Tombstone Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

This is the easy way to have an ice cream cake.

You will need:

A rectangular cake pan

Enough ice cream sandwiches to fill the pan

Foil or wax paper

Frosting and cake decorations in your color of choice


For the larger cake you will also need:

Chocolate cake mix

Ice cream


For a smaller cake:

Step one: Line the cake pan with the foil or wax paper. Smear a thick layer of frosting along the bottom. Lay the sandwiches along the bottom, cutting them to fit. This is like brick laying. The frosting will hold the sandwiches in place.

Step two: Smear the desired frosting over the top of the cake. Add your decorations, words, images etc.

Step three: Freeze the cake for at least 30 minutes before eating. You'll find slicing much easier.

For the larger cake:

Step one: Bake a rectangular cake and cool.

Step two: Slice the cake in half lengthwise with a bread knife. The top half of this baked cake is the bottom.

Step three: Spread ice cream on the bottom layer. Add a layer of ice cream sandwiches. Add another layer of ice cream add top with the other half of the baked cake.

Step four: Spread your decorative frosting and decorations over the top of the cake. Freeze the cake for 45 to an hour before serving.


Tips: Leave the cakes in the pans when you freeze them. Lift them from the pans by the paper or foil.

Eyeball Cupcakes

This is a fun treat for kids year round but especially Halloween.

You will need:

Cupcake liners

Red velvet cake mix (easiest way)

White frosting

Lifesavers Gummy

Chocolate M&M's (Dk. Brown & Light Brown ones)
or
Chocolate or Licorice Jelly Belly (brown or black color is important, not flavor)

Very Cherry Jelly Belly (or any red colored flavor)

(use Jelly Bell due to their size)


Step one: Bake the cupcakes according to the package instructions and let cool.

Step two: Use a butter knife and cut a slit in the center of the cupcakes. Fill the slit with 3 or more Cherry Jelly Belly.

Step three: Spread the white icing on the cupcakes. Place a Gummy Lifesaver on top in the center. This is the eye color. Place a dark M&M or Jelly Belly in the Lifesaver hole.

Step four: Enjoy

Improvise wherever you can. Use red food coloring in a white or a chocolate cake.

For more grotesque cupcakes, fill the centers with red Jello or red liquid lollipop. Use icing writers for the bloodlines on the whites of the eyes.

Treat Tree

This would make the perfect centerpiece for a Halloween party or an alternative to the unattended candy bowl outside your front door. For even more creativity use your old plastic Christmas tree to hang the ghost.


You will need:

Tissue or coffee filters

White string

Black yarn or pipe cleaners

Black marker

Step one: For the head of the ghosts fill the center of a tissue square or coffee filter with a another piece of balled up tissue or coffee filter.

Step two: Tie off the head with the black yarn or pipe cleaner and fluff out the bottom.

Step three: Color eyes for the ghost on the head. You can color a mouth too as an option.

Step four: Tie a piece of string around the neck to hang it from your tree. If you are making this into a Treat Tree then you will need to fill the ghosts with candy instead.

How To Make Halloween Ghosts

This is a great project to do with your children for Halloween or Dia De Los Muertos. I calls for their creativity and costs you nothing.

You will need:

1 gallon milk jugs, one for every ghost

A black Sharpie, black acrylic paint, or black construction paper

White acrylic paint (optional)

A razor, sharp knife, or Exacto knife

Tea light candles or a string of Halloween or Christmas Lights

Step one: Wash out all of the jugs including the lids and allow to dry upside down.

Step two: On the side without the label paint or draw your ghost faces. You may also use construction paper for your smaller children to give them more scissor practice. Glue the face pieces to the jug. Make skeleton faces for Dia de los Muertos.

Step three: You have three options for the top. You can remove the top, paint it black or white, or use your Sharpie to make it black.

Step four: Carve the back of the jug out using the label as a guide.

Step five: Place your tiny candle inside or line your ghosts in front of the Christmas lights, stuffing a few of the bulbs inside. Enjoy an alternative to the messy, rotting pumpkin!

10 More Things You're Wasting Your Money On

1. New Shampoos

You know the ones I am talking about. They claim to be "new and improved" or "specially formulated for your hair type." But quite frankly, it's all a lie. The only new thing about these new shampoos is the bottle and the marketing. For dry, curly, or thick shampoos they add more or less conditioner than they already had before. For fine or straight hair they add less. That's all.

2. Checks

These dinosaurs of the paper payment world still exist. Most of us only use them to pay the rent and other bills that don't take debit. So why in the world are you paying extra for them? I know what you're thinking, "But the Hello Kitty ones are sooo cute." Reality check (pun intended), no one cares what your check looks like so long as the funds clear.

3. Laundry boosters

If your $20 detergent works so well, then why does it need a booster? Either use a better stain remover spray, baking soda, or change detergents.

4. Dryer Sheets

If your detergent isn't leaving your laundry fresh, change detergents. Is the static cling in your laundry so grand that you need dryer sheets?

5. Garlic bread and croutons

Make it yourself. It takes less time. It's cheaper and it tastes better.

6. Pasta Sauce

See number 5

7. Stretch mark cream

Switch to cocoa butter lotion. You will have smoother, healthier skin with less blemishes. One bottle, one price.

8. Octane booster

Your hubby tells you to put it your car with the next gas refill. Honestly, have you ever noticed a difference? Neither has the mechanic that is taking your money.

9. Car washes

That's what your children are for. They love getting wet on hot days and they love playing with bubbly soap. Grab a glass of wine and watch them go bonkers in your driveway.

10. Beauty parlor

Why are you paying someone else to flat iron your hair when you can do it yourself? Use a straightening serum before and a ceramic iron after.