In case you are looking for more inspirations on what to serve at your Halloween party.

+ This Pumpkin Soup in a small pumpkin bowl is elegant. You could recycle the idea for Thanksgiving. Via Noob Cook.

+ Devilled egss are back in vogue. The Spooky spider eggs are a cute adaptation of the classic. The decoration is super fun. Via Sunset magazine

+ Start making the Cinnamon Pumpkin Seed Brittle at least 70 minutes before serving as you need to allow a cooling period. Via Sunset magazine

+ Plan an hour to make 30 Cheddar Witch’s Fingers. Except for one person, everyone who tried the recipes said it was a success. Via Sunset magazine

Even if you don’t host a party, you could serve any of these recipes to your family tomorrow for Halloween. They would thank you for that special attention.

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In response to my post on Spider sweets for Halloween, Recipe Girl showed me her cute Tarantula cookies. Have a look. She mentioned that while this isn’t a quick and easy recipe, the tarantula cookies were a lot of fun to do with the kids. They turned out cute and delicious.

+ photo: Recipe Girl

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If you feel like baking for Halloween, have a look at those superb creations that are sure to bring Ahhhh! from kids and grown ups.

The talented Bakerella did:

+ The Spider Cookies with Trix and a Betty Crocker Double Chocolate Chunk Cookie Mix
+ The Spider Brownies with licorice wheels and raspberry and blackberry gumdrops

If you rush in time or just starting doing cupcake decorations, try the Spider Cupcakes by Paris Pastry. They are not complicated to make. Use black or brown paper wrappers for a scarier look.

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I want to invite all my Canadian readers (except Quebec) to participate in the Pillsbury Baking Challenge. What you need to do to participate is to submit your original recipe made with at least one Pillsbury product. Your recipe can be an appetizer, an entree or a dessert.

The Grand Prize is worth $10,000 CAD. The grand prize winner will receive 4 new Whirlpool appliances and a year’s worth of groceries. The grand winner will get more time to cook and bake with one year of housekeeping services by Molly Maid. There are 3 category prizes and 6 honourable mention prizes.

Judging Team

You have until November 15th, 2009 to submit your original recipe. Know that I am one of the 5 judges for the Baking Challenge with:

• Jennifer Hamilton of Domestic Goddess,
• Erica Ehm of Yummy Mummy Club,
• the Olympian champion Carol Huynh,
• and Jackie Gallagher, a Pillsbury’s kitchenista

It is worth mentioning that Pillsbury gave $500 to a local food bank of my choice. I selected Moisson Montreal, which is Canada’s largest food bank. Moisson Montreal celebrates their 25th anniversary this year.

Now you know why I needed a nice portrait. I wish all participants good luck. Tell your friends about the Baking Challenge. Come back to visit my blog since I will host a surprise gift basket giveaway for Pillsbury before Christmas.

MORE:
+ Pillsbury Baking Challenge

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Bea from La Tartine Gourmande went to visit a cranberry bog in Carver. She took fabulous pictures of the field. It is a must see. What I crave the most is her cranberry upside down cake with a cranberry sauce. You will find on La Tartine the recipes of her cranberry sauce plus a appetizing cranberry and apple crumble.

+ photo by La Tartine Gourmande

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Balancing salt and sweet is popular with chefs. Simply think of caramels with fleur de sel or molten chocolate cake served with olive oil. I am in the middle of organizing my husband’s birthday party. This year, I decided to try to make a dessert table à la Amy Atlas. Since there will be lot of sweets, I wish to balance it off with salty treats. The balancing act is more impressive when it happens in one dish.

On Salty Sweets you get the recipe for a peanut butter cupcake with chocolate frosting. For my husband’s birthday, I would prefer cupcakes with earl grey tea or ginger. Both flavors while complement better my theme. Do not worry, I will share details on the food and decor after his party.

In the meantime, if you are looking for recipes, check out this cookbook by Christie Matheson. Salty Sweets presents 75 delectable ways to play with sweet and savory flavors. Her book revolves around delectable desserts and tempting treats with a sublime kiss of salt. This trend does not stop at desserts. Lots of chefs experiment with this concept. I am sure that we will see more cookbooks on that food trend.

SOURCING:
+ USA: Salty Sweets by Christie Matheson $13.57 USD
+ Canada: Salty Sweets by Christie Matheson $17.48 CAD

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If you are looking for a twist of the typical muffin cups, look at these Tulip baking cups. They are designed to fit the standard 2-inch muffin pans.

These four-petal cups are made of Swedish greaseproof white or brown paper. They come in three sizes. Make sure you get the tallest model (2 3/4) since it is the only one that form a uniform tulip shape. The smallest sizes are randomly folded. Plus, taller muffins look more sophisticated.

You may want to revisit my tall muffin presentation where I discussed how to make your own tubular muffins. The raffia string creates a modern rustic look. For a more stylish look, replace the raffia by a beautiful paper band hold in place with an elegant ribbon and a decorative button.

SOURCING:
+ White Tulip Baking Cups $3.95 USD for pack of 24
+ Brown Tulip Baking Cups $3.95 USD for pack of 24

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In case you did not heard, the latest cookbook from Martha Stewart will be released next Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009. You will find inside Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes 175 ideas and recipes for cupcakes, frostings, fillings, and toppings. There are no second guess of what it should look like since every recipe is accompanied with a picture.

Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes is designed to have something from every level of bakers. You are sure to find inspiring cupcake decorations to fit every occasion. The cookbook covers classic recipes such as devil’s food cupcakes, sweet surprises like peanut butter and jelly cupcakes, elegant treats like tiny cherry-almond tea cakes up to festive showstoppers topped with piped buttercream blossoms or meringue bouquets.

For cookie lovers, Martha with her team of editors at Martha Stewart Living released a popular book on cookies last year. With recipes organized by texture, Martha Stewart’s Cookies covers a wide array of sweet surprises, including the traditional chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies, rum raisin shortbread, peppermint meringue sandwiches with chocolate filling, and lime melt away cookies. Amongst the 175 cookie recipes are the beloved Anzac cookies.

For a not too sweet version, try the recipe by Heidi of 101 Cookbooks. Heidi says that Anzac cookies are very easy to bake. Anzacs are made from oats, coconut, and flour coming together in a butter-kissed dough. Canadian Family featured a classic Anzac biscuit recipe.

SOURCING:
+ Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes: 175 Inspired Ideas for Everyone’s Favorite Treat $15.68 USD
+ Martha Stewart’s Cookies: The Very Best Treats to Bake and to Share $16.47 USD
+ image: Anzac Biscuits on Canadian Family
+ image: Anzac Cookies on 101 Cookbooks

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+ These snowman treats will seduce kids and adults. Look at Frosty Go milk glasses with their donut hole heads imagined by Better Homes and Garden. Then, draw on candy mints snowmen faces and pretty script with edible markers from the cake-decorating aisle at the crafts store. Look for more ­­Super-Easy Snowmen Treats. Via Hostess with the Mostess.

+ The Paper Flower Ornaments are an easy Do-it-yourself project. Via How about Orange

+ No skill is required to use the Snowman and Snowflake Cookie Presses. Simply press the stamp right on sliced dough for a perfectly embossed snowman or snowflake. Try them on a batch of Earl Grey Tea Cookies or my specialty, cranberry shortbread cookies. Available at Crate & Barrel for $5.95 each. If you do not feel like baking your own recipe from scratch, go for the Holiday Sugar Cookie Mix

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+ I love the Silver, Gold and Baby Blue Christmas tree of Liberty Post. She invite us to a new tradition A Christmas Tree Ornament Swap. Check out Flickr for more ornaments.

+ The art of piping is demonstrated by famous cake and cookie maker Peggy Porschen on these freshly baked gingerbread snowflake cookies. Peggy created Stella McCartney’s wedding cake plus several cakes for stars like Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna. Via Wee Bird, one my favorite blogs from UK.

+ Vintage style holiday cards only available in store at Kennedy & Kate, a store in Bainbridge Island, WA. Via d.sharp and The Bedlam of Beefy

+ Holiday Gift Packing Set at $12 USD by etsy seller Simple Song. This set includes all you need except wrapping paper. Via Black Eiffel

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I love the idea of edible ornaments that you put on the Christmas tree the day of the party. You can also hang a pole or place a stand to create a delectable centerpiece on your dining table.

+ I dream of Winter Cranberry Cupcakes. Do not miss to check the finished product made by Nicisme of cherrapeno. What I shown you is the cupcake topping.

+ I applaud this imaginative way to use black olives, cream cheese and carrots in an appetizer. Bravo Once Upon a Plate for your Olive Penguins!

+ The Cinnamon- Sugar Stars by RecipeGirl are easy to make. All you need to fashion them is a star cookie cutter, a straw and festive ribbons.

+ I am inspired by the perfect red-green sprinkle pattern on the Gingerbread Cookies by Inkyquills. Rest assured that the spice flavors are not overpowering.

Do you bake edible holiday ornament or fashion unique holiday appetizers?

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Since a copy of this book does not sit yet in my cookbook library, I will tell what it is all about from the own words of the writers, Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito.

Baked: New Frontiers in Baking was released October 1st, 2008. If you are already a patron of Baked, you will be thrilled to won that you get access to the recipes on which Baked NYC built their reputation.

You will be able to recreate at home bakery favorites like The Sweet & Salty Cake, the Peanut Butter Crispy Bar, the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf, and our very own Cheddar Chipotle Biscuits.

In total, you get 80 detailed Baked recipes. The book is divided in sections: Breakfast, Cakes and Cupcakes, Pies and Tarts, Brownies and Bars, Cookies, Confections and Chocolates, and Drinks.

Not every recipe has a picture since the book only contains 40 color photos from New-York photographer Tina Rupp.

Where to Buy

If you wish to send this book as a gift, pay the suggested price and order it directly from Baked. You will receive an autographed copy wrapped in brown butcher paper for $29.95. Otherwise, Amazon sells the book for sell.

SOURCING:
+ Baked Autographed and Gift Wrapped Copy – $29.95 USD
+ For Americans: Baked: New Frontiers in Baking – $19.95 USD
+ For Canadians: Baked: New Frontiers in Baking – $20.76 CAD

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