my new favorite show!

For like a month I've been looking forward to a brand new show to premiere on the Food Network. I've been so excited about it that I even set my DVR to record it since it was set to premiere while I was in church and because I don't ever want to miss an episode!

It's no secret that I have a major, or as Evan would say, Really Big!, sweet tooth. No meal is complete without some sort of sweetness to follow it, at least in my book. So when 'Dessert First' was announced as a brand new show, I couldn't get it out of my mind!

As soon as I arrived home from church this morning, I flipped on the TV and turned on the recording of my show! Anne Thornton, the amazing pastry chef behind the camera, is so adorable! She had so many cute and fun ideas for Halloween treats! She made these fun red velvet 'brain' cupcakes that were so easy to make. She also made some yummy caramel apples that has me wanting to take up my mom's offer to make some!

Last year, I had my first Halloween get together at my house with family and I'm thinking I'm going to make this a tradition in our house. I'm planning to have everyone over on Friday evening of this week for a fun night of food, games, pumpkin carving and yummy yummy treats! Here are a few of the treat ideas I have running through my head:

1. Chocolate covered pretzel rods with Halloween jimmies and candies

2. Caramel covered apples with all kinds of fun toppings

3. Halloween cupcakes in bright Halloween colors and fun cupcake toppers

4. Graveyard pie with tombstones and gummy worms

5. Some kind of spooky beverage

And that's just a few! I'm also making a yummy but simple dinner because I want the focus to be on the treats and pumpkin carving! On Friday afternoon, Evan and I picked up a few pumpkins at the grocery store and I'm looking forward to seeing how he likes the carving process. I can just hear him now, "Yucky, yucky!" haha!

In addition to recording 'Dessert First' I've also started recording 'Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee' and she's got a bunch of different Halloween shows! She comes out it many different costumes and has so many fun and simple ideas for Halloween treats and decorations. I sat and watched probably 3 episodes this afternoon already and it's got me so excited to get the party planning going!

And just for fun, I thought I'd share a photo of Evan in his very first Halloween costume. He was such a cute little bumble bee!

How about you? Do you have any plans to celebrate with family and friends with a little Halloween get together? What do you make and munch on??