HALLOWEEN -*Homemade Treats & More*

Halloween is an annual holiday observed on October 31, which commonly includes activities such as trick-or-treating, attending costume parties, carving jack-o'-lanterns, bonfires, apple bobbing, visiting haunted attractions, playing pranks, telling scary stories, and watching horror films.

Trick-or-treating is a customary celebration for children on Halloween. Children go in costume from house to house, asking for treats such as candy or sometimes money, with the question, "Trick or treat?" The word "trick" refers to a (mostly idle) "threat" to perform mischief on the homeowners or their property if no treat is given. In some parts of Scotland children still go guising. In this custom the child performs some sort of trick, i.e. sings a song or tells a ghost story, to earn their treats.

Halloween Pumpkin-Carving Party

The night before:

• Pick up assorted pumpkins for carving. Avoid broken stems or bruises, as they can cause faster spoilage.
• Choose pumpkins that are at least 9-10 inches high so there is adequate room for a votive candle to burn safely.
• Shop for carving and painting supplies: permanent markets, water-based markers, tempera paints, small paintbrushes, plastic carving tools, stickers, sponges and glass votives with candles.
• Purchase some good-quality hamburger buns and raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds.
  Bake dessert, either the pumpkin cake or cheesecake bars. Cover and refrigerate.
• Cook sloppy joes in a Dutch oven or saucepan; cover and store pan in refrigerator.
• Make a sloppy joe station near the stove. Set out a fall-colored placemat and stack dinner plates, napkins and utensils on top.
• Mix up dressing for slaw. Cover and chill.
• Print out pumpkin-carving templates from internet Halloween sites or draw your own on white paper so guests have some ideas about what to carve.
30 minutes before the party:
• Stack pumpkins under a tree to create a mini patch where guests pick their own.
• Set up a carving table outside. Cover it with several layers of newspaper taped into place with masking tape.
• Lay out markers, stickers, paints, cutting tools and any large spoons, ladles or ice cream scoops you can find on table.
• Fill a few glasses or empty yogurt cups with water and set out for painters. Set out sponges so kids can wipe off mistakes.
• Place coleslaw mix in serving bowl and toss with prepared dressing. Cover and chill.
• Place pot with premade sloppy joe filling on the stove to reheat. Cover and keep warm--or transfer filling to a crock pot set on the low setting.

*Sloppy Joes*

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 3 teaspoons brown sugar
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, onion, and green pepper; drain off liquids.
2. Stir in the garlic powder, mustard, ketchup, and brown sugar; mix thoroughly. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

*Creamy Spiced Coleslaw*

Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 (16 ounce) package shredded coleslaw mix

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix mayonnaise, sugar, salt, pepper, celery seed, garlic powder, onion powder and cider vinegar. Toss coleslaw mix with dressing to coat. Chill at least 1 hour before serving.

*Spiderweb Brownies*

"To decorate these moist brownies for Halloween, drizzle a chocolate spiderweb on their white icing. They're so delicious and chocolaty...you'll find yourself making them for gatherings throughout the year."

Ingredients

• 4 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
• 3/4 cup butter or margarine
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow creme
• 1 (1 ounce) square semisweet chocolate

Directions

1. In a saucepan over low heat, stir unsweetened chocolate and butter until chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat; stir in sugar. Cool for 10 minutes. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour and nuts. Pour into a greased foil-lined 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (do not overbake). Immediately drop marshmallow cream by spoonfuls over hot brownies; spread evenly. Cool on a wire rack. Lift out of the pan; remove foil. Place on a serving tray. For web decoration, melt semisweet chocolate and pour into a small resealable plastic bag. Cut a small hole in one corner of the bag; drizzle chocolate over creme in a spiderweb design.

*Marshmallow Popcorn Balls*

"These are very easy popcorn balls to make. The marshmallows make them similar to crispy rice cereal bars that are so popular. Made with marshmallows, these are sweet, crispy, and chewy."

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 5 cups miniature marshmallows

Directions

1. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Set aside.
2. Add vegetable oil to a 4 quart saucepan, and heat over high heat. When oil is hot, add popping corn. Keep pan moving constantly. When corn stops popping, remove from heat. Put popcorn in prepared pan.
3. Melt butter In a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in marshmallows and cook until melted, stirring constantly. Pour marshmallow mixture over popcorn and mix with spoon to coat evenly.
4. Let mixture cool slightly. Smear butter on your hands or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Mix popcorn with your hands so that it is evenly coated.
5. Form popcorn into 8 balls.

*Severed Fingers*

"This would make quite an eye-catching appetizer tray for your upcoming Halloween party -- come on, what kid wouldn't think you were the coolest parent ever, if you made some of these? Be sure to tear the cheese sticks in half as irregularly as possible, as this really gives it that stomach-turning realism."

*Halloween Peppermint Patties*

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, plus extra, as needed
• 1/4 cup pasteurized liquid egg white product
• 1 teaspoon water, plus extra, as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
• Orange food coloring, as needed, optional
• 2 (4-ounce) bars 53 percent cocoa dark chocolate, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (recommended: Nestle Chocolatier)
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Directions

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the powdered sugar, egg white product, 1 teaspoon water, peppermint extract and 1 to 2 drops of food coloring, if using. Mix on low speed until smooth. Increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture forms a stiff dough (if the mixture becomes too stiff, add extra water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time and beat until smooth). Put the mixture on a work surface dusted with powdered sugar and roll it into a log about 12-inches long and 1 1/4-inches in diameter. Slice the log into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces, form them into balls and flatten into discs. Arrange in single layers on the prepared baking sheets. Let the candies dry, uncovered, at room temperature for 3 hours.

Put the chocolate and vegetable oil in a small bowl and set it over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is smooth and melted. Dip 1 half of each candy into the melted chocolate and return them to the parchment paper until the chocolate has set, about 3 hours.

*Halloween Pops*

Ingredients

• 6 or 8-inch wooden pop sticks
• Gummy worms, as needed
• 2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup corn syrup
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon orange, lemon or cherry extract
• Few drops orange food coloring

Directions

Lay a silicone sheet on a baking pan, place the sticks on the pan and place 3 pieces of gummy Worms above the tip of each stick to form a gummy worm triangle.

Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a clean, dry small saucepan. (It is best to use a heavy gauge pan and preferably with a pour spout.) Bring to a boil over high heat and cook without stirring until the mixture reaches 305 degrees F or "hard crack" stage on a candy thermometer. Occasionally wash down the sides of the pan with a clean pastry brush dipped in water to remove any sugar crystals that are clinging to the sides of the pan.

When the mixture reaches 305 degrees F, remove the pan from heat and dip the bottom of the pan into an ice bath for a few seconds to stop the candy from cooking. Add the extracts and food coloring and stir very gently with a wooden spoon so the color is evenly distributed.

Pour the syrup over the gummy worms and just over the stick. Cool the candy for at least 20 minutes.

Lift the lollipops off the silicone and either serve immediately or wrap in an airtight container.

Halloween Decorating: Luminarias

Luminarias, the small paper bags weighted with sand and lit with votive candles, may be traditional at Christmastime, especially in the Southwest. But you can dress them up for Halloween, too!
Place these fun lanterns in the shadows along your front walk, porch or deck at night, and give new meaning to "mood lighting!"
Have no fear--our versions won't cost you an arm and a leg. These luminarias use castoffs and other readily available materials. They're simple enough for kids to make, and, to keep things safe, we use battery-operated candles or Christmas tree lights instead of open flames.

*Light It Up*

1. Remove labels and carefully cut plastic bottles or milk cartons below the neck to create a variety of heights.

2. Wrap paper around each container, so it's even at the bottom and several inches past the top edge. Tape the back. You can color in "eyes" with a highlighting marker for an extra-spooky effect, or fringe the top.

3. Wrap ribbon or raffia around the bottle and tie a bow or knot; add spiders, netting or other accents.

4. Weight with sand to keep the luminarias upright and from blowing around the neighborhood.

5. Position a tea light in the center of each bottle (do not use in bottles 20 ounces and smaller), or use a safer alternative--Christmas lights or battery-operated candles. If using Christmas lights, cut an X through the back (both paper and container) of each luminaria with a utility knife and push the bulb through.

What You'll Need:

• Containers: Wide-mouth glass jars, plastic soft drink or water bottles (2-liter and smaller), or milk cartons
• Papers: Lightweight craft paper, copy paper, construction paper, paper twist, tissue paper, decorative papers and so forth
• Ties: Raffia; orange and black ribbons
• Light sources: Tea lights, battery-operated candles or white Christmas lights
• Scissors, utility knife
• Tape
• Glue stick
• Sand
• Optional: plastic spiders, netting, highlighting markers...be creative!

*Black Halloween Punch*

"Grape and orange soft drink mix are combined with sugar, water and ginger ale for a scary looking punch -- and don't forget the frozen hand!"

Ingredients

• 1 (.13 ounce) envelope unsweetened grape soft drink mix
• 1 (.13 ounce) envelope unsweetened orange soft drink mix
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3 quarts cold water
• 1 liter ginger ale

Directions

1. To make a frozen hand, wash a disposable glove, fill with water, seal with a rubber band and freeze until hard.
2. Stir together grape soft drink mix, orange soft drink mix, sugar and water until solids are dissolved. Combine with chilled ginger ale just before serving. Dip the frozen hand briefly in warm water, then peel off the glove. Float the prepared hand in the punch bowl for a ghastly effect.

*Pink Brain Shooter*

"This spooky Halloween treat is scarily realistic! A non-alcoholic version may also be made for the kiddies by substituting the peach schnapps with water."

Ingredients

• 1 brain-shaped gelatin mold
• 4 (3 ounce) packages peach flavored gelatin mix
• 3 cups boiling water
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 1/2 cups peach schnapps
• 4 drops blue food coloring
• 2 drops red food coloring
• 2 teaspoons water

Directions

1. Lightly oil a brain-shaped gelatin mold.
2. Stir the peach gelatin mix with boiling water in a bowl to dissolve the gelatin. Allow to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Mix in the evaporated milk and peach schnapps; pour into the prepared mold. Refrigerate until set, 4 to 6 hours.
3. To decorate, dip the mold in very warm water (don't let the water enter the top of the mold) to loosen; invert the mold on a serving platter and lift to leave the brain in place. Mix blue and red food coloring in a small bowl with 2 teaspoons of water. Use a small clean paintbrush to paint the coloring into the grooves of the brain. Return the brain to the refrigerator until the food coloring sets. Serve cold.

 

*Hot & Tangy Apple Cider*

"A great warm beverage to serve on a cool Halloween evening. Garnish each serving with an orange or apple slice if desired. "

Ingredients

• 8 whole cloves, or to taste
• 1 gallon apple cider
• 1/2 gallon orange juice
• 1 quart grapefruit juice
• 6 cinnamon sticks

Directions

1. Place the cloves into a tea ball, and place into a slow cooker. Pour the apple cider, orange juice, and grapefruit juice into the slow cooker, and drop in the cinnamon sticks. Stir once or twice. Set the cooker to High, cover, and cook until the mixture is hot; then keep warm on Low setting. Serve in mugs.

 

*Boo Beverage*

"Silly spooks formed with whipped topping garnish glasses of this smooth drink made with sherbet, orange juice and bananas."

Ingredients

• 2 cups orange juice
• 2 cups milk
• 2 pints orange sherbet
• 4 ripe bananas
• 2 cups whipped topping
• 18 miniature chocolate chips

Directions

1. In four batches, process the orange juice, milk, sherbet and bananas in a blender until smooth. Pour into glasses. Cut a hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; fill with whipped topping. Pipe a ghost shape on top of each beverage. Position chocolate chips for eyes.