#Halloween baking championship

[kayfabe-is-king]

I watch baking competition shows like some people watch sports. Yelling at the television when they make obvious mistakes, high fiving when the pate a choux comes out just right and getting annoyed when my favorite contestant doesn’t win.

[strawberrylollipop26-blog-blog]

Movie/Show Round UP

I haven't done one of these in awhile. As always, my thoughts are short and to the point. I don't go in depth. I'm not a professional reviewer, just my thoughts.

Under the cut there are reviews for Fly Me to the Moon, Inside/Out 2, Despicable Me 4, A Quiet Place: Day One, Dune Part 2, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, The Fall Guy, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Civil War, Madame Web, Argylle, Abigail and The Bikeriders. TV shows: Legend of Fei and Halloween Baking Championship.

Fly Me to the Moon: I saw this movie during a three show day at the theater. It was the middle movie and the biggest question mark. Turns out, the whole 'did they or didn't they' land on the moon theory was actually interesting. While I have zero interest in a rewatch, definitely worth attempting for first time viewers.

Inside/Out 2: This movie was exactly the same as the first. There's nothing new here except for possibly children experiencing new emotions. As an adult, I was bored.

Despicable Me 4: Cute. This film added nothing.

A Quiet Place: Day One: I thought it was nicely done. Still, didn't knock my socks off like the first one. My spouse wanted to know exactly how people learned to be quiet. I tried to tell him that they showed it in the second movie. He wanted more of a show. He was also annoyed that we know nothing about the aliens and it's the third movie. Slight spoiler, I wish we didn't know something about a certain character because it would've made the ending decision so much more impactful.

Dune: Part 2: Well, he tried to warn them about what would happen. I like the action that happens even though it all folds into a pretty box.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire: I barely remember this movie. It was sort of reminiscent of the previous one. A typical unite to defeat the super evil blah blah blah.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes: Disturbing T!k T0ks regarding the leads aside, this movie was enjoyable. Although, I had no idea a new movie series was starting. There were quite the few holes left so I'd see the second one.

Bad Boys: Ride or Die: I saw this before the previous one so I was quite confused in certain parts. All in all it was enjoyable. There are some funny moments. I've had the urge to watch again.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire: I haven't seen this in awhile. From what I remember there's a side character hero in here that's pretty funny. Pretty textbook, you know what's going to happen before it does.

The Fall Guy: I've heard people talking about this one and disliking it. I thought the whole purpose was to have an outrageous fun movie showing crazy stunts the doubles do. Is it the best movie? No, but if you like action it's worth a watch.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga: I'm an action girl. I highly valued the first Mad Max. This movie is obviously character based therefore slower to catch the stages of development (it's even told in chapters). I was bored. All the story shows in the normal character faced adversity, lived a hard life, finally goes for their revenge. Zero interest in a rewatch. I'll turn on the first one again.

Civil War: A weird movie full of numerous holes. A waste of my time.

Madame Web: I thought it was okay even though this movie was review bombed. There's nothing special about it, but it's not the worst movie that people complained about. Then again, to each their own.

Argylle: Another movie that was review bombed. I also guessed the likely story in this one. I think this movie suffers mostly from trying to be too many things. It goes for serious, yet wild and fun, yet logical. I think if the movie with the effects stayed 'out there' then people would've found it more enjoyable. Maybe.

Sidenote: My husband is always surprised that me (comedy hater) loves Rat Race and Joe Dirt. My response is always the same. Both movies are unapologetically insane. They don't take themselves seriously at all. I think Argylle should've done this as they had moments before deciding to become a serious spy movie.

The Bikeriders: First of all there's a narrator to this movie. Threw me off a bit at first, I normally don't watch those type of movies because i feel it leaves off clues. The movie's okay. Practically a drama in a bikerider setting. There isn't much mystery so another one that's easy to read.

Abigail: I enjoyed this movie until the ending. Not much I can say without spoiling.

Legend of Fei: I finally finished this show. Took me forever as it has good episodes, and others I cared less for (admittedly skipped scenes). Some characters were so annoying. Thankfully, Fei stopped passing out which was killing me. Xie Yun is my absolute fave. I might be biased, but all his scenes were so much fun except for the ones where he's sick :( . I've read reviews where people say they can watch this repeatedly, I'm not one of them. One and done. Sort of reminded me of WoH main storyline.

Sidenote: I love the one scene where he's reminiscing the past in his dreams and he no longer has money. The way this man kept opening up his pouch and dumping it over to make sure there were no coins. So relatable in my younger days.

Halloween Baking Championship: An era has come to an end or at least caught up in the seasons. I really like this cooking show. I hope people have some out of the box creations in the new year coming up.

[projectcatzo]

[libraryledge]

Have a Heart (A Thrilling Tale) Pt 2

A/N: Halloween may be over, but thanks to the positive feedback and comments on the first part of this story, I was motivated to write a second part. Please enjoy, and let me know what types of stories you'd like for me to write next.

Driving down the road at night was never my strong suit. It was on the list of my worst fears, yet here I was, navigating the dark path unaware of what dangers lay ahead. Except at that moment it was very probable that the danger was sprawled across my back seat. I knew I was taking a risk by picking up a strange man from the side of the road and against my better judgment, giving him a ride home. However, something about him compelled me to give into his plea for a lift. I felt like Marion Crane in Psycho, fleeing from one peril, right into the mouth of another. Perhaps my brash decision making would be the death of me, but for now, all I could do was focus on getting to my destination in one piece.

After what seemed like an infinite number of twists and turns, I finally saw the first sign of civilization: a small two story house perched upon the top of a hill. 

The quiet figure in the back of my car came out of the shadows, placed his hand upon the headrest of my seat, and said, "That's my place.”

The way that his voice filled the uncomfortable silence, sent chills down my spine.

“Are you sure that you’re not hiding your dead mother up there?” I asked, half-jokingly.

The young man frowned, understanding my Hitchcock reference. “Hey! Not funny!” he said, attempting to look stern, but a wry smile crossed his lips.

“Sorry, but this entire situation is straight out of a horror movie, " I replied, with a nervous shrug.

“I would have to agree. I've accepted a ride home with a girl who almost killed me, and her shotgun passengers are a bunch of creepy baby dolls, " he retorted, his green eyes shimmering with mischief.

I rolled my eyes and said, “Touché.” 

I saw him wiggle his eyebrows playfully through the rearview mirror.  As I parked the car in front of the lonely house, my heart began to beat even quicker.

“Well, we both made it here intact,” I said, not really knowing how to proceed.

“So it seems,”  he replied, and I could hear the smile in his voice.

He slowly opened the car door and walked out. Then, he carefully closed the vehicle door behind him and walked over to the driver's side window.

“Thank you for the ride,”  he said and leaned ever so slightly toward me. “So…are you coming inside?”

“Well…I don't want to impose with it being so late and all…” I replied, my voice trailing off.

The fellow waved his hand dismissively. “Nonsense! I asked you, remember?  Besides, didn't we agree that we're doing it for your sister?”

His silhouette shone in the moonlight, which was both spine chilling and enchanting. I sighed and put the car in park.

“Has anyone ever told you that you could kill someone with that charm of yours?” I asked him.

He shrugged and had the decency to look slightly apologetic. “But it's working isn't it?” he replied.

I rolled my eyes and stepped out of the car. “Twenty minutes,” I said, putting my foot down. “That's all you get. I still need to drive home, mind you.”

His devilish smile returned. “Perfect! That's more than enough time to get the job done.”

Slowly, he guided me inside his home. The air indoors was cold, and I almost bumped into him as I attempted to navigate through the dark.

“Wait here,” he said, as if he expected me to run off. I listened as his footsteps echoed across the empty home. He quickly returned, and I heard a small flicker. Before I knew it, an old timely candelabra was in front of my face.

“And God said, let there be light,”  he said, his cheekbones raised with mirth.

“Smooth,”  I replied, attempting to mask the apprehension coursing through my veins.

He chuckled. “This way please,”  he replied, leading me down a long hallway.  After what seemed like an eternity, he turned and guided me into a large room. Compared to the hostile ambiance of the rest of the house, this room had an odd sense of warmth, like it was the most inhabited space in the entire structure

It took me a second to realize that we were in the kitchen. The cabinets were lined with ceramic bowls and plates. Upon the counter were jars filled with unidentifiable liquids. At the center of the room was a long dining table adorned with a lacy white tablecloth. The seat at the head of the table was already set with a dinner plate, a glass, and silverware, almost as if it was expecting someone.

Taking note of my inquisitive expression, the young man said, “You never know when you'll have a guest over. A good host is always prepared.”

I nodded, uncertain of how to respond. He pulled out the chair at the end of the table, and motioned for me to sit down.

“Like I mentioned before, I'm fond of the culinary arts, but since I don't have people over often, I don't usually have the opportunity to showcase my abilities,”  he smiled impishly. “So forgive me if I take advantage of this moment to show off.”

I chuckled nervously as I settled into the seat and said,  “Be my guest. Well… technically I'm your guest, but you know what I mean.”

His grin grew wider. “Indeed I do,”  he responded. He placed the candelabra on the table, so the only light source came from this old fashioned candle.  I shivered at how intimate the entire setup was. I watched anxiously as he opened the drawer and pulled out a long knife. I held my breath as he began to sharpen it, the screeching sound ringing in my ears.

“Does she prefer something savory or sweet?”  he asked, his back still turned to me as he tended to the utensil in his hands.

“What?” I asked, unsure of what he meant with his question.

“Your sister. Does she prefer savory snacks or a sweet treat? I need to know before I proceed,”  he responded casually. I sat there in the eerie silence for a second, and upon not receiving a response, he turned to face me with an expectant look on his face. He polished the knife as he waited for my answer.

“Uh…sweet?” I replied, hoping that my response would satisfy him. He looked as if he wanted to say something more, but instead, he nodded as he turned around and placed the knife on the counter.

“So, she’s one to crave sweet things? Me too,” he replied with a twinkle in his gaze. I felt my heart race as we locked eyes for a second.

Then, he returned his attention to the kitchen, where he began to unscrew jars of unidentifiable substances and combine them in a large bowl. I watched on the edge of my seat as he sifted and mixed them until the final concoction was a dark red. The young man then opened a cupboard and pulled out two glasses, like the type that were used for cocktails.

Humming to himself, he opened a large, ceramic jar and pulled out something brown. Using the knife that he'd prepared earlier, he chopped it up into miniature pieces. I couldn't make out what it was due to the low lighting. He placed the mysterious item at the bottom of the glass. Then, he proceeded to place a saucepan over an open flame and poured the mysterious red liquid inside of it. The only sounds that I could hear were his hums and the solution simmering as it heated it up.

Slowly, he shut off the flame and transferred the red substance into a tea kettle. Then, he made his way over to the table with the glass in one hand and the kettle in the other.

“You shall be the guinea pig, as they say, and try my concoction before bringing it to your sister,” he said with a teasing grin.  He blew on the kettle to cool it down, and I felt a sick feeling in my stomach as I watched him gleefully pour the scarlet liquid into the martini glass. That was the final straw. I couldn't do this anymore.

“She's dead!” I blurted out, relieved to finally release the reason behind the anxiety I felt all night. I watched as the playful glint in his eyes disappeared and was replaced by a perplexed look. 

“What?” he asked, clearly flabbergasted by my sudden outburst. He placed the kettle upon the table, and he gave me a confused look over the glow of the candelabra.

“My sister. She died a year ago,” I confessed, as I felt tears prickle at the corners of my eyes.

The young man, who appeared to be at a loss for words, finally spoke up and said, “I don't understand. I thought you said you were going to visit her later.”

The tears rolled down my cheek as I woefully responded, “Her grave.  I was going to visit her grave. She was killed by a drunk driver one night when a friend was driving her home.”

A loud sob escaped me, and I felt the shame of crying uncontrollably in a stranger's home. The man didn't know how to respond and patted me on the back, awkwardly attempting to console me. 

"So the dolls and mochi were for her grave?" he asked, trying to piece the clues together.

I nodded. “It’s ridiculous, but I figured that honoring her with her favorite things would help me feel closer to her,” I croaked. “That’s what I was planning to do when we…” I began, but was overcome with emotion and unable to finish.

“When we crossed paths,” he offered gently, and I nodded. 

“You were so willing to help me out, despite the fact that I could have killed you,” I said wearily. “I am usually reluctant to trust people, but something about you coming out of the blue and offering to do something for the person I love most, truly moved me. It’s crazy. I know.”

His gaze softened, as he took a seat next to me, and replied, “Not as crazy as you think. Want to know why I was at the pond so late?”

Unsure as to why he was bringing this up now, I shrugged.

“It was my father’s favorite place. We’d go on nighttime swims every Saturday until he died about five years ago,” he responded with a sad smile. “People think I’m a weirdo and a loner for my unusual nocturnal habits, but I’m only relishing the memory of the one person who believed in me.” 

The sincerity and calm tone of his voice allowed my accelerated heartbeat to relax. “I had no idea. I'm so sorry to hear that,” I replied empathetically.

Despite the low lighting, I could make out his a small smile as he responded,  “I'm doing all right. I've invested my time into my hobbies with the hope of sharing them with others someday.” He gestured to his culinary creation, which was still positioned in front of me.

I studied the glass and asked him, “What is it?”

The young man chuckled, “It's my latest creation. Lava in a cup! Basically, it's a brownie bathed in warm strawberry syrup. It's like a lava cake, only fancier," he said, mimicking a chef’s kiss.

I smiled. “It sounds delicious,” I replied, wiping the remaining tears from my eyes.

“You're welcome to try it if you'd like. My offer still stands,”  he said encouragingly. 

“I'd love to,”  I replied, and he handed me a fork. I pierced the utensil into the desert and then placed a piece of the moist delicacy upon my tongue. I closed my eyes as I felt the flavors of dark chocolate and sweet strawberry combine beautifully in my mouth. 

“This is delicious,”  I proclaimed. “My sister would have loved this!” I watched as his expression shifted from one of pride over my reaction to one of affection as I mentioned my late sibling.

“That's the highest compliment that I could ever hope to receive,”  he said with a tender smile upon his face.

“I mean it. This is exactly the type of dessert that she would have enjoyed,”  I said. “ So you're telling me that this is a hobby for you? I'd say you should make a career out of this.”

He shrugged almost bashfully, deviating from his charismatic persona. “Perhaps, but it won't pay the bills unless I have a substantial number of customers. I work as a busboy at a little diner,”  he admitted almost reluctantly. 

I've hummed sympathetically. I worked as a production assistant on community filming projects, so I knew a thing or two about taking up odd jobs to make ends meet. In fact…

“I'm a PA at the local TV station, and they're always filming cooking shows over there. You'd be so much better than all those wannabe chefs seeking fame,” I said with a smirk.

The man gave me a piercing grin. “Glad to see a smile upon your face,” he teased.

I shook my head.  "I'm serious. You managed to cheer me up a bit on the anniversary of the worst day of my life. I know the entire situation is bizarre considering how we met, but if you can help this depressed stranger, imagine how many more people you can bring a bit of joy to with your creations.”

“You flatter me,” he replied, brushing a loose curl away from his face. “But the sentiment goes both ways. I haven't had a meaningful conversation, like this one, with anyone in a long time. I guess it's true what they say: trauma really does bring people closer.”

“Tell me about it,” I responded with mirth, as I let out one final sniffle. I took another bite of the dessert in front of me. I had no idea what time it was or what my next stop was from here. The entire scene was surreal. We were two people who three hours prior, didn't know of one other's existence, yet here we were bonding over grief and loss, all while savoring the almost ironic sweetness of chocolate and strawberries, which incidentally paired so well together 

As we sat together in the comforting silence of the dimly lit dining room, I felt my accelerated pulse and relentless anxiety begin to ease. Up until that moment, driving in the dark was my greatest fear, but after that night, I learned not to be afraid of what lurks in the shadows. I internalized that lesson due to an unusual turn of events and because a stranger decided to have a heart.

[foodnetwork-fandom]

the costumes on Halloween baking championship are truly making it hard for the judges to eat like when do we draw the line

[princesssarisa]

Food Network's Halloween Baking Championship is a guilty pleasure of mine at this time this year.

For the first five seasons of the show, there was no overreaching theme besides Halloween. But ever since 2020, each season has had its own specific theme, which inspires the decor in the kitchen and which all the themes of the baking competitions tie into.

For anyone who also watches this show, I'd like to know: which season's theme has been your favorite so far? Or if you don't watch it, which theme sounds best for a Halloween baking competition?

[seeyoube]

I know no one on here cares, but this year's Halloween Baking Championship is driving me nuts because it is so clearly stacked to the favor of Thierry Aujard and Aaron Davis.

Thierry's bakes have not been Halloweeny and his last two killer creations were honestly decorating misses. He's clearly a world renowned pastry chef, especially for his sugar work, and the judges clearly respect & even worship him as a professional. But because of that they haven't been treating him like other contestants. If anyone else was making these plain ass bakes they would be giving them so much shit. That Cat & Mouse did read as the animals at all and the unicorn zebra was barely a zebra. Even the sugar work was off with those measly stripes and they just did not comment on any of it. They're giving other bakers shit for not being spooky enough and yet singing Thierry's praises.

Meanwhile Aaron Davis already made it to the finale of a Food Network baking competition show and with that comes the experience of how to handle the crazy unique situation that is baking in a studio under super hot lights using new equipment on a very short time crunch. So for this to be the first year with immunity in the first few episodes just completely messes with everything. The first 2 episodes is everyone getting their rhythm in this super unusual environment. He's completely bypassing that adjustment period so no wonder he's earned immunity 2/3 times. Not to downplay how amazing his work is or how well he keeps his calm especially being able to banter the way Food Network wants. But it feels more like immunity was a way to push Aaron along to make up for the fact that he's here as a runner up from Holiday Baking Championship.

[crackinwise]

Oh, it's the time of year when I get to see my Skunkboy again? Already?

[halloweendailynews]

Food Network Halloween 2024 Schedule Announced

Food Network Halloween 2024 Schedule Announced

Food Network’s 2024 schedule of Halloween shows and specials has been officially announced, including the return of popular series Halloween Wars, Halloween Baking Championship, Outrageous Pumpkins, and more. Read for the full press release on Food Network’s 2024 Halloween programming. Food Network, the premier Halloween destination, is ready for the holiday with a full slate of programming…

[confetti-critter]

Aw I feel so bad for James, black seaweed is such a bad ingredient to get. At least with black sesame or black pepper you can actually make a baked good that tastes like....a baked good

[maltesegeek96]

There’s just something about watching Halloween Baking Championship that puts me in a Halloween mood

[non-cannon]

As of last night, watching the entirety (not done yet) of the Halloween Baking Championship has made be crave fruit twice, and one of the featured baked goods zero times. I think something may be wrong with me

[coolgirlcritiques]

Preview — The Carnival Comes to Town for 'Halloween Baking Championship' Season 9

For one of Food Network’s most delightful holiday baking competitions, it is showtime once again. Step right up, ladies and gentlemen, for the Henson Hotel was forced to shut its doors, but the Henson & Sons Carnival is just rolling into town. That’s right, the Halloween Baking Championship has risen from the dead with a complete carnival re-brand and a new lineup of spooky bakes for Season…

[thornheat]

Hot maggot action

[crackinwise]

Finally got the opportunity to binge watch this year's Halloween Baking Championship and I almost spit out my tea when in ep2 a guy got to choose his exclusive cake flavor nobody else could use and he said "ube cake," creating an absolute dead silence for like a solid 5 seconds lmao