Halloween on cancer

I spent about a year inside. Spending holidays inside sucks. The cold weather was easier to bare inside then the summertime- But being sick and stuck alone really, for lack of a better word, BLOWS! I wanted to write about some ideas I had for spending

halloween on cancer.

Cooking. Only attempt if you're not on the chemo. If you're stomach doesn't mind.. Theres alot of yummy affordable treats you can whip up while home.

Red Candied Apples

8 Firm red apples

8 wooden sticks (washed popsicle sticks work great!)

3 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup water

1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. red food coloring

1. After washing remove all stems and insert popsicle stick. (you can also use kabob sticks, or smore sticks whatever is easier for you to find or cheaper)
2. Grease cookie sheet that you're going to place dipped apples on
3. Mix sugar, syrup and water in pot and heat to 300F (150C) on candy thermometer. (You can find candy thermometers at your local arts and crafts store or without using your candy thermometer you can tell by taking a drop of syrup and putting it in a cup of cold water. If the boil is at the right temperature- the drop will separate into brittle strands.)
4. Mix in cinnamon and food coloring.
5. Dip apples and set on cookie sheet. Wait until fully dry and ENJOY! mmm!

Caramel Apples

8 firm apples

8 wooden sticks

1 1/3 cups evaporated milk

1/2 cup light corn syrup

2 cups granulated sugar

1 tbs.. butter or margarine

1 tsp. vanilla

1. After washing remove stems and insert popsicle stick.
2. Mix together milk, syrup and sugar in pot and heat. Stir together until fully dissolved.
3. Bring to a BOIL- Soft Ball Stage 240F (150C) (soft ball stage is when a drop in cold water forms a soft ball) remove from heat.
4. Add butter and vanilla and DIP!
Let cool before eating and YUMMM!

My 'Grammy Grams' Pie

She taught me how to make it- nd Im going to share it with you!!
I don't know measuring or how many apples- I kind of just go with looks and taste, so I will try!

Usually about 6-8 Macintosh apples
*the kind of apples are very important for the taste of the pie
1. Wash and peel all apples and cut into tiny cubes
then place in large bowl.
2. then take about 2 handfuls of brown sugar
and mix together into apples.
3. Then you want to take about 1 tablespoon of cinnamon,
maybe more you have to taste test- if theres too much cinnamon
you have to peel another apple or two and put in more brown sugar
4. Put a good 3 teaspoons of lemon juice into the mix and let sit for about a half hour
*this gives apples time to excrete their own juices into lemon sugar juice.
5. At this time you want to remove frozen pie shells from freezer
and let sit out for the half hour you are waiting for apples.
(I get frozen pillsbury shells.. It doesnt matter about the crust-
its all about the apples-
thats why just get them frozen it saves you money and time)
6. Heat oven to 350F
7. fill shells with apple goodness
8. One pie shell will have to cover apple goodness and
then take one beaten egg and slater top of pie with it
(it will make crust extra crunchy and yummy)
9. Bake for about 20 minutes
10. Check crust- if it isn't brown enough for you-
leave for another 10 minutes
11. take out of oven and immediately throw into fridge.
(If you take pie out and leave out- it will continue to cook apples
leaving them mushy, if thats how you like it more power to you-
but I like my apples a little undercooke- it gives the pie a better taste)

Now onto the stuff for the chemo-ers!

Arts and Crafts!!!

This time of year has tons of craft stores overloaded with craft kits for kids and yourself to do. Edible haunted houses, foam kits, pumpkin carving sets- etc etc. Here are some 'homemade' ideas if you're tight on the dolllaaaasss!

Leaves Collage

This is my favorite time of year! I love all of the colors of the leaves and when I was little I used to collect leaves and elmers glue them to come cardboard. It always turned out beautifully- so Im putting this on here as a great CHEAP 'arts and crafts' thing to do at home. And all it costs you is the glue and cardboard paper. Heck!- You can really glue the leaves to anything- if you're feeling green, and want to recycle some bill or doctors note =) But you can add anything to these.. and if you have kids they love the time you spend with them creating these little leave collages! Add pictures, beads, feathers, rocks etc- or anything else you find outside. And because we chemo-ers dont get a chance to go outside alot- this can all be collected during a brief brisk walk- just bundle up!!

APPLE WITCH!

I remember this craft from 1st grade! This was some class mom's idea- and I guess it really stuck with me. What you do is you get an apple and peel it. Then you just carv out two eyes and a nose. If you leave it for about 2 weeks or so- the apple becomes dried up and as time rots the apple- the carving you made- starts to really form into an ugly old witch!!!! All you do is make a witchs hat with some black cardboard paper.. and bam.. Apple witch!!!

Well- really this is the best time of year to be outside... unless of course you're immune system can only stand short brief and brisk walks- but be sure to get outside when you can. Nutrtional hint; Do not have any fruit on the day that you're going to be going outside. Fruit lowers your body temperature.. and can potentially make you feel alot colder! Allot of doctors will say thats rubbish- and Im not saying not to listen to them- but its a tip provided from my holistic nutrionist friends.

Happy Halloween!

-Megan