Happy Halloweenie Wednesday!

Happy Halloween (or at least this should post on Halloween if I did the future-post thing correctly)! I am writing this on Monday morning as I’m waiting for the big storm to hit and knock out my power. I wish that I had some awesomely wicked weeny recipe for you, but because of the Perfect Storm (sans Marky Mark & The Clooney), I don’t have one. I’m sorry.

So instead I’m giving you something that I baked earlier this month–the Bisquick Impossible Pumpkin Pie. Hey, it’s seasonal and holiday-appropriate.

I am totally enamored with Bisquick Impossible Pies (see also, Impossible Taco Pie). I always take the name as a challenge. Impossible!

Like all Impossible Pies–and how many of these are there? Does anyone have any other of these recipes? It’s like Pokemon, I’ve Gotta Catch Them All!–all you do is put everything in the blender and then bake it.

Was there a marked difference between the filling and the crust? Not really. But whatever little there was, it didn’t come out of the pie plate. I may have not baked it at high enough heat for long enough. Even though my pie ended up in there about 70 minutes (damn you, apartment oven).

So I put it in the fridge overnight. Perhaps it needed to ‘set.’ And that did work. The piece of pie stayed together this time. But was there a substantial crust?Not so much. But looking at the original Bisquick ad, there wasn’t one anyway. But after refrigeration both the taste and consistency improved.

So perhaps the impossible wasn’t possible this time around. But since I don’t like that burnt crust pie edge (although I like that in pizza–go figure) this was fine by me. And this method is definitely a lot easier than making and rolling out a pie crust.

Also, I need to mention that I participated in Foodie Pen Pals! The program goes like this (Readers’ Digest version): you sign up by the 5th of the month. You are then assigned someone to send a box of foodie goodies to and you are assigned to someone else ($15 limit on box contents). All the boxes are sent by the 15th and shortly thereafter you receive a fun, grab bag of food from somewhere in the US! And then reveal day (when you post what treats you received in your box) is on the last day of the month. But you don’t have to be a blogger to be involved. You can just enjoy the sending and the receiving.

Anyway, October was the first time I signed up and it was a great experience. I went for a local-vibe and mailed Becca in NJ some Chesapeake Bay Potato Chips, a can of Old Bay, a jar of honey, and the recipes for Old Bay-Honey wings and Vincent Price’s Bloody Mary! And a couple Weight Watchers candy bars since she is on plan.

From Valerie in Pittsburgh I received some peanut butter samples, a tube of garlic paste, an iced tea, and some chocolate covered pretzels from Pittsburgh’s own Sarris Candies. They really do make the best chocolate! Who knows how many of these I will eat during Hurricane Sandy.

But the most exciting item was the Hot n’ Spicy chicken breading from Andy’s Seasoning Inc. in St. Louis, MO. I had never tried this before–I never even heard of it before–but I put it on some drumsticks one night when my friend Iris stopped by and let me tell you–this was good! The chicken was baked but it definitely had a fried chicken feel and the label didn’t lie, this breading had a nice little kick to it. Yum!

So thank you Valerie! What a treat.

I recommend giving Foodie Pen Pals a try! You have until the 5th of November to get your name on the list.

OK, I hope that this posted. And I hope that everyone makes it out of Sandy okay! And if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to enjoy having power as long as possible before I stick crazy straw in a box of Pinot Grigio and ride out this bitch.

XOXO, my darlings. See you on the other side!