The Daily Tribune <<< Without Fear or Favor >>>

»HEADLINES

»NATION

HALLOWEEN IDEAS

10/31/2009

| More

Bewitched by Hershey's

There's no need for eerie chants, vile elixirs and special charms to get your friends and loved ones spellbound this Halloween. Let sweet spooky treats haunt their taste buds this October as Hershey's unearths an enchanting recipe that will leave everyone mesmerized, the Spooktacular Chocolate Cupcakes.

Make sure you have the following ingredients at hand: two cups all-purpose flour, two cups sugar, 3/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa, one teaspoon baking soda, one teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 3/4 cup shortening, 3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk, 3/4 cup water, two eggs, one teaspoon vanilla extract and peanut butter cream filling (recipe follows).

To make this, first, heat oven to 350°F then line muffin cups (two to1/2 half inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Stir together dry ingredients in large bowl. Add shortening, buttermilk, water, eggs and vanilla. Beat on low speed of electric mixer for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for two minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Then, fill muffin cups 1/2 full with batter. Bake for 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely.

Next, prepare the peanut butter cream filling. You need the following: Two packages (three oz. each) cream cheese, softened, 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/4 cup milk, one teaspoon vanilla extract and threecups powdered sugar. To do this, beat cream cheese and peanut butter in large bowl until blended. Add milk and vanilla and beat well. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Add additional milk, one teaspoon at a time, if necessary, until desired consistency. This makes about two to 3/4 cups filling.

After this, place filling into pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Insert tip into center of cupcakes and pipe filling into cake. Remove tip from cake, garnish top with swirl of filling. Decorate with candies, if desired. Cover and refrigerate leftover cupcakes. This recipe makes about three dozen cupcakes.

McDonald's Halloween Fun Day

This Halloween, McDonald's has prepared something special for everyone — its very first McDonald's Halloween Fun Day. For only P149, experience a special Halloween celebration filled with fun games, favorite McDonald's meals, classic Happy Meal toys of choice and many other surprises. Kids will also receive a specially designed McDonald's Halloween Pouch, perfect for keeping their Halloween treats including the four Happy Meal toys they can choose from a toy buffet. All of these are exclusive to McDonald's Halloween Fun Day goers.

Come in your best Halloween costume and be in the running to win an extra-special prize from McDonald's. Grab your brooms, spread your wings and head over to your favorite McDonald's store to sign-up for the first ever McDonald's Halloween Fun Day!

Halloween at Toy Kingdom

It's magical how kids can be transformed into their favorite superhero, princess, fairy, or animal with a quick costume change. They can dress the scary part in witch, wizard, monster or ghost gear complete with witch hats, wigs and masks. Then they're ready for trick or treat with pumpkin pails and loot bags.

At the same time, you can give your home that haunting feeling with pumpkin lanterns, mummy standees, and other spook-tacular stuff.

Toy Kingdom will also be hosting some of the hottest Halloween parties in town on Oct. 31, including the Fun-tastic Halloween Party at the Concourse of SM Makati; and the meet-and-greet event with Batman, Red Tornado, Blue Beetle and Aquaman at the SM Megamall A Event Center at 1:30 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

They've also teamed up with some fun friends for more Halloween excitement — with Cartoon Network for the Secret Saturdays Pumpkin Party at The Block at SM City North-Edsa at 10 a.m., with the Bumblebee and Company Safari Party at The Podium Atrium at a.m.; and with Nickelodeon for the Shocktober Party at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Be part of this amazing Halloween fun at the Toy Kingdom Express in all SM Department Stores and at Toy Kingdom outlets located at SM Makati, The Podium, V-Mall, SM Megamall, SM Southmall, SM City Fairview, The Block at SM City North-Edsa and the SM Mall of Asia. In the provincial areas, these are located at the SM Supermalls in Pampanga, Lucena, Marilao, Baguio, Bacoor, and Batangas in Luzon; and Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro and Davao in the Vismin area.