What’s with Mexicans and skulls? Usually skulls are associated with a negative connatation, but for Mexicans during Dia De Los Muertos, the skull takes on a completely different and beautiful meaning. The skull represents death and rebirth, the death of somebody leaving the world as we know it, and a rebirth of your beloved one who has passed and their soul moving on to a world of spirits and the afterlife. The skull personifies the humans we once knew, and during the Day of The Dead we take the time to honor the family and friends we have lost with offerings to their spirits in the shape of the skull, the same way our ancestors had done centuries before us. Of course there are the traditional foods associated with Dia De Los Muertos like Pan De Muerto, Tamales, Sugar Skulls, and Mole. I observe those foods as much as the next person , but I also enjoy making a skull dessert and decorating it ever year along with building my in-home alter.

I needed some flowers for my home altar I’m building, where I will eventually present my foods. Once I grabbed the yellow silk marigolds I ran across a skeleton mold on my way to the check out, and quickly imagined what it would look like on top of a cake. I thought of my friend Rocio who I lost twenty years ago and how she loved chocolate cake. This year in addition to my family, I will make a special place for Rocio’s chocolate cake and decorate it in marshmallow flowers .

Ingredients for Dia De Los Muertos Gelatina Cake:

• 2 – packets Knox gelatin
• 1 – can La Lechera (sweetened condensed milk)
• skeleton gelatin mold
• Chocolate cake mix
• eggs
• water
• oil
• chocolate frosting
• small marshmallows
• colored sugar
• small round colored candies
• black icing.

Directions:

1. In a bowl mix together 2 cups of boiling hot water and Knox gelatin. Mix until completely dissolved. Add in entire can of La Lechera and mix to combine. Should make 3 cups. Pour into skull mold and refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours or overnight. 
2. Bake cake according to box and allow it to cool completely.
3. Assemble and frost cake with frosting.
4. Cut marshmallows with sharp kitchen scissors diagonally.
5. Then dip sticky side of cut marshmallow into a dish of colored sugar to color marshmallow petals. Set to the side until ready to use. 
6. Unmold gelatin skull from mold. Place it in the center of frosted cake. 
7. Decorate the sides of the cake with colored marshmallow petals, and place a small round candy in the center of the flowers. 
8. Take the black icing fitted with a piping attachment and fill the eye cavity of skull gelatin with icing. 
9. Also draw a straight line across the skull mouth, then stitch over from top to bottom with black icing. Let the icing mouth sit on the gelatin skull for about 10 minutes, then remove the icing to reveal a stain.
10. Fill the nose cavity with colored sugar.
11. Decorate the forehead of the skull with  marshmallow flower petals.
12. Enjoy!

PIN PICTURE BELOW FOR LATER:

Are you having a Halloween party? If you are… this is a great way to kick the festivities into high gear. You see, no Halloween party would be a complete without a graveyard bean dip to dig your bones into. Party ghouls will “ooze and aah” as they see this edible cemetery is up for grabs. The ghostly haunts is filled with 8 different layers of dipping fun, and serves as a great centerpiece until people are ready to devour.  Or in my case last year, it was ZOMBIES. I went to a Zombie themed party and everybody went all out, of course they did, it was an entertainment industry party and the costumes were amazing and scary as heck. It was the funniest sight to see a dozen or so remarkably made up zombified friends of mine all corralled around this graveyard dip I made. It was as if they were real zombies and the brain appetizers had just come out from the kitchen. They all went insane for this dip, I’m not kidding when I say it’s very addicting and flavorful. I’m still kicking myself for not having a camera that night.

This year, because of how well received my graveyard bean dip was, I decided that I’m making this an annual reoccurrence. Me being who I am though, I want to make it slightly different or even try and top myself from the year before. How would I do that? A few days ago I was at my local Walmart in Rosemead walking through the massive chip aisle, as I always do because the boys in my family are chip freaks, and I happened upon a spooky treat…. Cheetos Bag Of Bones. Basically they are cheetos shaped like skeleton bones. At that moment a black lightbulb popped up over my head, and I thought “OMG, these cute little cheetos bones will add so much character to my graveyard dip.” Please check out the recipe below and the little Cheetos bones did exactly what I thought. While I was at the store I also picked up bags of candy and a cool light up pumpkin for a party table. Check out the pic at the very bottom.

Ingredients for Halloween Graveyard Bean Dip:

• Tostitos scoops
•  tomatoes (chopped)
• sour cream
• grated cheese
• sliced black olives
• chopped jalapenos
• refried beans
• guacamole

Decorations:

• wheat tortilla
• Pillsbury crescent rolls
• Cheetos ‘Bag Of Bones’

Directions:

1. Start with a clear pyrex baking dish.
2. Crush a thin layer of tostitos scoops at the bottom. Reserve the rest of the bag to eat the bean dip with later. 
3. Top crushed chips with chopped tomatoes.
4. Spoon enough sour cream to cover the entire layer of tomatoes. 
5. Layer grated cheese on top of sour cream.
6. Top with black olives.
7. Sprinkle a thin layer of chopped chiles over olives.
8. Spread refried beans over chiles. 
9. Make a perfect rectangle in the center of the beans and fill with guacamole.
10. Frame the guacamole with black olive slices.
11. Decoration for the graveyard: I started with wheat tortillas. Using an x-acto knife I cut out a tree shape, and head stones. Then fry on each side until crisp. 
12. To make the floating ghosts: I unfolded the pillsbury crescent dough and carved out ghost shapes with an x-acto knife.
    

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    Making #Halloween come to life with these food friendly #ghosts. Graveyard recipe up on my blog later today! #WMTMoms @walmart

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     Then baked the dough ghosts until golden crisp (according to package for time and temperature), once they came out of the oven I shoved a stick into the ghost and allowed them to cool completely with the stick in.

13. Assemble the tree slightly off center of rectangle. Then place the ghosts where you feel they will be the most visible. Stick the different sized head stones into the guacamole, then place a cheetos skeleton bone skull at the base of the head stone.    
14. Serve warm or cold.
15. Happy Halloween! Enjoy!

Pin this pic for easy instruction: 

Candy For Pumpkin:

• Snickers (fun size)
• Twizzlers (caramel apple )

I’m thinking of my feisty friend Alfonso (my fiancés father) as Dia De Los Muertos approaches.  It’s been almost 5 years since he stepped out of his human life and floated into the other side. I was there as he passed and watched his face go calm in peace.  Awwww, that man. He loved to fight with me.  I think I was probably the only female in his world brave enough to not agree with his every word.  He knew I had a good heart but wasn’t gonna back down.  He use to call me his lawyer because when he needed something done or figured out, I was the one he would turn to to get it done.  He said I had a persuasive way. When we first met he questioned my ability to cook and doubted I could find my way around the kitchen.  I loved proving him wrong.  I think he thought of himself as somewhat of a master of the cocina, but the truth was he was seriously the salsa king.  I had to give it to him, his salsa rocked.  I would bring him empty jars all the time so he never had an excuse not to share his salsa with me.  He took such pride in making his salsa and would just gloat to everyone how great it was, and most of the time people had no other choice but to agree.   He would set up a bowl of his salsa, a slab of queso fresco, chopped up avocado cubes, and a pile of corn chips, and that combo was his snack.

I used to sit in his kitchen sometimes and watch him make it.  I’ve never tried to recreate his perfect salsa since he’s been gone, but I do think of him every time I make my own salsa.  I have to eat it the same way he did, with queso fresco (Mexican cheese), avocado, and chips.  This Calavera Queso Fresco Salsa Dip is my ode to that lovely grump Alfonso Lopez that I still love and I once knew.

Ingredients for Calavera Salsa Dip:

• 1 – package Queso Fresco
• 3 – tomatoes
• 1 – tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 – jalapeños
• 4- serrano chiles
• 4 – fresh chile de arbol
• 1 – onion (peeled and cut in half)
• 4 – garlic cloves (peeled)
• 1 – teaspoon vinegar
• 1 pinch of dried oregano
• salt and pepper
• 2 – cups of water
• avocado
• corn chips
• Pistachios, and chile flakes for decorating calavera

Directions:

• Remove queso fresco from package, and with a small pairing knife cut the sides of the cheese to shape into a skeleton head.  Then with a small circle cookie cutter punch out the eyes. Place on a platter and place back in the fridge.  
• In a medium pot filled halfway with water over a high flame, bring to a boil.  Add in tomatoes and boil for 30 minutes.  Set to the side. 
• In a frying pan over a medium flame add vegetable oil and allow it to get hot.
• Add in chiles, onion, and garlic cloves. Fry on all sides until charred and browned. 
• Remove stems from chiles, and place in the blender with tomatoes, onion, garlic cloves,  vinegar, oregano, salt, pepper, and water (I use the water the tomatoes boiled in). Blend until desired consistency is reached. 
• Decorate the calavera with chile flakes around the eyes, and use pistachios for the mouth. 
• Place calavera shaped queso fresco on a plate, then pour the salsa  around the plate. Decorate the edges with avocado cubes.
• Serve with chips. 
• ENJOY!

Im memory of my sweet friend Alfonso… I miss you.

Dia de los muertos couldn’t be celebrated without the age old tradition of pan de muerto. I am thrilled to make a beautiful potato version of this “bread of the dead” in honor of my beloved departed uncle. I will make two loafs…. one to eat, and one to decorate my home alter with. How will you celebrate Day of the dead? Watch my video below to see how easy it is to make this delicious bread. 

Ingredients for Potato Pan De Muerto:

• 1 – package active yeast
• 1/2 – cup luke warm water
• 1 – teaspoon salt
• 1/2 – cup sugar
• 1 – cup mashed Idaho potatoes ( leftovers work best)
• 1/2 – cup butter (softened)
• 2 – eggs (beaten)
• 3 – cups bread flour plus more for kneading
• olive oil
• Egg wash (1 egg and 1 tablespoon water whisked together)

Directions:

1. Add yeast and water to a mixer, and allow yeast to activate for 10 minutes.
2. Pour salt and sugar to the yeast mixture. Give it a good mix.
3. Spoon in the mashed potatoes and break them up with a spoon if you need to. Then add in the butter and eggs. Mix to combine to hook attachment.
4. Add in the bread flour, one cup at a time until the dough comes together and no longer sticks to the mixer about 5 minutes.
5. Generously flour a clean work surface then knead dough until smooth.
6. Grease a bowl with a little bit of olive oil. Place dough in greased bowl and turn it once inside to ensure the entire dough is well greased.
7. Cover dough with a kitchen towel and let it rise for 2 hours.
8. Remove towel and punch down the dough.
9. Generously flour a clean work surface then knead dough again until smooth.
10. Grease two 8 -inch cake pans and set to the side.
11. Divide the dough into equal 3 parts.
12. Place two of the parts in each cake pan, and reserve the additional part for decorating.
13. Allow the dough to sit for an additional hour before decorating.
14. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
15. With the extra part, roll the dough out to make bone decorations for the top of the loaf.
16. Brush the top of the loaf with egg wash.
17. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
18. Enjoy!

I would like to give a special THANK YOU to the Idaho Potato Commission for sponsoring this video. It is my absolute honor to work with you. 

I would also love to Thank my amazing crew.

Mando Lopez: Director/Editor

Tony Molina: Director of Photography

Jeshua Viveiros: Sound and the awesome calaca make-up artist – he used the Crafty Chica make-up line.

Earrings by ilaments Jewlery – Lisa Rocha!

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. Disneyland provided me with passes for my family to Mickey’s Halloween Party and meal vouchers to help aid me with my post.

Yes, that’s me with Chef Christina from Disneyland…. She taught me how to make the famous seasonal pumpkin twists to share with you. We had such a great time filming in front of the Haunted Mansion. Watch the video to see how easy this recipe is to make, and enjoy it at home.  I am also including a Strawberry version at the bottom of this post for during the year.

In addition to the pumpkin twists, I also got a sneak peak at all the cool make your mouth salivate treats that Disneyland pulls out of it’s witch hat during this ghoulish time of year. Did you know that all the treats on a stick are decorated by hand? And to make it double the fun both Disneyland in California and Disneyland in Florida offer the same snacks so both coasts can celebrate in the same spooktacular fashion! That Mickey is something of a wizard! There are also a few other new treats to the park. Try the sourdough pumpkin shaped bread loaf. Then there is the  debut of the Ursula cupcake, so good you may let her steal your voice.

Below is a photo guide to some of the best treats in the park, so you know exactly what to look out for! Happy HalloweenTime at Disneyland!

Ingredients for Strawberry Twists:

• 1/3- cup strawberry jam
• 1 (17.3-ounce) box (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, thawed
• egg wash (1 tablespoon water and 1 egg whisked)
• sugar crystals, for garnish

1. Bring the strawberry jam to room temperature.
2. Place one sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured, movable, flat surface, such as a lightweight cutting board. Lightly dust surface of pastry with flour and roll to smooth creases.
3. Spread pastry sheet with 1/3 cup of the strawberry jam.
4. Roll the second sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to smooth creases; place on top of first sheet and press down gently.
5. Place filled puff pastry in refrigerator for half hour.
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Line a baking sheet with a non-stick baking mat.
8. Using a ruler as a guide, cut into pastry into 1 1/2-inch strips. Carefully pick up strips and place on baking sheets, twisting 3 times before laying down. Watch video to see exactly how.
9. Using a pastry brush, brush tops with egg wash. Sprinkle with sugar crystals.
10. Bake 20 to 22 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Cool 10 minutes.
11. Enjoy!

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. Disneyland provided me with passes for my family to Mickey’s Halloween Party and meal vouchers to help aid me with my post.

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. Disneyland provided me with passes for my family to Mickey’s Halloween Party and meal vouchers to help aid me with my post.

I woke up to the sparkling green wristband still fastened around my wrist. Then slowly, pops of the night before were replaying in my still sleepy memory. Disneyland had transformed itself into a Halloween party. Main street was decorated in true pumpkin fashion (no two pumpkins are alike).

Eerie music filled the air, and there was candy everywhere. The magic of Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland was seriously one of the best family events I have ever attended.  I’m sure part of the reason is due to the fact that my son and his cousin had so much fun. Just to see their smiling faces soaking it all in,  is enough to bring any parent overwhelming satisfaction. What I love best are the cart stations loaded with candy and healthy treats for kids and adults too. Guests are allowed to come dressed in costume for a trick or treating extravaganza in the magical kingdom and join in on the costume contest.

There are still 11 nights to enjoy Mickey’s Halloween Party (schedule posted below).  There are so many fun things to do and here are just a few.

The “Halloween Screams” fireworks spectacular, hosted by “Master of Scare-omonies” Jack Skellington and his little ghost dog Zero. Watch as the night sky fills with the spooky vibrant colors of the Halloween theme!

You can’t miss Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy, which zooms into a haunted section of the universe where ghosts appear out of the starry darkness and the exhilarating twists and turns are accompanied by piercing screams and frightening music. There are creepy eyes that follow you through space. It’s a must do!

Then of course….Jack Skellington is back to reclaim the Haunted Mansion. This awesome ride inspired by Tim Burton’s “Nightmare Before Christmas” is an equal mix of eerie  Halloween and Christmas traditions. Plus this year the gingerbread house in the Mansion ballroom is new. Come and join the fun.

My family and I had a great time at the Halloween Carnival, in Frontierland.  We loved the  new magic show presented on the Halloween Carnival stage at Big Thunder Ranch. Nearby they also conjured up a Disney Villain at the “Astounding Cauldron of Magic” sideshow tent. Here are a few pics of our day and a video of how I was transformed into the crystal ball by the house fortune teller.

The 2014 dates for Mickey’s Halloween Party are: Friday, Sept. 26; Tuesday, Sept. 30; Friday, Oct. 3; Monday, Oct. 6, Wednesday, Oct. 8; Friday, Oct. 10; Tuesday, Oct. 14; Friday, Oct. 17; Monday, Oct. 20; Wednesday, Oct. 22; Friday, Oct. 24; Monday, Oct. 27; Wednesday, Oct. 29; and Friday, Oct. 31.

I’ve got it!  The perfect dish to serve at your Halloween party, Mexican Poutine Smashers are everything you ever wanted in a finger food and more.  I am proud to present this special Halloween webisode using Idaho Fingerling Potatoes as my base and topping them with barbacoa and Oaxaca cheese.  Watch the webisode for further instruction, and lots of tricks and treats!  Stick around until the ugly witch flies away…..

Ingredients for Mexican Poutine Smashers:

• Idaho Fingerling Potatoes
• olive oil
• sea salt
• barbacoa
• shredded Oaxaca cheese

Ingredients for barbacoa:

• 1 – can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1 – onion
• 5 – cloves galic
• 6 – limes (juiced)
• 1/3 – cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 – cups beef broth
• 5 – pounds chuck beef roast
• 4 – bay leaves

Directions:

1. Add chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, onion, garlic cloves, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, and 1 – cup beef broth to blender. Blend until smooth. Set to the side.
2. Pour additional 1 cup beef broth to slow cooker, place the chuck beef roast to the broth, and add in the bay leaves. Pour the chipotle pepper blend over the meat.
3. Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on low for 10 hours.
4. When meat is done, shred with two forks for the perfect batch of barbacoa.

THANK YOU to Idaho Potato Commission for your support.  A HUGE, grateful thank you to the most wonderful crew EVER! This one was a lot of fun to make!

• Mando Lopez: Director
• Tony Molina: Director of Photography
• James Ford: Editor
• Leeann Chavez: SPFX Make-Up
• Janine Presley: Sound
• Kristen Warren: Wardrobe and Positivity Ambassador
• Suki Ewers: AC
• Jeshua Viveiros: Set Assistant and “Mummy”

Disclosure: This video was sponsored by the Idaho Potato Commission.