Food – Page 4 – New England's Narrow Road

Teens and Halloween

Halloween is a fun time for kids. Everyone loves to dress up, and many adults attend parties where costumes make the event exciting.

But when the kids reach the teen years trick-or-treating becomes a problem. Kids in their early teens are just big kids for the most part and I always found it hard to tell them they were too big to go out and collect candy. If there are younger kids in the family it might seem unfair to them.

Instead of trick-or-treating have the teenager(s) stay home an pass out candy to the neighborhood kids, or send them to a Halloween party, or have one yourself (brave soul).

Most people who see “big kids” out on Halloween immediately assume that those kids are looking for trouble. Some are, but many just want to get one last year in as a trick-or-treater.

For many years my kids enjoyed these Easy, No Bake, Ghost Cookies which are simply Nutter Butter cookies covered with melted, white chocolate. If you are short on time and need holiday cookies, try making them.

Memories of Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

grilled tomato and cheese sandwich — Grilled tomato and cheese sandwich

I seldom eat a sandwich any more but I had stopped by the neighborhood organic grocery store and picked up some whole grain bread made by The Bread Shed, and a nice tomato for my salad and decided that I needed to grill up a sandwich.

When I lived in Florida, grilled cheese sandwiches were an ‘after church’ ritual. Usually some friends of my kids would stop over and I’d make everyone sandwiches, and grilled cheese became the favorite. We’d stand around and eat and talk in my sunny, air-conditioned kitchen. We all have some memories of funny stories told in those days and one of the kids (grown now) still asks me to send him a sandwich. He insists I made the best grilled cheese sandwiches ever.

So, after my shopping trip, with that nice, thinly sliced bread and fresh, red tomato just sitting there on my counter I just had to grill me up some deliciousness.

And it was good.

Making Cheese With Flowers

Nasturtium flower — My Red / Orange (& edible) Nasturtium

I will tell you right away that I have never done this, but I visited one of my favorite bloggers (and she is so much more) only to find an amazing post that included fresh picked flowers and yogurt.

Sharon Lovejoy is an author of many books and writes the most interesting posts on her blog along with some excellent photos of her quaint and lovely home in California – and the one in Maine when she is there. I honestly don’t get around to reading the blogs I have linked to as much as I’d like because my work takes up most of my day, but I truly love to visit a great blog. As busy and popular as Sharon is, she still takes time to read my piddly little blog and leave a comment here and there. Does that tell you the kind of sweet person she is?

Actually, she reminds me very much of my grandmother (and I don’t mean to say that she is old). My Nana always had a good thing to say. She was positive and open-minded and encouraging and sharing. I don’t know Sharon personally, but I imagine that she is just as she comes across in her blog posts – and that is how she comes across.

Please view her amazing post –Stir Gently and Add Friends -about making cheese from yogurt and flowers. I learned something new today and I have to buy a strainer.

Easy Halloween Ghost Cookies

Easy to make, Halloween ghost cookie treats.

This ghost cookie recipe has been a favorite among the kids in my family and their friends at school. “Recipe” is not really the right word, since there is no baking involved, just some melting of white chocolate and spreading it on the cookies- use Nutter Butter or cookies with a ghostly shape.

My son is going on 13 and it’s the age where he’s a bit big to go trick-or-treating, but still wants to get all that tooth-rotting candy. It’s a dilemma for kids who are still kids at heart and yet are bound to get the “aren’t you too big for trick-or-treating?” comments at the doorways.

It’s also the age where many of his friends are beginning to go out for Halloween on their own. That is a judgment call and each parent should know if their kids are able to be responsible enough to do so. It also depends on how safe the neighborhoods are. We used to do a kids Halloween party with fun games, which I think is even more fun that begging for candy from strangers.

One thing we will do, is make our yearly Halloween cookies and take them to school to share with his friends.