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Sunday, October 27, 2019

Halloween treats: recipes for spooky snacks

With Halloween almost upon us, it's time to start thinking about how to best to spend the evening of October 31st. If you're planning on throwing a Halloween party, then as well as finalizing your fancy dress plans and any party games you're planning to play, you'll also want to have a think about some suitably spooky snacks for your guests. Here are a few ideas:
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Edible eyeballs
These effective little nibbles look incredibly creepy but are in fact nice and quick to make. Simply slice some carrots into 2cm pieces before adding a generous blob of cream cheese on top of each. To finish off, add a pitted black olive on top of the cream cheese to act as the eye's pupil. Simple but effective!

Bat cookies
Beat 100g of unsalted butter together with 100g of caster sugar in a bowl before adding a beaten egg and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. When the mixture has combined, add 275g of plain flour and stir. Roll the resulting dough to and use a bat-shaped cookie cutter to cut your biscuits. Bake them on a tray for 10 minutes in an oven preheated to 180C. To make your icing, sift 400g of icing sugar into a bowl and stir in just enough water to create a smooth mixture before adding three drops of black food colouring. Add the icing to the cookies when they've cooled.

Worm burgers
This is another simple recipe that's sure to cause a stir. Cut hot dogs into thin slices and add a few cuts down the side of each slice to score the edges. Add them to boiling water until they start to curl and resemble wriggly worms. Place four ‘worms' into a bread roll and add a small dash of ketchup.

Pumpkin soup
Cut the top off a small pumpkin and scoop out the insides leaving around 2cm of flesh around the inside. Melt 125g of butter on a low heat before adding two chopped onions and cooking for 15 minutes. Chop up the scooped out pumpkin flesh and add it to the pan along with a cinnamon stick and some nutmeg. Turn the heat up to medium, add a lid to the pan and cook for 45 minutes stirring occasionally. Next, add 1.7litres of chicken or vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Pour the soup into a food processor and blend. Pour the soup back into the pan and simmer for half an hour. When it's cooled, pour the soup into the pumpkin and replace the lid. Place on a baking tray in a preheated oven (180C) for around 40 minutes.

Meringue ghosts
Beat six egg whites along with half a teaspoon of cream of tartar until the mixture is foaming. Add around 80g of sugar gradually, beating the mixture until you can form stiff peaks. Add half a teaspoon of almond extract and beat until blended. Place your mixture into a plastic sandwich bag with one corner cut away and pipe the mixture into ghost shapes on a lined baking tray. Add two mini chocolate chips for eyes and bake for two hours at 200C. Allow to fully cool inside the oven once you've turned off the heat.
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Enjoy your Halloween spooky snacks with some scary fancy dress Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Long Live Halloween

The scent of fall is in the air and the colors of the season are gracing our landscapes. Know what that means? Halloween is right around the corner! Children everywhere are counting the weeks until this festive day arrives while parents wonder if their children should be allowed to trick or treat and whether today’s world is safe enough for the Halloween traditions of days gone by.

Well I say LONG LIVE HALLOWEEN! How can we deny our children the only day of the year when they are allowed to run up and down the street begging neighbors for candy? How can we deny them the pleasure of dressing up as superheroes and princesses and gallivanting around a neighborhood that’s been transformed into a one-night fantasy land?
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While I believe Halloween should be enjoyed, I do believe we should take some safety measures to ensure our children have a safe Halloween in addition to having a fun one.

A Watchful Eye. 
If you have young children who will be trick-or-treating this year, you need to realize that we live in a changing society. You need to keep a very close eye on your children and that means following along (even if from a few feet behind) as your children go door to door on their trick-or-treating mission.

Setting Ground Rules.
Halloween isn’t the time for a free-for-all. You need to set some ground rules. Let your children know what’s acceptable, what’s not, and what you expect from them in regard to their behavior. If the rules are laid out up front, there will be less confusion and, hopefully, less frustration all around.

Bright Clothing or Reflectors.
It can seem like kids are swarming through the neighborhoods on Halloween night. Drivers need to be especially careful, but not all are as careful as they should be. Because of this, you need to take extra precautions. Don’t let your children cross the street without you and when you do cross the street, make sure you have reflective clothing or a glow-in-the-dark nightstick with you.

Candy Checks.
As sad as it may be, you do need to check your child’s candy after they bring in the haul. Look for anything out of the ordinary. Throw away any unwrapped items, items with wrappers that look as if they’ve been tampered with, etc. And take care that not too much of the good stuff is eaten all in one sitting.

So is Halloween a dying holiday? Absolutely not! You just need to take the time to lay out ground rules and practice proper safety, and Halloween can be as much fun this year as it was when you were a kid! Watch out for those ghosts and goblins!
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Karen Fusco is co-founder of www.SilkBow.com which supports Busy Moms with free gift ideas and helpful tips to meet the challenges of motherhood. SilkBow is the perfect place for the perfect gift. Karen can be reached directly at: karen@SilkBow.com Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Be Halloween Ready

Halloween is just around the corner, so unless you plan on being the mean neighbor who plans to turn off all the lights, hide in the house and quietly pretend you're out, you'd better start getting ready for it. Carved pumpkins and spider webs are a must, but what you really need to take care of is all the trick-or-treaters that will come out on this magical night.

If you plan on taking your kids out for a tour around the neighborhood, the most important thing you'll need is of course a container for all the treats. Make sure it's ether a reusable pumpkin-shaped bucket or an eco bag you can decorate with some leaves picked off the ground the same day or wit a fake spider web. Since all the candy will be in individual wrappers, the least you can do is make sure the sweets are collected into an environment friendly bag. If you let your child have some candy on the way from one house to the other, make sure you have a small bag or deep pockets for the wrappers that will come off.
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It's a given that your trick-or-treating child will be dressed up in some kind of costume, and most likely you won't feel the need to wear one. But don't spoil the fun and put an effort into how you look. It doesn't mean you're to wear one of your couture dresses or a three piece suit and tie, but that you're supposed to add a touch of fun to your outfit. May it be a witch's hat or a pirate's, a wizard's cape or a clown's hair, wear it and have fun with it for you and for your child. And if you do get completely into the spirit of Halloween and dress up head to toe, make sure that when you knock on somebody's door you stand a few steps back as to not overshadow the little ones.

No matter if you go out trick-or treating or if you stay home, at one point or another you'll be the one that answers the door. It's best if you do it not only wearing something slightly scary, but also if the atmosphere around you is not typical, so put on a mask and fill the sweets bowl with fake eyeballs, stand up a plastic skeleton in the hallway, dim the lights or put some candles on ad of course remember about the most important thing, sweets.

For a lot of parents a healthy and balanced diet is very important, but one this one night it's okay to let the kids have some candy, so don't try to sneak in small boxes of raisins or dried apple chips into anybody's goodie bag. As far as being health conscious you should just make sure you have some peanut free candy, maybe some sweets without gluten and a small selection of fat or sugar free treats. And as for yourself, make yourself a snack that will keep you away from the candy dish but won't get cold when you have to open the door every minute, so make popcorn with parmesan, pita bread with turkey and avocado, pretzels with a mustard dip or chips and salsa, sit back and wait for the first doorbell.
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By Torri Myler, I am a web designer, a passionate writer and a healthy lifestyle enthusiast. I write articles about healthy food like this diabetic friendly pita bread. I am also a huge fashion fan writing about couture dresses collections worn by celebrities. Article Source: http://www.upublish.info

Monday, October 7, 2019

Children and The Scary Sights and Sounds Of Halloween

As autumn approaches, the signs of Halloween are everywhere. Nowadays, by late August, merchants are already gearing up for one of the most lucrative retailing seasons of the whole year. And, it's no longer just about kids trick-or-treating on one night in late October-Halloween is now an occasion whose celebration spans weeks and generations, with parties, "haunted house" attractions, and fairs, full of all kinds of scary scenes.
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For adults, it's easy to forget, sometimes, that the whole theme of the Halloween phenomenon is built around real fright. Young children, though, can get the point, all too clearly. Ghosts and goblins, witches and monsters-terrifying in every aspect-are broadcast at them nonstop for the whole season. And many younger children don't have fun, being frightened.

So, how should you deal with your children's fear?
Most experts agree, the most important thing you can do as a parent is acknowledge the fact that your child is afraid. Disregarding or downplaying that fear will teach your child that she has real feelings she shouldn't discuss with you, because you don't consider them legitimate.

Encourage her to talk about her Halloween fears, and take the opportunity to discuss your own childhood fears. Remind her of the things she was once afraid of, but isn't, anymore; she learned to master those fears. Discuss the things which frightened you, at that age. Perhaps together, you can develop a strategy for dealing with these current fears.

On the other hand, you needn't be overly protective of your child. We all have things we're afraid of, you can tell her-even grownups-and most of the time, we're perfectly safe. Fear, especially fear of things we don't understand, is a natural part of life.
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At the same time, don't force your child into frightful situations, just to teach her a lesson. Remember, she counts on you for protection as well as love, and that trust, once broken, is hard to win back.
Your town probably has Halloween events for families which place an emphasis on the fun part of the holiday-the costumes and the candy, the games and the comraderie. This can be a great way to assimilate her into the traditions of Halloween, enjoyed by lots of her friends.

Best of all, let her know that all the "scary" stuff is just meant for fun. Underneath all the masks and the sheets are just regular folks, playing around. Let her "scare" you, with a costume or a painted face-turn it into a game and take turns, "scaring" each other. Before long, you'll both be laughing too hard to be frightened, anymore.

Fear is a real emotion for young children. Dealing with it can be a real opportunity for families to grow together, emotionally. And once the fear factor of Halloween is conquered, it's a holiday that can develop long-lasting family traditions, and lifelong-happy-memories.
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About the Author: By J Gardener, Brought to you by Imaginary Greetings, a regular contributor of valuable family oriented content. For safe, family-friendly games and activities visit http://www.santaclaus.net. Source: www.isnare.com

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

A Short Biography On Some Of Europe's Most Loved And Hated Monarch Vlad Tepes or Dracula

During the last thousand years, European Monarchs have ruled Europe and the world with an iron fist and by fear, compassion and hatred. As their wealth grew from the riches of newly conquered continents and lands, they began building some of the worlds greatest castles as a sign of their status and wealth, leaving behind a legacy of beauty and splendor that has lasted well into the 21st century.
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These members of royalty have included tyrants, the mentally insane, drunks and the psychotic, who have murdered for pleasure and raped for enjoyment. They have imposed terrible taxes on already poor citizens. They married for financial power and traded in lives. Kinfolk were murdered so a favorable son could rise through the ranks. As their power increased so did the atrocities, bringing with it the hatred of a nation and its people.

Join me as we take a trip back in time, discovering which Monarchs were tyrants, mentally unstable, drunks and psychotic, as well as those who were loved by their people.
This series of articles will highlight the lives of Vlad Tepes (Dracula), King Ludwig II and King George III to name a few.

Vlad Tepes or Dracula was born in 1431, in the fortress of Sighisoara, Romania. His father was the military governor of Transylvania and a member of the Order of the Dragon. The order was created in 1387 by the Holy Roman Emperor and his second wife, Barbara Cilli.

In the winter of 1436-1437, Vlad(Dracul) became prince of Wallachia and took up residence at the palace of Tirgoviste, the princely capital. In 1442, he and his younger brother Radu were taken hostage by the Turkish Sultan Murad II. Dracul was held in Turkey until 1448, while his brother Radu decided to stay there until 1462.

At 17 years old, Vlad, supported by troops lent to him by pasha Mustafa Hassan, tried to seize the Wallachian throne but was defeated by Vladislav II (who had earlier assassinated his father and oldest brother ) after two months or armed conflict. Vlad had to wait until 1456, when he was able to seek retribution against his father's assassin.
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Vlad's first act of vengeance was aimed at the boyars of Tirgoviste for the killing of his father and older brother Mircea. Around Easter of 1459, Vlad had all the boyar families arrested and impaled the elder members on stakes while forcing the others to march from the capital to the town of Poenari. He then ordered them to build him a fortress on the ruins of an older outpost overlooking the Arges River. Many nobles died in the construction of this castle, the ruins of which can still be seen today.
Vlad became known for his brutal punishment techniques; often ordering people to be skinned, decapitated, blinded, roasted, hacked, buried alive, stabbed and blinded to name a few. He also liked to cut off his victim noses, ears and sexual organs. But his favourite form of torture was impalement on stakes, hence the surname "Tepes" which means "The Impaler" in the Romanian language. It was this form of punishment that he used against Transylvanian merchants who ignored his trade laws.
There are many tales about the psyche of Vlad Tepes. He was known throughout the country for his fierce adherence to honesty and order. Almost any crime, from lying and stealing to killing, could be punished by impalement. Being so confident in the efficiency of his law, Dracula placed a golden cup on display in the central square of Tirgoviste. The cup could be used by thirsty travellers, but had to remain on the square. It was never stolen and remained entirely untouched throughout Vlad's reign. He looked upon the poor, vagrants and beggars as thieves. Consequently, he invited all the poor and sick of Wallachia to his court in Tirgoviste for a magnificent feast. After his guests had eaten and drunk their fill, Dracula ordered the hall boarded up and set on fire. There were no survivors.
At the beginning of 1462, Vlad launched a campaign against the Turks along the Danube River which was very successful, managing several victories. In retaliation for these losses, the Sultan decided to launch a full-scale invasion of Wallachia with an army three times larger than Dracula's. Vlad was forced to withdraw towards Tirgoviste, burning villages and poisoning wells along the way.
These acts were designed to hinder the Turkish army in their search for food and water. When the Sultan’s armies finally reached the capital city, exhausted and hungry, they were confronted by a horrific sight: thousands of stakes held the bodies of some 20,000 Turkish captives, which came to be known as "Forest of the Impaled." The scene which was laid out before them had an immediate effect; the Sultan hungry and worn out retreated. The Sultan Mehmed left the next phase of the battle to Vlad's younger brother Radu who pursued his brother and wife to Poenari castle on the Arges River. Dracula's wife, in order to escape Turkish capture, committed suicide by hurling herself from the upper walls, her body falling down the cliff face into the river below.

Vlad managed to escape the siege and made his way to hungry with the help of local peasants. Upon his arrival the Hungarian king Matthias arrested Dracula and imprisoned him at the Hungarian capital of Visegrad.

In 1475, Vlad Tepes again became prince of Wallachia where he enjoyed a very short third reign. He was assassinated towards the end of 1476.
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I hope you have enjoyed reading about Vlad Tepes or as he was better known-Dracula.
About the Author: By Stuart Bazga A Guide to Castles of Europe was born from childhood dreams and aspirations. It is my hope to educate and stimulate you into exploring these castles for yourselves. www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com Source: www.isnare.com