IT'S OUR KIDNEY'S FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY, SO WE HAD A LITTLE HALLOWEEN PARTY

to celebrate.  A yummy chili feed with the family to warm our bellies before everyone went their separate ways trick or treating.

5 years down, 55 more to go!

I hope your Halloween night was as spooktacular as ours!

I HAD A DATE WITH THE WEE-EST TODAY

for a field trip with his 1st grade class.  We went to the pumpkin patch, apple orchard, corn maze and washed all the fun down with apple cider and apple cider donuts.  We had perfect autumn weather and got to snuggle on the school bus.

It was a great day to be in 1st grade!

PUMPKIN POP TARTS

Pumpkin Pop Tarts

Pastry:
2 1/2 cups of flour
1 tsp salt
1 TBSP sugar
3/4 cup Earth Balance (or butter)
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
7 TBSP ice water

Put first five ingredients into a food processor and pulse until coarse balls form.  Add water 1 TBSP at a time.
Form dough into a disk, wrap and chill for 1 hour.

Pumpkin filling:
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Combine in a bowl and let sit while pastry dough is chilling.

Cinnamon Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
dash of salt
1/4 cup almond milk (any milk)

Combine and adjust liquid until desired consistency.

Now for the fun part!  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Roll out the pasty dough to approximately 1/4-inch and cut into desired shapes.  Put a heaping TBSP of pumpkin filling in the center.  Spread, but avoid the edges.  Lightly dip your finger into water and rub the outside edge of the shapes (this will act like glue to hold the top piece on.)  Place the top piece on the lightly press the edges together to seal.

Place on baking sheets and bake for 18-20 minutes.  Top with a drizzle of cinnamon glaze before serving.

PS - Here's a link to a different version of  I did a couple of years ago - pumpkin pop tarts with apple cider glaze.  Happy baking!

SOME OF MY RELATIVES WERE HUNG IN THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS OF 1692

My 9th great-grandmother is Rebecca Towne Nurse.  She was indicted on charges of witchcraft and hung on 19 July 1692.

John and Elizabeth Proctor are my 9th great-grandparents. They were indicted on charges of witchcraft. Elizabeth was given a temporary stay of execution because she was pregnant.  John, however, was hung on 19 August 1692.

Two of my 9th great-grand aunts were also accused of witchcraft - Rebecca's sisters, Mary Towne Eastey and Sarah Towne Cloyce.  On 22 September 1692, Mary was hung.  Sarah was never indicted and survived the witch hysteria.

My parents and aunt and uncle are back east visiting the family homesteads and memorials.  I have LOVED getting text messages from them with photos.  I'm super jealous I'm not with them but so happy they are sharing their journey as it goes along.

 John Proctor's home.

 Rebecca Nurse's home.  I love the door knocker!

Although this era of history is horrendous, I think it's super cool to be connected to this history.
I'm very thankful that the homesteads and memorials have been preserved so that we have the opportunity to see them.

I hope I see them sooner than later.

PS - Here's a link to the Salem Witch Trials.