Where did the time go? Last time I "blogged" it was the beginning of October and now it's the start of November. Guess I took my "birthday month" off !
A quick recap of authors I interviewed in October:

• Chip Haynes has a very provacative book regarding "Peak Oil". "Peak of the Devil: 100 questions (and answers) about Peak Oil. He covers all angles of our dependency on oil; how it affects almost everything we touch and offers some intereseting suggestions about what we can do.
• Jack La Lanne and his lovely wife Elaine. We talked about the release of his "Better Balance for Life" kit. At 96, he's still going stong! As the "Godfather of Fitness", he's accomplished so many things. AND he and Elaine have been married for 62 years.
• Chad Lewis has written about the paranormal for many years. His newest book, "Wisconsin Road Guide to Haunted Locations" has some very interesting stories...
• Bonnie Taub-Dix has a very interesting book about reading and deciphering food labels. "Read it Before you Eat it" is easy to read, easy to understand and probably something we all should look at just a little bit more closely
• "Southern Pies" is a beautiful book all about pies! Nancy McDermott shares the recipe, and also the story behind it as well. Beautifully photographed and will some sinfully delicious pies. A great gift for that special baker or cook on your Christmas list.

And those are just a few of the highlights!

I also participated in the first Women's Expo held here in Beaver Dam. It was well attended and I had lots of fun meeting my listeners and sharing recipe ideas for Halloween.

Happiness and Halloween

Today is National Smile Day. Did you know that smiling has many benefits?

• A natural drug: smiling releases endorphins, natural pain killers, and serotonin which all help make us feel good. People who are naturally happy seem to be in good health all of the time.
• A stress reducer: It's hard to be negative when you're smiling! When we smile our facial muscles relax, causing us to feel less stressed.
• You'll look less tired: When you smile, you'll look younger!
• More confidence: A smile will make you seem more successful, confident and put together. Those who are upbeat and approachable are more likely to be promoted before anyone else. A smiling person is judged to be more pleasant, attractive, sincere, sociable and competant than a non-smiling person
• A boost to your immune system: Because you are more relaxed when you smile, you help boost your immune system; thereby lessening your chances of getting sick. Smiling prevents colds and flu, too! So start smiling and cut down all those visits to the doctor.
• Lower Blood Pressure: When you smile, there is a measurable reduction in your blood pressure.

Today's Quote:

"A smile is a curve that sets everything straight" ~Phyllis Diller

If you're going to be hosting a Halloween party for the young (or even the young at heart!) try these easy Trick or Treat Tips:

Keep decorations simple. You can make ghosts from tissue paper or Kleenex; paper chains with orange and black construction paper and you can purchase inexpensive decorations like spider webs, balloons and crepe paper at the Dollar Stores.

When carving pumpkins keep the seeds. Season and bake until crisp and golden.

Put a spooky spin on everyday foods. Punch becomes "Witches Brew", bowls of chili-"Creepy Cauldrons" and sweet snacks can be "Graveyard Goodies". Peel some seedless grapes and you've got "Monster Eyeballs"!

Folk Music, Fall and Fun

I love October! It's the best part of the autumn season (plus it's my birthday month!). The leaves are really showing their colors, the air is crisp, fresh and exhilarating, wood smoke wafts through the air and it's more fun to be in the kitchen testing recipes and baking. What is your favorite month?

I had a chance to speak with the Grammy Award winning musician George Winston today. He is performing at the Schauer Center in Hartford tomorrow, Saturday, October 2nd at 2pm. What a great guest! I love his style of music. He's been creating music for over 40 years and got started on organ music because he heard "The Doors" and was hooked. Since then, he's played "stride" piano music but I think he's most well known for his "folk piano" solos. George said that his goal is to play everything that his three most admired artists have done.

(The Doors, Professor Longhair and Vince Guaraldi-and he's well on his way to doing just that).

His latest album features the works of Vince Guaraldi. If you grew up in the 60's and 70's you may not recognize that name, but you would instantly know Vince's music as he did all the instrumentals for the "Peanuts Gang" T.V. shows. George's latest solo piano release "LOVE WILL COME" is available now. You might want to pick up a copy. You will be enchanted!

Today's Quote: Laugh at yourself first, before anyone else can!"

Gingerbread and Good Neighbors

Today is National Good Neighbor Day.
So why not offer to do something nice for one of your neighbors. Maybe you can help them with outside yard work, run errands, or bake an extra batch of cookies to share.


If you don't know your neighbors, today would be a good day to get acquainted. Why not try these delicious Gingerbread Cupcakes and share them?

GINGERBREAD CUPCAKES
1 c. all purpose flour
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. baking soda
Dash of salt
1 slightly beaten egg white
1/3 c. molasses
1/3 c. water
3 Tbsp. cooking oil
Sifted powdered sugar (optional)

Line 8 muffin cups with paper liners; set aside. In medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, soda & salt; set aside. In small mixing bowl
Stir together egg white, molasses, water & oil. Stir molasses mixture into flour mixture just until blended. Spoon mixture into prepared muffin cups. Bake at 350° for
15-20 minutes or until cupcakes spring back when pressed lightly in center. If desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve warm or cool. Yield: 8 cupcakes

How to make a "Murphect" Muffin:

• Don't over mix!
• Recipes with less butter and sugar will give you a more "bread-like" muffin. Those with more butter and sugar will result in a more "cake-like" muffin.
• All ingredients should be at room temperature before you begin.
• Thick, lumpy batter is good.
• Position the oven rack in the middle for best heat distribution.
• Let muffins cool a few minutes before turning out of the pan.
• Muffins are best when made fresh, however, if you wish, wrap cooled muffins in plastic wrap; freeze for up to two months. Thaw, still wrapped, at room temperature.

Women's Expo, "Wicked-the Musical" and Wonderful Games

Planning is underway for the first ever Women's Expo and I've been busy too. It will be held at Heritage Village Shops on Thursday, October 21st from 2-7pm. I will be giving demonstrations of how to make an edible witches hat (photo on right), frighteningly fun cupcakes, and instructions and tips on how to have a "boo-tiful" breakfast bash, since Halloween falls on a Sunday this year.

Fall is my most favorite time of year. Lots of great holidays to celebrate! Decorations to put out, food to bake and tips to share. Hope to see all of you at the Women's Expo! It should be lots of fun.

Are you a fan of the "Wizard of Oz'? It used to be shown on TV once a year-I think around Thanksgiving. We would all gather around to watch and I usually had to sing softly to my younger brothers and sisters at bedtime, because they would be too scared to fall asleep on their own. (Those flying monkeys and the guards at the castle weren't very nice!
This past weekend I saw the production of "Wicked" at the Overture Center in Madison. It's been on the circuit for a few years now, but I hadn't seen it and wasn't too familiar with the story line. WOW! It's a very creative story about the life of the Wicked Witch of the West, her sister, the Wicked Witch of the East and Glinda, the Good. The actors were very powerful, the music magical and the entire show was fantastic. I don't want to give too much away but I was very glad to know that good does triumph over evil!

Today we talked with Leigh Anderson. She spent 3 years playing games and the result is a wonderful book, "THE GAMES BIBLE". It showcases 300 different games for singles, couples, families, children-there is something for everyone. If you love to play games, or need a christmas gift idea for friends or a family member who does, this is the book to purchase.
Leigh lists all the games by category (13 of them), the rules, the gear and supplies you'll need and also the strategies needed to win. A couple of the games she mentioned during the interview: "25 Letters", "Ministry of Silence", "Counter Squirt" and "Mr. Hit". Check it out by visiting the website: http://www.thegamesbible.com/

This week's Book Nook...

Monday, September 27th
"THE GAMES BIBLE" - Leigh Anderson

Tuesday, September 28th
"HOW OUR BRAIN WORKS AND HOW TO INCREASE IT'S FIREPOWER" - Mark Underwood

Wednesday, September 29th
"GEORGE WINSTON"- will talk to us about his upcoming concert at the Schauer Center in Hartford

Thursday, September 39th
"SHE'S GOT GAME" - Melissa Malamut

Books, Baking Tips and your Brain

We spoke with Dr. Stan Cupery on Tuesday.

Dr. Cupery is a local retired physician. He lived and worked in Beaver Dam for over 25 years and also opened a clinic in nearby Randolph for 5 years. He had started the concept of this novel back in the 1980's but got so busy with his practice and his family that it had to be shelved until recently. His novel, SCARS OF EASTON, is a medical intrigue set in the 1960's. It's always a pleasure to speak with someone from the area. Dr. Cupery's book is available at the Beaver Dam Community Hospital gift shop and also at our local bookstore, Book World.

Did you know you can flavor coconut to enhance your recipes?

One of my listeners called with these tips-

To 1 & 1/3 c. coconut add:

• 1-2 Tbsp. dry JELL-O (any flavor)


• 1/2 tsp. baking cocoa + 1/2 tsp. instant coffee


• 1/4 tsp. imitation maply flavoring


• 2 Tbsp. juice from strawberries or other fruit


• 3-4 tsp. orange juice concentrate

On Wednesday, we talked with Dr. Martha Burns, a practicing clinician and faculty member at Northwestern University, about training kids brains and "brain fitness". Dr. Burns said that during the summer, children can lose much of the knowledge they've gained during the previous school year. We talked about the need for parents to be "pro-active" if they notice that their children are falling behind in their studies. There are various "brain games" that you can engage your children in-30 minutes per day of brain fitness might be just what is needed to make the difference. For more information, you can go to http://www.brainprolearning.com/

I was scheduled to talk with Mari Frank, about her book "THE IDIOTS GUIDE TO IDENTITY THEFT" today, however, she had an unexpected conflict so we have rescheduled that interview for early October. I think almost everyone knows someone who has gotten their identity stolen. Mari is a lawyer and lives in California. She has vested interest in this subject because it also happened to her. This topic should make for a very interesting interview.