Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese & Coffee Icing

I made these tasty treats for the Teacher's Lounge this Halloween. But they most definitely could be made for the upcoming American Thanksgiving, Christmas, or for anything really! They were pretty easy and quite tasty...although I felt that they were a bit too buttery/greasy. So maybe cut out some of the butter. I used this recipe for Pumpkin Cupcakes from Martha Stewart...hmmm not sure how I feel about her, but I don't judge when it comes to cooking!

The icing was fun. I used a regular cream cheese icing recipe and divided it in half. One half was the regular falvour, while the other half had a bunch of instant coffee dissolved in with melted butter. I made a cute little design on the tops which were supposed to look like spider webs?!

Anymeew, I took them to work and they were devoured before lunch. Must be a good sign!

Cheers,

Kitty

Halloween 2009

Halloween - Part I

At school all this past week I have been doing fun Halloween Murder Mystery Lessons with my students. I was lucky enough to get on one of the American Military Bases the weekend before, so I bought approx. 800 pieces of (cheap) 'American Candy' - (Skittles and Starburst), one for each student, and a big orange pumpkin (Japan does not really have the orange variety in great surplus).

The kids seemed to enjoy the Halloween festivities and they all tried really hard (to get candy). On the Friday before Halloween a few teachers dressed up with me and we had a good time being scary and funny and Halloweeny. All of the teachers that were dressed up went on a little "Halloween Parade" around the school together just before lunch was about to start. It was great to see the teachers so involved and the kids so excited!

I dressed up as a Japanese Construction Worker/Hai Dozo Man. It was awesome! Although some teachers did not really get it and were not really able to accept that it could be considered a real "costume".

[The Principal of the School - Forget the Eye Patch lets have a Face Patch]

I carved the pumpkin at school after lunch. I made "Jack" the jack-o-lantern. I thought it was cute!

Halloween - Part II

Halloween night I headed off on a solo adventure to a conjoined party at "Rehab" and "Sakura G". A had to work that evening and the next morning, so I was on my own, monkeying around.

[Saya made her entire costume!!!!!]

[Dexter]

[Laura Croft, Starbucks, Monkey]

[At Sakura G - Space Man]

[Sakura G is a perfect place for a Halloween Event]