Brian Utz's Halloween Magic

My friend Brian Utz (a longtime Martha Moments reader) knows how to do Halloween! It is one of his favourite holidays and he often turns to Martha Stewart Living for inspiration and how-to when planning his Halloween parties and events. I'm always very happy to showcase Brian's work. You can read about Brian's past Halloween parties on the blog by clicking here. Below is a compilation of Brian's great Halloween projects - past and present. There is much more to be read about his inspiring ideas on his website, The Morbid Homemaker. (An appropriate title, don't you think?) If you happen to be in the Philadelphia area, you can also catch occasional radio segments with Brian on "Mornings with Liz Bell" on Warm 103.3. I love seeing Brian's creativity at work and I hope you do too! Enjoy the photographs and get inspired this Halloween!   

Brian often uses Martha's special Halloween issues as inspiration for his costumes. Last year he made this stunning mask of a 'big-headed' French aristocrat, which was featured in the 2013 special Martha Stewart Halloween magazine. The year before that, Brian made his own 'Motha' costume, modeled after the one Martha wore.

This year, Brian held a Halloween Crafternoon Party with some of his young family members. It looks delightful! You can read more about it here.

 When it comes to decorating for Halloween, Brian always goes all out!

 Brian's pumpkin spice whoopie-pies? Yes please!

 If they run out, I'll happily try Brian's pumpkin bread!

This year, Brian held a 'Coven' party - a witch-themed gathering in his backyard. You can read all about the details and the menu here.

 Deliciously-oversized sugar cookies in festive Halloween shapes, smothered with icing!

 Brian's living room was completely transformed for the party! Spooky!

On his front lawn, a pretty scare-crow greets visitors. Happy Halloween!

Lucinda Scala Quinn's Book Tour And Two Mad Hungry Fans!

When I first saw Lucinda Scala Quinn ensconced in one of my favourite Toronto landmarks - the quaint and charming Cookbook Store - I felt immediately at ease. I'm a fairly anxious person and have always struggled a bit with shyness and mild introversion, which is both a blessing and a curse, so it was with a little case of nerves that I opened the door and entered this little nest of a place to meet someone I've always deeply admired. Lucinda's voice, her smile, her sense of humour and her gold sneakers instantly made me realize that I was in the presence of a wonderful person.  

 

She is in the midst of a national book tour (international, I guess, since Toronto was happily on her list of stops) to promote her new book Mad Hungry Cravings, the follow-up volume and companion piece to her very excellent book Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys. I hurriedly picked up two copies (believe me, they were going fast) and waited my turn to say hello. I introduced myself as the creator of Martha Moments and I was pleasantly surprised to hear that she knew about the blog. She told me that it is well-known at MSLO and thanked me for the support over the years.

The book itself is a treasure trove of philosophies, ideas and strategies for eating, as well as cooking. What I love about it most is its very practical and realistic approach. Lucinda, more than anyone I know, understands that people lead busy lives. She is the executive editorial director of food and entertaining for Martha Stewart Living, an author, a television host, columnist, radio host and producer! She's got a lot on her metaphorical plate! And yet, she cooks for three grown boys (four if you include her husband) every week, stressing the value of local, fresh and seasonal ingredients as much as the time-saving measures that will get the meal on the table faster.

 

Cravings is all about replacing our urge to pick up a take-out menu with the urge to make what you crave right in the comfort of your own kitchen, saving money and ensuring that we connect with the food we put into our bodies as well as connecting to the people we will be feeding it to. Lucinda told me she loves to go out and explore new restaurants and she was very happy and touched that I gave her a list of my favourite Toronto restaurants...as well as some cookies from a local bakery and a recipe journal for scribbling down ideas. Her aim with this book, however, is to teach you how to make your favourite take-out or street foods at home. If you must go out, avoid chain restaurants in favour of local cuisine and order things you've never tried: indulge your curiosity as well as your cravings.

 

In speaking with Lucinda, you really do get a sense of her passion. I urge you to pick up a copy of her book and let your cravings guide you through its pages. Below are some photos of my meeting with Lucinda. Lucinda is also doing a television interview tomorrow on Global Morning, a local Toronto morning show to promote the book. Following the photos is a piece by Brian Utz who also met Lucinda on her book tour and was lucky enough to take one of her cooking classes! Brian is a regular reader and contributor to Martha Moments and he was the one who first informed me of Lucinda's visit to Toronto. I'm so glad he did! When she and I parted, Lucinda thanked me for stopping by and told me she would say hi to "everyone back at the Mother Ship!" Love her!

The Cookbook store is located in Toronto's historic Yorkville neighbourhood on Yonge Street, which is actually North America's longest street at nearly 1,200 miles long, stretching from Lake Ontario all the way north to Lake Simcoe, right through the core of downtown Toronto.  The store opened in 1983 and has been a Toronto landmark ever since, drawing celebrity chefs and patrons from all corners of the globe. The key to its success? Offering the very best cookbooks from all over the world, including tomes you won't find anywhere else. It's where I always buy my Martha Stewart cookbooks. Visit their website.

 

 

Brian Utz And His Mom Cook Brunch With Lucinda

 

Martha Moments reader Brian Utz shares his thoughts about Lucinda, her cookbooks and his cooking class with her last week at LivingSocial in Washington D.C.

 

She’s the genius behind bringing back the family meal, and she’s made quite a dent in the way we Americans eat. Was it all her doing? No. Was she an outlet for the 20, 30, 40 somethings who were pressed for cash and tired of going out? Yes! And to them she’s not just an outlet, she’s a Godsend!

 

Mad Hungry is a book I’ve been cooking from since it hit shelves. Lucinda’s stories and recipes in Martha Stewart Living have made many appearances at our own dinner table. I can actually remember the first time I attempted an apple pie at Thanksgiving, (November of 2006) and I used her Apple Raspberry Pie recipe from the magazine. I remember when her oldest son Calder graduated from college in Vermont. They had an eco-friendly graduation party at Shelburne Farms and entertained with local foods from the Vermont Region. And of course, I remember the beautiful video she narrated (and the accompanying article she wrote) on salmon fishing in the Copper River in Alaska for the premiere ‘Boundless Beauty’ digital issue of Martha Stewart Living.

 

Now that the show is over, I keep up with Lucinda’s travels, her family, and her job through her blog, social media, and the magazine. When I heard that “Cravings” was coming out, I was absolutely thrilled! The first thing I thought was ‘200 more recipes I can cook!’, and then I thought, ‘BOOK TOUR!!’

Lucinda, is in the middle of a whirlwind book tour taking place all across the country. This past weekend I had the pleasure of meeting her and taking one of her classes at the LivingSocial offices in Washington D.C. She taught three classes, two on Saturday and one on Sunday. I attended the Sunday brunch class. We made 4 out of the 173 recipes featured in Cravings.

 

Lucinda was extremely sweet and incredibly genuine. It’s amazing that someone who is literally such a powerhouse, and a food icon is so down to Earth. She walked through the class and introduced herself to everyone individually. When she came to me, I said, “I’m Brian.” She said, “Oh, MorbidHomemaker!” (my instagram and twitter panhandle)

 

We started out with drinking a delicious black tea and citrus pitcher. We then went right into making the modern ambrosia salad. The staff at LivingSocial did a wonderful job doing the prep work. It felt almost as if you were on a TV set. The ambrosia salad was delicious. Traditionally made with cool whip and marshmallow, this modern version boasted ingredients like Greek yogurt, vanilla, honey, kiwi, pineapple, mandarin oranges, and sweetened coconut. Then, we started the double wrapped sausage. There were 4 sausages and 4 pieces of bacon. She taught us how to roll them, and how to make them ‘Sizzle’ by preheating our ovens and adding the pans to the oven while they preheat. We finished it up with blueberry buttermilk pancakes. Afterwards, we enjoyed our brunch, and it was well worth the effort. The recipes were absolutely delicious! After brunch, Lucinda came to each of us and hand-signed our copies of Mad Hungry Cravings.

 

And she signed it all with one sentence; To Brian, Cook What You Crave. Lucinda

 

Lucinda was very interactive with everyone there. She was also very humorous, pointing out that Cravings was voted one of the ‘Top 5 Cookbooks for Stoners’ according to a San Francisco newspaper, and Wiz Khalifa instagram'd a picture of his desk, with a copy of the first ‘Mad Hungry’ book on it. We also joked around about how we both brought the same bag (The black carryall tote from Martha Stewart Home Office line at Staples.) I shared with her my appreciation for people like her, Martha, and Sarah Carey who teach everyday people like myself the basics of home cooking. I also put a plug in about how much I adored the digital ‘Boundless Beauty’ issue, and how saddened I was about the folding of Everyday Food and Whole Living. I had my picture taken with her and said, this might end up on Martha Moments, and she exclaimed, “Oh, Yes!!”

She did mention that there’s a third book in the works! The one thing I do love about Lucinda and the Mad Hungry Team; It’s about quality. They’re not worried about signing onto a reality TV show, or pushing book deals for dollars to roll in. It’s not her style. She takes her time with these books and it’s evident when you pick up the book and not only do you get a recipe. You get a story. You get beautiful, candid photography, and helpful tips and tricks. As she says, “Recipes are just formulas,” but I’m telling you Mad Hungry Cravings, like its predecessor, is a character and a game changer in the cookbook world.

 

In the May issue of Martha Stewart Living, make sure you check out the essay on the back page. It was written by Lucinda. The first essay she’s ever had to write about something other than food. It’s a very touching essay, about the ailing health of her mother and how she reignited that creative spark within her mother through an impromptu trip to Europe. It was touching. As relevant as the essay was to Lucinda’s situation and her personal life, I couldn’t help but think… This woman through one way or another has ignited a creative spark within each of us. To rethink the way we eat, to save the scraps for something else, to make a meal out of pantry staples, and to stretch tonight’s dinner into tomorrow’s lunch. She’s an extremely accomplished individual, and yet she gives you the impression that she’s just the mom next door. (A very stylish mom next door I might add, with her gold metallic sneakers!)

 

This woman is passionate about food and the way we buy, prepare, and enjoy food. Her outlook is infectious, and her personality is instantly contagious. It’s a dream come true when you get to meet and cook with one of your idols. I am so happy I was able to have my mom along to experience the day with me!

 

Food is family. Food brings everyone together. Food is Lucinda Scala Quinn and her incredible new book, ‘Mad Hungry Cravings.’   

Mad Hungry Cravings is the latest cookbook by Lucinda Scala Quinn, filled with recipes and strategies for making all those delicious things you just can't resist! Click here to order your copy!

Brian's Pumpkin Blaze

Martha Moments reader Brian Utz loves to throw a good party. And when it comes to entertaining with style, Martha Stewart has always been his go-to guide. This year, Brian went all out, hosting his own "Pumpkin Blaze" Halloween dinner party for 30 guests last weekend in the laneway of his Pennsylviania home. Brian based the decorations and menu on those featured in Martha's book Martha's Entertaining, which was released last year. In the book, Martha throws an elaborate Halloween party in her stables using pumpkins and nocturnal animals as the main decorating themes. Brian followed the book but also invented some of his own strategies and ideas. Many of the decorations and materials Brian used are from Martha Stewart Crafts (the glitter, the decals) and Brian also used Martha Stewart templates and clip-art for many of the crafty projects you will see below. One of his most ingenious ideas was to use Martha's Buri animal ornaments from last year's holiday line at Macy's in a spooky arrangement he created using twisted branches. I've gotten to know Brian a little bit over the years and I've featured him on the blog before. You can read about the Halloween party he threw a couple years ago using many ideas from that year's October issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine. Enjoy these Martha's Moments from Brian's party!  



A Festive (And Responsible) Harvest Dinner

I have featured my friend Brian Utz a number of times on this blog. He was one of the first readers of Martha Moments, and one of the first to reach out to me to simply say hello. While I have never met Brian in person, our exchanges over the years have been inspiring. What I discovered is that he is exceedingly good at entertaining, not to mention the consummate host - and certainly always up for a challenge. 

One such challenge emerged when he and his mother had planned a harvest dinner for a small group of family and friends to be held this month. The planning stages took place in July when there was a promising drop in COVID-19 numbers in his home state of Pennsylvania. It soon became apparent those numbers would once again climb. Rather than cancel the dinner, Brian opted to reduce the number of guests and to host the dinner outside, even setting up a 'wellness station' where guests could obtain masks, hand sanitizer and a number of other immunity-boosting treats. (More on that below!) 

Brian was kind enough to share photos of his Harvest Dinner with us, along with his menu and some of his tips for hosting a responsible gathering outdoors this season. All photographs are by Ashley Shultz. Please be sure to follow Brian on Instagram for many more of his entertaining, cooking and holiday decorating tips: @morbidhomemaker

I hope you enjoy Brian's creativity, imagination and the beautiful execution of all the special details that made this dinner a hit.

I had returned from Texas to my family’s home in Pennsylvania in July, and we were all looking forward to a COVID-free Autumn. My mother, Donna, and I started planning a Harvest Dinner to be held sometime in October at her home for a small group of family and friends. I had a feeling, though, both COVID and social distancing would still be around by then, so the first decision was to plan on having the party outdoors so everyone could socially distance with ease. 

First, I focused my efforts on a menu that would be easy enough to execute during a quick weekend trip home. 

For the first course, we offered a seasonal charcuterie board and a Harvest Kale Salad. The main course consisted of a Sweet Potato Gnocchi, Lucinda Scalia Quinn’s Spaghetti Bolognese, and Roasted Autumn Vegetables (a Martha Stewart recipe), served with a slow-cooked polenta and sauteed wild mushrooms. For dessert we used Martha’s Apple and Cranberry Crisp from her Slow Cooker book and Greg Lofts’ Five Spice Phyllo Pumpkin Pie (featured in the November, 2019 issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine) and a homemade, no-churn Woodford Reserve ice cream.

We utilized a variety of cooking methods with emphasis on things that could be prepared ahead, such as the gnocchi and the ice cream, or slow cooked items that didn’t need to be monitored while we focused on decor and setting the table. 

 We are continuously inspired by the garden and its bounty, especially at Autumn. Its last hurrah was on full display, and we wanted to capture it before it was gone. For decorations, I envisioned floral canopies to hang over the tables so our guests could really connect and see each other at eye level. I used over-the-table rods from Terrain, chicken wire, zip ties (and a little faith) to create armatures to hold our arrangements in place. I embellished the canopies with metal fern garlands (from Terrain) and hung copper wire lights from the rods to provide illumination and atmosphere for our guests once the sun went down. 

As the party was approaching, we began to realize, along with the rest of the world, that COVID wasn’t going away any time soon, so we really wanted to put an emphasis on keeping our guests safe. Hosting the dinner outdoors was the best solution. We created little areas on the lawn away from the table where guests could mingle and admire decor or sneak a selfie. We had two separate fire pit areas where our guests could roast marshmallows or pop popcorn. We had chairs and blankets readily available as the temperatures were certainly cooler. 

I used some of Martha’s paper crafting kits in copper shades from Michael’s to hang from tree limbs to create another festive area. This was a popular selfie spot!

We used thick sanded plywood to construct the tabletops. We stained it a custom gray and sealed it with polyurethane. We rested the ‘tables’ on bales of straw from the farm.

We had the charcuterie, Harvest Salad, and wine in another area with a large canopy of foraged finds hanging over the table. You’ll notice that the canopy has a touch of both navy and peach colored hues. They are actually faux-tropical fronds and some faux fern stems, which we spray painted with Martha’s spray paint line at Michael’s! We consulted a color wheel and chose opposite colors to help break up the overload of Fall tones. I was unsure at first, but in the end it all came together. It was like an Autumn Rainbow! 

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly given the context, we installed a Wellness and Sanitation station to help our guests feel safe and at ease. First, we asked that guests self check their temperatures and monitor their health before arriving. Guests who were experiencing any of the COVID symptoms or who were feeling at all unwell were asked not to attend. At the sanitation station, we offered masks and sanitizer. We had a slew of wellness goodies on offer, too, including Elderberry chewables, Vitamin C packets, and even a dissolvable Detox powder to use the next morning to help aid in building a strong immune response. We gave each of our guests a vessel of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar Capsules from Tonik. While I use the capsules for a glowing complexion, the health benefits of apple cider vinegar are prolific. I think back to the old saying, “An apple a day... keeps the doctor away.”

The night felt both magical and ephemeral. It was held on October 3rd. We had perfect weather and a full moon! It was just a passing night in Autumn, but for many of us it was our first gathering since the outbreak so we wanted to make it feel extra special. 

 

In lieu of a blessing before the meal I shared with my family the lessons and takeaways we’ve all learned from COVID. I related it to the garden and its growing season: “An emerging plant in the Spring only thinks about the bright, sunny days ahead. However, that plant withstands days without rain, the heaviest of storms and all the unforeseen challenges a season can bring. In the fall, that plant still stands. That plant, like us, is resilient. We didn’t think we were up for the challenge, but we learned a lot of lessons along the way and have a newfound gratitude for slowing down and savoring the moment.”

I’m so grateful to my partner Stephen, for being so patient, as all I talked about and focused on for a month was this party, traveling back and forth between Dallas and Pennsylvania.  

I urge everyone hosting family parties and holiday parties to get outdoors, if possible, even if it’s cold! Have a fire pit going. Make S’mores! Host a gingerbread house decorating party! If nothing else, it will make a memory. No one will ever forget the one time you had Thanksgiving outside! 

Entertaining during a pandemic sounds like a potential recipe for disaster, but it can be done well – and safely. As hosts, it’s our foremost responsibility to keep guests both safe and entertained.

For any of the how-tos and projects mentioned above, I have step by step videos posted to my Instagram story highlights @morbidhomemaker

Brian with his mother, Donna. I hope to meet them both one day.

TEN TIPS FOR HOSTING A SAFE GATHERING:

1. Follow the advice of your local public health authorities. Consult your municipality's website for COVID-19 safety guidelines specific to your area.

2. Limit the number of people in attendance to those within your social bubble or to the maximum number of people allowed to gather, according to your public health officials. 

3. Host the event outside if possible. This greatly reduces the risk of spread.

4. Do not ask the guests to bring anything. Limiting the number of surfaces being brought from other households is best. 

5. Ensure your guests are told that if they are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 or are feeling at all unwell that they should not attend. 

6. Provide your guests with the ability to keep a distance. Brian held his gathering outdoors and created areas where people could safely keep apart while still enjoying themselves. 

7. Provide your guests with masks, hand sanitizer and other immunity-boosting supplements. This can be a creative endeavor, as Brian demonstrated. 

8. Keep indoor spaces off limits except washroom facilities. Ask guests to sanitize their hands before and after leaving the home to use the facilities.

9. Designate one person to serve the food and one to serve the wine. This will ensure that multiple people are not handling the same serving utensils or bottles. 

10. Follow up with your guests to make sure everyone is feeling ok after the gathering.