Arbpen - Adrienne Boswell

  Halloween costumes and decorations do not need a craft store run. First, build a spider costume from black leggings and a long-sleeved shirt; knee-high pantyhose stuffed with bubble wrap and pipe cleaners become legs that bend. Next, turn the same black clothes into a Fashionista Cat Costume, where coordinated accessories do all the work. Finally, greet trick-or-treaters with a Halloween wreath; wired ribbon helps the bows hold their shape. Spider Costume: https://the-good-plate.com/tarantula-costume-halloween/ Cat Costume: https://the-good-plate.com/cat-costume-well-dressed-black-cat/ Halloween Wreath: https://the-good-plate.com/how-to-make-a-halloween-wreath/ All 9 Halloween ideas: https://the-good-plate.com/9-irresistible-holiday-recipes-and-crafts/

Halloween food can look frightening without being difficult. Start your party with a Skull Cheeseball, shaped by hand and finished with walnut teeth ( https://the-good-plate.com/skull-cheeseball/ ). Next, welcome guests with a Halloween wreath; wired ribbon helps the bows keep their shape ( https://the-good-plate.com/how-to-make-a-halloween-wreath/ ). For dinner, Grave Digger Pie dresses up classic shepherd's pie with a mashed potato graveyard ( https://the-good-plate.com/grave-digger-pie/ ). Finally, Day of the Dead Brownies add chipotle and cinnamon for a warm finish ( https://the-good-plate.com/day-of-the-dead-brownies/ ). See all four on the front page of The Good Plate: https://the-good-plate.com/

  The October issue of What's Cookin'? from The Good Plate is here, and the theme is Treats. On the menu: Cherry Tomato Phyllo Tart with Pesto and Feta, Honey Jalapeno Chicken and Dragon Eggs, Garlic Fries, Welsh Rarebit, and Cherry Lime Rickey Round Baklava for dessert. Halloween falls on a Saturday and it's Oktoberfest season, so there is something here for both parties. Read the full issue with all five recipes: https://the-good-plate.com/newsletters/whats-cookin-treats/

This week's recipe leans into Halloween folklore: garlic has a centuries old reputation for keeping vampires away, and these crispy garlic fries make the flavor case just as strongly. Russet potato wedges roast with fresh garlic, olive oil, and black pepper until golden and crisp. Read the full post, including serving and storage tips, on The Good Plate: https://the-good-plate.com/garlic-fries-keep-vampires-away/

Prime Day is coming October 6-7, and this year I put together a roundup ahead of time instead of scrambling once the sale actually starts. The Thanksgiving side is built around an actual hosting day, not just a pile of gadgets: prep, oven overflow, carving, and leftover storage, plus a nod to my own cookbook, Talking Turkey. The Halloween side keeps things welcoming rather than gimmicky. And if you're not signed up for Amazon Prime yet, this is genuinely the window where it matters. Full roundup, and the thinking behind each pick: https://the-good-plate.com/newsletters/amazonprime-day-october-2026/

This Honey Jalapeno Chicken and Dragon Eggs recipe pairs honey jalapeno marinated chicken thighs with colcannon stuffed twice baked potatoes, rubbed in edible gold for a Halloween table with a little dragon story built in. The chicken cooks on a barbecue grill, a rotisserie, or a cast iron pan, then gets finished with a glossy honey jalapeno glaze. Read the full recipe at https://the-good-plate.com/honey-jalapeno-chicken-and-dragon-eggs/

  I've been making a lot of baklava lately, but this one is different: Cherry Lime Rickey Round Baklava, built around the flavor of the old soda fountain drink instead of the usual honey and nuts. One full sheet of phyllo per pastry, cherries and lime baked into the dough itself, and a restrained hand with the sugar, since the filling is really the only sweet part. Full recipe, history of the rickey, and a video walkthrough: https://the-good-plate.com/cherry-lime-rickey-round-baklava/ #Baklava #CherryLimeRickey #TheGoodPlate