Hocus Pocus 1 & 2

Instructions

Start by making your black cherry syrup-- in a small saucepan, add cherries, sugar, water, orange juice, and your spices. Simmer on low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved and you have cherry mush and yummy luscious liquid.

Strain out the cherries and discard, leaving cherry syrup (should be about a cup). Set aside to chill.

Add two oz each whiskey and spiced cherry syrup to your cocktail glasses and top off with ginger beer. Garnish with a piece of orange peel skewered around a black cherry, ends pointing up so they kinda look like a flame. It's all about the optics people.

Instructions

Itch-it-a-cop-it-a-Mel-a-ka-mys-ti-ca-- time that thou gatherest thy ingredients!

Heat butter and olive oil in a medium saucepan until butter is foamy. Add the sliced leeks and toss in a little salt and pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes until caramelized, reducing heat if they begin to burn. Add the garlic cloves and red pepper flakes, cooking for a couple of minutes more to soften. Now, throw in your zuchinni chunks and toss to coat, adding another pinch or two to taste.

Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil-- reduce eat, and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes or just until some of the broth is reduced and zucchini begins to soften. Lastly, throw in kernels from one ear of corn and your peas. Cook for a couple of minutes more, until all the veggies are cooked but not mushed.

Remove from heat and, using an immersion blender or food processor, puree until the soup is bright green and mostly smooth. Add parsley leaves and cream and continue to puree until completely smooth-- squeeze lemon juice to taste, and add a bit more salt and pepper if needed.

When ready to serve, swirl some additional cream into the surface of the soup and top with pepitas.

Come little children, I'll taaaake thee awayyyyyy.

Instructions

Roll your puff pastry out to be roughly 1/8 thick-- you may only need a partial sheet to start with. Using a small glass or cookie cutter, cut pastry into circles roughly 2.5 inches in diameter. Top each round with grated cheddar and a piece of ham, then wrap your little parcels like an open on one end burrito-- your little ham chunk should be sticking out like a recessed.. ahem.. toenail.

Usine a knife, make a few shallow lines in the pastra about halfway up the bundle to mimic toe joints, then press pieces of rosemary leaves into the soft dough to resemble stitches. You can do this on all, or some if you're patience is thin. Brush with egg wash.

Bake at 425 for 15 minutes and hey presto-- like mini grilled cheeses with a really disgusting origin story.

Instructions

Stem and skewer your apples with sticks, then refrigerate until cold. In the meantime, add water, sugar, and salt to a small saucepan and heat on medium. Stir occasionally wit a fork until the sugar has dissolved completely, and then increase the heat slightly so that it's boiling. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the syrup turns a lovely honey gold color (should take about 7-8 mins). Just be careful because it turns quickly!

Immediately add cream-- the mixture will sputter and look like it's going to overboil, but you'll be fiiiine. Just reduce the heat to medium-low, and stir constantly with a heat-resistant spatula for about 7 minutes. The caramel will continue to bubble and thicken. Transfer to a small heat-resistant bowl and cool to about 210F.

Dip cold apples in caramel, and let as much excess drip over the bowl before you move it over to rest on a parchment lined cutting board-- you can also use a knife to help scrape away the excess drippage from the bottom of each apple. Refrigerate once more for at least 30 minutes to allow the caramel to set.

Now, time for your chcocolate. In a microwave proof bowl, add chips and shortening. Microwave in 15-20 second increments over the course of a minute or two, stirring after each increment, until chocolate is completely melted-- you want it to drizzle, you DON'T want it to become torched.

Now, time for final assembly. For the chocolate, best to start with a clean sheet of parchment paper, and do one apple at a time. Use a spoon to drizzle lines on the top and sides of each apple, rotating the paper for ease. Refrigerate for another 30 minutes to set the chocolate.

Add peanuts to a deep bowl or tupperware, and press the bottom half of each apple into the bits. They should stick well, but might take a few rotations to get optimum crunch. Refrigerate for a final 30 minutes.

... and HUZZAH! Serioucly, it's salty, it's sweet, it's so much better than melting caramel candy that breaks your teeth...

Instructions

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 375.

In a small bowl, mix oil and flour until you have a rough looking sand mixture. Stir in catnip, salt and grated carrot (I used a purple carrot for AESTHETICS), followed by your egg.

At this point, if the mix feels too wet/sticky to form into a ball, add a couple of tbsp of flour in small doses.

Flour a cutting board and roll out your dough to be about 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle the surface will a little extra flour. Now, using a pizza wheel or knife, cut your dough into 1/4-1/2 inch squares. Toss onto a baking sheet, and bake for about 13 minutes until your treats turn golden brown.

Cool, and store in an airtight container for several days (or freeze!)-- your feline friends will not be disappointed.