Halloween Decorating

We are starting our Halloween decorating today. The heat broke...so it is full steam ahead. I got these flowers at Trader Jo's. I am not usually much of a lily fan, but these really caught my eye. The orange looked so September. And I like them sitting on my woodstove. With the orange and black, you know the feeling I'm getting off that. The little witch is part of my vintage Halloween collection. I have been crazy for Halloween since I can ever remember. As kids, we just went nuts over Halloween. We lived in Los Gatos, CA and back then there was a dime store with the wooden floors. My brother Mark and I would drag my poor mother into that store every day of the week in the month of October. It was when they had the costumes that came in the cardboard boxes. I am sure by the end of October Mark and I each had about a dozen different costumes. We could never make up our minds. Next door, was a bakery called "The Cream Puff" (how perfect is that?) We always got to go over there and pick out something for dessert that night. I usually got a .....cream puff. It is still my favorite dessert today. After we got home, my mom would call and ask Mary Alice, our neighbor, if it was o.k. for Kary and Mark to come "trick-or-treating". We would struggle to get our costumes on and after supper, when it got dark enough, over the bridge we would go for our "practice" night of trick-or-treating. And ya know what, even though about 100 years has passed, I still go "practice" trick-or-treating from Labor day till Halloween. And I still can't get enough.

Meatloaf Mode

We have shifted into high gear around here and the meatloaf making has begun. Tonight I did a turkey and basil meatloaf. My own version. I have making variations of this most of the year, really. When you hear "turkey meatloaf" I think most people think, Oh, wait a minute, it's is going to be dry, this sounds "health foodie", and while I think it is in the "health food camp" it is not dry and it is good. I always make mine in a round cast iron skillet and for no other reason than I think it looks so Maine Camp. My friend, Sharon, who is a half - time Mainer always uses cast iron for her suppers, so I have to give credit where credit is due. For me, it just oozes charm. So I guess that is why....I think it looks charming.

Kary's End-of-Summer Turkey Meatloaf

1 lb. ground turkey
1 egg
1 carrot
2 stalks celery with leaves
1 onion
1 bunch italian parsley
A few basil leaves
Thyme
3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup milk
Package meatloaf mix. I like Mrs. Cubbisons but it's hard to find. Anything else will work fine.

Cusinart the onion, celery, carrot and herbs till fine.
Place in a bowl.
Add ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, milk, and meatloaf mix. Stir together well.
Place in a cast iron skillet or meatloaf pan.
Bake 45 minutes @ 350.