Martha-In-Training: Martha Stewart Living Review: October 2010

I finally found my camera!

While trying to unjam the printer yesterday I found it nestled inbetween the printers! (One's a colour printer which we haven't had any ink for for about 6 months, the other is a faster laser printer).

So I can FINALLY do my Martha Review!

This month's issue has lots of great articles and recipes and lots of fun ideas for Halloween.

1. Halloween Party Foods

Remember being a kid and getting to stick your hand in the mystery box to grab handfuls of 'brain' (cooked spaghetti)? Or to have your fingers slide over jelly-like eyeballs (peeled grapes)? This is like the grown-up version where you take away the element of surprise but instead make them look amazing and taste even better.

Clockwise from the top left: Potent Potions, Bony Bites, Deep Sea Specimens, and Fossil Cookies.

I really want to make the fossil cookies this year!

2. Grown-Up Grilled Cheese

I think it's safe to say that there's nothing quite like a grilled cheese sandwich. Whether you make it in a pan, in a press, or with an iron, with mozarella, with cheddar, with gouda, with brie, with extras or with ketchup.... grilled cheese sandwiches are like blank canvases on which you can create a masterpeice.

Martha's suggestions (top to bottom, left most column first):

- Gruyere, Apple and sage on rye

- Gruyere, red onion, prosciutto, and pepper on rye

- Fontina, Harissa, and pear on rye

(Second column):

- Cheddar, dijion mustard, bacon, tomato, avocado and pepper on sourdough (This one might be fav)

- Cheddar, jalapeno, and cilantro on white

- Gruyere, oil-packed sardines, peppadew peppers and arugula on rye

(Last column):

- Cheddar, cherry preserves, and basil on white

- Fontina, oil-packed tuna, and relish on white

- Cheddar, bacon, and pickles on sourdough

3. Pop Goes The Pumpkin Game

Know someone (ed note: this someone does NOT need to be a child) who's birthday is this month? Forget that, know someone who has a birthday!? Get them to agree to let you make this game for them to play at their party!

If I had a safe wall against which to throw darts in my apartment, I'd for sure set this up for Robin's party on Saturday.

For this game you'll need to:

1. Cover a foam board (a big one) with burlap and secure it in the back with duct tape. Adhere the foam board to a wall (keep in mind that not everyone has great aim so pick your wall wisely)

2. Fill balloons with confetti and candy (use a funnel to do this) but leave a few empty to keep people wanting to throw darts to win prizes. Blow up balloons with a pump and tie them off. Attach the balloons to the board with thumbtacks (for halloween parties arrange the balloons in a pumpkin shape).

3. Cut a stem if you're going with the pumpkin shape and add it above the balloons (for a template go to : www.marthastewart.com/halloween-templates)

4. Sweet Candy Bar Desserts

In this article we're given recipes to make cakes taste like our favourite candy bars including:

Chocolate crunch cake with milk-chocolate crunch and caramel sauce (100 Grand bar)
Coconut and Almond Ice Cream Sandwiches (Mounds/Almond Joy)
Malted-milk Cremes Brulees (Whoppers) *Good luck finding malted milk powder though. I CAN'T FIND IT!!
Chocolate Peppermint Profiteroles (York Peppermint Patties)
Peanut, Caramel, and Chocolate Tart (Snickers)

5. Healthy Living: 10 Feel-Good Things to do this October

Martha and friends give us 10 suggestions to live better this month. I'll give you my favourites of the ten:

1. See the appeal of peels (when you peel apples to make pie, crumble, etc keep the skin to snack on! All of the best nutrients are found right under the skin so the part you're removing is actually the healthiest for you! This is the same with potatoes but you might not want to eat raw potato skin....)

4. Mimic a Tyrannosaurus Rex (I like this one because I often find myself immitating T-rex arms.....what? Jurrasic Park is a phenomenal movie) - basically when you're lifting things, keep your upper arms pulled in to your sides to keep the weight closer to your body, stabilizing you better.

7. Simply ask - Before doing a task, ask yourself "will I?" rather than saying "I will". Asking yourself if you;ll do something apparently triggers self-motivation!

6. A Harvest of Hazelnuts

If I could eat them I would.

Recipes galore in this section so if you love or even just like hazelnuts go on the website and search for recipes like hazelnut pancakes, hazelnut chocolate spread, and hazelnut cookies.

7. Shocktail Hour

This is actually an ad but it reminded me that the Michael's near me opens October 15th and I'm so freakin' excited to go and start shopping!!!