Some people are just Bewitched...in a good way by Gina Meyers

Before there were babies and boyfriends, there was Bewitched. There were backyard Bewitched plays and barbies, and ballet lessons…. And Bewitched. Bewitched is a television show that aired from 1964 to July 1972. It was and still is my favorite television sitcom of all time!!! Before there was biking and hiking, for me… there was Bewitched. And now there is baking and book signings because of Bewitched. I always wished I could wiggle my nose—like Samantha Stephens from Bewitched. I always wished that I could just clean up the house in an instant, erase every problem I’ve ever had, and have that sort of “magical” unconditional love that Samantha bestowed upon Darrin Stephens, her rather “uptight” advertising executive of a husband.

As I said before marriage and mortgages and carpools and soccer games, and ballet competitions, and multitude of school projects, work obligations, and just everyday obligations….I live a very magical life…..As a popular television critic Rick Bentley put it so many years ago, I lead a very “charmed life”.

Today a group of people from around the cosmos are coming together for the annual Bewitched Fan Fare in Salem, Massachusetts. They aren’t witches or warlocks (as we all have been accused of), and yes, there really was a time in history when people were accused of “being witches and were burned at the stake”. As Samantha put it (or rather the very brilliant writers on one of the most beloved supernatural sitcoms in history stated: “I belong to a minority group.”) We all do-- if you really think about it.

Heaven knows being an expert on a television sitcom that ended close to before I was born-doesn’t actually bring home the “bacon”. But, being passionate about something has “saved my bacon on more than one occasion”.

Whichever (witch ever) way you look at it… Believe in your dreams.

My introduction written on a spiral bound notebook circa 1991ish, now published since 2004 in The Magic of Bewitched Trivia and More book:

Bewitched reminiscent of all great television sitcoms shows us our place in life. It gives us a glimpse of the family we’d like to be a part of, the job we wish to land, the person we’d like to become, the friends we’d like to have, and the dreams we wish to fulfill. Like a fairy godmother’s magic dust, a good sitcom covers reality with fantasy and illusion and provides the modern liberated child in all of us with security in reruns on the tube, (aka, television set).

Bewitched Fanatical Television Show, August 2005.

Venus and Adonis Episode from Bewitched.

 The Magic of Bewitched Trivia and More, by Gina Meyers

Cosmos Cotillion Cream Cheese Cookies

16 ounce package of cream cheese

¼ cup of margarine

1 package of lemon cake mix

1 egg

1 tsp. of vanilla extract

          Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix the margarine, egg, and cream cheese into a bowl until well blended. Add vanilla extra and the cake mix. When mixed, roll the cookie mixture into balls and place on a not greased cookie sheet. Bake dough for 8 minutes.

Cosmos Cookies

1/2 cup margarine

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1 Tablespoon vanilla

1-1/2 cups flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

Galaxy Icing (to complement Cosmos Cookies)

Mix together:

1 cup confectioners' sugar

3-1/2 Tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Food coloring-optional

Directions: Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Thoroughly mix together margarine, vanilla, sugar, and three drops of food coloring (any color).  Add flour and salt and work until dough can hold together. 

Mold dough by Tablespoonfuls around a few chocolate pieces, nuts, or cherries.  Place cookie dough on a baking sheet approximately 1 inch apart for 10 minutes or until light brown.

Once the cookies are cool, dip tops of cookies into Galaxy Icing. Decorate cookies with colored sugar, sprinkles, candies, or coconut.  Makes 25 cookies.

I’ll Blow You A Kiss In The Wind

(By, Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart & Serena)

Whenever you are tonight

I got a feelin’ that you look out of sight,

So I’m gonna blow you a kiss in the wind.

And when it reaches your lips your lips my dear,

You’re gonna smile and feel me oh so near,

So I’m gonna low you a kiss in the wind.

I’ve been laying here in my bed

The images of pretty thoughts runnin’ through my head

About a guy in my mind I can feel

I can almost touch

Oh, my goodness

I miss you and I want you so much.

Wherever you are tonight

I got a feelin’ hat you look out of sight

So I’m gonna blow you a kiss in the wind.

Yeah, I’m gonna blow you a kiss in the wind.

 Mocha Kiss Chocolate Chip Cake

1 package of Butter Fudge Cake mix

1 small package of instant vanilla pudding

4 eggs

1 pint of sour cream

¼ cup of chilled strong coffee, such as French or espresso roast

½ cup of oil

8 ounces of chocolate chips     

Directions: Mix all ingredients in a bowl with an electric mixer. Place batter into a  sprayed bunt pan and bake at  350 degrees for forty minutes. Cool and serve. Once cooled, generously dust top of cake with powdered sugar.

Zucchini Relleno

Zucchini Relleno

1 1/4 pounds zucchini, cubed

4 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 pound Monterey jack cheese, cubed

2 teaspoon baking powder

3 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons parsley flakes

1 small can diced green chilies

1/2 stick of butter or margarine

1/2 cup of dry bread crumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking spray

Directions: Boil squash for five minutes and then drain and cool. Next, blend eggs, milk, and all of the dry ingredients, except bread crumbs.

Spray a 9- by 9-inch pan with cooking spray and then sprinkle with bread crumbs. Then layer three layers, first the squash, then the chilies and lastly, the cheese. Pour liquid mixture over the squash layers and top with cut up butter or margarine pieces. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until set. Cut into squares and serve as an appetizer.

Recipe excerpt from Cook Like A Hot Italian Mama. By, Gina Ferrari

I DREAM OF JEANNIE AND BEWITCHED FANS MAGICAL WEEKEND PRESS RELEASE

Still Dreaming Of Jeannie, Witches and Magic!

Saturday, April the 16^th to Sunday, April the 17^th, 2011

I DREAM OF JEANNIE AND BEWITCHED FANS
MAGICAL WEEKEND

Did you know that the theme songs from “I Dream of Jeannie” and “Bewitched” have lyrics? Did you know that Jeannie, the resident genie from the hit ‘60’s sitcom “I Dream Of Jeannie”, made magic by blinking her eyes? And did you know that Samantha Stephens, the lead character in the 60’s magical hit sitcom “Bewitched” was a squeaky-clean suburban house-witch who tried hard to abstain from twitching her nose and playing her witchy craft in order to please her uptight advertising executive husband, Darrin?

Now there’s a weekend planned for fans of those shows and for everyone who wants to know more about them. The author of the exciting book “The Magic of Bewitched Trivia and More”, Gina Meyers, is organizing a nose twitching, eye blinking, not-to-be-missed event. It’s the “I Dream Of Jeannie and Bewitched Fans Magical Weekend.”

It starts on the 16^th at 2:00 p.m. with Barbara Eden’s book signing, at Barnes and Noble at The Grove. http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/69956

Then the magical action moves to the Cabana at Morel’s Steakhouse and French Bistro, Los Angeles, California (at The Grove). Fans will dine on a four-course meal, and then enjoy the IDOJ pilot episode and the “Bewitched Fanatical” video. Stars from both shows are invited and may mingle with guests at this private event.

On Sunday, April 17 the party starts at 11:00 a.m. on Point Dune State Beach. That’s where Captain Anthony Nelson found the bottle that was the home of the 2000 year-old Genie (Jeannie). Plans are also in the works for a scavenger hunt. Sponsors: this is an excellent opportunity for you to spread your message through prizes placed inside the Genie’s bottle!

At 12:30 participants will lunch at “Moon Shadows”, located in world-famous Malibu, California.

Finally, at 3:00 p.m. the magic moves to Griffith Park Golf Club. This location has ties to both of the famous shows. The “Watch the Birdie” episode from IDOJ was filmed here. The club was also the location of Bewitched episode 114, titled “Birdies, Bogies, and Baxter”.

Bewitched Fanatical:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo2KeaJkXJA

Gina Meyers is regarded as a top-notch author of unique themed

cookbooks such as the best-selling Love At First Bite, The Unofficial

Twilight Cookbook, The Magic of Bewitched Cookbook, and The Unofficial

Harry Potter Cookbook (Gina writes under the pen name, Gina Ferrari too). She

has appeared on hundreds of television and radio shows and in a

multitude magazines as an authority on cooking, television, popular

culture, television trivia, and marketing trends.

Gina has been a consultant for Nickelodeon Network; Nick at Nite,and Columbia Pictures Television. Gina has worked for the Xerox Corporation as well as online giant, Google. Gina is also the owner of Serendipity Media Group, a full-service marketing, promotions, and publishing firm. When she’s not busy writing her next

book, she is generally out on the road promoting herself or a client’s

book. Gina enjoys spending time with her “hot” Swedish, artist/husband,

David (of nearly fifteen years), and their two Swedish-

Italian* meatball offspring, Lauren Rose and Lucas David.

* It's a reference to a Swedish Meatball which is a well-known, Swedish, Midwest, entree like at Smorgasbords

Author Gina Meyers and Barbara Eden