Historic Livin' Halloween

History imprints us in so many ways not just the World history but our Family history, the World History may be part of why we pass down traditions but it is the things from our childhood that give us a warm fuzzy feeling as if our parents or friends were the only ones that did these fabulous things.  This time of year starts the most active part of my memories and historic livin' begins.  

Halloween is a holiday that has personal history all over it....my favorite one is French Onion soup on Halloween night.  My mother made it every year and I continue to do the same as if it is a requirement to make the night happen!!!!!  The fabulous broth and warm onions covered with the melty cheese that is flowing over the edges of the crock bowl and crispy on the edges.

It is called Sense memory, it is when something as simple as a smell can take you back to a memory....for me French onion soup catapults me back to the cool Halloween nights (well FREEZING Buffalo meant parkas under the costume but that is was I thought was cool nights then, now it is unfathomable), my mother cooking, then helping me make one of my ridiculous costumes, punk hair and make up, the baby costume and so on, letting me loose with my friends to trick or treat and then welcoming me home safe and sound.  She was almost as excited about my night as I was.  I can feel the shaggy carpet on my COLD feet as I pour out my loot of candy, from the traditional pillowcase trick or treat bag of course, on the family room burnt orange carpet....fitting for the holiday! hehehehe  My mother would bring the cookie sheets and help me sort the candy by type: candy bars, gum, smarties and such, chocolate and tootsie rolls etc.... I know now as a mother she was just scoping out what I had so she could pillage later hehehehhe  The Jr mints were always handed down and the Mounds (which I now steal from my kids) and Almond Joy were always surrendered without a problem hehehe

So today is the day I will cook the French Onion soup up and let it sit over night to really mature the flavors, we will carve pumpkins and light them up.  I would give you my recipe but NO WAY, this is one recipe I will go to my grave with, hehehe NOT but really French onion soup is really just Onion, beef broth, toasted bread rounds and cheese (some use Swiss, I use Provolone) I think you can figure it out hehehehe

Happy Halloween MOM, I love you and thank you for bring so many wonderful traditions to my Livin'!