Jennifer Sommer
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31 Days of Halloween                                     Day 31 - Hot Chocolate Toppers

10/31/2015

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We've made it to the final day of this special blog series. It's Halloween! And as much as I've enjoyed trying out all these new treats and snacks, and I've found a few favorites that I will repeat in future years, I am not ashamed to say that I've had enough. It's time to return to other obligations. But before I sign off, let me show one or two more quick ideas to polish off the holiday. 


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31 Days of Halloween                                     Day 30 - Not-So-Scary Pot Pie

10/30/2015

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I'm down to my final creations on this special Halloween-themed snacks and treats blog. I'm tired. Believe it. So don't blame me for cheating a little on this meal.
I originally planned to make a chicken pot pie, but as time got short and I grew weary, I stopped at a local grocery and picked up a fresh chicken pot pie from the cooler.  There. I said it. I bought the chicken pot pie. 


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31 Days of Halloween                                     Day 29 - 3-D Pumpkin Bread Bundt Cake

10/29/2015

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We're sliding into the homestretch now of this Halloween blog and I still have a dozen more ideas I could prepare. But today I am sharing a clever idea using bundt cake pans. I found this specialty pumpkin pan at a glass warehouse while traveling. While it's not essential to buy this pan, two regular bundt pans would work just as well, it was convenient and provided an idea I wouldn't have had otherwise.


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31 Days of Halloween                                     Day 28 - Mini Maple Pumpkin Pies

10/28/2015

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​Here is a cute idea I found in the Taste of Home Halloween 2015 Issue. Donna came over and we ended up having a blast making these mini pies. 
You can follow this link to get the recipe of this contest winning creation. There is a touch of maple and cinnamon in the recipe making it great for an autumn snack.


​http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/mini-maple-pumpkin-pies


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31 Days of Halloween                                     Day 27 - Eyeball Pizza

10/27/2015

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This is a super easy snack and guess what? I actually get to eat this one. Definitely not giving it away. Rod would have preferred I make this last weekend, especially since he won't be around to eat any of this today, but my timing was obviously off. Oh well, more for me.


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31 Days of Halloween                                     Day 26 - Black and White Spider Cookies

10/26/2015

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Day 26. Wow. I wasn't sure I'd even make it to day 26. This has been an exhausting month. Naturally I was hoping this cookie would be a fairly easy one to put together just so I could check another day off the calendar. What's so hard about icing a cookie and slapping on a spider, right? Well, harder than I thought, apparently.

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31 Days of Halloween                                     Day 25 - Mini Pretzel Candy Pumpkins

10/25/2015

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These cute pumpkins are the perfect snack for small hands and are so simple to make you'll find yourself making variations for all sorts of occasions, not just Halloween.
Make just a few to eat now or make a bundle and freeze them for later. Fair warning - these are addictive and, for better or worse, their small size make them too easy to pop in your mouth with little effort.​​


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31 Days of Halloween                                     Day 24 - Caramel Apples

10/24/2015

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Donna's Caramel Apples              Makes 12
 
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12 Apples
12 Wooden Skewers
½ c. Butter
2 c. Brown Sugar, packed
1 c. Corn Syrup
1 (14 ½ oz.)  Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract


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31 Days of Halloween                                     Day 23 - Autumn Corn Treats

10/23/2015

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I made these quite a few years back as table settings for Thanksgiving. They are a small snack size Twix wrapped and decorated like an ear of corn, with a name tag attached. As I was trying to come up with an idea for a friend's daughter's class party, we decided this would fit the "Fall" themed party the school allowed in lieu of a Halloween party. Since she wanted a "healthier" snack, we went with Rice Krispies Treats instead of the Twix bars (even though they ended up having more calories than the Twix bars. Just sayin'.)  I personally like the Twix shape better as well, and because the bar is red, it looks more autumnal than the blue wrapper the Rice Krispies Treat wears. But whatever.  You can use whatever your favorite candy bar is and it will still end up looking like corn.

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31 Days of Halloween                                     Day 22 - Owl Chex Mix

10/22/2015

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This is a fun treat for Fall, not just Halloween, and one I used for a library owl party. Actually, it was an "Guardians of Ga'Hoole" party. But they turned out to be such a hit and so adorable that they needed to be added to this blog.
This is a great option as a take home treat, to be eaten at leisure. Also, they make a nice place card on a party table, adding to the theme. It's quite a substantial party favor.





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    I am a writer of Children's and Young Adult books. I received my MFA in Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University in St. Paul, MN, and am an active member of SCBWI. I also have my MLS in Library Science with an emphasis on children and happily worked as a Children's Librarian for nearly 20 years. One of my favorite activities was reading books aloud to kids, especially to school-aged kids. Like the kids, I enjoy having stories read to me, so I listen to many of my books on audio and serve on audio judging committees.
    Another favorite activity is creating fun snacks for library programs, friends, and family. I do that a lot and continually search for more ideas.
    I have a very large Russian Blue mix cat named Bosley from the shelter, and a rescue dog named Prince Albert. He's a Cavapoo, which means he's part Cavalier King Charles and part poodle, and adorable. I am married and live in Dayton, Ohio with my husband Rod.
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    You can find more detailed information about me by clicking the link below:
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