Phew, September flew by! How is everyone doing? It’s been a very busy month for Dandelion. As we mentioned last month, lots of Dandelion members are in the midst of change! New school, new work, and new homes! October is the time for us all to settle in as the weather gets cooler. Though this has been a bit of a transitional month, we are excited to be working on something brand new for you! In the spirit of Halloween, this month’s edition of Dandelion Diaries will have a spooky theme! Themed recommendations, themed recipes, and what else, you ask? Oh, that’s right! We are officially producing Dandelion’s first-ever in-person production on Halloween night!
Prepare your picnic blankets, uncork your bottles, and put on your costumes this Halloween as we invite you to take a journey with Moe and Abe, travellers on an impossible quest to escape their barren dystopia. Together they must navigate an oppressive regime, and a merciless road ahead on their path to final salvation, and whatever lies behind the northern wall. We invite you to immerse yourself in their journey, through arguments, stories, and music, and to relish in what it really means to be together. After Icarus is a story that will spook you and move you, all in time for you to get to your parties afterward. Keep an eye on our social media for time and place announcements!
Recommendations:
Here you can find recommendations from Dandelion’s team members! Each diary will include a new list of our updated favourites! Have you watched or read something that you think we should know about? Shoot us a message on our facebook, instagram, or twitter with your recommendations!
The Invisible Man
“I will start this recommendation by saying I am not a horror movie lover and I hate being scared, but with that being said, I thoroughly enjoyed The Invisible Man. Even though it was a little too intense for me, it was such a good movie that I didn’t mind freaking out the whole time! I think I like it more than other horrors/thrillers because it is a sci-fi psychological thriller that I could see happening in real life. The concept is incredibly well thought out and, of course, Elizabeth Moss is absolutely incredible in this role (as always). I couldn’t see the movie with any other actress because Moss truly sells the whole thing for me. If you find yourself looking for a spooky movie to watch this month, I highly recommend putting this at the top of your list! It’s new, it’s fresh, it’s goosebump worthy!” - Emily Doucette (Managing Director)
What We Do in the Shadows
“Did I just write a review for a TV show last month? Yes. Am I writing another this month? Yes. Clearly you can tell I am a TV enthusiast and trust me I am only recommending the best of the best. And one of the best shows on TV right now is What We Do in the Shadows. Now I know what you’re thinking… Reid isn’t that the iconic 2014 Taika Waititi movie we all already know and love?? Yes! It is! But there is now also an equally iconic and lovable TV series! It’s a very similar style to the 2014 cult film that follows a different set of Staten Island vampires and their familiar Guillermo (my personal favourite character). The third season is airing now and it is as charming and hilarious and kitschy as the original and I need everyone to watch it because if it gets cancelled I will cry.” - Reid Martin (Outreach Coordinator)
Recipes:
Hershey’s Cookies and Cream Brown Butter Cookies: Submitted by Joshua Sidlofsky (Executive Director)
If you’re looking for a tasty Halloween treat then you’ve come to the right place!! These awesome brown butter cookies go well with truly any type of candy you could possibly think of. Trust me, we’ve tried some weird combos… My favourite is using Hershey’s cookies and cream bars, so that’s what we’ll be using in this recipe! If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, just use the same amount in the recipe with your own substitute!
Ingredients:
10 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 Cup light brown sugar
1/2 Cup granulated sugar
1/2 Cup sunflower seed oil or other neutral oil
2 Large eggs
2 Tablespoons of milk
3 Teaspoons vanilla extract
3 Cups of flour
1 Teaspoon baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon baking soda
1 Teaspoon sea salt
2 1/2 Cups of Hershey’s Cookies and Cream Chocolate
Sea salt flakes for dusting on top
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Put butter in a small saucepan and melt over medium heat. Once melted, crank up heat to medium-high. Continue stirring and look for small golden bits that will start to settle on the bottom of the pan. It will smell deliciously nutty and caramel-y. This should take 3-5 minutes. Once this happens, take it off the heat and pour into a medium, heat-safe bowl to cool for a bit.
3. When cooled slightly, whisk in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and oil. Once smooth, add in the eggs one at a time, completely mixing in the first before adding the second. Whisk in the milk and vanilla until blended. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Add the flour mixture to the brown butter mixture and mix until just blended and you still see streaks of flour. Add in the chocolate and continue to blend until the chocolate is evenly distributed throughout.
5. Gently roll 2 tablespoons of dough into a ball. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet about 2-3 inches apart. Sprinkle each with a pinch of sea salt flakes.
6. Bake one sheet at a time for 11 minutes in the top third of the oven. Let cool for 5 - 10 minutes on the baking sheet, and then transfer the cookies to a rack.
7. Enjoy!