Libby Hires, Local Columnist.

FLASHtober. Yep, that’s what this month has been. Usually, September and October take their sweet ol’ time getting through like they want us to enjoy every ounce left of the humidity that they have to offer. 

Mother Nature even threw in Helene this month causing us to be without power for a few days and yet the month still flew by (well, after the lights came back on). I’m still saying that the linemen are my heroes. Some kid dresses as a lineman for Halloween…. they’re gonna get double candy. Just sayin’. Someone dresses as Mother Nature?

Probably not going to go as well. We’re gonna have a long talk. 80 degrees for Halloween? I mean…come on.

I miss the Halloweens of yesteryear.

It’s fun when you have small kids, and you can celebrate with their friends and the neighborhood. Their excitement rubs off on you. It’s contagious. (Side note: same goes for cranky people, so watch out who you’re hanging with in your crowd.) When I was growing up, we would go to a friend’s house to go trick or treating in their neighborhood and then have a cookout after we finished foraging for candy. The kids would be all excited over their “loot” and have a candy exchange going while the parents made sure the food was getting ready.

When Jimmy and I had kids that were old enough to trick-or-treat, it was great to have neighbors to continue this tradition of cookouts and fellowship. Getting the kids to give us a piece of chocolate might have taken a bit of persuasion, but usually we got it.

If you are hosting or attending a Halloween party, or celebrating “it’s fall, y’all” potluck any weekend, here are a few ideas to help you have good eats and lots of treats! Stay safe ~ and save me a piece of chocolate.

Double Meat Chili

(Goes great topped with a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheese and served with saltines.)

3 lbs. ground chuck (or venison) 1 lb. ground sausage (mild or hot, your choice)

3 med. Vidalia onions, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced ¼ cup chili powder 2 TBSP all-purpose flour 1 TBSP granulated sugar 1 tsp. salt 2 28oz. cans whole tomatoes, undrained, chopped

3 16 oz. cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed

• Directions: Combine meat in a Dutch oven and cook over medium- high heat until meat is brown, stirring to crumble. Add onion right before meat has completed browning. When the onion is tender, drain the fat from the pan. Add the remaining ingredients except for the beans. Stir well to combine. Simmer for about 45 -60 minutes. Add beans and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

Hot Spiced Tea 4 cinnamon sticks (3”), halved 1 tsp whole cloves 1/2 tsp whole allspice 1 quart hot tea ½ cup granulated sugar 3 cups orange juice, no pulp 3 cups unsweetened pineapple juice Orange slices for garnish, optional

• Directions: Combine cinnamon, cloves, and allspice into a cheesecloth bag and set aside. Combine the hot tea and sugar in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Stir in juice. Add spice mixture. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat.

Simmer for 30 minutes. Serve hot in cups with an orange slice as a garnish. (Irish coffee glasses have also been used with a cinnamon stick as a garnish, but mugs or “tea” cups have been the more traditional way to serve spiced tea.)

Party Mix ¼ cup margarine, melted 1 12 oz. can mixed nuts ¼ cup Parmesan cheese Dash celery seed Dash garlic powder ¼ tsp dried whole oregano 4 cups Honey Graham cereal or Honey Nut Cheerios

• Directions: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with foil or parchment. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir well and pour out onto prepared pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool completely.

Store in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. Makes approximately 5 ½ cups.