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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.

​**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. ​  But, all opinions expressed are my own.    ​​​​

     Hurray Fall!  The time of year when there are things baking and leaves falling and lots of cool looking veggies in the stores and backyard campfires and eating chili and cornbread! 
      Wait!  Let's stop right there with the cornbread part.  I have not really been a big fan of cornbread throughout my life.  It is often dry and crumbly, which I can deal with in chili but not in any other way. Or, it has jalapenos mixed in it, which makes it too spicy for my taste.  Then, for awhile I made the cakemix kind of cornbread, which made it more moist, and sweet, but let's face it, I was eating cake with cornmeal in it.  So, nothing really satisfied me when it came to cornbread.  Now, fast forward to this year and our annual church Halloween party and chili cook-off.  I signed up to bring cornbread.   Don't ask me why.  It had become a challenge to me, I guess.  I started thinking and thinking about what I could do to make a really good cornbread.  Then, I realized that in my refrigerator I had some leftover winter squash begging to be used.  It was from the turban squash I had used in this recipe.  I wondered to myself if that squash would work in my cornbread?  Oh My Goodness!  I have created the best cornbread ever!

     First of all, the turban squash has a very mild flavor, so the taste is very subtle in the cornbread.  But, it added such moistness and the bread came out fluffy and amazing to eat with chili.  As a side bit, it can't hurt to sneak a little vegetable into your cornbread! 
     If you don't have some puree already ready to be used in your recipe, I suggest baking your squash for about an hour or so at 350 degrees, then cutting it open, scooping out the seeds and pureeing the flesh.  It is super easy to do. (It is especially nice to do on a rainy day because it really makes you feel like you are doing an autumnal thing.)  You don't have to use just turban squash.  Butternut, acorn or even pumpkin should do the trick.  The color and flavor may vary slightly though.

Winter Squash Cornbread

I hope that you will give it a try!  You won't regret it! Try it, let me know what you think! (And share please!)

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. ​  But, all opinions expressed are my own.    ​​​​

That's right!  Today is Frankenstein Friday, and Monday is National Frankenstein Day!  Isn't it amazing that this very strange story written by Mary Shelley two centuries ago, in 1818, has retained so much popularity and has so many versions of the story made? I wonder if she ever suspected it would become such a classic horror story.  Did you know that Thomas Edison made the first film version of it in 1910?
     Most people are more familiar with the 1930's Boris Karloff version, which is really nothing like the book.  That would be a great book to discuss on a From Cover to Reel podcast! (Don't miss the episode that covers Roald Dahl's Witches on there now!)

     Around our house, if we are given the choice of which version of the Frankenstein Movies to watch, we would probably all choose Young Frankenstein.  (We aren't really purists in this case! We love to laugh!)  

     So, today, in honor or Frankenstein Friday and National Frankenstein Day, we are asking this Friday Faves question: 

What is your favorite line from Young Frankenstein?

#2:  "Yes!  He was my BOYFRIEND!"  Cloris Leachman.  And who can forget her classic, "Ovaltine?"
#3:  "There wolf, there castle." Ha ha Ha Ha
#4:  And this is my favorite, "You take the blond, I'll take the one in the turban!"

     If you have no idea what we are talking about with these movie lines, then you definitely need to go watch Young Frankenstein this Halloween, or sooner! National Frankenstein Day is a great reason! Or, if hearing these lines is making you crack up, go watch it again.  And don't forget to go to the comments and tell us what some of your favorite lines from the movie are! 

     If you are really into Frankenstein, here are a couple more versions you may want to check out.