It's Halloween. Either you're getting your kids ready to go trick-or-treating or you're preparing for the onslaught of little candy hounds at your door. Hopefully, you've read the following ten tips beforehand so you'll have a fun, triumphant trick-or-treating night! ©Seanlockephotography / Adobe Stock Stock up: You don't want to be known among the neighborhood kids as the people who ran out of candy early in the evening.

Hosting Thanksgiving this year? Guess what? It’s actually possible to host a fantastic Thanksgiving meal and not get completely stressed out! ©Krakenimages / Unsplash.comTry these Thanksgiving hosting tips, which come from several excellent articles on Dummies.com. And, have a happy, fun, yet peaceful, holiday.

Carving a turkey yourself can make Thanksgiving (or any holiday) even better. Turkey carving requires cutting with the right knife to enjoy meat from the drumstick, wings, thighs, and breast — no matter how you cook your turkey.

Before you bake and decorate a cake, make sure you have the right cake decorating ingredients and supplies readily available. Take your time and follow easy decorating steps when you frost your cake. If you’re in a time crunch, use some quick decorating ideas for your cake. Before you present your cake, go through a pre-showtime checklist so your cake looks great.

You've committed to having a large group of friends and family over for a meal — but now what? The hardest part about cooking for a crowd is figuring out how much to cook. The quantity you make depends on how many people you're serving, of course, and whether appetizers are pre-meal goodies or the main attraction.

Inexpensive to make, yet tasty, this bean and corn salsa is Christmas-colored with red peppers and fresh green cilantro. This is a great recipe to make with kids because, after measuring, all you do is mix it together in one big bowl. Christmas Salsa Preparation time: 10 minutes Yield: 6 cups Two 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained 11-ounce can corn niblets, drained 1 cup prepared salsa, chunky style 1 medium red pepper, diced 3 scallions, sliced, using half of the green part 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 teaspoon cumin Salt and pepper to taste Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.

This fruit and wine compote is basically fruit poached in liquid with sugar, which forms a syrup. Compote is perfect for making ahead and tastes even better after it’s been refrigerated for a day or two. Vary the compote according to the seasons and to your taste. You can make it with firm, fresh fruit, such as apples or cherries, or dried fruit, such as prunes or figs (as in this recipe).

This very rich and very creamy dessert is perfect for a crowd event. Cheesecake itself symbolizes holiday fun, but this recipe is great year-round. Because they're bite size, they're easy to serve — a big plus! Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cheesecake Bites Preparation time: 40 minutes Cooking time: 25 to 30 minutes Chill time: 1 to 24 hours Yield: 24 servings 1-1/2 cups finely crushed chocolate wafer cookies 1/4 cup butter, melted 2/3 cup, 2 tablespoons sugar, divided 24 chocolate kisses 4 8-ounce packages (32 ounces) cream cheese, softened 4 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup chunky peanut butter 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips 2 teaspoons shortening 1.

This Sephardic grilled chicken appears on the barbecues of homes and restaurants throughout Israel. With its Mediterranean marinade, the grilled chicken is a succulent and flavorful main dish. Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus at least 4 hours for marinating chicken Cooking time: 40 minutes Yield: 4 servings Keeping kosher: Meat 2 lemons 2 large garlic cloves 3 small sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper Pinch of cayenne pepper 2 1/2 to 3 pounds chicken pieces Salt (optional) and freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 teaspoons ground cumin, preferably freshly ground Juice the lemons.