Halloween isn’t what it used to be. Halloween today seems to be a much bigger deal than I remember it being back in the 70′s. Today, it’s not just Halloween night, it’s really the entire month of October! Here are a few differences between Halloween then and Halloween today:
1. The anticipation. It seems when I was young, we didn’t really even think about Halloween until two weeks before. There weren’t any trips to the pumpkin patch to do hay rides, corn mazes or to drink apple cider. No going to the zoo to watch animals smash pumpkins or taking trips to local fall festivals. Instead, mom picked up a pumpkin at the grocery store. My sisters carved it the day before Halloween. We had school parties and that was it. Perhaps it was just that my parents were cheap-skates, but there just wasn’t a lot of hoopla. One day it was Halloween, the next day it wasn’t. End of story.
2. The costumes. I remember being a gypsy for about 5 years straight. How easy, how cheap! I put on a hodgepodge of my moms clothes, put on costume jewelry, wrapped a bandana around my head and voila, instant gypsy. And I was happy about it! Today, stores are pushing over priced costumes wherever you look! And they are all the same!!!! Vampire, Darth Vader, Angry Birds, Devil, Buzz Lightyear, just to name a few. Where’s the originality???? My goal is to only spend about $15 per kid. And I prefer that money go towards making up our own costumes. My kids have fallen prey to mass marketing this year. I will have a vampiress, Darth Vader and a cupcake. Clearly they need a lesson in gypsies and hobos!!
3. Trick or treating. I vividly remember taking my pillow case, meeting a friend and canvasing the neighborhood for about 3 hours straight. Sometimes I actually had to run home to empty my pillow case before hitting the road again! I went to every single house in my neighborhood. My parents didn’t even need to accompany us! There is no way I’d ever let my kids go out alone….ever!!! Thank you creepy pedophiles!!!!
4. The candy. Gobs and gobs of candy. No one gives out popcorn balls, apples and pennies anymore. We all buy the same candy from the same box stores. I sort of laugh at the irony of sending my kids out to get the exact same candy I’m giving out! I should bring back the candy apples and the popcorn balls!
But, when it comes to candy, I do like my Butterfingers! I mean I REALLY like them. In fact, I’m down right surprised that I was able to set some aside to make these chocolate chip Butterfinger cookies! After a week, my kids are sick of their candy. This is where I swoop in and create something with the leftovers. An example is my Milk Dud cookies. We rarely have Butterfingers left over. I never get to make anything with them. So I did it backwards this year. I bought the Butterfingers in advance and made these chocolate chip Butterfinger cookies before Halloween. This way I get to eat a tasty cookie now and eat my favorite candies later!
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Butterfinger Cookies The Farm Girl Recipes
Butterfinger Blondies Cookies and Cups
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ t vanilla
- 2 cups quick cooking oats
- 2 cups flour
- 1 t baking powder
- 1 t baking soda
- ½ t salt
- 1 package chocolate chips (11.5oz)
- 1 cup chopped Butterfingers (about 1 8 pack)
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars together until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla until well blended.
- Combine oats. flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and Butterfingers.
- Drop dough by tablespoons onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes in a 375 degree oven. Let cool on pan for about 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool.
I’m linking this recipe up to these fabulous sites as well as to: Jam Hands
The DIY Dreamer and
I am with you on bringing back the homemade costumes…I’m not sure what my kids are doing this year because there is no way I am shelling out $20 per kid for those over priced costumes. Isn’t it crazy how much has changed in just 20 years? Maybe we should just let each kid buy their favorite candy and call it a night…I mean they are just going to get the same stuff I’m handing out like you said:-) Ok, these cookies look awesome!! We are huge butterfinger lovers here…I actually have a bag hidden in my cupboards…ssshhhh don’t tell the children! I do think cookies are in order now!!!
Thanks Jocelyn!!!! It pains me to pay money for costumes, I’m becoming miserly in that way! I would never tell on your for your stash, I too have my own private bag of Butterfingers!
Thanks for visiting my blog and commenting! I love butterfingers too, I never thought about putting them into cookies. Yum! Glad I came over to visit.
Sharon
bring back the candy apples and popcorn balls, YES! I love Halloween so I kind of like the whole month-long celebration! Guess what? I’m making butterfinger cookies this weekend! I LOVE butterfingers in cookies. Too good to be true.
Thanks Sally! Can’t wait to see YOUR Butterfinger cookies!
Now I know what to do with any leftovers from Halloween! I was an old man or hobo every year.
I’m always tempted to hand out homemade, but I’d be worried that people would just throw it away. Plus, I’m pretty sure the whole tainted food thing is an urban legend. Too bad everyone believes it!
I miss the hobo days!! Wouldn’t it be great to hand out homemade? But yeah, kids today probably wouldn’t appreciate it as much us the parents!
We don’t celebrate Halloween, but we also have a holiday in which everyone wears costumes (Purim) – and it’s the same here
My Mom used to sew all my costumes (she made wonderful ones!) and it was so much fun. Today everyone just buys them….
As for the cookies – believe it or not, but I’ve never tasted butterfinger cookies. Yours looks great and now I’m really curious
Homemade costumes are so much more fun!! I need to send you some Butterfingers!!
Seriously with you on the candy–what the heck? I mean, if I knew I’d get something different and exciting, it’d be one thing.. but why not hole up on Halloween and eat what I want? Haha. Oh well. These cookies look awesome! Butterfingers happen to be one of my faves
I should start a movement! Really it’s all about the Butterfingers anyway. That’s really all I want! Thanks Hayley!
Sadly, my neighborhood’s kids don’t do the trick or treat thing anymore. The children got to parties sponsored by a number of organizations: churches, schools, scouts, and the like. I buy candy and when no one arrives, I eat it myself.
Maybe I should just make these cookies and start a new holiday tradition. On the odd chance someone does ring my bell, I’ll give them a cookie but, since they won’t, I’ll have quite a treat for myself. Neat trick, eh?
Just skip straight to the cookies John!!!! And yes, it IS a neat trick!
These look delicious girl, yummers
Why thank you!
These look absolutely delicious! I am so happy to be able to be back to visiting your site. For four months food turned my stomach, but now that I am past the early pregnancy gaggy days I will be back to cooking in earnest, probably even more so since I seem to be quite hungry. Thanks for sharing
Thanks Jen! I didn’t congratulations on your pregnancy!
I know what u mean about Halloweens past. It is all so hyped now….just not the same.
Your cookies sound wonderful.
Thanks for agreeing with me Bj! Halloween is so different now.
Yummy in my tummy! I love new cookie recipes…thanks for sharing at Mix it up Monday
Thanks Lisa!
Yum! Butterfingers are amazeballs. And I am so with you on #4! Hilarious that we buy candy then send the kids out to get candy that we already have (I don’t have kids though}. It’s like exchanging cash for presents!
It is the silliest thing isn’t??? Handing out candy that’s coming right back in!! Although I will gladly take in more Butterfingers! Thanks Dezi!
These look amazing! I LOVE peanut butter. Nicely presented.
http://krumblecakesandsweets.blogspot.com/2012/10/link-up-party-4-hop-to-my-blog.html
Thanks Michelle!! I love peanut butter too!
Cookies look delicious!! Thanks for sharing
Thanks Cindy!
I love this. Please link it to my linky party & anything else you have to share. It just went live a little early
Thanks, Peggy. http://diycraftyprojects.com/2012/10/whatcha-work-up-wednesday-5-linky-parties-are-back.html
Thank you for sharing your recipes at Cast Party Wednesday. I hope to see you again next week for another fun party! ~Sheryl @ Lady Behind The Curtain~
Love linking up, thanks Sheryl!
YUM! Would love it if you linked up on my blog hop http://www.w-t-fab.com/search/label/bloghop. Also let me know if you’d like to follow each other!
Thank you!
Congratulations on being featured at Weekend Potluck. You can pick up you RED featured button on the very bottom of my blog here: http://www.meetpenny.com/2012/10/weekend-potluck-october-26th-28th/
Thank you so much for participating.
Thank you so much for the featured! My weekend is now complete!
OMG I’m kind of an butterfinger addict! They look so perfectly delicious!
Then you and I would be fast friends!
I so know what you mean! It’s gotten so that I’m happy when it’s OVER.
LOVE THESE COOKIES!
Oh how I miss the Halloweens of my childhood. I remember the folks handing out candy being friendly and enjoying the trick-or-treaters. This was my first year taking my daughter trick-or-treating & most people seemed bothered by Halloween. Oh well, I’m officially old reminiscing about the good ol’ days. … I kinda got distracted there – Your cookies look really tasty
Thank you so much for the feature! I am THRILLED!!!
Thanks Mackenzie!