Halloween Costumes for the Family

For the last couple years, my husband and I have gotten into dressing up for Halloween.  For my husband, I think it's a chance for him to live out his "deprived" youth since he was never allowed to go dress up and go trick-or-treating.  Nonetheless, it's been fun for us especially now that we have kids to dress up too.  As I was considering costumes for this year, I started to think about our past costumes ideas, including some that didn't get realized for one reason or another.

2006: Kermit & Miss Piggy
We were planning on going to a costume party as Kermit and Miss Piggy.  My brave husband was prepared to go as Miss Piggy.  We even bought him a dress, a blond wig, a pink boa and a snout!  Unfortunately, we ended up not going.  He would have made a handsome Miss Piggy : )

2007: Bun in Oven & The Bun Maker
This is the year that I was pregnant with our 1st child.  So, it was only fitting that I wear an oven with a bun inside.  I made my husband a costume with an apron that said "The Bun Maker" and he wore a chef's hat and carried a rolling pin.  We wore this costume to a friend's daughter's 1st birthday costume party.  I loved that the oven door opened and I could take the bun out.  I thought it would be fun to open the oven door and hand out little buns but then symbolically, what would that mean?

2008: Mount Rushmore
This is the year we became a family of 3 and attended a church "Hallelujah Nite" as Mount Rushmore.  My husband was George Washington, my then 7-month old son was Abe Lincoln, our teddy bear was Teddy Roosevelt.  Quite frankly, after preparing all their costumes I fizzled out.  But to represent Thomas Jefferson, I did sport my UVA shirt in his honor.  I don't think most people got the reference, but I guess you have to be a Virginian to get it.

The G.W. costume consisted of a colonial wig, a pirate's coat (had to improvise), and white soccer socks pulled knee-high into which hubby tucked in his trousers.  The Lincoln costume was a tuxedo, a top hat (fashioned from a felt covered oatmeal can) and an adhesive beard, which amazingly my son kept on.  Teddy bear wore a pair of round glasses, a wig and a moustache.  I wonder if I had been able to find a Panama hat for teddy bear, more people would have gotten that he was Roosevelt.  oh well.

2009: Goldilocks and the 3 Bears
Last year, there was a tragic event in our family so we did not dress up but we had planned on dressing up as Goldilocks and the 3 Bears.  I was prepared to order 3 Oatmeal Bear costumes and dress up a doll as Goldilocks.

2010: ??????
This year we're a family of 4!  I wanted to try the Goldilocks and 3 bears idea but couldn't find the adult oatmeal bear costumes I had seen last year, except on ebay for a ridiculous price that I was unwilling to pay.  So, my husband and I have been brainstorming ideas....

Yulmoo Kimchi

I used to buy my kimchi, up until my friend's sister found a big grasshopper looking bug in her store-bought kimchi.  After that I couldn't get myself to buy it anymore.  And I don't actually eat kimchi all that much but on occasion I do get a craving for it, and my mother is 200+ miles away so...

If you haven't made kimchi before, don't be intimidated!  I don't buy a whole crate of cabbage to produce 8 gallons jars at a time like my mom.  There was a sale on yulmoo (young radish) -- 2 bunches of $1, so I bought 3 bunches and it produced almost a 1/2 gallon jar and a 1 quart jar.  And I did it all with the help of my toddler while my infant was napping....which means, it's totally doable : )

Ingredients: (these are all approximations and should be adjusted to suit your taste.  I tried to make it not too spicy for my toddler who loves kimchi)

3 bunches of yulmoo (young radish)
1/4 c. coarse sea salt
3 T. kochukaru (Korean chili powder)
3 T. special puree*
1 T. sugar
* Puree 2 heads of garlic, 2" piece of peeled ginger, 3 T. of brined shrimp and 1/4 c. of water in a blender/food processor.  You can keep this on hand in the freezer for each time you make kimchi. 

PART 1: Prep time-20 minutes
1. Peel the radish portion and halve
2. Cut the greens about 3" long
3. Toss the yulmoo in a big bowl of cold water and agitate with your hands.  Allow any dirt to fall to the bottom of the water and skim out the radish & greens.  Repeat until no traces of dirt remain.
4. Toss the yulmoo in a big bowl with 1/4 cup of coarse sea salt dissolved in 2 cup of water.  (Tip: taste the salt water.  It should taste as salty as you want your kimchi to be.  Remember high school Biology?  Diffusion.)
5. Leave sitting in a cool place until greens are wilted and salty enough.  For me, I waited 6 hours until I had another bit of time.  (Tip: everytime you walk by the kitchen, give it a quick toss)
 

After salting

 

After 6 hours

 PART 2: Prep time 20 minutes
1. Drain the yulmoo, leaving about 1 cup of liquid (the yulmoo will have wilted and leached out quite a bit of liquid). 
2. Add kochugaru, prepared pureed mixture, sugar
3. Taste and adjust to your liking
4. Put into glass jars with the liquid and pack it down into the liquid.  (Tip: if there isn't enough liquid, mix up a little salt water with the same spice mix and pour it over the yulmoo)
5. Leave in a cool place to ripen for 2 days and then place into the fridge.

Be sure to use gloves!

Enjoy!

Family Friendly Cape Cod Itinerary

Last year my family spent 5 days in Cape Cod for our first family vacay after our son was born.  Of course being a bit Type-A, I prepared an 18 page itinerary of things to do and see and places to eat, complete with maps and directions to each location.  Since then, I've had a few friends ask about the itinerary so I thought I'd share it here, especially for those seeking a kid-friendly vacay.  Email me if you want the complete document but here are some of the highlights.

We stayed in Hyannis and ventured out each day to a different part of the Cape.

DAY 1: HYANNIS
This was a half day since we drove up and then settled into our hotel.

1. Tour of Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory
Free self-guided tours with free samples at the end. 
You watch the potato chip making & bagging process through glass windows.  The tour is as long as you make it.  I think toddlers would enjoy it, my son was too young to understand.  So if you're not going with kids, I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to visit the Factory unless you love potato chips : )

2. Dinner at Cooke’s Seafood

1120 Route 132
(508) 775-0450

Fried fish, fried shrimp, fried clams, french fries.  Enough said.  

DAY 2: BREWSTER/EASTHAM

1. Biking through Nickerson

State Park

A bike trail runs all through Nickerson State Park through 8 miles of scenic wilderness. The park is open to the public free of charge.  We rented two bikes and a trailer for my son.  It was so much fun!

Rent bikes at one of these locations:

Brewster Bike 

442 Underpass Rd., Brewster, MA 02631

(508) 896-8149

Rail Trail Bike & Kayak

302 Underpass Rd., Brewster, MA 02631

(508) 896-8200

 

We parked at the bike shop and biked towards Nickerson State Park stopping for lunch at Cobie's (right off Cape Code Rail Trail) on the way back. 

2. Lunch at Cobie’s

3260 Main St.

(508)896-7021

Known as the "Best Clam Shack" and fabulous lobster rolls.  Cash Only.

Our First Lobsta Roll

3. Chill at the Beach

First Encounter Beach, Eastham: 

At low tide this beach is absolutely amazing and like I've never experienced before.  The sand stretches so far out, they say you can walk out up to 2 whole miles.  It's hard to believe the water recedes that much. 

$12 per day for parking

Just miles of sand after the tide rolls out, AMAZING!

We didn't hit these beaches, but I read this somewhere online:

Best Picnic Spot: Doane Rock (Nauset Rd., Eastham). This favorite picnic spot is near the homestead site of John Doane, the first of the Plymouth settlers to make his home on the Cape, in 1644. A unique feature is a huge exposed boulder that was transported to the spot by glaciers. There are plenty of picnic tables and hiking trails.

Coast Guard Beach, Eastham. A favorite among the many quintessential dune-backed beaches that make up part of the Cape Cod National Seashore. “Coast Guard Beach has been cited by the Travel Channel as one of the most beautiful beaches in the US.” During the summer, there’s no on-site parking; you catch a shuttle bus from the Little Creek parking area, across from the Doane Area.  Has lifeguards, bathrooms, picnic area,

4. Dinner at Arnold’s Lobster & Clam Bar 

3580 State Hwy Rte 6

(508) 255-2575

Award winning seafood, ice cream stand and mini golf.

Sign up for promotions to get a coupon via email.

5. Watch a Movie at Wellfleet Drive in Theatre

51 State Hwy, Wellfleet, MA 02667

508-349-7176

I love drive-ins!  There is a 100 by 44 foot screen and you listen to the soundtrack through your car stereo.  They offer double features nightly.  There's a playground and snack bar. 

Adults: $8.00 Cash Only.  Children 3 & under: Free

DAY 3: CHATHAM

1. Chatham Fish Pier

Corner of Shore Road

and Barcliff Avenue on Aunt Lydia's Cove

Climb the stairs on the left side of the building and watch the activity from the observation deck (best between 12-2). Watch the fishing boats return to unload their daily catch in the late afternoon.

2. Visit Fisherman’s Monument, designed by Sig Purwin, a sculptor from Woods Hole.

3. Chatham Lighthouse

Children <5 not allowed above base.  Free Tour 1-3:30 pm

4. Walk Main Street & Chill at Kate Gould Park

Main street is lined with quaint little shops.  I stopped into one shop that sells infused oils and vinegars and after sampling several, settled on a white peach balsamic vinegar for me and a blueberry balsamic vinegar for my sister.  Kate Gould Park was a nice place to sit and people watch (and use restrooms : ).

5. Clam Bake at Beach House Grill (part of Chatham Bars Inn)

297 Shore Rd., Chatham, MA 02633

Make Reservations!!  508-945-0096

This is a family-friendly, indoor/outdoor restaurant literally on the beach.  The kids can play in the sand and afterwards roast marshmallows on the beach for smores.  This is the casual dining portion of the luxurious Chatham Bars Inn.  $78 for adults.

"Am I supposed to eat this??"

I had debated between spending a day on Nantucket or going to Provincetown so I planned out itineraries for both.  We opted for Provincetown, but if you want my Nantucket itinerary email me.

DAY 4: PROVINCETOWN

 

1. Whale Watching via Dolphin Fleet

$36/adult (by making reservations online)

The last time I went whale watching I totally passed out from the dramamine and missed all the action.  This time I risked it and enjoyed some amazing and close up views of whales and luckily didn't get seasick.

2. Lunch at Lobster Pot

321 Commercial Street

508-487-0842

This restaurant overlooks the Provincetown harbor, considered by Zagat one of the top restaurants on Cape Cod.

3. View Pilgrim Monument

1 High Pole Hill Road
508-487-1310

Tallest granite structure in the US.  $7/adult to climb the monument.  116 steps and 60 ramps to the top were too many for us so we just admired it from afar : )

4. Chill at Mayo Beach, Wellfleet

Playground across the street.  Free parking

5. Dinner at Moby Dick’s Restaurant

3225 Rt. 6, 
Wellfleet, MA

508-349-0404

DAY 5: HYANNIS

1. Lunch at Baxter’s Fish n Chips

177 Pleasant St Hyannis, MA 02601

The restaurant is on the pier with nice views of the harbor.  It was pretty cool to see people ride up in their boats and climb up into the restaurant.

"L" rode up to the restaurant in his boat

2. Tour Downtown Hyannis and Visit JFK Memorial

Start on Main Street and head for the harbor.  Head south on Ocean Street to the Kenendy Memorial and Kalmus Park

and Beach.

3. Visit The Kandy Korner

474 Main St., Hyannis

(508) 771-5313

No trip is complete without souvenirs so this was our last stop before heading home.  I bought some locally made jam and fudge and my husband got a bag of penny candy for the car ride home.

 

It was a wonderful family vacay, and I hope you get a chance to visit Cape Cod too!

Tried and True Blueberry Muffins

This is my favorite blueberry muffin recipe.  It produces a fluffy, moist muffin that is not too sweet and it's jazzed up with a crunchy, sweet streusel topping.

Blueberry Muffin Recipe:
2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 1/8 c. white sugar
3/4 t. salt
3 t. baking powder
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 c. milk
1 1/2 c. blueberries

Streusel topping:
3/4 c. white sugar
1/2 c. all purpose flour
6 T. cold butter
2 t. ground cinnamon

1. Mix wet ingredients together
2. Sift dry ingredients together (I just whisk it together and thats sufficient to break up any lumps)
3. Add dry ingredients to the wet.  Mix until large lumps disappear.  Don't overmix or you get a tough muffin!
4. Combine streusel ingredients (easiest in food processor) and reserve
5. Add blueberries to batter and stir just until combined (2 turns of the spoon around the bowl and STOP otherwise you'll get a blue batter!)
6. Fill muffin cups to the top with batter.  Sprinkle with streusel topping.
7. Start muffins in a 425 oven and once the muffins rise (about 12-15 minutes), lower to 375 to finish baking (another 10-12 minutes)
8. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the muffin.  Should come out clean.
 
Tips:
1. If using frozen blueberries, keep frozen and add at the last minute after the batter and streusel topping is prepared
2. Toss frozen blueberries in flour before adding to the batter so the berries don't sink to the bottom of the muffin
3. Spray the top of the muffin tin with nonstick spray so that the muffin tops and streusel doesn't stick
4. Using a muffin liner helps preserve the moistness of the muffin longer

L makes anything he eats look scrumptious!

Let me know how yours turn out! : )