Last Minute Halloween Ideas

Leave a reply

The past three weeks have been insane! I’ve been working like crazy. I finally handed my first cookbook off the publisher and it should be printing soon. Aside from that, I’ve taken on a ton of food writing this month. The holidays are good for food writers, but I’ve neglected my column. So here are some last minute Halloween ideas for your party tonight.

For me, creativity is key when celebrating. I don’t want to spend a ton of money, so I immediately hit a dollar-type store before I do any other buying. Then I supplement with merchandise from bigger retailers. It’s amazing what you can find for $1 to use for a party.

One of my favorite finds was a bag of plastic assorted spooky rings (a mix of spider, skulls and bats).  I use the rings around the stem of a wine glass to decorate it; use them to top cupcakes; glue them to a sturdy toothpick (the plastic variety) to skewer meatballs or fruit;  use them to decorate food plates (just be sure it’s obvious this isn’t edible).

ring wine charms

rings

You can also dangle plastic spiders from the ceiling on dental floss; place them in cobwebs; or cut a sliver into a pumpkin or winter squash and have the spiders climbing all over the pumpkin, which is how I serve one of my recipes this week.

An idea I saw online was to freeze ice in plastic gloves and then use those to chill punch. You can also fill plastic gloves with candy or popcorn to serve.

I like to add a splash of food color to drinks. I’ve found that a few drops of food dye to Moscato doesn’t seem to affect the flavor. I’ve tried other dry wines and it does change the taste; I think this works in Moscato because the wine is sweet. Just empty a bottle of Moscato into a pitcher and add 3 drops of red dye and 6 drops of yellow and stir. You can adjust the color as needed with more dye.

orange moscato

I’ve also added food dye to margaritas and it doesn’t change the taste either. If you serve orange margaritas, rim the glass in green salt and place a spider ring on the stem of the glass.

Take your favorite hummus recipe and spread it on a plate (store-bought is fine). Then buy a jar of roasted red bell peppers and puree 1 of the pepper without liquid. Place in a piping bag and make a pumpkin face on the hummus or a scary face. You can add a celery stick to the top of its head to look like a stem.

The flavor of the roasted pepper is great with hummus. It can be a little runny, so if you want to make a bloody looking creature this will serve you well.

Hummus with roased red pepper

Halloween Fun: Assorted Dipped Spooky Pretzels

Leave a reply

My Assorted Dipped Spooky Pretzels are a combination of pretzel rods dipped in chocolate with an almond sliver that makes it look like a finger, and pretzel ghosts dipped in almond bark with miniature chocolate chip eyes.  The great thing about Halloween is it’s the one time of year that if you mess up what you’re making it doesn’t matter because it can just look scary. For example, misplaced eyes on my pretzel sticks don’t look bad but that would be a completely different story if this was Christmas and those were snowmen. They’d look deranged.

rods laying down

Christmas and Thanksgiving are about perfection but anything goes with Halloween, which is why I think I love it so much.

These rods are fun, easy to make and yummy (I am partial to the chocolate). If you have children, they will love helping with these

rods

. I got the idea for the pretzel finger at a Halloween festival I was at last week. A vendor was selling those chocolate fingers and I thought it was a great idea to share. I have long made the bloody finger cookie for Halloween, so thought this was a nice change.

If you want a little “blood” you could always melt raspberry jam and use it as a dip. I hope you have fun with these. My daughter loves them

Spooky pretzel rods

Assorted Dipped Spooky Pretzels

1 (12-ounce) bag of pretzel rods

2 cups of miniature chocolate chips

12 ounces of almond bark (half a package)

Almond slivers to make fingernails

Black icing or chocolate chips to decorate

Parchment paper

Clean a work space and lay parchment paper out over a cookie sheet.

For the almond bark: Melt it according to package directions (there are microwave and stovetop options but I used the microwave because it was the fastest).

To keep the almond bark from getting hard, divide it in two batches and melt it in two batches and make one batch of dipped pretzels and then the other.

When it has melted, dip 2/3 of a pretzel rod in the almond bark and swirl it around to coat it.

Place it on parchment paper. Allow to cool 5 minutes and then add mini chocolate chips for the eyes, if using chocolate chips. If you are using icing instead, allow the almond bark to cool completely before drawing the eyes and mouth on with icing.

For the chocolate dipped pretzels, place chocolate in a coffee mug and microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring between intervals, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. When it is smooth, dip the pretzel rod in the chocolate and swirl it around to coat 2/3 of it (a spoon helps with this process).

Place it on parchment paper and carefully add an almond sliver at the top to look like a finger nail.

Cool completely before serving (1-2 hours).

Spooky Squash Stuffed with Roasted Garlic Hummus

Leave a reply

My Halloween fun continues! I’ve mentioned before that I love hummus. I eat it all the time. And I didn’t even know that it has a low glycemic index. I just found that out this week.

One thing I don’t love in hummus though is an overwhelming amount of garlic. This hummus is mild but has a rich flavor because I roast the garlic first.

Roasted garlic adds so much depth of flavor and you can use the remaining garlic cloves to create a second easy dip for your party (see the instructions under my recipe).

You can make this a day in advance, just be sure to cover the hummus with plastic wrap. Happy Halloween

I served it to company last night and they loved it.

You can make a little sign on a toothpick so guests know what they are eating. I love doing that at parties.

DSC_0749 (2)

Spooky Squash Stuffed with Roasted Garlic Hummus

1 small Kabocha Squash

1 head of garlic (you will roast it all, but only use three cloves)

Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas

1 1/2 tablespoons of the chickpea liquid reserved from the can

3 tablespoons tahini

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 cloves of roasted garlic (see recipe below)

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon salt or to taste

To roast the garlic, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Take an entire head of garlic and cut off the white tops of the garlic and drizzle it with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. You are not peeling the garlic, you just want to cut off the tops to expose all the cloves.

Wrap garlic in aluminum foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the head of garlic has caramelized (your house will smell incredible). Allow to cool and then squeeze out the garlic cloves.

Before making hummus, reserve some of the liquid from the chickpeas and drain the rest of the can.

In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, chickpea liquid, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, roasted garlic, cumin and salt and pulse until smooth. Adjust salt, if desired.

Cut off the top of the Kabocha squash and remove the seeds and any stringy flesh. Use a knife to cut thin slits around the outside of the squash top and even the base, if desired. Stuff plastic spider rings in these crevices or any other creepy ring. Fill the center of the squash with hummus. Serve with pita chips and vegetables.

Tip: Serve the rest of the roasted garlic as a dip. Chop the cloves and add it to ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil. Warm it slightly (just slightly) on the stove top and add ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon rosemary and 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese, a dash of salt, and serve it with French bread.

I couldn’t decide which way I wanted to style my photos this week. Black background or orange? Spider web or no spider web? Which do you prefer?

DSC_0681 (2)

DSC_0678 (2)

Halloween Party Ideas: Sundried Tomato Spider Web Pesto Dip

Leave a reply

As far as I’m concerned, pre-Halloween planning kicks off the holiday season in our house. Truth be told, this is my Christmas season, too.

I simply relish every day between now and Dec. 26, when I slip into immediate post-holiday depression. But until then, it’s fun, fun, fun

Halloween falls on Saturday this year so celebrations are bound to be big! Spending is expected to top $6.9 billion, according to the National Retail Federation. Adult spending on costumes now outpaces spending on children’s costumes proving I’m not alone in loving this spooky day.

And I am never short of ideas when it comes to Halloween. I plan to post a new recipe or party idea every day this week for Halloween. I am stoked.

This dip isn’t just fun, it is absolutely delicious! Try it. You won’t be sorry.

Sundried Tomato Spider Web Pesto Dip

1 (8-ounce) block of cream cheese, softened

2 ounces feta cheese crumbles

½ cup jarred pesto sauce

Half an (8.5 ounce) jar julienned sundried tomatoes

1 fake spider for the center

French bread to serve

Allow cream cheese to come to room temperature on the counter for an hour or so. Then stir it with feta cheese until well combined.

Spread the mixture on a medium-sized round plate. Smooth pesto over the top.

Use a toothpick to draw a spider web into the cream cheese. Slice sundried tomato pieces as uniform as possible to make a web. Then use those slices to craft the web on the pesto.

When done, place a fake spider in the middle of the dip. Serve with French bread to spread this dip.

Five-Minute Pumpkin Mousse

3 Replies

If you only try one new pumpkin recipe this fall, let it be my Five-Minute Pumpkin Mousse.

Don’t let the word “mousse” intimidate you because this is as easy as it gets: it takes five minutes and has five ingredients. You simply whisk together sweetened condensed milk, canned pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and whipped topping. Then serve it with gingersnap cookies for dipping (although the velvety mousse is delicious on its own).

I’ve created a variety of pumpkin mousse recipes over the years, but this is my best.

I gave my 3-year-old – who is hesitant to try new things – a bite and asked if she wanted another bite. She said: “I want the whole thing,” and promptly took it from my hands. She licked the bowl clean.

My husband said he could bathe in this; my mom said it was better than pumpkin pie. The rave reviews have ensued every time I make it (and I am sure you’ll get the same response).

This recipe will be a winner this holiday season. It’s even better after a few hours of refrigeration, but can be served immediately, too.

This mousse would be great at your Halloween party. Simply carve out a small pie pumpkin and fill it with mousse and serve it with Gingersnap cookies.

Five-Minute Pumpkin Mousse

Makes 20 (2-ounce) servings

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 (8-ounce) tub of whipped topping, defrosted

Mini Gingersnap cookies to garnish

Beat or stir together sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and whipped topping, until combined.

Pour mixture into 2-ounce glasses and top with a gingersnap cookie. Serve immediately.

Other serving options: If you have a smaller crowd and want to serve larger portions, you can serve pumpkin mousse in wine glasses with or without a cookie. You can also crumble cookies and put them on top.

.DSC_0563 (2)

Lower Carb Amazing Red Sauce over Spaghetti Squash

Leave a reply

The sauce is so delectable and rich, you will not miss the pasta. You will shed about 30 carbs per cup from this dish though.

If you’ve never tried it, spaghetti squash is a big yellow squash that you bake and when it’s done, you use a fork to shred the flesh and it turns into strings that resemble noodles. It’s a healthier, lower-carb option than past; a cup of spaghetti squash has less than 10 carbs compared to about 40 carbs in pasta.

My amazing red sauce was adapted from a recipe my dear friend Heather Landwer gave me a few years ago. I had my own red sauce recipe at the time, but it took about 5 hours to make and this one is just as good but takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes (most of that time is just simmering). It is an intense, thick red sauce and it pairs perfectly with spaghetti squash. I liked the combination so much, I will not use traditional pasta again with this dish.

Amazing Red Sauce over Spaghetti Squash

Serves 4

1 (16-ounce) package Jimmy Dean Sage or Hot sausage

1 large white onion

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 (12-ounce) can tomato paste (note, this is the big size)

1 tomato paste can filled with water

1 (15-ounce) can diced or stewed tomatoes

1 large garlic clove, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 large spaghetti squash

Olive oil and salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds and strings in the cavity. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt on the flesh. Pierce the flesh with a knife in several places. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour.

While the squash cooks, chop a large white onion. In a pot or pan with a tight lid, fry the sausage and onion together. When sausage is nearly cooked, add oregano, basil and sugar.

When it’s cooked through, drain the fat off the sausage and return the mixture to the pan. Add tomato paste, water, tomatoes, garlic, bay leaves and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Then reduce to a simmer, cover and simmer for 1 hour.

When the squash is done, remove it from the oven and use a fork to shred the inside. Continue to shred until you have removed all the flesh away from the shell. Serve topped with red sauce.

Easy Acorn Squash Stuffed with Circle B Ranch Italian Sausage and Trio of Peppers

1 Reply

What a week. I had planned this for dinner Monday but didn’t get a chance to make it until lunch on Friday. This easy dish comes together in 20 minutes or less (that tells you how busy my week was when I couldn’t even fit this in).

I used sweet Italian sausage from Circle B Ranch, a small hog farm in Seymour, Mo., that is certified Humanely Raised and has great products. I’ve been to the farm and the hogs are healthy and roam freely.

For this dish, I simply microwaved the squash, sautéed all my other ingredients and then stuffed them into the cooked squash. I drizzled it all with 18-year-old balsamic vinegar. An excellent quality balsamic vinegar is a must in this dish which has a lot of sweet accents from the sausage and squash and the vinegar just pulls them all together.

Serves 2

1 acorn squash

1 Italian sausage links

1 small red onion

Half a red bell pepper

Half a green bell pepper

Half a yellow bell pepper

1 small garlic clove

Excellent quality aged balsamic vinegar for drizzling

Directions:

Cut acorn squash in half and scrape out the seeds. Stab the flesh several times with a sharp knife. Season with salt and pepper and place 1 teaspoon of butter or olive oil in the cavity of each half. Place in a microwave safe dish with 1/2 cup of water on the bottom. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 12-15 minutes, or until tender.

As that cooks, chop red onion, red, yellow and green bell peppers; and garlic.

In a nonstick pan, sauté the onion and sausage (remove the casing first) together until almost done. When the sausage is about a minute away from being cooked through, add the bell peppers and onions and cook 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

By now, the squash will be done. Carefully remove the plastic wrap and don’t put your hand in front of the steam.

Stuff filling into the cavity of each. Drizzle generously with balsamic vinegar and serve.

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Curried Chickpeas (Quick and Economical)

Leave a reply

If you want a delicious dinner for less than $5 per person (with leftovers), make this.

This meal comes together in about 15 minutes and cost me  $5 total to make (but I had all the spices, butter and salsa on hand already so I didn’t buy those).

It serves 2 and there’s plenty of curried chickpeas leftover for lunch the next day, Simply make some rice and serve the chickpeas over that or stuff them into a baked potato.

You can also buy two acorn squashes and stuff those and this will serve 4.

The nutty chickpeas, spicy curry, and crunchy green pepper and were a beautiful contrast to the sweet, tender acorn squash flesh.

It was cheap, quick, filling, delicious and healthy. This dish is an excellent source of fiber, vitamins C, A, and B.

I hope you enjoy it

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Curried Chickpeas (Quick and Economical)

Serves 2

1 acorn squash

2 tablespoons butter, plus 2 teaspoons

1 medium red onion

1 green bell pepper

1 ¼ teaspoon curry powder

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 (15-ounce) can of chickpeas, drained

½ cup salsa

Cut acorn squash in half and scrape out the seeds. Stab the flesh several times with a sharp knife. Season with salt and pepper and place 1 teaspoon of butter in the cavity of each half. Place in a microwave safe bowl with 1/2 cup of water on the bottom. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 12-15 minutes, or until tender.

While that microwaves, chop onion and bell pepper and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil. When hot, add onion and cook 3 minutes. Then add green bell pepper and chickpeas and cook 4 minutes. Add salsa and heat through.

When squash is done, remove it carefully and peel back the plastic wrap carefully being sure not to put your hand in front of the steam.

Stuff each squash with curried chickpea mixture and serve.

Rotisserie Chicken and Bacon Pizza with Sundried Tomatoes and Feta

Leave a reply

Friday nights call for pizza.

After a long week, a quick, satisfying pizza with a glass of wine is the perfect end to the week. And this pizza is fantastic. I use Naan, which is my favorite pizza dough, and then top it with tomato sauce, chicken, sundried tomatoes, cheese, bacon, and feta.

After it bakes, I sprinkle basil on top.

It’s quick, convenient and delicious. What more could you ask for as you end the work week? I hope you enjoy it.

Chicken, Bacon 2

Chicken, Bacon Pizza with Sundried Tomatoes

Serves 4 as appetizer; 2 as main course

The sundried tomatoes and fresh basil really lift the flavor of this pizza; and of course, the bacon adds a lot, too. This pizza is easy, great for a quick dinner or a party.

1 ready-made Naan crust or pizza dough (Stonefire is my favorite brand)

Pizza sauce, desired amount

1 cup chopped, skinless rotisserie chicken

1/3 cup real bacon pieces (store bought is what I used)

1/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes

1 1/3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or desired amount)

1/4 cup feta cheese

Fresh basil to garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spread pizza sauce over dough. Top with chicken, bacon, sundried tomatoes and cheeses.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Remove and garnish with slices of fresh basil. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

St. Petersburg/Clearwater Florida are perfect destination in shoulder season

Leave a reply

Shoulder season.

Two beautiful words that can make the world of difference when it comes to travel prices.

Every destination has different shoulder seasons, but late October through early December covers a lot of those. Of course, the week of Thanksgiving does not count as it’s a busy travel time.

Shoulder season – the time between peak and off-peak travel season—translates into cheaper airfare, less expensive hotels and tourist attractions that are not flooded with tourists.

It’s the best time to travel.

A perfect place to plan your next vacation is St. Petersburg/Clearwater in Florida. I was there for the second time last week and it’s a wonderful area.

First, let’s talk logistics. The region is served by two airports: St. Petersburg/Clearwater International and Tampa International.

Allegiant Air out of Springfield has direct, inexpensive flights to St. Petersburg/Clearwater. For example, from Nov. 1-8, a roundtrip ticket is $206; the same fare applies Dec. 6-10. Allegiant only flies certain days of the week so your dates are more limited, but if you’re retired, you have more flexibility.

The nice thing about Allegiant is you can pull up a 30-day calendar and see prices per day. For example, the least expensive day to fly is Nov. 18 which boasts a $61 one-way flight.

I also plugged in various dates in November and December on Travelocity, leaving from Tulsa and flying into Tampa. In early October, tickets were $412, but Nov. 10-17, the price dropped to $345. Dec. 1-8, the tickets started at $356.

If you travel in shoulder season, there’s a good chance the hotel might upgrade you for free. Compare the hotel rate with a booking engine like Expedia.com, and then call and say “I am about to book and wondered if I booked directly through the hotel if you could offer me an upgrade, free breakfast, or better room, etc.” Sometimes people say yes and sometimes they say no, but it never hurts to try.

Something to know: If you’re booking with a search engine like Hotels.com, but you are a member of a certain hotel chain, like Holiday Inn, you will likely not earn hotel points on your travel so consider that when you consider the discounted price (and call the hotel to double check).

Another option for lodging is to rent an apartment or condo from Airbnb (www.airbnb.com) or Vacations Rentals by Owner (www.vrbo.com). These are nice because you can cook for yourself and save money on food.

If fly into Tampa, it’s about 30-40 minutes away from St. Petersburg/Clearwater. A cab costs roughly $50. I used Super Shuttle for $23. You can book that online or there’s a kiosk outside when you land at the airport.

Before I travel, I sign up for that city’s Groupon deals because you may find dining or attraction deals in advance that you can use on your trip.

Another money saving tip is to go to the local Convention and Visitor’s Bureau website, as they often have downloadable coupons.

My theory is the more I save upfront, the more I can splurge later because vacation is the time for a little decadence.

Now that the logistics are taken care off, let’s talk about the fun stuff. There’s so much to see, do and taste in this area.

The cities of St. Petersburg and Clearwater are two separate cities, about 20 miles apart, but they are marketed together and have a joint CVB. They cities have different vibes and I like them both. You can go back and forth or split your vacation between the two.

Stay in Clearwater if you’re a beach lover and want easy access to the water. It has lovely beaches.

Watching the sun set on Pier 60 is a must. The sunset is beautiful, but there is a daily sunset festival on the pier two hours before and two hours after the sun fades away. The festival attracts artisans who sell their ware, street performers, even fire blowers. It’s a festive atmosphere.

I highly recommend a dolphin spotting tour while you’re in Florida. I’ve used Little Toot Dolphin Adventures which guarantees you see a dolphin or you get to come back for free, but there are a variety of dolphin tours out there, so look online. Some stop at islands, offers snorkeling, etc., so see which one best meet your desires: http://www.visitclearwaterflorida.com/things-to-do/dolphin-watching

Photo courtesy: Visit St. Pete/Clearwater

Photo courtesy: Visit St. Pete/Clearwater

Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill is a good choice when dining because the food is good and it offers open air, beachfront dining. The grouper sandwich is famous; Florida is home to the grouper sandwich. The restaurant does not take reservations, so you may have to wait.

If you want to explore beaches in the region, take Suncoast Beach Trolley, which lets you explore different beach communities from Clearwater to St. Pete. Trolley start at 5:30 and leave every 30 minutes. http://www.psta.net/beachtrolley.php

A restaurant I highly recommend is Columbia Restaurant, which Florida’s oldest restaurant. Established in 1905, it still family owned and now in its fifth generation. There are several locations in Florida, but it originated in Tampa and there’s a Clearwater site, too. The food is excellent and the atmosphere is wonderful. There’s a reason they’ve been in business this long.

If you are a foodie and enjoy the arts, then St. Petersburg may be a better place to anchor for your trip.

St. Petersburg is located on a peninsula and is one of the sunniest cities in Florida. It holds a Guinness World Record for logging the most consecutive days of sunshine – a stretch lasting 768 days that began in 1967.

I mentioned grouper sandwiches are popular in this area. The best grouper sandwich can be found in St. Petersburg at Locale Market (it’s a grouper BLT). If you are a foodie, prepare to be in heaven.

Locale Market is a market and restaurant that has everything from fresh seafood, local beer, aged beef, cookbooks, delicate pastries and more. It’s the brain child of famous chefs Michael Mina and Don Pintabona and they showcase as much local fare from land to sea, as possible. You could spent an hour exploring the market and then stay to eat. If you’re doing your own cooking, definitely come here to shop because the selection is fantastic. You can ever get caviar from Florida.

Just next door, in the same complex, is Sea Salt, an excellent seafood restaurant that features more than 120 sea salts from around the world. I had the best scallops of my life in this restaurant. The scallops were served on leeks, with tasso ham, cream sauce and a sea foam. It was exceptional, but pricy. Happy hour is from 4-6 p.m. and prices are far more reasonable during this period, especially on wine which is expensive by the glass (at least compared to Missouri prices). Be sure to check their Facebook page for specials, because they have deals like $20 bottomless mimosas on the weekends. They source a lot of local seafood and it’s on ice when you arrive so you can see how fresh it is. If you’re going to splurge, this is the place to do it. It’s worth it.

scallops

While you’re in St. Petersburg, you must walk down Beach Drive where you’ll find wonderful cafes, restaurants and shops (Beach Drive is a short walk from Sea Salt).

Along Beach Drive is The Birchwood Hotel which has a gorgeous rooftop bar called The Canopy. From the roof, you have views of the bay. The bartenders serve up delightful cocktails and you can order dinner and dine from the roof of the hotel. It’s a wonderful experience.

The view from the Birchwood Canopy

The view from the Birchwood Canopy

St. Petersburg is home to seven museums and more than two dozen galleries. My favorite in this city The Dalí Museum, which houses the largest collection of the surrealist’s work outside of Spain. The museum gives you such an intimate look at the artist; I left with an entirely new perspective of his work. I now appreciate the breadth of his work. It’s an excellent museum.

Along Beach Drive is the Dale Chihuly Collection, a spectacular collection of glass sculptures from this American master of glass. Outside, there’s a 20 foot glass sculpture created just for this site. If you enjoy blown glass, this will impress you.

The Museum of Fine Arts houses classic, contemporary, and international collections and is definitely worth a visit, too. It’s within walking distance to the Chihuly collection.

There’s so much to do and see in this area, it’s hard to begin to cover it all, but these are a few of my recommendations. If you’re going to visit Florida, now is the time to book a trip.

I didn’t even get a chance to talk about Tampa, so I will save that for another post. Tampa is a fantastic destination, too.