Trick or treat? How about both.

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One more day until my favorite holiday, Halloween.

Here are some of my favorite tricks I would love to try:

  • Fill a briefcase with marbles and crackers. Write on it, “Top Secret” in big letters. When trick-or-treaters come, look around suspiciously, say, “It’s about time you got here,” give them the briefcase, and quickly shut the door.
  • After you give them candy, hand the trick-or-treaters a bill.
  • Hand out menus to the trick-or-treaters and let them order their own candy. Keep asking if anyone wants to see the wine list.
  • Get about 30 people to wait in your living room. When trick-or-treaters come to the door, say, “Come in.” When they do, have everyone yell, “Surprise!!!” Act like it’s a surprise party.

AND here is my favorite TREAT

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Spiderweb Pumpkin Cheesecake (from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups chocolate wafer crumbs
  • 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
  • FILLING:
  • 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • TOPPING:
  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • SPIDERWEB GARNISH:
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 4 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, melted

Directions

  1. Combine wafer crumbs and butter; press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of a greased 10-in. springform pan. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugars until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Whisk in pumpkin, cornstarch, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice just until blended. Pour into crust. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 60-65 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
  2. Combine topping ingredients; spread over filling. Bake at 350 degrees F for 6 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minute. Carefully run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan; set aside.
  3. For spiderwebs, draw six 3-in. x 2-in. half circles on two sheets of parchment paper on top; tape both securely to work surface. In a saucepan, bring the sugar, cream of tartar and water to a boil over medium heat. Boil, without stirring, until mixture turns a light amber color and candy thermometer reads 350 degrees F. Immediately remove from the heat and stir. Cool, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes or until hot sugar mixture falls off a metal spoon in a fine thread.
  4. Using a spoon or meat fork, carefully drizzle syrup over half-circle outlines and inside the outlines to form spiderwebs; reheat syrup if needed. Cool completely. Place melted chocolate in a resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in a corner of bag. Pipe 1-in. spiders onto parchment or foil; cool completely. With remaining melted chocolate, pipe two or three dots on each web; attach spiders.
  5. Remove sides of springform pan. Cut cheesecake; place a web on top of each slice and remaining spiders on the side. Refrigerate leftovers.

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