it can be difficult to find the right person. You can even ask them questions like:

- What is your experience with this person?

- What kind of care do they provide?

- How much does their service cost?

2. Check the qualifications of caretaker agencies

Daycare centers are great places for children to spend their day. It is important that the center you choose is a quality one. There are some things to look for in a quality daycare center, such as cleanliness and safety, staff-child ratio, and activities offered. You could also just read up on Google reviews to see what the reviews say there too. You can’t always have good caring capabilities, especially if you have a job or a lot going on your plate. So that’s why it’s so important to find a good caretaker.

When going to a daycare or a similar facility, asking questions is important. Some of these questions can include:

1) What are your qualifications?

2) What is your experience in childcare?

3) What do you expect from me as a daycare provider?

4) How can I help you, and what are my expectations of me as a daycare provider?

5) How can I be helpful to you as a daycare provider?

3. Ask for referrals from other parents

One of the best ways to get a referral is going to be through asking other parents. Are there any parents that are in a similar situation as you? Whether they have a child that’s special needs or one that requires just some extra attention, then this is going to be very important.

4. Check out the websites

There are plenty of websites out there, such as Care.com, that you could take a look at. However, try to use these websites with a grain of salt, as the legitimacy could be blurred.

Overall, while it can be challenging to find the right caretaker for your little one, it’s all going to come down to research. You may need to ask around or even ask for help. But in general, your little one deserves the best care in the world!