Graveyard Snack – Take a cup of plain or buttered popped popcorn; add a half cup each of mini pretzels, mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, goldfish crackers and raisins.

Spider Snack – Taking two round crackers, such as the ritz, put peanut butter in the middle. Take 8 small pretzels and stick all around, 4 on each side to make the legs. Add raisins for eyes.

Salty Bones – Making breadsticks for your spaghetti tonight? Here’s a Halloween twist. Unroll a tube of refrigerated breadstick roll and separate the triangle pieces. Stretch each individual piece to make a long bone like figure. Cut about a 1 and a half inch slit in each end with your kitchen scissors. Roll the remaining 4 flaps into what would make the end of a dog bone. Sprinkle with coarse salt and bake as directed.

Goblin Tongues – Using mini bagels, spread cream cheese or mayonnaise, your preference, onto bagel. Cut slices out of circular pieces of bologna lunch meat to look like tongues and put into the top center of the bagel, leaving it to hang out like a tongue.

These are just a small sampling of things you can do to impress the kids or grandkids. Nothing fancy, quite simple for you but they’ll love them. Presentation and excitement is part of children accepting new and different things. Let them help you when creating these treats and they may just be a little more receptive to the new Halloween changes in foods they already love.

It’s Halloween! With just a few little changes or additions to things that you probably already make, you can put the spirit of Halloween on your table.

Scary Eyeballs – Add a little more mustard into the egg centers or a thin dollop under where you will lay a black olive into the creamy center.

Ghost Sandwiches – Cut your bread into ghosts, add the filling of your choice and your children will have a ghostly treat for their school or after school sandwich.

Wormy Hot Dogs – Thinly slice your hot dogs and then microwave. This will make them curl to look like worms. Put them on a hamburger bun and dress with mustard, catsup and pickles to make a slimy swamp underneath.

Ghostly Toast – Toast your bread. When it is cool enough to cut, with a gingerbread girl cutter or a plain knife, cut to make a ghost body. Top with whipped cream cheese or flavored yogurt with raisins or dates cut for eyes.

Orange Jack O Lantern – With a toothpick, gently carve a face into the orange. Careful not to injure the meat/pulp of the orange, your child will have a small version of the Jack O Lantern that is healthy and edible.

What You Need:

1 (18.25 oz.) chocolate cake mix

1 (16 oz.) can chocolate frosting

2 yellow gumdrops

1 green gumdrop

1 red gumdrop

2 pieces of shoestring black licorice

6 pieces of candy corn

How to Make It:

Set the oven temperature to 350 degrees and allow the oven to preheat.

Line 2 round 9 inch cake pans with parchment paper and lightly grease.

Prepare the cake mix according the package directions.

Pour the batter into the 2 prepared cake pans.

Bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove the pans from the oven and cool the cakes 10 minutes in the pans.

Remove the cakes from the pans and place on a wire rack to cool to room temperature.

Remove the parchment paper from the cakes.

Place one of the cakes on a large platter or covered board.

From the remaining cake cut a 1 in wide crescent shape slice to form the cat’s tail.

From the cut cake measure 2 inches from the center and make a vertical cut.

Cut this piece in half to form the cat’s ears and set aside.

Trim the remaining piece of the cut cake to form a circle for the cat’s head. 

Spread frosting over the top and sides of the first piece of cake.

Attach the tail to the bottom of the cake with a little frosting then frost the tail.

Attach the cat’s head with frosting then frost the head.

Attach the cat’s ears with frosting then completely frost the ears.

Place the yellow gum drops on the heat to represent the eyes.

Cut the green gum drop in half and attach to the yellow eyes using toothpicks.

Place the red gum drop on the face for the cat’s nose.

Cut the black licorice and press it into the cat’s face for its whiskers and mouth.

Press the candy corn into the base of the cat, three on each side, to represent its toes.

This black cat takes a little time to put together but it’s worth the trouble when you place it on the Halloween party table.  The kids will get a kick out of seeing and eating this piece of work.  Brownie mix may be used in place of the cake mix if you prefer.

Makes 20 servings

Preparation Time:  approximately 25 minutes

Baking Time:  approximately 20 minutes + cooling

Total Time:  approximately 45 minutes + cooling

Here is what you need to make these creepy fingers.

Ingredients:

Ø      2 tablespoons red food coloring

Ø      30 sliced almonds

Ø      2 large eggs

Ø      1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ø      1/2 cup softened butter

Ø      1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

Ø      5 T. sugar

Ø      Pinch of salt

Ø      1 2/3 cups flour

Ø      Couple drops of almond extract

Directions:

1.      Heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.      Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Set aside.

3.      Put food coloring in a shallow bowl and add the slivered almonds into the bowl. Leave them set until they are as deep red as you’d like. Every so often, stir them around to make sure they are getting completely covered.

4.      Separate 1 egg, sitting the white aside in a separate bowl. In a different bowl, take the entire 2^nd egg with the yolk of the first egg and whisk it together; add vanilla and set aside.

5.      In large bowl, combine softened butter, confectioners’ sugar, sugar, and salt. Beat on medium speed until well combined. Add egg mixture and almond extract, and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the flour, and mix on low speed just until put together. Wrap the dough in plastic, and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

6.      Once firm enough divide the dough into two halves. Keep the one you’re not working with covered in the plastic wrap and chilled. Separate the dough you’re working with into fifteen pieces. Lightly flour your counter or work space. Roll each piece back and forth with palms into finger shapes about 3 and a half to 4 inches long. Pinch dough in two places to form knuckles. Score each knuckle lightly with the back of a small knife. Transfer fingers to the previously prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough.

7.      After you have formed all your fingers, using a pastry brush, brush lightly with the egg white from the first egg in step 4.

8.      Position almonds into nails and push into dough to keep firm.

9.      Bake until lightly browned, about 12 minutes, however, you will remove them at about 9 minutes and reshape them the way you want them to look. Cool completely.

Kids love these icky fingers. Even more fun than eating them is making them, so don’t be afraid to let them join in the process. You’ll all have fun and the kids will learn a few life skills at the same time.

These are most fun to make, most fun to eat and the kids just love them! They add a nice touch to a school treat or just to have when having friends over.   

I’m going to give you the tips first. I’ve found that if the tips are before the recipe I am more apt to read them and not be at the end of my recipe and wonder why or where something went wrong.

Some people omit the egg white brush. The only reason I like it is because it seems to add an old, weathered, yellowish dead look. I don’t think it makes much difference in taste. However, it may help in solidifying the almond into the finger.

You must roll these cookies thin. Believe me; they will spread out in the oven. Also, take them from the oven a few minutes early and reshape them the way you want them and then finish cooking.

The recipe doesn’t call for it, but if you wanted to slip a few slivers of almond into the fingers at random spots you can get that exposed dead bone look. You might also want to put fine lines of red icing to resemble blood in various spots onto the cooked fingers.

What You Need:

1 (18 1/4 oz.) pkg. spice cake mix

2 C tart apples, peeled and chopped

20 caramels

3 T of milk

1 C pecans, toasted and chopped fine

12 Popsicle sticks

How to Make It:

Set the oven temperature to 350 degrees and allow the oven to preheat.

Line a muffin tin with paper liners

Prepare the cake mix as directed on the box for cupcakes.

Fold the apples into the batter well.

Fill the paper lined muffin cups 2/3 full of the batter.

Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Remove and cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

Move the cupcakes to a wire rack to continue cooling to room temperature.

Place the caramels into a saucepan.
Pour the milk over the caramels.

Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes or until the caramels have melted and very smooth.

Spread the caramel mixture over the top of the cupcakes.

Sprinkle the top of the cupcakes evenly with the pecans.

Insert a Popsicle stick into each of the cupcakes before serving.

Caramel apples are always a highlight at Halloween yet they can be so messy and for many children very hard to eat.  These cupcakes are less complicated and are a great treat for all your Halloween ghosts and goblins.

Makes 12 cupcakes

Let the Fun Begin

It’s time to clean out your pumpkin. Using your hands, scoop out the seeds and put them in the garbage bag, unless you want to put them in a bowl for later roasting. Using either a wooden spatula or serving spoon, scrape out the meat. Hopefully you have already decided on which side you will be carving the face, as this will need extra removal of the flesh.

Draw Your Design

After the pumpkin has been cleaned out, it is time to draw the design of your choice. Use a semi-permanent marker or a pencil and draw your design on the pumpkin.

If you don’t have an artistic mind it’s ok. You can use a stencil available on several Internet sites or one that may have came in your tool kit. (www.hersheys.com is a good site for designs.) Take a copy of the design and place it over the pumpkin. Secure this with masking tape. With a needle, push pin or nail, start poking small holes through the paper and into the pumpkin. Make sure you do them close enough as this is the pattern from which you will carve.

It’s Finally Time to Carve

Preparation pays off. Now, let’s get carving this pumpkin. Be particular in your carving as any little slip with the knife is likely to ruin your design and may cause injury. With your paring knife or other preferred choice of carving tool, carve along the pattern lines cutting all the way through the rind. Cut away from yourself and into the pumpkin. After each feature has been cut out slowly push out the cut pieces from inside the pumpkin.

Hint: Keep your blades as sharp as possible to ensure accuracy and ease of carving.  

Clean Up

Take your newspaper and fold it over on all sides, keeping your pumpkin “gunk” on the inside. Once folded, throw it in the trash can or garbage bag.

Congratulations! You’ve now carved your first pumpkin. Once you’ve finished and cleaned up the mess, place that baby out on the front porch and add your lighting. Show it off for the entire neighborhood to see. Don’t forget to take a picture too – after all you only have a first carved pumpkin once. Enjoy!

So you’re ready to carve your first pumpkin? Congratulations in joining the ranks of many who rank pumpkin carving as one of their favorite Halloween activities. To avoid a huge mess you’ll have to clean up later, the first thing you’ll need to do is prepare your workspace.

Choosing Your Pumpkin Carving Space

Select a flat work area. Lay down several layers of newspaper being sure to overlap them.

Gather Your Supplies

Ø      Pumpkin

Ø      Pumpkin Carving Kit or Butcher Knife & Serrated Paring Knife

Ø      Permanent Marker

Ø      Container lined with a garbage bag to deposit your waste

Ø      Lighting Source of Your Choice (Candle, glow sticks, etc.)

Preparing Your Pumpkin for Carving

Turn your pumpkin on its side. Using your permanent marker, draw a large circle on the bottom of the pumpkin. Be sure it’s large enough to fit a large spoon and your hand inside. By cutting out the bottom (instead of the top) you’ll make it easier to place your light source in it. Using your large butcher knife carefully cut out the circle. Make note of the best side for carving your chosen design or face.