Pumpkin Muffins

2 1/4 cups plain flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons pumpkin-pie spice

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

3/4 cup solid-pack pumpkin

1/2 cup packet brown sugar

4 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Grease twelve muffin-pan cups.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, pumpkin-pie spice, and salt.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk, milk, pumpkin, brown sugar, melted margarine or butter, vanilla, and eggs until blended
4. Pour into flour mixture and stir until just moistened.
5. Spoon into muffin-pan cups. Sprinkle tops with chopped pecans.
6. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, check with a toothpick to see if center of muffin comes out clean. Immediately remove from pan. Serve warm or cool completely on wire rack may be reheated.

Jack O'Lantern Cookies

9 ounces chocolate wafer cookies

1/2 cup peanut butter,smooth

24 ounces vanilla flavoured almond bark

Orange paste food colouring

Black licorice candy

1. Spread a small amount of peanut butter on the flat side of the cookies; top with remaining cookies.
2. Cut licorice into triangles and squares to make faces.
3. Melt almond bark following package directions.
4. Remove from heat and tint with food colouring.
5. Using tongs, dip each sandwich cookie in meted candy, coating completely.
6. Gently shake each cookie to remove excess coating.
7. Place on wire rack with waxed paper underneath.
8. Place licorice pieces on the cookies for faces.
9. Cool completely before removing from rack.

Knock, knock

Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Manuel.
Manuel who?
Manuel be sorry if you don't give me a treat!

Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Annie.
Annie who?
Annie body home?

Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Fred.
Fred who?
I'm Fred of witches!

Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Emma.
Emma who?
Emma 'fraid of ghosts, too!

Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Howl.
Howl who?
Howl I know you're not a ghost!

Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Wayne.
Wayne who?
Wayne can I eat my Halloween candy?

Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Philip.
Philip who?
Philip my bag with candy!

Halloween Riddles

What is a witch's favorite subject in school?

What do birds give out on Halloween?

What do little trees say on Halloween?

Why do witches wear name tags?

Why didn't the skeleton dance at the Halloween party?

What is a ghost's favorite ride?

Where do ghosts go shopping?

What turns off the lights on Halloween?

Why did the boy carry a clock and a bird on Halloween?

Ckeck out the answers with your English teacher!

Jack Who?!?

Jack O'Lantern

The Irish brought the tradition of the Jack O'Lantern to America. But, the original Jack O'Lantern was not a pumpkin.

The Jack O'Lantern legend goes back hundreds of years in Irish History. As the story goes, Stingy Jack was a miserable, old drunk who liked to play tricks on everyone: family, friends, his mother and even the Devil himself.

One day, he tricked the Devil into climbing up an apple tree. Once the Devil climbed up the apple tree, Stingy Jack hurriedly placed crosses around the trunk of the tree. The Devil was then unable to get down the tree. Stingy Jack made the Devil promise him not to take his soul when he died. Once the devil promised not to take his soul, Stingy Jack removed the crosses and let the Devil down.

Many years later, when Jack finally died, he went to the pearly gates of Heaven and was told by Saint Peter that he was too mean and too cruel and had led a miserable and worthless life on earth. He was not allowed to enter heaven.

He then went down to Hell and the Devil. The Devil kept his promise and would not allow him to enter Hell.

Now Jack was scared and had nowhere to go but to wander about forever in the darkness between heaven and hell. He asked the Devil how he could leave as there was no light. The Devil tossed him an ember from the flames of Hell to help him light his way. Jack placed the ember in a hollowed out Turnip, one of his favorite foods which he always carried around with him whenever he could steal one. For that day onward, Stingy Jack roamed the earth without a resting place, lighting his way as he went with his "Jack O'Lantern".

On all Hallow's eve, the Irish hollowed out Turnips, rutabagas, gourds, potatoes and beets. They placed a light in them to ward off evil spirits and keep Stingy Jack away. These were the original Jack O'Lanterns.

In the 1800's a couple of waves of Irish immigrants came to America. The Irish immigrants quickly discovered that Pumpkins were bigger and easier to carve out. So they used pumpkins for Jack O'Lanterns.

History of the Jack O' Lantern

Have fun!

Breathe!

With every waking breath I breathe

I see what life has dealt to me

With every sadness I deny

I feel a chance inside me die

Give me a taste of something new

To touch to hold to pull me through

Send me a guiding light that shines

Across this darkened life of mine

Breathe some soul in me

Breathe your gift of love to me

Breathe life to lay 'fore me

Breathe to make me breathe

For every man who built a home

A paper promise for his own

He fights against an open flow

Of lies and failures, we all know

To those who have and who have not

How can you live with what you've got?

Give me a touch of something sure

I could be happy evermore

Breathe some soul in me

Breathe your gift of love to me

Breathe life to lay 'fore me

To see to make me breathe

Breathe your honesty

Breathe your innocence to me

Breathe your word and set me free

Breathe to make me breathe

This life prepares the strangest things

The dreams we dream of what life brings

The highest highs can turn around

To sow love's seeds on stony ground

Breathe

Breathe

Breathe some soul in me

Breathe your gift of love to me

Breathe life to lay 'fore me

To see to make me breathe

Breathe your honesty

Breathe your innocence to me

Breathe your word and set me free

Breathe to make me breathe

Midge Ure, Breathe

The importance of a healthy life... :)