Halloween Treats

[b-man]

SPAGHETTI AND EYEBALLS


Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 C. seasoned bread crumbs
1 T. ketchup
1 egg
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 (7 oz.) jar pimiento−stuffed olives
1 (14 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce
3 qt. water
1 tsp. salt
1 (8 oz.) pkg. spaghetti
2 T. butter or margarine


Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Mix ground beef, bread crumbs, ketchup, egg, pepper, and oregano in a large bowl. Form into about 18−24 eyeball−size balls. Press an olive into each eyeball, pimento side out. Place the eyeballs in a baking dish, cover, and bake for 45 minutes.

About 15 minutes before the eyeballs are done, fill a large pot with 3 quarts of water. Add salt. Follow package directions to cook the spaghetti.

Drain noodles and transfer to a serving bowl. Toss with butter or margarine. When eyeballs are done, carefully spoon onto the spaghetti, irises up.

Spoon the sauce from the pan around them. Serve with thinly sliced black olives (eyelashes).


B-man

[b-man]

SPIDER COOKIES


Ingredients:

1 C. (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/4 C. granulated sugar
1 egg
3 (1 oz.) squares semisweet chocolate,
melted and slightly cooled
2 1/2 C. all−purpose flour
1/4 C. cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Black licorice whips, black jellybeans, black
decorating gel, assorted Halloween candies


Cream butter and sugar in mixing bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg and then melted chocolate. Beat in flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt until combined.

Divide dough in half and shape each half into a roll about 8 inches long. Wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350º F. Cut rolls into 1/4−inch slices and place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until cookies are set when lightly touched, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 packages (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
Combine cream cheese and confectioners' sugar. Spread about 1 teaspoon of frosting on half of the cookies. Top with remaining cookies and spread additional frosting on top.

Decorate the cookies with "spiders," using jellybeans for bodies and licorice for legs.

To make cobweb cookies, squeeze a small amount of black gel on the
middle of the cookie. Use the end of a toothpick to draw gel from the middle of the cookies to edges. Then put gel across to connect the gel lines in a cobweb pattern.

Cookies can also be decorated with a variety of ready−made Halloween
candy decorations. Once frosted, keep cookies refrigerated.

Yields 32 servings.


B-man

[b-man]

SPIDERS


Ingredients:

Pretzel sticks
Round crackers
Pepperoni slices
Green olives stuffed with pimento or pitted
black olives, sliced Into small circles
Squeeze cheese or mustard

For each spider, cut 4 pretzel sticks in half.
Place a cracker on a plate. Arrange pretzels around the edge of the cracker so they look like 4 legs on each side. Cover the cracker with a pepperoni slice. Place an olive slice at the edge of the pepperoni. With the squeeze cheese, make 2 antennas stretching out from the olive.


B-man

[b-man]

SPOOKY EYEBALL TACOS


Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
1 Taco Dinner Kit
Shredded lettuce
Chopped tomatoes
Sour cream
Sliced pitted olives


Mix meat and seasoning mix. Shape into 36 (1−inch) balls. Place in a 13 x 9−inch baking dish. Bake at 350ºF for 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Fill each of the 12 taco shells with 1 meatball, taco sauce, lettuce and tomato. Top with 2 additional meatballs dipped in sour cream. Garnish with sliced pitted ripe olives to create "eyes."

Make Ahead Tip: The meatballs can be made ahead and frozen in a resealable plastic bag. To reheat, open bag slightly, microwave on HIGH 2 minutes.


B-man

[b-man]

SUGAR MOLD PUMPKINS

Ingredients:

4 1/2 C. granulated sugar
1/4 C. plus 1 tsp. water
Orange food color
Miniature marshmallows
Green food color


Mix together sugar, water and orange food color. Mix well to evenly blend food color and to smash any lumps in sugar. It is helpful to wear gloves to prevent staining hands during this process. The mixture will feel like wet sand. Pack sugar in pumpkin molds which have had cornstarch sprinkled in them to prevent sticking.

Press sugar firmly in mold. Remove excess sugar by scraping over edge with long knife or spatula. Unmold at once by turning upside down on flat surface and gently tapping back side of mold. Lift mold free of sugar.
Mark rounded side of sugar with toothpicks where desired window and shape should be. Cut window in mold using a string, slicing through sugar. A large doughnut or biscuit cutter pressed on top of pumpkin also works well. Leave window section on pumpkin while drying to prevent over dying around window. Dry for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Hollow out pumpkin shell by holding pumpkin half firmly, but gently, in the cup of hand. Scoop out center of sugar being careful to leave 1/4 inch wall of sugar around the entire mold. Sugar may be reused. Dry about 24 hours − or place on a cookie sheet and bake at 200ºF for 20 minutes. Allow sugar to cool before handling.

Decorate inside back hollow of pumpkin shell with candies, frosting figures, tinted coconut, etc. Join halves together by "gluing" them together with royal icing. Allow halves to set until dry and firm.

To finish pumpkins: Place beads of frosting around pumpkin halves to hide seam. Also decorate edge of window of window. Stem is made by gluing a marshmallow on top and decorating with green frosting.

B-man

[b-man]

WEREWOLF HANDS


Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 beaten egg
1 C. Triscuit crumbs


Cut each chicken breast into 4 fingers and a thumb, leaving them attached at the bottom like a palm. Dip in beaten egg, then dredge in crumbs. Sauté in hot oil, spreading out the fingers as it cooks.
Use black olives for finger nails.

Serve on black or green pasta tossed with spaghetti sauce.

Serves 4


B-man

[b-man]

WITCH'S BREW CAKE


Ingredients:

22 Halloween chocolate sandwich cookies
1 (18.25 oz.) yellow cake mix, with pudding in mix
1 C. water
1 C. solid−pack canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
3 eggs
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 C. prepared whipped topping
1/4 C. chocolate syrup
4 (16−inch) black shoestring licorice, braided
Assorted Halloween candies and colored sprinkles, for garnish
Cookie Spiders (see below)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Chop cookies and set aside.

Mix cake mix, water, pumpkin, eggs and cinnamon in large bowl with electric mixer at low speed until moistened. Beat 2 minutes at high speed. Fold in 1 1/4 cups chopped cookies. Pour batter into greased 10−inch fluted tube pan. Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Let cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

Place cake flat−side up on serving dish. Combine whipped topping and chocolate syrup. Frost top and sides of cake. Press remaining chopped cookies into cream on side of cake. Attach licorice for pot handle. Decorate cake with candies, colored sprinkles and cookie spiders.

Cookie Spiders

Insert 1 1/2−inch pieces black shoestring licorice into cream on sides of sandwich cookies for legs. Decorate top of cookie with assorted candies, decorator gels or mini−chocolate chips.


B-man

[b-man]

WORMY APPLES


Ingredients:

8 red apples
1 C. peanut butter
1 C. raspberry or strawberry jam
8 gummy worms


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Ask a grownup to help you remove the apple cores, being careful to leave the bottom of each apple intact.

In a small bowl, stir together the peanut butter and jam. Spoon and stuff this mixture into the center of the apples. Place the apples into cupcake tins and set the tin in a large, rectangular baking pan that is half full of water. Place the pan in the oven.

Bake for 1/2 hour, until the apples are tender.

Cool for 20 minutes. Place apples onto serving plates. Put a gummy worm halfway into a hole, with the rest hanging over the side. Serve warm.

B-man

[marieann2001]

Hands down, this is the absolute best recipe posted so far for Halloween. All my friends have asked for the recipe and plan to make it. Adults are just as intrigued by it as the kids.

Just in case you missed it, this is a repost of a recipe posted by patm099 on 24 Sept 2005. Hope you get as much enjoyment as we are out of it.

Kitty Litter Cake (for Halloween)

Despite the cake's appearance, it's really delicious. For the proper presentation, use a brand new (and definitely UNUSED) plastic cat litter box and spoon it onto plates with a new (NEVER EVER used) pooper scooper.

1 spice or German chocolate cake mix
1 white cake mix
2 large pkg vanilla instant pudding mix, prepared
1 large pkg vanilla sandwich cookies
green food coloring
12 small Tootsie Rolls

1 new kitty litter pan
1 new plastic kitty litter pan liner
1 new pooper scooper

Prepare cake mixes and bake according to directions (any size pans).

Prepare pudding mix and chill until ready to assemble.

Crumble white sandwich cookies in small batches in food processor, scraping often. Set aside all but about 1/4 cup. To the 1/4 cup cookie crumbs, add a few drops green food coloring and mix until completely colored.

When cakes are cooled to room temperature, crumble into a large bowl. Toss with half the remaining white cookie crumbs and the chilled pudding. Important: mix in just enough of the pudding to moisten it. You don't want it too soggy. Combine gently.

Line a new, clean kitty litter box. Put the cake/pudding/cookie mixture into the litter box.

Put three unwrapped Tootsie rolls in a microwave safe dish and heat until soft and pliable. Shape ends so they are no longer blunt, curving slightly. Repeat with 3 more Tootsie rolls bury them in the mixture. Sprinkle the other half of cookie crumbs over top. Scatter the green cookie crumbs lightly on top of everything -- this is supposed to look like mold in kitty litter.

Heat 3 Tootsie Rolls in the microwave until almost melted. Scrape them on top of the cake; sprinkle with cookie crumbs. Spread remaining Tootsie Rolls over the top; take one and heat until pliable, hang it over the side of the kitty litter box, sprinkling it lightly with cookie crumbs. Place the box on a newspaper and sprinkle a few of the cookie crumbs around for a truly disgusting effect.

Trust me, the more disgusting it is, the more the kids think its "cool".

[Noel]

Cobweb Cookies


It's frightening how simple it is to create
these creepy Halloween cookies right on your stove top!

3/4 cup Gold Medal® All-Purpose or Unbleached Flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
Powdered sugar


1. Beat all ingredients except powdered sugar in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Pour batter into plastic squeeze bottle with narrow opening. Heat 8-inch skillet over medium heat until hot; grease lightly.
2. Working quickly, squeeze batter to form 4 straight, thin lines that intersect at a common center point to form a star shape. To form cobweb, squeeze thin streams of batter to connect lines.
3. Cook 30 to 60 seconds or until bottom is golden brown; carefully turn. Cook until golden brown; remove from skillet. Cool on wire rack.
4. Heat oven to 325ºF. Bake cookies on ungreased cookie sheet 5 to 7 minutes or until almost crisp (cookies will become crisp as they cool). Remove from cookie sheet; cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Store cookies in container with loose-fitting cover.

Source: BettyCrocker.com at;

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/...recipeId=34106

[Noel]

Orange-Cream Cheese Brownies


The perfect brownie for an adult Halloween party or
anytime you want to enjoy a perfect combination of
refreshing orange and rich chocolate.

1 package Betty Crocker® Supreme dark chocolate
brownie mix (with dark chocolate syrup pouch)

1/4 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/2 package (8-ounce size) cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons frozen (thawed) orange juice concentrate
Yellow food color
Red food color
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon shortening


1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease (or use cooking spray) bottom of 13x9-inch rectangular pan.
2. Stir brownie mix, chocolate syrup, water, oil and 2 eggs for fudgelike brownies (or 3 eggs for cakelike brownies) in medium bowl, using spoon, until well blended. Spread in pan.
3. Bake 27 to 29 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out clean or almost clean. Cool completely.
4. Stir cream cheese, powdered sugar, orange juice, 4 drops yellow food color and 2 drops red food color until smooth and spreadable; spread over brownies.
5. Place chocolate chips and shortening in small microwavable bowl. Microwave uncovered on Medium (50%) about 2 minutes or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Drizzle over brownies. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until cream cheese and chocolate are set.
6. For 36 brownies, cut into 6 rows by 6 rows. Cover and refrigerate any remaining brownies.

"I've made these brownies several times and my
family thinks their awesome"!

Source: BettyCrocker.com at ;

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/...recipeId=35821

[Noel]

Scary Spiderweb Cupcakes


Perfect for a Halloween party, these rich,
chocolaty cupcakes are fun to make.

1 package Betty Crocker® SuperMoist®
devil's food cake mix

1 1/3 cups water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 tub Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy
vanilla ready-to-spread frosting

3 drops red food color
4 to 5 drops yellow food color
1 tube (0.68 ounce) Betty Crocker®
black decorating gel

48 large black gumdrops


1. Heat oven to 350°. Line 24 medium muffin cups, 2 1/2x1 1/4 inches, with with paper baking cups. Make cake mix as directed on package, using water, oil and eggs. Fill cups 2/3 full.
2. Bake 22 to 27 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
3. Tint frosting with red and yellow food colors to make orange frosting. Spread frosting over tops of cupcakes.
4. Squeeze circles of decorating gel on each cupcake; pull knife through gel from center outward to make web. To make each spider, roll out 1 gumdrop and cut out 8 strips for legs; place another gumdrop on top. Place spider on cupcake. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

Source: BettyCrocker.com at;

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/...recipeId=36280

[Noel]

Witches' Hats


Make this "spook-tacularly" easy cookie
for Halloween parties or treats!

32 Kisses® milk chocolates, unwrapped
1 package (11 1/2 ounces) fudge-striped
shortbread cookies (32)

1 tube (4.25 ounces) orange or red decorating icing


1. Attach 1 chocolate candy to chocolate bottom
of each cookie, using decorating icing.

2. Pipe decorating icing around base of chocolate candy.


Source: BettyCrocker.com at;

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/...recipeId=36650

[Noel]

Pizza Pot Pies (with Jack-O-Lantern crusts)


You can’t help but smile back at this casserole.
It has the all-time favorite flavor--pizza!

1 pound lean ground beef or Italian sausage
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 can (8 ounces) pizza sauce
1 can (4 ounces) sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)
1 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1/4 cup very hot water


1. Heat oven to 375ºF. Grease four 10- to 12-ounce casseroles.
2. Cook ground beef, onion and bell pepper in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until beef is brown; drain. Stir in pizza sauce and mushrooms. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon beef mixture into casseroles. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese on each.
3. Mix Bisquick mix and very hot water; beat vigorously 20 seconds. Turn dough onto surface dusted with Bisquick mix; gently roll in Bisquick mix to coat. Shape into ball; knead about 10 times or until smooth. Divide dough into 4 balls. Pat each ball into circle the size of diameter of casserole. Cut steam vent in each circle with knife or cookie cutter. Place each circle on beef mixture in casserole. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until very light brown.

Source: BettyCrocker.com at;

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/...recipeId=35946

[Noel]

Witches' Brooms


These sweet-salty bewitchin' cookies are
easy to make and fun to eat!

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
10 pretzel rods, about 8 1/2 inches long,
cut crosswise in half

2 teaspoons shortening
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Butterscotch-flavored chips, melted


1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Mix brown sugar, butter, water and vanilla in medium bowl. Stir in flour and salt. Shape dough into twenty 1 1/4-inch balls.
2. Place pretzel rod halves on ungreased cookie sheet. Press ball of dough onto cut end of each pretzel rod. Press dough with fork to resemble "bristles" of broom.
3. Bake about 12 minutes or until set but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely on wire rack, about 30 minutes.
4. Cover cookie sheet with waxed paper. Place brooms on waxed paper. Heat shortening and chocolate chips over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth; remove from heat. Spoon melted chocolate over brooms, leaving about 1 inch at top of pretzel handle and bottom halves of cookie bristles uncovered. Drizzle with melted butterscotch chips. Let stand until chocolate is set.

Source: BettyCrocker.com at;

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/...recipeId=36651

[Noel]

Scarecrow and Spider Cupcakes


Don't be afraid! This is a fun way to
frost and decorate cupcakes that the
whole family will enjoy.

1 1/2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk or water
2 tablespoons shortening
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 egg
1 tub Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy vanilla or butter cream ready-to-spread frosting
8 fudge-dipped flat-bottom ice-cream cones
Betty Crocker® Fruit Roll-Ups® strawberry chewy fruit snack rolls
Shredded whole wheat cereal biscuits, crushed
Assorted candies, such as candy corn, red string licorice and small gumdrops
32 candy eyes
1 tub Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy chocolate ready-to-spread frosting
48 large black gumdrops
Black shoestring licorice, cut into 4-inch pieces


1. Heat oven to 375ºF. Place paper baking cup in each of 16 regular-size muffin cups, or grease and flour muffin cups.
2. Beat Bisquick mix, sugar, milk, shortening, vanilla and egg in large bowl on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed 4 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Fill muffin cups about half full.
3. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediantly remove from pan; cool completely. Frost and decorate cupcakes as directed below for Scarecrows and Hairy Spiders.

Scarecrows: Frost 8 cupcakes with vanilla frosting. Decorate each ice-cream cone with bow made with fruit rolls. Place ice-cream cone upside down on each cupcake for hat. Arrange crushed cereal on cupcakes for hair. Use candy corn for nose, red licorice and small gumdrops for mouth and candy eyes for eyes.

Hairy Spiders: Frost 8 cupcakes with chocolate frosting. Squeeze large black gumdrops, one at a time, through garlic press to form hair; arrange on cupcakes. Insert black licorice pieces into cupcakes for legs. Place candy eyes on large black gumdrops for eyes.




High Altitude (3500-6500 ft)
Use paper baking cups. Increase milk to 2/3 cup. Bake 20 to 25 minutes

Source: BettyCrocke.com at;

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/...recipeId=36693

[Noel]

Midnight Molten Brownie Cupcakes


Ooey gooey! Scrumptious cupcakes oozing
chocolaty goodness will satisfy even the
pickiest chocolate lover.

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
1 package Betty Crocker® Supreme
brownie mix (with chocolate syrup pouch)
About 1/2 cup Betty Crocker® stars,
confetti or critters decors


1. Heat oven to 400°F. Grease 12 muffin cups (2 3/4x1 1/4 inches). In medium microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and butter uncovered on High 45 to 60 seconds or until melted and mixture can be stirred smooth.
2. In large bowl, beat eggs and egg yolks with wire whisk or electric mixer until foamy. Reserve chocolate syrup pouch from brownie mix. Gradually beat dry brownie mix into egg mixture until well blended. Gently stir in melted chocolate mixture. Fill muffin cups half full of brownie mixture; top each with 1/2 teaspoon decors. Top with remaining brownie mixture.
3. Bake 11 to 14 minutes or until edges are set. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Centers will be soft. Cool 2 minutes.
4. Loosen each cupcake with knife; turn upside down onto heatproof tray or cookie sheet. To serve, place cupcake on plate; drizzle with reserved chocolate syrup and top with additional decors.

Source: BettyCrocker.com at;

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/...recipeId=37785

[Noel]

Ghostly Shepherd's Pie


Treat your little ghosts and goblins
to a tummy-warming stew that looks
them right in the eye!

1 lb lean ground beef
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 1/2 cups Green Giant® frozen mixed vegetables
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, undrained
1 jar (12 oz) home-style beef gravy
1 3/4 cups water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup milk
2 1/4 cups instant mashed potatoes
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, slightly beaten


1. Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 12-inch skillet with cooking spray. Cook beef and onion in skillet over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown; drain.
2. Set 12 peas (from frozen vegetables) aside for garnish. Add remaining frozen vegetables, tomatoes and gravy to beef mixture. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender.
3. Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, heat water, butter and garlic powder to boiling. Remove from heat; add milk. Stir in potato flakes and cheese. Add egg; blend well.
4. Spoon beef mixture into ungreased 8-inch square (2-quart) or oval (2 1/2-quart) glass baking dish. With large spoon, make 6 mounds of potato mixture on top of beef mixture to resemble ghosts. Place 2 reserved peas on each mound to resemble eyes.
5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until potatoes are set and mixture is thoroughly heated.

Source: BettyCrocker.com at;

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/...recipeId=37890