Kids Halloween Party

Happy Halloween week! This year is different for our family, because my brother in law is getting married on Halloween... so I have two little boys who will be wearing tuxedos instead of trick or treating this year. To make up for missing out on schools parties and trick or treating, I decided to invite some of our new Wharton Vets Club friends over for chili and pumpkin painting! The kids wore costumes and enjoyed some fun Halloween themed food - pretzel bones, spider pizza, brain cake, and pumpkin dip!

Have a great Halloween!

Brain Cake

*recipe found here

- strawberry cake mix, baked on baking sheet
- 1/4 pint Mason jars
- raspberry jam
- frosting dyed grey, 2 drops black and 1 drop pink food coloring
- piping bag with #5 round tip
- free printable found in link above

1. Make strawberry cake on a baking sheet and cut out circles of cake with the Mason jar, once cooled.
2. Place a piece of cake at the bottom of each Mason jar.
3. Place 1 tbsp of raspberry jam on top of the cake.
4. Cover the top of the jam with frosting and line the edges of the jar with the frosting.
5. Place a smaller circle cake in the center of the icing and then top the cake off with frosting.
6. Add a printed label to the top.

 Mason Jar with cake and jam

 Gray frosting "brains" 

 Brains in a jar!

With Label

White Chocolate Pretzel "Bones"

- pretzel sticks

- mini marshmallows

- white chocolate

1. Place mini marshmallows on the end of the pretzel sticks.

2. Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for 30 seconds. Place pretzels and marshmallow in the white chocolate and cover with a fork. 

3. Place on parchment paper and put in the fridge for 10 minutes to finish hardening.

 Pretzel with marshmallows

 Being dipped in white chocolate 

 White Chocolate Bones

Dig in!

Spider Pizza

*spiders made from pepperonis and olives

- Pizza dough made from here 

 Spider Pizza

Pumpkin Spice Dip with Apples

- 8 oz. Cool Whip

- 15 oz. can of pumpkin

- 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1. Mix all ingredients together and serve with fruit of our choice. 

Pumpkin dip with apples

Candy Pumpkins

- orange tissue paper

- 9" cake pan

- scissors

- green tape (I used painters tape)

- pen

- candy

1. Using 2 pieces of orange tissue paper (I used one orange and one white), outline the 9" cake pan on the paper and cut it out. 

2. Place candy in the center of the circle and gather the top together and secure with green tape. 

 Supplies

 Candy in the center of the cut tissue paper circle

 Tissue paper gathered and secured with green tape

Candy Pumpkins!

Enjoy!

Brittney

Mongolian Beef Noodle Bowl

This meal is easy to make and has a huge amount of flavor! I would recommend giving yourself enough time to make the Thai rice noodles - they take about 30 minutes. Recently, we have been on an Asian food kick so I hope to be sharing more recipes!

We traveled to West Point this past weekend for Kyle's 10 year reunion and had the best time! It was so nice for Kyle to catch up with his classmates and we got to see an Army WIN! Such a beautiful time of year to be in New York - Fall is the best!

Mongolian Beef Noodle Bowls

- Thai rice noodles
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 tsp. red chili pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp. sesame oil
- 1 lb. flank steak, sliced thinly
- salt and pepper
- 5 green onions, chopped
- 3 cups coleslaw mix
- 1/2 tsp. grated ginger
- 3 garlic cloves, minced

1. Make your noodles according to the instructions on the bag.
2. Mix your soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and chili pepper flakes together and set aside.
3. Heat a wok with 1/2 tbsp. sesame oil and place some of your sliced beef on top. Season meat with salt and pepper. Cook until browned on both sides.
4. Repeat above step with the remaining batches of meat and sesame oil.
5. Heat another 1/2 tbsp. of sesame oil and place your coleslaw mix in the wok. Cook until it begins to wilt and add the ginger and garlic.
6. Add drained noodles to the wok.
7. Add your sauce to the wok and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes. Serve!

 Mongolian Beef Noodle Bowl

The United States Military Academy in the Fall

Enjoy!

Brittney

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

If you are craving a delicious deep dish pizza and have the time to make homemade pizza dough and sauce - this is the recipe for you! The dough made enough for 2 pizzas, so I made one deep dish pepperoni, and one with mushrooms and green peppers. A traditional Chicago style pizza is pretty much upside-down pizza if you ask me - you put your cheese on the bottom, your toppings and your sauce on top!

This pizza was a big hit in my family! Get creative and try other toppings - I know I will next time I make this.

Dough

- 3 1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp. yeast
- 1 1/4 cups warm water
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, divided (1/4 cup melted, 1/4 cup softened)
- Olive oil for coating

Sauce

- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 tsp. sugar

Toppings

- 4 cups mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- pepperoni, pepper, mushrooms, sausage, bacon... etc.

For Dough:
1. Combine flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar and yeast in your KitchenAide Mixer with your dough hook attachment. Add the warm water and 1/4 cup of melted butter. Stir dough together on low speed until dough is soft and falls off the hook.
2. Remove your dough and form it into a ball. Place the ball of dough in a large mixing dough coated with olive oil. Cover the bowl tightly with foil and allow to rise for 1-2 hours in a warm environment.
3. Once dough is has risen, place it on a floured surface and knead it and roll it out to a large 15"x12" rectangle. Spread 1/4 cup of softened butter on top of the dough. Roll the dough lengthwise into a log and cut it in half. Form the two pieces of dough into balls and place them back into the greased mixing bowl. Place foil on top of the bowl and allow to rise in the refrigerator for an hour.

For Sauce:
1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add your onions, salt, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Allow onions to brown, about 5 minutes. Then add your garlic, tomatoes, and sugar. Turn the heat down to low-medium and allow sauce to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

For Pizza:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease 2 x 9 inch cake pans.
2. Roll out one ball of pizza dough on a floured surface into a 12-inch circle.
3. Place dough over the cake pan and press the dough into the pan using your fingers.
4. Brush the edges of the dough with olive oil.
5. Repeat with second dough ball.
6. Place 2 cups of cheese on the bottom of each pan.
7. Add your pizza toppings.
8. Place half of your sauce, about 1 1/4 cups, on top of your toppings.
9. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese on top.
10. Bake for 25 minutes.

 Pizza dough before it was placed in the warm oven to rise

 Dough rolled out and soften butter spread on top and rolled into a log

 Cut log in half

 Form 2 balls and place in refrigerator to rise for an hour

 Dough rolled out and placed in deep dish cake pan

 2 cups of mozzarella cheese

Pepperonis added

Peppers and mushrooms

 Pizzas topped with sauce and parmesan cheese

 Baked for 25 minutes

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

Enjoy!

Brittney