Showing posts with label Halloween. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Halloween. Show all posts

Monday, October 31, 2011

Snow on Halloween Weekend

I was excited to dress up for Halloween this year.  It was the first time in a few years we would be dressing up, and the first time (in 4.5 years of dating) that we were doing a couple's costume.

So, we each got our costumes (or most of) and Hamad came over Friday night for dinner.  All evening he spent assembling the accessories to his costume.

Meanwhile, earlier in the week we really didn't know where we were going.  He had talk to a friend and we arranged for a double date (I guess?) to a particular local bar with a costume contest.  Okay, we're doing pretty well.  Costumes?  Check! Plans?  Check! Snowstorm?  Oh...wait, crap!

If you live in the Northeast, or if you watch the news or do any online browsing that might steer you near headlines, you've probably heard the Northeast got slammed with, well, a Nor'easter.


It was snowing all day long Saturday, with accumulations of probably around 5 inches.  We pretty much decided our plans were off.  Hamad was back at his house, I was in my apartment 30 minutes away, and so our plans for a fun night out with friends turned into a quiet night home alone.

I paid bills, set up my budget for November, watched some TV, was going to make cookies but figured I'd eat them all, so instead I Zumba'ed.  Somewhere in between there, one of the friends we were supposed to go out with text me to say it stopped snowing.  I told her that I'm a snow wuss, my car needed new brakes, and I wasn't chancing it on icy roads.  Immediately upon finishing my Zumba workout, I get a call from her boyfriend who volunteered her to pick me up.  (We live in the same town, and both our boyfriends live near each other.)  I figure I might as well go and get some use out of my costume.  In an hour and a half, I shower, straighten my hair, do my makeup, get dressed, and eat dinner.  Let's talk about multi-tasking!

My costume called for sandals, and wanting to stay true to the costume, and not having a better alternative that would still look cute, I work sandals.  With heels.  Out in the slushy snow.  That was smart.  Oh, and when I got picked up, it was snowing again.  Tree branches (or trees) were down everywhere.  But, for the most part, the main roads were fine.  We picked up the guys, noticing that many towns were without power.  Not once did it occur to us that the bar with the costume party might not have power.

With guys in tow, we make our way to the bar.  And, yup, it's pitch black! There we were, all dressed up with no where to go!  (Is it sad that I've always kinda wanted to say that?)  We brainstorm about other bars to go to.  We call one, but no answer.  We figured they were dark, too.  We call another and they pick up, wahoo!  Oh, but wait, what's that?  They're not having a costume party.

And that's how we ended up being the only 4 people in the bar in costumes.



Left to right: Cruella deVille, God's gift to women, Princess Peach, and Feather Cape Mario.



It's a little dark, but you can see the egg and feather Hamad labored over on Friday night.

Pancakes, and Pasta, and Cookies...

The other day I was shopping and decided to buy some canned pumpkin.




I didn't really have anything in mind to use it for, except maybe cookies, but I knew I wanted pumpkin flavored stuff.

It sat on my counter for a few days.  Until, along came a snowstorm on Halloween weekend.  The snowstorm said, "Hey, chick, don't go anywhere.  Just sit around and cook all day."  So that's how I spent most of my Sunday.  (To be honest, here, the storm happened Saturday, and I was going to spend my evening cooking, but I ended up going out instead... yes, in the snow storm.)


So, Sunday rolls around.  Plan I had were canceled and I figured it was time to get cooking.  I started with brunch: Chocolate Chip Walnut Pumpkin Pancakes.  This ended up being a WW Pointstastrophy.  Oops.  I worked off recipes that were supposed to make one serving of pancakes and then adjusted for my pumpkin craving.  16 P+ later, I'd had a pretty hearty breakfast...  I'm pretty sure I could have been satisfied with half the portion.  So, if you want 4-6 big fluffy pancakes, enjoy alone.  If you're good with 2-3, share with a friend.


Chocolate Chip Walnut Pumpkin Pancakes

In small bowl, mix together:
1/4 c canned pumpkin
1 egg white1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract




In a larger bowl, mix:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg




Add wet ingredients to try and mix until just crumbly.  Whisk in 1/2 cup milk (I used 2%).  Then stir in 2 Tbsp each of chocolate chips and chopped walnuts.

Then I poured the mixture into my trusty measuring cup, greased up a pan with  non-stick spray, and started pouring batter in. 


Small pan, but I was too lazy to clean the griddle.

Then I had 4 delicious fluffy, pumpkiny pancakes.  I topped each with about 1/4 tsp of butter because butter is awesome.  And then I topped with pancake syrup, but it probably didn't need it.  Wash it down with a glass of milk, and it was delicious!


More pumpkin deliciousness to come...