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Question: Do you like being scared? Maybe not in an actual scary situation but the thrill of a scary movie or a ghost story around the campfire. If you answered "Yes!" then I have the book for you.

It's not a new book, but a classic children's books with stories scary enough to get the hairs on the back of your neck to stand up, but still have a peaceful sleep afterwards. Scary Stories to Tell In The Dark by Alvin Schwartz is the book you need. Not only are the stories spine-tingling but the illustrations add to the creepy sensation. Stephen Gammell's illustrations in the original editions are perfect. How else can I describe them? The fact that they're only in black and white and are realistic but also dreamlike nature to them, adds so fully to the readers experience. This is a book you have to physically read and enjoy for that reason.

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Hey guys! It's been crazy around here lately, so I have been lax about posting. Last week we headed off to New York for a visit with family and to attend the burial service for PH's dad, who passed away at the end of May. It was a special, sad, and sacred time.

We flew back home on Saturday and now I've been in a whirlwind cleaning our clothes and repacking for our trip to Wyoming for our niece's baptism.

Although it's been busy, and some of the reason for traveling has been sad, we're so happy to be able to spend so much time with family.

But right now, I want to share this Stuffed Acorn Squash recipe with you.

I got some acorn squash from this fruit and veggie co-op near my house, but I am not well versed in how to cook with acorn squash. I wasn't sure what the acorn squash's flavor was, so I began perusing the internet to see what flavors it pairs well with.

Then I came up with the stuffed acorn squash recipe. The acorn squash is stuffed with lentils, chickpeas, spices, tomatoes, and cheese.

It's pretty delicious. I think you'll like it! We sure did!

Enjoy this Stuffed Acorn Squash recipe and be reassured that when we get back from Wyoming I have some fun experimenting to do!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

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    Back in the mid-70s, Jello put out a dessert kit that my dad just loved.  It was called Spoon Candy.  It was pudding treat in candy flavors, like peanut butter cup, that had a chocolate topping that hardened like the outer chocolate of a candy bar.  Unfortunately, after about 3 years this delectable dessert was taken off the market for some unknown reason.  I guess not everyone liked it as much as my dad did. (Well, the rest of our family liked it, too.) 
     Fast forward to this decade and an ice cream topping called Magic Shell is sold in grocery stores.  It has the magical ability to pour as a liquid out of the bottle and then harden quickly when it gets cold.  There are versions of this product put out by Smucker's and by Hershey. As soon as I became acquainted with this stuff I flashed back to Spoon Candy.  I thought to myself, "Surely I can remake that magical, retro dessert."
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    I found the recipe for peanut butter pudding on tasteofhome.com. Then, I wanted to make a vegan version, so I substituted coconut milk and coconut cream for the milk and cream in the recipe.  Maddy loved it! It did have a little hint of coconut flavor mixed with the peanut butter flavor, which was not a bad thing at all.  When the pudding is slightly cooled and setting, pour Magic Shell on the top and cool the rest of the way.  Hershey even has a Reese's Peanut Butter flavor shell which made this dessert even better! 

    After the peanut butter experiment was a success, it started to be fun to come up with more flavors and add ins that would give the delicious Spoon Candy experience.  I thought, this would be a fun family activity!  Have some flavors of pudding available and various add ins and see who can come up with the most creative combinations.  Here are some of the ideas that we have tried:

I've also thought of :

• chocolate pudding with marshmallows or cookie layers
• adding nuts or sprinkles
• layering a couple of kinds of pudding, maybe putting the magic shell in the middle and the top.
• How about sprinkling Rice Krispies on the chocolate, like a Crunch Bar! 
• You could use caramel ice cream sauce as a layer! 
• Jello does make sugar-free pudding  so shell will be the only thing with sugar if you want.

What other versions can you think of? Let me know in the comments! I'm sure that kids could come up with a ton of ideas! 

I prefer cooked puddings.  But, if you use instant, like we did for some flavors, don't use soy or almond milk in instant pudding or it won't set.  Coconut milk works great! 
I must confess that this version is not exactly the way I remember Spoon Candy to be, but it is pretty good.  Besides, that was 40 years ago, so my memory is probably fading! This is still a great way to have some fun and deliciousness on a weekend! 
​Happy Fun Friday! 

PS:  The Smucker's Magic Shell comes in lots of flavors! 

     I have finally figured out, after years of sewing, what the point of having a needlebook is.  I have seen many sweet little needlebooks but always thought, "Why do I need that when I have a pin cushion?"  but then, the other day, while searching for a needle and realizing that it was probably lost inside my pin cushion, a light bulb went on and I knew why a needlebook would be so great to have. 
     I have a few pin cushions, including the tomato with a strawberry on a string.  (Who came up with that design anyway?) Most of the pin cushions are too soft and the pins stab through to the bottom.  I like my sawdust filled tomato because it is firmer and I think the sawdust is supposed to keep the pins sharp, or else the strawberry is an emery that sharpens needles. But, my pin cushion must be old because I can't find sawdust filled ones anywhere. This one says it has high quality cotton filling.   I have looked at some in stores lately and realized that some of these newer replicas are actually merely filled with Styrofoam!  Not a good substitute if you ask me.  So, watch for quality.  Anyway, the idea came to my mind that I could simply recover my old tomato pin cushion and instead of a strawberry on a string, I could have my needlebook on a string so that they would always stay together. I whipped my idea up and I think it came out kind of sweet.  I will tell you how I did it and what I might do differently when I make more as gifts.