Happy Halloween from Heather Costa Voiceover
Happy Halloween from Heather Costa Voiceover
“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” -F. Scott Fitzgerald
How true these words are! Fall often feels like the actual start of a new year; the weather becomes brisk and enticing, farms are ready for the harvest, and the smells and colors of the world are changing. The month of October is especially magical, with every day leading up to the hidden terrors and wonders of Halloween!
My intern, Hannah, loves to bake and swears that this recipe for pumpkin cookies is the best one out there. She makes them every year and they are always a huge hit!
Pumpkin Cookies
(Yield: 3 dozen)
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 cup pumpkin
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Brown Sugar Icing (optional):
- 2 1/2 TB. butter
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 3 TB. milk
- 2/4 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar (may need a little more if it’s not thick enough)
Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and pumpkin. Stir in vanilla. Add dry ingredients to the batter. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes, or until slightly brown (they should feel semi-firm when you touch them- if you don’t bake them long enough, they will be extremely soft and messy!)
Brown Sugar Icing: Combine melted butter, brown sugar, and milk in a small saucepan, stirring continuously. Boil for 2 minutes. Cool (an ice water bath makes it cool quickly). Add vanilla and powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
Hannah’s Baking Tips: Always make sure your eggs and butter are at room temperature before adding them to the batter. This helps the ingredients to combine smoothly. The icing should be thin but just thick enough that it doesn’t roll off the cookie. If you have a pastry brush, use it to add the icing to the cookies.
“When black cats prowl, and pumpkins gleam may luck be yours on Halloween”
Spooky Halloween Facts!
The first known mention of trick-or-treating in North America dates back to 1927.
The largest pumpkin ever grown was 836 pounds!
There’s an old tradition that says if a person wears his/her clothes inside out and then walks backwards on Halloween, he/she will see a witch at midnight!
Snickers & Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are the most popular Halloween candy.
The first Jack-O’Lanterns were actually made from turnips.
Orange and black have become the colors of Halloween.
Orange represents the harvest, and black represents darkness.
In My Studio
It’s been a wonderful autumn, filled with voiceovers for Subway, Garmin, Glamorise, Trig’s Supermarket, JFK Medical Center, Indigo Kids, and the Educational Testing Service, to name a few. Not to mention the political recordings and of course Christmas spots, because it’s never too early to start voicing for the holidays!
Enjoy this festive time of the year with those you love. Thank you for being a part of my world and welcoming me into yours.
