Jack-O-Lantern Hijinks

We carved our pumpkins Saturday night. Kristen did Bonejangles, and I did the Headless Horseman. Kristen's looks more complicated (what with all those teeth), but my pumpkin was ridiculously thick so it took me longer.

French Dip Sandwiches

Loosely based on the Rachel Ray recipe found in 30 Minute Meals 2.

• 2 T butter
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 1/2 T flour
• 2 cans (14 oz each) beef comsommé
• 1 lb deli-sliced roast beef
• 4 torpedo sandwich rolls (a fresh baked baguette works great too)
• provolone cheese (or whatever kind of cheese you want really)
• horseradish

For the au jus:
In a large, shallow skillet over moderate heat, melt butter. Sauté shallots in the butter 2 minutes. Add flour and cook 1 minute longer. Whisk in comsommé in a slow stream. Bring sauce to bubble and allow to simmer over low heat until sandwiches are ready to serve.

For the sandwich:
Here is where I differ from the original recipe a bit. Preheat your oven to broil. Spread a thin layer of horseradish on one side of the roll for an extra kick. Pile several slices of roast beef over the horseradish. Cover the other side of the roll with thinly sliced provolone and place sandwiches open-faced under the broiler until the cheese is bubbly, and the edges of the rolls are golden brown. Makes 4 sandwiches.

Serve sandwiches with a small bowl of au jus, and well, you get the idea.

Instant Halloween

I recently put together a mix album of Halloween songs, spooky movie themes, and creepy sound effects, and I wanted to share the scares. It is just the right length to fit on a cd, for those that still use cds.

WARNING: Not for the faint of heart, or those with dial-up.

Click to download

Won't you take me to...Spooky Town!

I took the opportunity to take a few photos of our ever growing Spooky Town village last week. We added the Spooky Bridge and the Forsaken Souls Prison this year.

Our orange walls make a great backdrop, don't they?

The prison is perched high on a hill (bookcase) above the village.

You Can't Reason With a Headless Man

Thought I would spread some Halloween cheer...or should that be chills? Here is the climactic chase scene from the old Disney cartoon "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." In elementary school, we used to have assemblies on holidays where we would watch a movie, and it seems like we watched this for Halloween pretty much every year. Plus me and Kristen just watched it last night.

My Top Five...

... Worst Things About Being Pregnant So Far

5. Increased Kidney Efficiency

4. Legitimate Reason to Use Sick Time (I'm very tempted to take advantage of it)

3. Listeriosis Preventing me from Eating Un-Heated Deli Meat

2. Morning Sickness While Driving to Work (thank goodness for Ziploc bags!)

1. Peanut Butter



... Greatest Things About Being Pregnant So Far

5. Seeing Smidgen's Heartbeat

4. Telling Everyone (despite the fact that they all already suspected)

3. Root Beer

2. A Light at the End of the Tunnel (the full-time office work tunnel, that is)

1. French Fries and Ketchup!

Going Bananas

I think I have found me and Smidgen's Halloween costumes for next year.