Glamping Baba: Halloween and All Soul's Day

On October 31st, we celebrate Halloween and all the witches and goblins and spooks come out to join us. In Poland, the most significant day to honor those who have died is the Feast of All Souls, or Dzien Zaduszny which is celebrated on November 2nd. November 1st is All Saints Day and is actually a national holiday for travellers to pay respect to their deceased loved ones.

People travel from all over the country to visit the graves of their dearly departed. They place and light candles and flowers on graves of ancestors and friends, favorite teachers, as well as those of people who have no one to tend their graves. The entrances to the cemeteries are filled with beautiful flowers and candles for one to purchase and set on a grave. I wish we had those traditions here because they are absolutely beautiful. There are so many candles lit in Polish cemeteries on All Souls Day that a traveler can see cemeteries glowing from a distance.

Well I'm not going to the graveyard after dark and we don't have fresh flowers and candles at Evergreen but I do light a candle. It was so beautiful today that the ducks at the cemetery pond had a chance to play where the ice wasn't frozen all across the pond. They were beautiful to watch. It is hard to believe but there was ice on this pond behind the ducks.

Started my Halloween with Black Bottom Banana Bread

recipe for muffins and coffee.

But only used 2 bananas and baked 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Really good.

and finished the day off with

Glampingbaba's Pork Chops in Mushroom Gravy

with little potatoes in skin

parboiled and fried in butter

with julienned carrots

and a green salad sprinkled

with goat cheese and sundried tomatoes and basil crumbs.

Glampalicious

6 pork chops

oil

1 onion

2 10 oz. cans mushroom soup

1/2 cup milk

3 teaspoons Worchestershire sauce

2 Carrots cut in julienne strips

Little potatoes in skins

Romaine lettuce

Rred onion

Italian dressing

Goat cheese with sundried tomato and basil.

Parsley

Garlic if needed

Salt and pepper

Fry chops in oil till browned a bit. Set aside. Panfry in remaining pork oil, one sliced onion until browned a bit. Lay chops in casserole dish, top with browned onions and pour over soup mixed with water and 3 teaspoons Worchestershire sauce. Salt and pepper t taste. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and turn down heat to 250 degrees and bake for another 45 minutes. Very tender and juicy.

Parboil little potatoes for about 20 minutes. Panfry in butter till browned. Garnish with parsley. Cook julienned carrots for 10 minutes.

Mix romaine, tomato and red onion. Drizzle Italian dressing and sprinkle goat cheese crumbles over salad.

Even the ghosts will love this one.

If you don't want them then bring out the garlic.

Now to wait for all the little monsters.