Halloween is just days away, so in honor of one of my favorite holidays I’m going to teach you how to make this disgustingly disturbing dish…

Creepy Tapeworm Sandwiches

Ingredients:

Hot Dogs

Barbecue Sauce

Hot Dog Buns

Directions:

Cut hot dogs into long strips. I cut each hot dog into thirds, and then cut each third into thirds for a total of 9 hot dog pieces per hot dog.

Put hot dogs into frying pan and add barbecue sauce. Heat through, stirring frequently.

Put warmed “tapeworm” hot dogs onto hot dog bun and enjoy!

~Kate

Rid the World of Fad Diets and Gimmicks Day follows on Jan. 18. While I think the originators of this day probably had the best of intentions, I don’t see this one ever happening. Fad diets and gimmicks have been around since food itself. Might I suggest that the best way to celebrate this one would be to drop any fad diet just for today – and dream of a world where you could eat whatever you wanted and dare anyone to stop you.

On Jan. 22 we celebrate Answer Your Cats Questions Day. In truth, I’d be more inclined to turn this one around on all the cats of the world. While I don’t presently own a cat, I do babysit the neighbor’s cat from time to time. And I have a few questions I’d like to ask. Things like:

• Why must you fly past me as I’m walking down the stairs? Do you really want to see me fall and break a limb? Is it that important that you’re always first to reach the first floor?
• Why do you jump on the counters when you are clearly aware that such activity is not tolerated?
• Why must you root through my cabinets every time I open a door? That’s just gross.
• Why must you always get into things you aren’t supposed to get into, then dash off with a look of feigned innocence as soon as you see me coming?
• Why don’t I trust you? Hmmm???

I suggest holding interrogations with any cats on your list on this day. I may even borrow the neighbor’s cat for a little celebratory fun. Anywho…

We round out the week with National Handwriting Day on Jan. 23.  In fact, Jan. 17-23 is National Handwriting Analysis Week. I think we can have a little fun with this one, too. Since I’d never urge you to do anything I wouldn’t do, I set out on a mission to find a good, free handwriting analyzer on the internet.

After going through several of the analyzers, I found this rather painless (and free) test that you may want to check out for fun. There are a slew of free handwriting analyzers on the internet, so if you have time, do a little surfing and use more than one analysis.

While I really learned nothing new, it did underscore some of my personality quirks with great accuracy. And since this holiday has its own week, you’ll have plenty of time to change your penmanship, should you feel so inclined.

That’s about it for this week, so until next week, get your party on!

In my humble opinion, April Fools’ Day is a highly under-appreciated and overlooked holiday. Years ago, during the beginning of my marriage and mommy-hood, I had many an April 1st prank pulled on me by my husband and kiddies. After several years of taking it all in stride, I decided it was time to strike back at the clever culprits. That’s when I started ‘messing’ with their food. Not anything mean, like making the food taste bad, but just disguising certain foods to look like other foods.

Last year I made this entire ‘dinner’  out of cupcakes and sweet toppings…

Here’s the link if you want to give this one a try. It’s pretty easy…and yummy.

April Fools’ Day Food Pranks

Here’s what we’re having this year – Meatloaf ‘Cake’, ‘Spaghetti’ Cupcakes,  and ‘Jello’ Lemonade.

Here’s how I did it.

Meatloaf Cake

The cake part is meatloaf, and the frosting part is pink mashed potatoes. Pretty cool, right?

Directions:

• Mix up a large batch of meatloaf meat. Use your favorite recipe or find one here at Allrecipes.
• Cook the meat in two round cake pans.
• Put a meat layer onto a serving plate.
• ‘Frost’ the bottom layer with frosting colored mashed potatoes.
• Add top layer of meatloaf.

It should look something like this.

• Now frost the top and outside edges just like you would as if it was a real cake.

If you want to get fancy, put some of the mashed potatoes in a zip lock baggie, cut off the tip and put decorative edges on the cake. Add a few candles for an extra ‘fooling’ touch.

Now for the Spaghetti Cupcakes.

Spaghetti Cupcakes

Bake a batch of yellow or white cupcakes.

Frost with white frosting. Then put some of the frosting in a zipock baggie and cut off a small tip and add the strands of spaghetti.

Top with some strawberry topping (spaghetti sauce) and whoppers (meatballs).

And finally the super simple Jello Lemonade.

Just mix up some lemon jello, pour into small clear cups, and let it set up. Before serving, stick  1/2 of a straw into the ‘drink’.

So go on and have some fun this April Fools’ Day. They’ll never know what hit ‘em.

Also, just for fun, here’s a link to the Top 100 April’s Fools Day hoaxes.

~Kate

Enjoy your April Fools’ Day!

Let’s get things started with a real splash this week! On Dec. 5, we celebrate Bathtub Party Day, so grab your rubber duckie and some bubbles and hop in the tub. I can see where this one could get a little out of hand, simply because a party typically involves more than one person. So if I were you, I’d proceed with a bit of caution, keeping in mind the naughty and nice lists, as we discussed last week.

Unfortunately, we immediately move into more of a trickle zone. What we have here after Dec. 5 is a serious lack of luster where all things holiday are concerned. I just don’t get it.

No Hoodie Hoo Day, no Wear Different Colored Socks Day, or even a She’s Funny That Way Day.

Oh no. The rest of the week, we’re stuck with holidays like Weary Willie Day on Dec. 9, where we remember a clown. Or Nobel Prize Day on Dec. 10. Don’t even get me started on this one.

Of course there’s always International Mountain Day on Dec 11. While I don’t know what the real meaning behind celebrating this day is, I have to point out that I skied/slid down Les Diablerets in my younger years and remember praying I wouldn’t fall off the edge during my slide and plummet a million feet to certain death. If that doesn’t get your blood flowing, I don’t know what will. Just not sure it’s cause for celebration (at least for those who like me).

This holiday lull may be part of a bigger strategy, though, because we have bigger things to do, right now. Things like crafting our way to Christmas, shopping ’til we drop, and creating that perfect aura of Christmas (which is getting really close, guys). Maybe that’s the reason for the slack-off where other holidays are concerned.

Or maybe not. Next week has a couple of doozies lined up. So trim the tree and deck the halls while you can.

Next week, be ready to get your party on!

Ready to deck the halls or do a little baking, but you just can’t seem to find the time? Fear not. Stay Home Because You’re Well Day lands on Nov. 30. Think of all the things you could accomplish with a holiday like this. You could sleep in an extra hour, trim the tree, make a batch of cookies, do a little shopping, and still have time to create one of the crafts featured on our Craftdown to Christmas!

Hopefully, Stay Home Because You’re Well Day will hold you through until the end of the week, when we celebrate a holiday of utmost importance. That’s right. It’s Santa’s List Day on Dec. 4. I’m sure I don’t need to stress the importance of this one. It’s essentially the day when Santa and the elves lump us all into one of two categories, with our names landing on either the Nice List or the Naughty List.

Just so we’re clear, this list isn’t set in stone. You’ll still have time to redeem yourself if you’ve been spiking your brother’s drink with hot sauce, or you stayed home from school or work because you were well. But with only 20 days before ol’ St. Nick loads the sleigh, you better get down to business and quick.

Until next week, get your party on!

Actually, things really don’t get going until Nov. 24 with Celebrate Your Unique Talents Day. Oh sure. I can celebrate my multiple talents all day long (and you could, too). But the trick on this day is to celebrate talents unique to each of us. Hmm. Maybe we could change this one to FIND Your Unique Talent Day. But no one asked me.

Tie One On Day lands on Nov. 24, so if you’re planning on doing some Turkey Day Eve cooking, you may want to tie one on after your work in the kitchen is done.

Flossing Day, Buy Nothing Day, Sinkie Day and Your Welcomegiving Day are all rotating holidays, falling on the Friday after Thanksgiving every year. While the first two are self-explanatory, and the last one is just stupid, Sinkie Day may need a little explanation. It’s the one day of the year where we’re given the all-clear to eat over the kitchen sink. (Actually, I do that just about every time I’m the only one in the house.)

Should you need any ideas for this one, the best leftovers for over-the-sink eating would have to be a turkey sandwich, with dressing, gravy and cranberry sauce on top.And when you’re done eating, be sure to floss

Until next week – get your party on!

While you figure out the best ways to celebrate these holidays, don’t forget to send us your favorite crafty Christmas ideas! Email lizandkate@live.com!

Moving right along… Nov. 15 is I Love To Write Day. This is certainly one I can identify with, since I write for a living. As as all writers know, just because we do what we love and love what we do, there are days when the words just don’t flow.

I think that’s easy enough to explain – writer’s block, lack of inspiration, or a cluttered mind stand in the way of all writers at one time or another. So for all of those out there who write for a living, I think the best way to celebrate is by focusing on the love of the craft. Give yourself a day off from the pen and paper or keyboard, and remove the pressure of producing for 24 hours. Let’s just relish in the fact that we love to write, today! For tomorrow, we write.

Push Button Phone Day is Nov. 18. I’m sure there are those of you who ask, “is there another form of dialing?” Indeed there is – or at least was. I remember the old rotary phones well and really hated having to dial anything past a five. Talk about your time wasters. I bet we waited at least two or three seconds for that dial to work its way back around when we had to dial a zero. Whew. Of course, we couldn’t play songs on rotary phones either. Talk about a rough life…

We also celebrate Married to a Scorpio on the 18th. I was married to a Scorpio. As far as I’m concerned, it wasn’t a cause to celebrate. So, today I will once again rebel, and celebrate the fact that I’m not married to a Scorpio, anymore. (Sorry all you male Scorpios… I’m sure you’re not like him )

World Toilet Day and Have a Bad Day Day are Nov. 19. I’ll just say my time is more valuable than to do anything else than mention these two. Find your own way to party is either of these days float your boat.

We’ll round out this week with Name Your PC Day which falls on Nov. 20. I’ll start. While a name like Viral or Old Fogey would probably fit, I’d rather be able to call my PC a Mac

Until next week, get your party on!

I think we all have a punster inside – I know I do. In fact, family dinners are often loaded with puns and jabs and crazy jokes that find us doing a lot of eye-rolling. Here’s a site that’s devoted to puns. Check it out, then see if you and your family can come up with your own as this day unfolds. In my opinion, the more eyes that roll, the better!

Nov. 8 is also Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day. Cabbage, kraut and garlic-heavy recipes come to mind. If you pull out your creativity, you could probably think of a few puns to go along with your meal.

Moving right along – in fact, moving all the way into the weekend – Nov. 13 is Domino Day. Apparently, people gather to build and topple dominoes – millions of dominoes. So, if that’s your thing, check out this site, which has tons of photos and videos. Pretty cool to watch.

Keep in mind, as I told you last week, holidays are slim pickins right now. Take comfort, though. We’re only two and a half weeks away from Turkey Day!

Until next week, get your party on!

Happy Halloween, Coffee Break readers! I’m sure you’re busy putting the finishing touches on that award-winning costume as Halloween music fills the house. Hopefully, the pumpkins are carved and you’re ready for All Hallow’s Eve. Might I take this moment to suggest thatwhipping up a ghoulishly great pre-Trick-or-Treat dinner.

Perhaps by design, the wacky holidays are rather slim pickins after today – at least for the next couple of week. But by mid-month, the action picks up again.

Let’s start with Sandwich Day on Nov. 3. Certainly we’d all agree that there’s nothing particularly strange about sandwiches, but I do find it odd that sandwiches would need their own holiday. What do I know…

Perhaps the funniest sandwich story comes from Iran, where, in 2008, participants went to work building the World’s Largest Sandwich. Stretching nearly a mile in length, the ostrich meat-based fare required more than 1,000 volunteers to slap this sandwich together. At some point, the natives grew restless and the tale of the world’s largest sandwich hopeful took a decided turn for the worse. The crowd, exhibiting even less sense than patience, dug into the sandwich, devouring it in a matter of minutes, leaving no evidence behind save a few crumbs here and there.

Which brings us to our next holiday on Nov. 4 – a holiday that could have sealed the Iranians spot in the record book of sandwiches: Use Your Common Sense Day. If only they’d have known…

What saddens me most is that common sense needs a holiday. How hard is it to employ a little bit of common sense on a daily basis, people?

This common sense thing ties right in with another holiday celebrated on Nov. 4 – National Men Make Dinner Day. I think anyone having just a little common sense would know that any man willing to make dinner only on one lone night of the year might find himself a little lonely – not to mention quite hungry.

On Nov. 6, we have the prime opportunity to get rid of the wrinkling faces of our Jack-O-Lanterns as we celebrate Pumpkin Chunkin’ Days (which actually runs through Nov. 8). I’m sure this one is self-explanatory – bust your pumpkins into pieces before disposing of it. You could employ a variety of techniques to dismember Jack. Drop from a balcony, attack with a hammer, run over him with your car – you get the point. Take the chunks and see who can toss one the farthest, or pretend the pieces are a puzzle and see if you can re-assemble Jack. Clearly the ways this holiday can be celebrated are numerous, limited only to your imagination.

A word of caution though, should you decide to go chunkin’ pumpkin at passers-by, cars, homes and the like. Please employ some common sense.

Until next week, get your party on!

Instead, bring out the lemons, pucker up, and get those saliva glands rolling and we’ll celebrate the ever-popular Sourest Day, which also lands on Oct. 24. Sounds to me like someone is taking revenge on Sweetest Day, but that’s neither here nor there.

Regardless of this holiday’s history (because I couldn’t find a history…) I suggest taking a look at a slew of sour candies that can be found at this  store.

Cranky Co-Workers Day follows on Oct. 27. You’ll be cranky, too, if you fail to celebrate Sourest Day…

Quite frankly, the holidays seem to go downhill quickly as we approach Halloween, Kate’s second-favorite holiday of the year. We’ve got National Chocolates Day on Oct. 28, and National Candy Corn Day on Oct. 30 (yawn).

But here’s one that may be worth exploring: Haunted Refrigerator Night. This one lands on Oct. 30, too, and, in my view, it stands to wipe National Candy Corn Day off the map if we play our cards right.

There are two ways you can go at this holiday. You could always rig the fridg with spiders or skeletons and the like, invoking instant shock to all who dare open the door.

Or you could simply refuse to clean your refrigerator out and see what kind of monsters and ghouls decide to grow in there. Fresh penicillin, anyone? Let’s remember this about a month beforehand next year, for best effect. If you store the right things for long enough, you won’t need to rig the door to scare people. The sight (and smell) of rotten, moldy food will do the job for you!

Until next week, get your party on!