Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: Beyond Halloween Town: The Story, the Characters, and the Legacy

Posted on August 22, 2023 by Erin

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: Beyond Halloween Town

By Erin

Horsing Around in LA is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

Just in time for Spooky Season! There’s a new book out now that any Nightmare Before Christmas fan HAS to own. Filled with tons of nostalgia of all of your favorite characters like Jack Skellington, Sally, Zero, and Oogie Boogie!

After 30 years, discover the inspirations behind Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas and its legacy as a certified pop-culture experience.

What is it about Jack Skellington that is so compelling? Why does the love between Sally and Jack resonate with so many? The feature-length, stop-motion movie about the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town who becomes obsessed with celebrating Christmas is a fascinating musical and love story that has transcended the original film and captivated the world. From the improbable tale to the lovable characters, Tim Burton’s creation has turned into a lifestyle, branching into fashion, video games, card and board games, live-action concerts, themed celebrations at Disneyland, and even cameos in other movies.

Featuring an original foreword by Tim Burton himself, Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: Beyond Halloween Town celebrates the film and the culture that has grown around it with exclusive and original interviews from:

Author and creator, Tim Burton
Animators, sculptors, and other artists of the film
Musical talent behind Jack Skellington
The iconic voice of Sally, comic actress Catherine O’Hara
Musicians on the Nightmare Revisited album

Delve into the magic of Halloween and Christmas in a story told through unlikely heroes that started 30 years ago. This beautifully designed coffee-table book is sure to captivate die-hard and casual fans alike.

BUY YOUR COPY HERE

ABOUT:

Emily Zemler, author of “Disney Princess: Beyond the Tiara”

Emily Zemler is a writer and journalist based in London. She is a frequent contributor to the Los Angeles Times and Rolling Stone, among other prestigious outlets. Emily is the co-author of A Sick Life, with TLC’s Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, and the author of The Art and Making of Aladdin and Disney Princess: Beyond the Tiara.

Tim Burton, director and artist, is widely regarded as one of cinema’s most imaginative filmmakers. Both his live-action and animated films have earned Academy Awards, Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and many other industry accolades, cementing his status as one of the greatest filmmakers of our time.

He has a dedicated following, notably for classic features such as Beetlejuice (1988); Edward Scissorhands (1990); and Sweeny Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007); as well as blockbuster hits Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992); Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005); and Alice in Wonderland (2010). He helped to reinvigorate the stop-motion industry with his 1993 creation and cult classic Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas; followed by Corpse Bride (2005) and Frankenweenie (2012).

Long before becoming a director, Burton expressed himself through drawing, painting, poetry, and photography, all of which have been documented in books The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy & Other Stories, The Napkin Art of Tim Burton, and the 2009 release, The Art of Tim Burton, a 430-page volume comprising more than 40 years of his personal and professional artwork. Coinciding with the release of The Art of Tim Burton, the Museum of Modern Art opened an extensive exhibition of his work in New York, which went on to tour in Melbourne, Toronto, Los Angeles, Paris, and Seoul. A second exhibition of his artwork, The World of Tim Burton, continues to tour internationally. A third, immersive exhibition entitled Tim Burton’s Labyrinth, premiered in Madrid in 2022 and continues to tour internationally.

Mickey and Minnie Easter Doughnuts

Posted on April 7, 2023 by Erin

Mickey and Minnie Easter Doughnuts

By Erin

These adorable Mickey and Minnie Easter Doughnuts are perfect for Easter breakfast, brunch, or just a fun treat to enjoy! These little doughnuts are so cute, they’re almost too cute to eat… almost. 😉

Mickey and Minnie Easter Doughnuts Makes 12 doughnuts
Chocolate Doughnuts:

2 Cups flour
2⁄3 Cups sugar
1⁄2 Cup Hershey dark cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 Cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons unsalted sweet cream butter, melted

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Ganache:

2 Cups semi sweet chocolate chips

1 3⁄4 Cup heavy whipping cream

Large squeeze bottle

Decorating ingredients:

24 chocolate wafers

Purple Candy Melts

Large squeeze bottle

Pink Fondant

12 mini yellow m&m’s
White edible pearls, small size

Bunny Ear Cupcake toppers

Wilton silicone Bow Mold

Edible Glue

Pink Bows:
Using the pink fondant, pinch off about 1⁄2 teaspoon of fondant and roll into a ball. Press the fondant into the larger bowtie, mold and allow to set for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the fondant from the mold and place onto a cookie sheet. Make 12 more bows and allow to air dry for 2 hours.

Using the edible glue, brush onto the bottom of an edible pearl and place onto the bow. Allow to dry while you make the doughnuts.

Chocolate Doughnut Directions :
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a doughnut pan with baking spray.

Using a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt until combined. Whisk in the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla until combined.
Fill each cavity 3⁄4 full and bake in the oven for 8-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool before placing onto a wire rack.

Using a small pot, bring the heavy whipping cream to a simmer.

Pour over the chocolate chips in a medium bowl and allow to sit for a minute before whisking until smooth.

Pour the ganache into the squeeze bottle.

Decorating the Doughnuts :

Using a small knife, cut a small slit into the top corners of the doughnuts.

Push two melting wafers into the side of the doughnut to create the ears.

Place doughnut onto the wire rack and carefully using the chocolate ganache, pour over the top half of the doughnut.

Allow the ganache to drip off the doughnut and set for about an hour.

Once that hour is up, carefully pick up a doughnut and push in the bunny ears. Do this on half of the doughnuts for Minnie Mouse.

Using a microwave safe bowl, follow the directions on the back of the purple candy melts and melt completely.

Pour the melted candy melts into the second squeeze bottle.

Pour the melted candy melts over the bottom half of the doughnuts and lightly tap the wire rack so that any extra candy melts drips off the doughnuts.

Carefully place some edible pearls onto the bottom of the ‘Minnie’ Mouse doughnuts Place two yellow m&m’s on the ‘mickey’ doughnuts.
Allow the candy melt to harden before enjoying!

ENJOY!

Holiday Mickey Mouse Charcuterie Board

Posted on December 22, 2022 by Erin

Holiday Mickey Mouse Charcuterie Board

By Erin

Horsing Around in LA is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

Tis the season for all the delicious holiday boards! They are so fun and easy to make!

What do you put on a Christmas charcuterie board?

Anything you want really! Use whatever you have on hand at home. Some delicious go-tos include charcuterie meats, cheeses (sliced or cubed), olives, roasted nuts, creamy spreads, crackers, veggies and herbs (for the leafy part). You can even include some sweet bites like dried fruits, chocolate-covered nuts or pretzels and one-bite Christmas cookies.

Mickey Mouse Charcuterie Board Yield: 5-6 servings

Prep Time: 30 min
Total Time: 30 min

Ingredients

Cheese:
4 ounces Cheddar cheese, small cubes
4 ounces Pepper jack cheese, small cubes
4 ounces Colby jack cheese, small cubes
1 8 oz double creamed Brie cheese, Mickey Mouse head shape

3-4 Babybel cheese rounds
1⁄4 cup Fresh Mozzarella
Blueberry Goat Cheese log

Olives:
1⁄4 cup cup whole black olives, pitted

1⁄4 cup whole green olives, pitted
1⁄4 cup whole black olives, pitted

Meats:
14 slices salami, for the Mickey heads ( 7 for each 1 )

Fruits and Veggies:
1⁄4 cup fresh raspberries

1⁄2 cup baby tomatoes cut in halves

Extra’s
1 cup Chocolate covered pretzels
1⁄4 cup Holiday Jordan Almonds
1⁄4 cup Mickey Cheddar Goldfish Crackers

Large Mickey Mouse head cookie cutter
Small Mickey Mouse head cookie cutter
Large Mickey Mouse hand cookie cutter

Small Ramekin filled with jam of choice

Instructions

Salami Mickey Mouse Heads
Take your first slice of salami and lay it on a clean surface or cutting board.
Lay the next salami on top of the previous salami only covering half of the bottom salami. Repeat with 4 more salami round slices.
Now roll the salami up into a circle.
Place the salami circle in a small glass and set to the side.
Begin the Mickey ears by rolling up 1 salami round into a small circle.
Use toothpicks to adhere the ears to the Mickey Head.
Create a second Mickey head and set it to the side.

Mickey Mouse Brie
Use a large sized Mickey Mouse head cookie cutter, and press it into the Brie. Remove the excess Brie and set the Mickey head Brie to the side.

Setting up the board
Choose a large, circle wood board or a Mickey Mouse Head Wood Board. (This is a really nice Mickey Board and it’s on sale right now too!!)
Start by putting the Brie, Mickey Mouse head cookie cutter, and Mickey Mouse hand cookie cutter on the board. Next place your Mickey Mouse salami heads on the board, placing them on separate ends.
Fill your small ramekin with your jam of choice and place it on the board.
Add your small chunked cheese to your Mickey hand cookie cutter, and spread evenly.
Place the remaining cheese on the board.
Add the fruit, olives and tomatoes to the board.
Fill in the empty spots on the board with your pretzels and Jordan almonds.
Fill your Mickey head cookie cutter with Mickey Mouse Goldfish crackers.