Browse Review This for Gift Ideas

The contributing writers for Review This have compiled some wonderful reviews of gift ideas. It's time to feature them for all of us to enjoy again. We never seem to have enough ideas for those on our gift lists, so sit back and browse to your heart's content. Get the ideas that will make your gifts stand out. 

The Review This Holiday Gift Guide

Of course all of us on Review This couldn't help but put together a marvelous collection of places online where you can select ideal gifts. Whether it's Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, showers or just because you want to gift something to yourself, the Holiday Gift Guide is the perfect place to start. 

From home decor gifts to toys and just about everything in between, a great choice awaits you. Each of the sites featured is chosen by our writers so you know we picked those good ones. 

Books and Movies for Fun Gifts

Books and movies are favorites for many of the writers on Review This. So we share our best picks for those. Really, can we ever have too many books to read or too many movies to enjoy?

Take a hilarious tour around Christmas Movies: Comedies for some great ideas. Then enjoy a book review just for the holidays. Noel the Christmas Ornament Book is wonderful for the whole family to enjoy for the holidays. Of course, you don't want to forget a great gift for all readers.

Uniquely Designed Gifts

Something different or unique is always welcome. But that doesn't

Mugs Make Great Gifts

mean expensive. Our writers share some great ideas for those uniquely designed, yet affordable gifts. How about mugs? Mugs really do make great gifts and what a selection to browse around. 

Personally, I'm excited about giving calendars as affordable gifts and we have writers that are like me. On Review This, we include those special calendars. Not only beautiful photographic calendars, but easy ideas to make personalized ones as gifts. 

Relax and Browse Review This

It doesn't matter what occasion you need a gift for, the writers on Review This have found some great ideas. So relax and browse around. The very best idea may just be sitting right here for you.




Posted by: BuckHawk

About This Contributor

BuckHawk decribes herself as "Basically a lazy person who prefers the easy things in life." So that's what she writes about. Easy home decorating, easy recipes, easy entertaining. But, she is also a lover of animals, gardening and crafting. You'll find her writing all over the Web, but with Review This Reviews! she has the opportunity to write about all of her loves.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing Christmas Home Decor

With December comes decorating homes for the holidays. Therefore, it's time to review some great ways to add Christmas decor to your own home. From the living room to the bathroom, your house can be festive and ready for the holidays with these ideas and suggestions. 

Holiday Accents Around the House

Christmas Wall Decals

For me, any decorating needs to be easy. That includes my Christmas decorating. So I look for those accents that I can add to my home decor that don't take work. Simple festive accents are what I
found. 

Holiday wall decals are one of those simple accents. Author Mandee provides us not only with some great suggestions for Christmas wall decals, but also easy ideas for how and where to use them. She has such an imaginative way with home decor. 

More easy accents include Christmas throw blankets. I love how simple this can be. Just toss a blanket over the back of the couch and you have a festive touch. Choose one in the style of your decor. If vintage is your style, then Vintage Christmas Throw Blankets is for you. Now, that's easy decorating in my book.

Festive Home Decor for Christmas

Decorative Christmas Tree Accent Pillows

Walls and couches are not the only way to add easy festive touches. Christmas Bathroom Hand Towels offers you many choices to add the holiday mood to that often-forgotten room of the house. Fun and cute hand towels to elegant and beautiful ones, there is a set perfect for every holiday home decor.

Of course, I have to include the bedroom as well. For me, that's a decorative pillow propped on the bed. Since a Christmas tree isn't usually included bedroom decor, put it on a pillow instead. Decorative Christmas Tree Accents Pillows has a selection of some beautiful ones for you to browse. 

Keep the Fun in Christmas Decorating

Besides easy decorating for Christmas, we also want to keep the fun in the holidays. Some suggestions include shopping online. Our own Review This Gift Guide gives you so many great choices to find just the right home decor items for your own holiday decorating. 

 

 


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About This Contributor

BuckHawk decribes herself as "Basically a lazy person who prefers the easy things in life." So that's what she writes about. Easy home decorating, easy recipes, easy entertaining. But, she is also a lover of animals, gardening and crafting. You'll find her writing all over the Web, but with Review This Reviews! she has the opportunity to write about all of her loves.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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How to Put Fun into Your Holidays

Wouldn't we all love to put some fun back into our holiday preparations? Here are tips to help you do just that. Remember those days as a kid when the holidays were all about excitement, anticipation and just plain fun. It's time us grown-ups got to enjoy that as well.

Shop Online for Some Fun

Skip the crowds, the traffic, the lines and the surly salespeople. Shop online for just about everything you need from holiday decorations to gifts. The contributing writers for Review This put together a great holiday gift guide just to help you do that very thing. 

You can get in the mood for some fun Christmas time while still

curled up in your pj's and fuzzy bunny slippers. Just do it online. Christmas Time Treasures has lots of those great pages to help you with holiday decorations for your home, like pre-lit Christmas trees, festive kitchen towels, even holiday cats on decorative pillows (www.web-surfing-with-susan.com/christmas-cat-throw-pillows). 

Get your Christmas tree decorated with personalized ornaments or something even more fun like Eiffel Tower ornaments (www.web-surfing-with-susan.com/eiffel-tower-christmas-ornaments). Holidays are definitely easier and much more fun when you shop online from the comfort of your own home. 

Take Some Time to Relax

Since you won't need to spend many extra hours fighting the malls and the traffic, use that time to relax and do something you love. For me, it's a long hot bubble bath with festive scented soaps (www.the-bubble-bath.com/get-in-the-holiday-spirit-with-a-festive-bubble-bath) and reading a great Christmas mystery book (www.mysterybookworldlive.com/holiday-mysteries/christmas-mysteries).  Now, we're talking relaxing. 

Whatever you like to do to relax, do it. Your own holidays will be more fun. More like those days when you were a kid and the whole month of December was all about the excitement, anticipation and fun.

Posted by: BuckHawk

About This Contributor

BuckHawk decribes herself as "Basically a lazy person who prefers the easy things in life." So that's what she writes about. Easy home decorating, easy recipes, easy entertaining. But, she is also a lover of animals, gardening and crafting. You'll find her writing all over the Web, but with Review This Reviews! she has the opportunity to write about all of her loves.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Planning the Holiday Table Review

With Thanksgiving upon us and Christmas just around the corner, planning the holiday table is a part of our world. Place settings, centerpieces and serving dishes all need to fit somehow on the table. So we'll review some of those tips for planning your own holiday tables.

Holiday Table Planning with Buffets

If you are like me, your holiday table will be overflowing with lots of family and probably some friends as well. My Thanksgiving includes a sweet elderly neighbor as well. With this many people, the dinner table has to be extended to it's fullest and side tables have to be added as well. So setting my holiday table means lots of dishes, silverware and glasses.

The Stylish Buffet

Yes, I have been accused of not leaving room for the food. But, I make use of buffets for the food
instead. 

On my table, I keep the rolls and butter, relish trays and other small extras on the table. The buffet holds the main course and all the sides dishes. I have gotten many tips to creating a great buffet table from The Stylish Buffet. It's worth checking out.

Creating Tablescapes for the Holidays

When I plan my holiday table, I like to think in terms of tablescapes. Hm, never heard of this term? You're in luck then. I did an article for Cooking for the Holidays just to explain tablescapes and how to use them for your holiday meals. 

Don't worry, this isn't about a new etiquette that's expected. Instead, it's about the fun of arranging your holiday table with variation in height. This creates a more visually appealing table for you and your guests. 

Holiday Centerpieces for the Table

Holiday Centerpieces

Decorating for Events has given us great ideas for creating our own holiday centerpieces. She makes use of simple things to create a charming, yet beautiful arrangement for the table. 

Although this page shows Christmas ideas, you can easily adapt her tips for any holiday. It's the color schemes and little extras that will transform her suggestions from Christmas to Thanksgiving. Add in fall colors, like yellows, browns and oranges and accent with Thanksgiving items like a turkey salt and pepper shaker set.

 

Planning the Holiday Table

You have your menu set and all your guests invited. Now is the time to get planning your holiday table. These are just a few of the many options to help you plan. So don't panic, relax instead. Your beautiful table will soon be filled with your many family and friends to share the holiday meal with you.







Posted by: BuckHawk

About This Contributor

BuckHawk decribes herself as "Basically a lazy person who prefers the easy things in life." So that's what she writes about. Easy home decorating, easy recipes, easy entertaining. But, she is also a lover of animals, gardening and crafting. You'll find her writing all over the Web, but with Review This Reviews! she has the opportunity to write about all of her loves.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Holiday Desserts: Thanksgiving Menu Part III

Preparing for that big Thanksgiving dinner is what we're doing here at Review This. And I get the lucky job of reviewing desserts. Ah, my sweet tooth is so happy. 

But, it's not just your traditional desserts. I've found some unique and interesting twists on old favorites and delicious new favorites to add to my own recipe collection for Thanksgiving. 

Variations for Pumpkin Desserts

Pumpkin pie is one of those traditional Thanksgiving desserts in my house. But, I couldn't help drooling over these interesting twists on the pumpkin dessert. 

Pumpkin Cake Roll by Nancy Hardin

Pumpkin Cake Roll - a truly yummy dessert. Made with a cream cheese filling, this cake makes a

great presentation when sliced. Although the directions have quite a few steps, don't let that fool you. Author Nancy Hardin does a great job of giving you all steps. This cake is actually not hard to make and even novice chefs can bake up a delicious tasting and looking pumpkin cake roll.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies - a tasty twist on an old favorite. Now we have a fun treat for kids and grown-ups alike. Whoopie Pies have

Pumpkin Whoopie Pie by Margaret Schindel

been around even longer than I have. That's some age. But, now do these treats with pumpkin cake. Author Margaret Schindel shows us the recipe for this fun variation. 

Of course I grew up with the name of moon pie for these delectable desserts. The name Whoopie Pie originates in either Maine or Pennsylvania, depending on which state you come from. No matter what you call them, these individual-sized treats make a great way to serve pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving desserts.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie

For those of us looking to reduce the amount of gluten we consume, author Retta719 has given us a

Retta719 Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie

great recipe for gluten free pumpkin pie. It's simple, homemade and deep dish. This rich creamy version of pumpkin pie will delight everyone, even those who aren't concerned with gluten in their diet. It's worth making for a Thanksgiving dessert for everyone. 

This pie takes a long time to bake so you need to be prepared. Many ovens are loaded just before the Thanksgiving meal. The good news is that deep-dish gluten free pumpkin pie can be refrigerated for several hours and served cold.

Irish Ice Cream Chocolate 

Irish Iced Cream by BritFlorida

Alright, I'll admit it. I have to have something chocolate as part of my Thanksgiving dessert. Irish Ice Cream Chocolate is for the grown-ups only. It's made with Irish Cream liqueur. It's one of those delicious treats that makes for an interesting and unique Thanksgiving dessert. 

BritFlorida presents the recipe and how to in simple steps along with some great variations. There's even a vegan option to try. You can prepare the majority of treat ahead of time, then add the liqueur before serving. Simple tasty and delicious.

Thanksgiving Menu on Review This

The Thanksgiving Menu is brought to you by Review This in 3 parts. Part I gives you that great turkey baking. A staple for the main course in many Thanksgiving dinners. Then Part II presents side dish options for all of us to enjoy. Everything from fruits to nuts, and vegetables, too. And now, Part III, rounding out the dinner with desserts for you. 

So relax, enjoy your own Thanksgiving dinner preparations with many new ideas and recipes. Have a happy holiday with friends and family sharing in the bounty.

Posted by: BuckHawk

About This Contributor

BuckHawk decribes herself as "Basically a lazy person who prefers the easy things in life." So that's what she writes about. Easy home decorating, easy recipes, easy entertaining. But, she is also a lover of animals, gardening and crafting. You'll find her writing all over the Web, but with Review This Reviews! she has the opportunity to write about all of her loves.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Christmas Party Planning: Reviewing Invitations

It's time to get planning for those Christmas parties. It makes sense to plan your party in several steps. First, the date, then the guest list. Next up is getting your invitations. So let's review some holiday party invitations for different kinds of events.

Ugly Sweater Christmas Party

One of those fun traditions is ugly sweaters for Christmas. How

many of us have those kind of sweaters tucked into our closets? I have a number of them myself. Of course, that tradition gave rise to a party theme. Ugly sweater parties are that chance to wear your most outrageous holiday sweater. 

I have been awarded the Ugliest Sweater prize at several parties over the years. All due to my sweet Aunt Charlotte and the completely outlandish Christmas tree sweater she knitted for me years ago. I had no idea how valuable it would turn out to be!

Holiday Cocktail Party 

The holidays are busy for most of us. Sometimes a full evening event just doesn't fit into either our or our guests schedule. That's when something more simple like a cocktail party is in order. A holiday cocktail party  is limited in time and works great to serve appetizers only.

Your guests can attend your party then head off for another party or for that evening they wanted to just spend at home to relax. Even for your busy schedule, a cocktail party takes less work. But, getting started with getting your invitations ordered is a big help.

Elegant Christmas Party

Of course, there are times when you want that fancy or elegant holiday party. Maybe a full sit-down meal, maybe an event where you have reserved a hall or banquet room. Those are the times to choose elegant Christmas party invitations. 

You want your guests to know what to expect, how to dress and how to plan for attending your party. Choosing invitations that set the tone for a more elegant event will help your guests know this. 

Planning with Party Invitations

Since I use the party invitations to help me with themes, decor and even menus, I like to choose and order my invitations as early as possible. Personally, the invites from Zazzle.com are my favorite. I have so many choices for styles, sizes and customization that I've never gone wrong. All the Christmas party invitations reviewed on this page are from Zazzle. 

If you know of other great holiday party invitations, please include them in a comment below. I would love to review more. 

 

Posted by: BuckHawk

About This Contributor

BuckHawk decribes herself as "Basically a lazy person who prefers the easy things in life." So that's what she writes about. Easy home decorating, easy recipes, easy entertaining. But, she is also a lover of animals, gardening and crafting. You'll find her writing all over the Web, but with Review This Reviews! she has the opportunity to write about all of her loves.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing Chocolate Smoothies

Enjoying your chocolate is easy when you make it into a smoothie. Yes, I have gotten into smoothies lately. And since I can't not have chocolate as part of my day, a chocolate smoothie sounded great. So I went searching for the best recipes.

We'll start with the basic, high calorie, indulgent kind. Then move through some of the great options to make your chocolate smoothie healthy and nutritional beneficial.

Basic Chocolate Smoothie, or Dessert Time

It's Food.com that has the easiest and best basic recipe for a chocolate smoothie. Ice, yogurt and chocolate syrup all blended together.

Go even a step further to make the basic recipe into a full chocolate dessert. Instead of yogurt, add in ice cream. This chocoholic made a "Death by Chocolate" smoothie with chocolate ice cream, instant chocolate pudding mix and chocolate syrup. Delicious and high calorie.

Healthy Chocolate Smoothie

Get Lecithin here

The good thing about smoothies is that you can easily convert them from dessert style to nutritious style with just a few ingredients. SmoothieWeb has a yummy recipe for an Almond Joy chocolate smoothie. Not made with those candy bars, but with plenty of coconut and chocolate. The way this recipe is made, you end up with a healthy protein smoothie.

They also feature a great recipe called Help Me Study Smoothie. Besides chocolate, it includes strawberries, peanut butter and lecithin. Lecithin is a brain boosting nutrient that every cell in our body needs.

Power Chocolate Smoothies

So far, we have been talking about simple smoothies with few ingredients. But it's time to go with the power versions of chocolate smoothies. Healthy Smoothie HQ offers up recipes for more elaborate ingredients and more nutrient-rich results. 

One of my favorites is Chocolate Blueberry Spirulina Smoothie. This one is chock full of plenty of those superfoods that we can all benefit from. Not only cacao (which is the chocolate part), blueberries and spirulina (a complete protein with plenty of other nutrients), but also avocado and tahini. 

The good part about healthy smoothies is that you can basically put in any ingredients you want to end up with a powerfully nutritious and filling drink. Even if the name ends up as not truly telling what's in it, like Sexy Chocolate Smoothie, you can still enjoy the great benefits.




Posted by: BuckHawk

About This Contributor

BuckHawk decribes herself as "Basically a lazy person who prefers the easy things in life." So that's what she writes about. Easy home decorating, easy recipes, easy entertaining. But, she is also a lover of animals, gardening and crafting. You'll find her writing all over the Web, but with Review This Reviews! she has the opportunity to write about all of her loves.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing Easy Pumpkin Carving Pages

Looking for last minute fun things to do for Halloween? How about easy pumpkin carving? The stores are still filled with pumpkins and you certainly have knives in your kitchen that can work great for carving. All you need are ideas for some interesting looks to carve. That's what Review This has for you today.

Pumpkin Carving Stencils

A Creative Desktop came up with some easy and fun printable stencils. All free, of course. Along

with instructions for how to print and use the stencils, this site gives you unlimited access to them. You are free to modify and alter them to suit your own tastes and needs.

Not just 40 different designs, but many funny faces as well. Be sure to click through to Page 2 to see lots more. There are some fun stencils, including a flying witch, a Star Wars Storm Trooper and the Ghostbusters logo. You are sue to find at least a few that you can try your own pumpkin carving talent on.

Carving Fun Pumpkins

More pumpkin carving fun comes from a page out of Better Homes and Garden. A simple trio of cute faces make up this page. All are easy for just about anyone to do. With these designs, the carving did not go all the way through the pumpkin. Instead, you have just the outer skin cut. Be sure to get a little paint to fill in the carving so you can get the bright contrast in color. Just like it shows in the image at the top of this page.

Free Stencils for Pumpkin Carving

Talk about fun and cute designs, Readers Digest online offers us some of those great easy stencils. They include some eerie faces, but also those darling emoticons just for fun.

My idea for this year when the grandgirls arrive for our Halloween fest is to have several different sizes. I'll let them pick out a stencil each, but I want to do this "how me?" goofy face myself.

A full 28 free designs are available for you to download and print. And all are fun and easy to do.

Posted by: BuckHawk

About This Contributor

BuckHawk decribes herself as "Basically a lazy person who prefers the easy things in life." So that's what she writes about. Easy home decorating, easy recipes, easy entertaining. But, she is also a lover of animals, gardening and crafting. You'll find her writing all over the Web, but with Review This Reviews! she has the opportunity to write about all of her loves.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Halloween Sandwiches: Part IV of Halloween Recipes on Review This!

This year's Halloween celebration will be just a bit different than I normally have. I'm doing a sandwich spread for some of my family. Therefore I needed some good options for great Halloween sandwiches. And did I find some. Children and adults will be included in this event which means recipes appropriate for both.

Finger sandwiches from Pillsbury

Halloween Finger Sandwiches, Literally

Finger sandwiches are always worth doing and at Halloween we have sandwiches that look like fingers. I love this recipe, it's easy and adjustable for any variety of ingredients. Pillsbury came up with idea and uses meats, but I want to do a vegetarian version.

That turned out to be easy, by just replacing the meats with cheeses and vegetables in the sandwich and using triangles of red pepper instead of the pepperoni for the fingernails. Yep, simple.

Coffin Sandwiches

Coffin Sandwiches from Kraft

Kraft Foods came up with a cute idea as well. Coffin sandwiches are prefect for a fun Halloween treat. The easy part is cutting the shapes. Kraft even gives a template for the coffin shape. A sharp bread knife is a must for this. Getting the shape to come out makes a big difference.

The hard part is deciding on the sandwich fillers. Many, many options can work. With the kids involved, peanut butter and jelly will one of the choices, but I also like the idea of fillers such as egg salad and cream cheese spreads (www.whimsicalteapotsandcups.com/recipes/cucumber-dill-spread).

Personally, I love the idea of adding the R. I. P. onto the top of the sandwiches. Kraft suggests using decorating gel, mustard, even ketchup. Be careful about stacking coffin sandwiches with the message. You need to keep those with a message from sitting under another sandwich.

Halloween Cookie Cutters

Halloween Sandwich Cutters

When you want to make interesting shaped Halloween sandwiches, you can easily use a cookie cutter. Wilton has a fun set that includes that coffin shape for finger sandwiches. But, I also love the idea of the bat for some fun food additions.

Mummy Pizzas

Let us not forget pizza, one of those family food staples. Mummy pizzas are crazy easy to do. And you can add any and all pizza ingredients that you want. The trick is to layer thin slices of white cheese on top to create the mummy wrappings. Then add two slices of pitted black olives to make the eyes.

Food.com gives us a fun option using English Muffins for the pizza dough. Any crust style that you like will work out perfect for mummy pizzas. This is the time for you to use your favorite crust and your favorite ingredients.

Getting ready for Halloween, whether a big party, or a fun family dinner like mine, Halloween sandwiches make an easy menu option. There's plenty of choices for both kids and grown-ups alike. Review This has more Halloween recipes, too. See our appetizers, desserts and beverages to round out your Halloween menu.

Posted by: BuckHawk

About This Contributor

BuckHawk decribes herself as "Basically a lazy person who prefers the easy things in life." So that's what she writes about. Easy home decorating, easy recipes, easy entertaining. But, she is also a lover of animals, gardening and crafting. You'll find her writing all over the Web, but with Review This Reviews! she has the opportunity to write about all of her loves.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Halloween Desserts - Part II of Halloween Recipes on Review This!

Halloween party planning is in full swing. As part of our series for Halloween Recipes on Review This Reviews, I now feature dessert recipes for the fun of Halloween. And I found some for those amazingly creepy and ghoulish parties, as well as for those charming fun parties.

A Creepy Looking Snake Cake

This one, I just couldn't resist. Snakes are the one animal that really creep me out. That means a snake cake is perfect for a Halloween party dessert. Not only does this look incredibly real, but it will delight you guests with how good it is when you can actually break down and cut the cake.

The snake cake tutorial is from Sylvestermouse, so we know the instructions are easy to follow and the tips are perfect to make sure we can duplicate the look. She is always so careful about that. But, she did more than just this scary and perfect-for-Halloween-desserts snake cake.

 Halloween Ghost Castle Cake

Sylvestermouse has a great talent for creating unique and interesting cakes. Her Halloween Ghost Castle Cake is ideal for those parties that feature the fun side of Halloween. Charming, sweet and completely edible, this ghostly castle makes a wonderful centerpiece for your party table.

This Ghost Castle Cake would also make a perfect addition to the kids' school parties. Can't you just picture the children's faces of delight when you bring that cake into their party? 

And believe me, you can make this cake yourself! I know because I've done it. I followed Sylvestermouse's instructions carefully and it turned out perfect. So enjoy a little of the fun side of Halloween, too.

Ghoulish Chocolate Candy Molds 

As long as you are preparing fun stuff for your Halloween buffet, try adding in some brain candies, skull and cross bones shapes or even a few chocolate spiders. Halloween candy molds are easy to use to create some extra little desserts for your party guests. 

My favorite trick is to tuck some of these chocolate candies around and under the dessert platters and cake stands on my buffet table. Yes, I can creep out my guests with the spiders, but that's part of the fun of a Halloween party. 

(www.web-surfing-with-susan.com/halloween-candy-molds)

Spooky Spider Cupcake

No Halloween dessert review would be complete without cupcakes. Thanks to CherylFay, we have some spooky spider cupcakes for you. Of course, she makes it easy to follow her great tutorial. And these are easy to do. Using both Oreo cookies and M & M candies you end up with a perfect treat for just about anyone.

These cupcakes would make a great addition to your Halloween buffet table. Set them up on a cake plate stand so they add visual appeal to your table. Then stand back and watch your guests enjoy themselves. 

More Halloween Recipe Reviews

Be sure to check out more of the Halloween Recipe Review series. We started with Appetizers that will delight your guests. Some truly creepy and some just for fun. Keep a watch as we prepare you for the best Halloween party!

Posted by: BuckHawk

About This Contributor

BuckHawk decribes herself as "Basically a lazy person who prefers the easy things in life." So that's what she writes about. Easy home decorating, easy recipes, easy entertaining. But, she is also a lover of animals, gardening and crafting. You'll find her writing all over the Web, but with Review This Reviews! she has the opportunity to write about all of her loves.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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National Cookbook Month Continues with Chocolate

Delicious Chocolate Cookbooks

As we continue to celebrate National Cookbook Month on Review This, we go on to Chocolate Cookbooks. After all, if we're going to celebrate cookbooks, you just can't leave out the fabulous dessert ones.

It was a joy to review 4 different chocolate cookbooks for the website Completely Chocolate. (www.completely-chocolate.com/)   And of course, I just had to try out some of the marvelous recipes. Well, I had to make sure the cookbooks were as good as promised didn't I?

The featured cookbooks include the latest from the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company and a great one just for vegan chocolate desserts. Since I have a vegan daughter, I couldn't resist trying out those recipes. They did pass the decadent test.

Now, I will give you fair warning. Not all the recipes are easy to make. Some get quite complicated and require better chef skills than I have. These will take just a bit more practice on my part. But, even the failures were enjoyable to eat.

More Chocolate Cookbooks

Each of the featured chocolate cookbooks also make great gifts. They each have beautiful

photographs, most that make your mouth water just looking at them. But, each cookbook also includes lots of extras. Things like how to work with chocolate, how to make chocolate gifts and plenty more.

Allow everyone of your family, friends and neighbors to enjoy National Cookbook Month with you. Get a copy of your favorite chocolate cookbook and try out a new recipe. A decadent dessert can work wonders for everyone.

More Chocolate Cookbooks:  www.completely-chocolate.com/wp/chocolate-cookbooks

Posted by: BuckHawk

About This Contributor

BuckHawk decribes herself as "Basically a lazy person who prefers the easy things in life." So that's what she writes about. Easy home decorating, easy recipes, easy entertaining. But, she is also a lover of animals, gardening and crafting. You'll find her writing all over the Web, but with Review This Reviews! she has the opportunity to write about all of her loves.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing Bats in Time for Halloween

Not-So-Scary Side of Bats

Bats and Halloween just seem to go nicely together. Those wonderful mammals are associated with the spooky side of Halloween. From fright night activities to Dracula's alter ego, bats just lend themselves to the spooky. But are they really so bad? It's time to review the world of bats.

Yes, I am an animal lover and an animal rescuer. Well, you have to love animals to be able to rescue them as a professional. But my passion for animals goes beyond the sweet fluffy ones. All wildlife plays it's part in keeping our entire world in check. That includes those so-called spooky bats.

Can you imagine how hard it would be for you to enjoy a warm summer evening without the benefit of bats? You would be over run with flying insects, literally. Bats have a voracious appetite when it comes to those pesky and biting insects. Enjoying bats in your neighborhood means you don't need to use chemicals to keep mosquitoes away.

Bat Lover Design Mugs by BuckHawk
Browse Bat Mugs online at Zazzle.com

We can also thank bats for helping to keep the destructive insects out of our farms. Which translates into less chemical sprays on our food supplies, higher yields and lower prices in the grocery store.

OK, so now you've gotten just a few of those great reasons to love bats. Well, you don't have to actually love them, but you can tolerate and support them in your world. There are plenty of ways to support the efforts of those saving the bat population. The Not-So-Scary Side of Bats gives you lots of ways along with videos of some adorable orphaned baby bats and how bats use echolocation to find their food source.

Bats for Halloween are fun, but bats in real life more fun. Time to review your own attitude about bats. 

 


Posted by: BuckHawk

About This Contributor

BuckHawk decribes herself as "Basically a lazy person who prefers the easy things in life." So that's what she writes about. Easy home decorating, easy recipes, easy entertaining. But, she is also a lover of animals, gardening and crafting. You'll find her writing all over the Web, but with Review This Reviews! she has the opportunity to write about all of her loves.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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