October 25, 2025

WEEKLY MENU 10.26.25

Halloween slithers in for the Weekly Menu 10.26.25, with a beautiful black cat leading the way~

We’re celebrating Halloween during the Weekly Menu 10.26.25, and we have the perfect master of ceremonies overseeing us.

Most people are either dog people or cat people. Or the type of people (like me) that aren’t really either. Every time I even vaguely think that a dog might be a nice addition to the family, I see someone walking around with a little bag of poo, and I change my mind. The older I get, though, the cooler I think cats are. They are elegant, beautiful, and they clean up after themselves, which is an outstanding character trait.

Sadly, I am profoundly allergic to cats.

Plus, let’s be honest, they are a little terrifying. They really seem to understand (and judge) people and situations. The watchfulness. The staring. They are so human-like, they’re mesmerizing. Do you know what happens if a cat owner dies alone in the house with just a cat? Yeah. Don’t Google that one.

If I were ever going to get a cat, which I’m not, I would absolutely get a black one. If I could find one like the one on this post with those gorgeous yellow eyes, I would consider it a significant win.

Superstition, prejudice, bringer of good or bad luck

Black cats are often a symbol of Halloween or witchcraft. In most Western cultures, black cats have typically been looked upon as a symbol of evil omens, specifically being suspected of being the familiars of witches, or actually shape-shifting witches themselves. Most of Europe considers the black cat a symbol of bad luck, particularly if one walks across the path in front of a person, which is believed to be an omen of misfortune and death. The black cat in folklore has been able to change into human shape to act as a spy or courier for witches or demons.
Wikipedia

In contrast, the supernatural powers ascribed to black cats were sometimes viewed positively; for example, sailors considering a “ship’s cat” would want a black one because it would bring good luck.^[15] Sometimes, fishermen’s wives would keep black cats at home too, in the hope that they would be able to use their influence to protect their husbands at sea.
Wikipedia

October 27th is actually Black Cat Day, but October 29th is just plain old National Cat Day. The second one is more about alerting people to the plight of cat overpopulation, but it falls just before Halloween. Coincidence? I think not.

Some interesting facts about cats~

The oldest known pet cat existed 9,500 years ago
Cats spend 70% of their lives sleeping
Cats walk like camels and giraffes
Ancient Egyptians would shave off their eyebrows when their cats died
House cats share 95.6% of their genetic makeup with tigers
A house cat can reach speeds of up to 30mph
The record for the loudest purr is 67.8db(A)
A group of cats is called a clowder
A litter of kittens is called a kindle
Cats can’t taste sweets
Around 200 cats live in Disneyland’s park and help keep control of the rodent population
There are more pet cats in the US than pet dogs

Cat videos are all the rage –

My all time favorite are the ones where people put foil in places that they don’t want cats.

If you’re having an issue with your cat climbing all over your kitchen counters, then the tin foil trick may be for you.

Since most cats dislike the way aluminum foil feels and sounds under their paws, it can be an effective deterrent for keeping them off of a surface you don’t want them to walk on. At least, that’s certainly true for the cat in a now-viral video that was recently shared by YouTube channel ViralHog.
Time Magazine

If you get a chance, watch the videos. They are an absolute hoot. Man, can cats JUMP! (Affiliate links follow. See Disclaimer Page for details.)

I’m sticking to decor and costumes for my black cat…

Weekly Menu 10.26.25

I could make some super cute cat cupcake for Sunday dessert, but I’m feeling *jazz hands * pumpkin, so we’re going with Pumpkin Layer Cake to start the Weekly Menu 10.26.25 out right. What can I say? My cat adoration is limited. Not so my feelings about layer cake.

Our middle son, D, bless him, thought the original menu I presented was a little… boring. Where are all the ghoulish items that are usually part of the fun? We’re having a low-key celebration this year. The boys will probably sit on the front porch, weather depending, with a beer or three and hand out candy to those few trick-or-treaters we get. But, you, dear reader, can go all out. Need a hand?

How to Have a Screaming Good Halloween Party

Of course, I made some menu modifications to make my middle baby boy smile. In case you need some translating:

🧙‍♀️ Halloween Week Menu: Frightfully Easy Dinners

🎃 Sunday: Chicken Cordon Boo 👻(Chicken Cordon Bleu)

💀 Monday: Sloppy Goblins (Sloppy Joes)

🌮 Tuesday: Trick-or-Taco Tuesday (Pork Salsa Verde Tacos)

🥗 Wednesday: Creepy Chopped Cauldron Salad (Chopped Chicken Salad)

🐂 Thursday: Beef of the Living Dead (Mongolian Meatballs)

👻 Friday: Ghostly Chicken Chili (White Chicken Chili)

🍗 Saturday: The Clucking Dead Club

LOW-SODIUM/HEART HEALTHY Notes

I’m still working on de-salting my menu. I continue to eschew added salt wherever possible, and sub in my new favorite spice blend, McCormick’s Salt-Free Blends. (Thanks, Mary!) I adore the garlic and herb one – it makes a glorious garlic bread when sprinkled on a multi-grain baguette sprayed with a smidge of olive oil. All of these blends are available at our grocery store here in Erieland, so I presume they are available nationwide.

The Sloppy Joe’s can be problematic without a couple of changes. Instead of ketchup and mustard as an add, I cook 90/10 ground beef, then add a small can of low-salt tomato sauce. Then I add in some brown sugar and apple cider vinegar until I get the right taste. A little bit of the garlic and herb, and a bit of chili powder sprinkled in (and, honestly, a 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt) rounds this one out.

Look for low-salt salsa for the Pork Salsa Verde Tacos. There are a slew of low-sodium options in the Mexican food aisle, which is a nice change!