Half Term Halloween Fun
Or should that read Halloween Half Term? Whichever way around, fact is, for many of us, Halloween and half term are falling at the same time. So, love it or hate it, here are a few ideas of what to get up to this next week.
Have you seen that 25 businesses around town are taking part in the Kids Halloween Trail? You can pick up an entry form from Shoes by Grace or from the library. If you can find all 25 of Batty Bats friends, return your sheet to Shoes by Grace and you’ll receive a small prize! Hopefully, the trail will have taken you in and around some businesses you might not have been in before too!
Here at #lovehorncastle, we have also arranged for some spooookky colouring sheets for you to either fill in whilst you are at the library or pick them up from Grace’s. If you are proud of your artwork, hand them back in and they will be displayed in the shop window next to the shoe shop.
Horncastle Library – Your local library is inviting kids to their Spooky Scary Activities on Thursday 27th October at 10.30am to make Halloween paper chain garlands and again on Friday 28th October at 2.30pm to make scary spiders. If you can’t attend, pick up one of their FREE activity packs!
St Mary’s Church – You can pick up free activity ‘goody bags’ to take home and enjoy. Please collect from the church office from Tuesday 25th October between 9.15am and 2.15pm each day.
The Victorian Explorers are coming to Horncastle on Thursday 27th October so keep an eye out! An explorer’s life is never predictable but look out for them between 10am and 2pm on the day
Make sure you check out our Events page to make the most of half term Halloween fun!
Let’s Talk Pumpkins!
Halloween wouldn’t be the same without these little fellows. What’s great about the humble pumpkin is that you can have loads of fun decorating them and also use the delicious pumpkin flesh (how scary does that sound!) to make some amazing recipes!
Half Term Halloween!
Jayne from Allotment Cooks is no stranger to seasonal cooking so check out her wonderful recipes. If you follow the link, there’s loads of great inspiration here including recipes for pumpkin chutney and pumpkin bread:
www.allotmentcooks.co.uk/recipes-m-p-Allotment-Cooks#&gid=1577129481&pid=8
We have tracked down some more fabulous fun recipes for you too, check these out:
Pumpkin Spice – Make your own. Taken from www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/pumpkin-spice
Recipe by: Anna Glover
Ingredients:
- 100g golden caster sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- grating of nutmeg
Method:
- STEP 1
Tip the sugar, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and a grating of nutmeg into a container or jar.
- STEP 2
Mix everything together well until combined, then seal the container or jar. Will keep in a cool, dark place for up to three months. Use in bakes or sprinkle over desserts and drinks.
Image from BBC Good Food Website
You can use your pumpkin spice in the following delicious recipe, makes 12.
Recipe: Pumpkin Spiced Cupcakes – Taken from the BBC Good Food website: www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/pumpkin-spice-cupcakes
Recipe by: Liberty Mendez
Ingredients:
For the sponge:
- 140g butter, softened
- 120g golden caster sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 140g self-raising flour
- 2 tbsp pumpkin spice mixture or you can make your own (see 'goes well with')
- 2-3 tbsp milk, plus extra for the icing if needed
For the icing:
- 100g unsalted butter, softened
- 100g icing sugar, sieved
- ½ tbsp pumpkin spice mixture
- 200g full-fat soft cheese
Method: STEP 1
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake cases. Beat the butter and sugar together using an electric whisk until the mixture is light and fluffy, scraping down the edges to combine. Gradually beat in the eggs and vanilla.
- STEP 2
Fold in the flour and pumpkin spice, followed by the milk, and combine until you have a smooth batter. Using a tablespoon, divide the mixture between the cupcake cases, around two-thirds full. Bake for 12-15 mins – they should be firm to the touch and slightly golden brown. Cool in the tin for 5 mins, then lift them out gently onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
- STEP 3
Meanwhile, make the cream cheese icing. Using a stand mixer or electric whisk, beat the butter, icing sugar and pumpkin spice mix together until it turns smooth and pale, about 1-2 mins. Add the soft cheese and whisk for a further 3-4 mins until it thickens – it will turn runny and then thicken up again.
- STEP 4
You can either put the icing into a piping bag and pipe it in a circle on top of the cooled cupcakes or spoon it on top of the cupcakes and swirl it with the back of a spoon. Dust with extra pumpkin spice if you like.
Image from BBC Good Food Website
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Stuck for some more holiday activities? There is a load of fun ideas here, many not breaking the bank either:
www.pinterest.co.uk/cmarashian/halloween-crafts-and-ideas-for-kids/
www.bakerross.co.uk/craft-ideas - As recommended by Dinah at the Hobby House – why not pop in for more ideas and supplies!
www.twinkl.co.uk – free resources, search by children’s age, etc
www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zmnhtrd - here’s some pointers for a green Halloween!
If you try out any of these recipes or craft ideas, we would love to see some photos so don’t forget to use #lovehorncastle in any posts
Have a great time!
#lovehorncastle