NO. We are NOT letting Halloween stress us out. Our featured article is here to help with all the prep so you can ENJOY your Halloween!
Every week we try to help you out with our Recipes of the Week — and this week is a treat! Five of the yummiest and easiest dinners are here. We hope you and your family love them!
And listen, we don’t need more stress in our lives this week, so scoot down to Just Sayin’ to read my take on Halloween week stressors. And then take a breath, eat a Kit Kat, and enjoy your Halloween!
Halloween Prep Doesn’t Have To Be Hard
By Mila Sanchez
Between school, sports practices, homework, and dance recitals, Halloween can sneak up on you! We haven’t spent the time preparing like we promised ourselves we would last year when we were scrambling to do everything at the last minute. But fear not! You can get everything you need to get done in no time at all!
Here are some tips to get your last minute Halloween prep done:
Costumes
Arguably the most important aspect of Halloween to your kids — other than candy — is their costumes. Nothing is more fun than getting dressed as their favorite character and going out trick-or-treating with friends. But at this point, the costume choices at the store are probably slim pickins, as well as expensive.
It’s time to get creative and save some money with DIY costumes that won’t break the bank. There are lots of cute ideas that you can put together in no time, like a bunch of grapes, cotton candy, a wind-up toy, and even the classic Clark Kent. Use these ideas, or use them to inspire your own creative DIY ideas. And don’t be afraid to ask friends what extra costumes they have in their Halloween bins. If they have kiddos, most likely they’ll have some pieces you can borrow to complete any last-minute costume.
Carving Pumpkins
Pumpkins are to Halloween as pine trees are to Christmas — an essential decoration for the holiday. Carving jack o'lanterns is a time-honored tradition that family members of all ages can enjoy. You don’t need a dozen strategically placed along your porch. Just run to your nearest grocery store and pick out 1-2 pumpkins, gut them out, and go to town carving them with unique faces and images. Add a battery-powered tea light, and you’ve got a fun and worry-free decoration for the front of your house.
If carving is too much work, you can always opt for painting rather than carving. It’s just as messy, but without all the heavy-duty carving work! And if you don’t have paints on hand, grab a Sharpie and just draw some jagged teeth on your pumpkin. Perfect!
Halloween Night Activities
After getting the costumes together and picking up candy from the store, make sure your kids get the yearly spiel on Halloween night safety. While many of our Halloween fears are more myths than they are truths, there are still some safety basics that should be followed by all, especially if your kids are old enough to be trick-or-treating on their own.
Remind them that while out trick-or-treating, to always be conscious of cars in the road; in the excitement of going from house to house to get the most candy they can, kids may run across the street without thinking to look both ways, and reminding them to be extra cautious while crossing the street is only going to help keep them alert.
Also remind them not to go to houses that don’t have porch or garage lights on, as this is a sign the house is not giving out candy — a tactic used by many people who aren’t interested in giving out candy, and a rule convicted sex offenders must abide by. Along the same lines, stress that they should never go into a stranger’s house for candy; tell them if someone tells them they have to go into the house to get their treats to say, “No thank you,” and run away from the door.
Don’t let Halloween prep stress you out this year. Be ready for it by getting the basics checked off your list and then going with the flow. Halloween should be fun, so do your best to make getting ready and participating in activities fun for the whole family.
RECIPES OF THE WEEK:
The gorgeous One-Pot Primavera, creamy Slow Cooker Mushroom Pork Chops, and comforting Broccoli Cheese Soup are what we need for a yummy, low-stress week! But my FAVORITE this week is the Garlic Bread Pizzas! YUM!
Mama’s Manicotti
Ingredients:
8-10 manicotti shells (or about 12 if you're using a large pack)
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
2 cups marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade)
2 tablespoons fresh parsley (optional, chopped)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Cook the manicotti shells:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Add the manicotti shells and cook for about 6-7 minutes until al dente (they should be slightly firm as they'll continue cooking in the oven).
Drain and cool the shells by running them under cold water.
Prepare the filling:
In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, parsley (optional), salt, and pepper until well combined.
Stuff the manicotti:
Spoon the ricotta mixture into a piping bag or a large ziplock bag with the corner cut off.
Carefully pipe the filling into each manicotti shell.
Assemble the dish:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Arrange the filled manicotti shells in a single layer over the sauce.
Pour the remaining marinara sauce evenly over the top.
Bake:
Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese over the top.
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
Serve:
Let the manicotti cool for a few minutes before serving.
Garnish with more fresh parsley if desired. Enjoy!
Slow Cooker Mushroom Pork Chops
Ingredients: