The season is creeping upon us ladies and gents. If you are someone such as myself who considers Halloween your personal Christmas, then it’s never too early to start planning for the festivities. Whether you’re throwing a huge party or a small gathering, themed party foods are something to consider when hosting Halloween shenanigans. I mean hey, a ghoul has gotta eat right?! Here is a list of 10 not to complicated Halloween food recipes for all you Halloween heads.

 

Deviled Eyeballs

A delicious staple for any party.

12 hard boiled eggs
1/2 C. mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
2 green onions, finely minced
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. dry ground mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
blue food coloring, as needed
red paste food coloring, as needed
24 slices of black olives
pimentos or fresh red peppers

1. Peel the hard boiled eggs and slice in half lengthwise. Scoop the yolks out into a medium bowl and reserve the whites until needed.

2. With the back of a fork, mash the yolks until smooth.

3. Add mayo, onions, parsley, mustard, salt, paprika, and garlic powder. Mix well.

4. Add a few drops of blue food coloring to turn the yellow mixture a soft green.

5. Spoon green yolk mixture into the cavity in each white half, dividing evenly.

5. On top of each yolk filling, place one black olive slice. Add a small piece of pimento or red pepper for the pupil.

6. With a toothpick dipped in red food coloring paste, draw red veins on egg white’s surface.

7. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

 

 

Hannibal Inspired Meat- head

For all the Hannibal Lector fans out there, here’s a fun appetizer dish for you.

1 full-sized plastic human skull
1.5 lbs. thin sliced deli meat, your choice
Cream cheese, BBQ sauce, or cranberry sauce (see below)
2 hard boiled egg yolks, round mini-mozzarella pieces, or cocktail onions
2 slices of pimento-stuffed green olive

1. Buy a plastic skull. Wash the skull with soap and water and allow to dry.

2. Spread a “base” over the skull. BBQ sauce and jellied cranberry sauce give the skull a bloody, gory look as your guests lift away the lunch meat. Cream cheese is not as fun, but probably tastes better with most meats. This is entirely your choice.

3. Evenly distribute your lunch meat over the prepared skull, leaving openings at the eyes and mouth. Smallish pieces of meat work better than larger ones, as they’re easier to manipulate and form. You may need to use toothpicks to get some of the meat to stay in place.

4. For eyes, place one hard boiled egg yolk or small mozzarella cheese ball in each eye socket. Top with a slice of pimento-stuffed green olive.

6. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to eat.

 

 

Halloween Cheesecake

This is the most simple of recipes. Even if you’re not a baker, no fear! No baking required!

1 package of Oreo cookies

1 16 oz box of Jello instant vanilla pudding

1-2 cans of cherry pie filling

1 package of candy wrapped eyeballs

 

1. Simply crumble oreo cookies into a cup (or whatever you will be serving with)

2. Layer on top pudding

3. Spoon cherry filling on top

4. Top off with candy eyeball

5. Refrigerate and serve!

 

 

Zombie Meatloaf

Now, this has to be one of the easiest recipes I’ve ever come across dinner wise. Delicious too! Because this is meatloaf and everyone prepares the dish differently, I’m just going to tell you how to prep this.

1. Prepare your favorite meatloaf as you usually would.

2. Shape the meatloaf into a head/face shape.

3. Use diced onions as the eyes and teeth

4. Get some bacon and “wrap” the “face”

5. Bake as you normally would; about 375. (you may have to adjust the time slightly… just keep an eye on it)

6. When done, cover with ketchup, barbecue sauce, or a yummy ketchup/brown sugar mixture.

7. Enjoy!

 

 

 

Slithering Snake Pizza

This is something fun and you can interchange the ingredients to cater to kids and adults alike. A little more complex than the other recipes here but who doesn’t like pizza!?

2 (8 oz.) cans crescent rolls
flour, for dusting
1/2 C. prepared pizza sauce
10 oz. thinly sliced pepperoni
10 oz. thinly sliced ham, chopped
10 oz. Italian sausage, cooked, crumbled, and drained
12 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 C. fine, freshly grated Parmesan cheese

For Decorating purposes:

Liquid food coloring, your choice of colors
4 egg yolks, divided
2 peppercorns
2 pimento-stuffed green olives
1 roasted red pepper

 

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2. On a lightly floured surface, spread out your two batches of crescent dough end-to-end lenghtwise. Be careful not to let the sections separate.

3. Pinch all the seams together until you get one block of dough.

4. With a flour-brushed rolling pin, roll your crescent dough into a large, long rectangle. Don’t roll it too thin, or it will split.

5. Spoon pizza sauce on top of dough, leaving an inch of bare dough on all four edges.

6. Sprinkle meats on top of sauce, followed by any other optional toppings.

7. Sprinkle with cheeses.

8. Fold one side of the dough lenghtwise over the topping, up to the half-point of the rectangle.

9. Fold the other side over to meet it. Pinch and press the dough together on all sides to seal.

10. With a pastry brush, brush the beaten yolk of one egg onto the top of the dough.

11. Fold your filled dough in half lengthwise. The egg yolk should help it stick. A seam should be created lengthwise along the dough. Pinch this seam together to fully seal and make a sort of cylinder. Be sure all seams are well closed. Any open seams will open further during baking.

12. Gently manipulate ends into a snake shape– one end should be tapered for a tail, and the other shaped for the head. Don’t curve it into a snake yet. You’ll do that right before baking.

 

To Decorate:

1. Beat each of your remaining three egg yolks in a separate bowl.

2. Add the food coloring of your choice to each bowl to make three separate “paints.”

3. With a pastry brush or a food-safe paintbrush, decorate your snake as desired.

4. Transfer painted snake to a foiled-lined, greased baking sheet.

5. Gently shape as desired, into an “S” or other snakey shape.

6. Stick two peppercorns into the front of the snout for nostrils.

7. Slice your roasted red pepper into a forked tongue. Insert into front of head.

8. Bake your snake about 20 minutes, until golden and cooked through.

9. Remove from oven. Attach olive “eyes” to the top of the head using toothpicks. Pimento centers should face forward.

 

 

 

Black Bean and Pumpkin Halloween Chili

Chili is great for the upcoming witching season! You can also get creative and carve pumpkin faces into bread bowls as shown above!

1. 1 medium onion (chopped)

2. 1 medium yellow pepper (chopped)

3. 2 tbsps olive oil

4. 3 garlic cloves (minced)

5. 3 cups chicken broth

6. 2 cans black beans (drained)

7. 2 1/2 cups cooked turkey

8. 15 oz solid packed pumpkin

9. 14 oz diced tomatoes

10. 2 tsps parsley flakes

11. 1 1/2 tsps dried oregano

12. 1 1/2 tsps ground cumin

13. 1/2 tsp salt

 

In a large skillet, saute the onion, yellow pepper in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker; stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until heated through. Makes about 10 servings.

 

Candy Corn Punch

We need something to wash down all those foodies.

1. 1 4-serving-size package lemon jello / gelatin

2. 1 cup boiling water

3. 2 cups mango juice (found in international grocery store section)

4. Orange soda

5. 1 cup whipping cream (whipped) OR Cool Whip

6. candy corn (optional)

 

 

1. Combine gelatin and the boiling water in a large bowl. Stir until the gelatin is totally dissolved.  Pour in the mango nectar and stir until well incorporated.  Pour the yellow drink mixture into a clear glass pitcher. Cover the pitcher and chill in the fridge for about 2 hours or until slightly thickened, but not set.

2. Once the first layer has chilled take the pitcher out of the fridge and slowly pour the orange soda over the yellow gelatin layer, until desired height is obtained. Be really careful while pouring as to not cause a hole in the yellow layer.

3. Spoon or pipe whipping cream or cool whip over orange soda until desired height is obtained. Add candy corn for a final touch if desired.

4. Stir the layers together when you serve the drink.

Makes about 8 8oz servings. Enjoy!

 

 

 

Jack O Lantern Cheese Ball

Mmmmmmm.. Cheese balls… omnom

1. 2 8 oz cream cheese packages (softened)

2. 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

3. 3 scallions (chopped)

4. 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

5. 1/2 cup finely crushed orange nacho cheese-flavored tortilla chips (from about 2.1 oz. chips)

6. 4 large ripe pitted black olives

7. 1 small dill pickle

 

1.  In a bowl, combine cream cheese, Cheddar, scallions and Worcestershire. Form into a ball, then flatten slightly on top to form a pumpkin shape. Make an indentation on top where stem will be placed. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1 hour.
2.  Place tortilla chip crumbs in a shallow bowl and roll cheese ball in crumbs. Press crumbs on any white patches. Place on a serving plate. Cut 2 olives into 4 triangles, 2 for eyes and 2 for the corners of a mouth. Cut remaining 2 olives into squares for teeth. Attach eyes and mouth to cheese ball with toothpicks. Cut pickle in half and place on top, forming a stem. Serve right away or cover loosely and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with crackers, toasted baguette slices or pita crisps.

 

 

Halloween Rocky Road Brownies

For the chocolate lover in all of us!

 

• Crisco Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
• Brownie:
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup White Lily® Self-Rising Flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, melted
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped nuts, if desired
• Frosting:
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 (14-ounce) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Topping:
• 1 cup miniature marshmallows
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts, if desired
• 1/2 cup candy corn
• 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Halloween Brain Dip

We certainly can’t forget brains on the menu!

1. 2 large avocados

2. 1 head cauliflower

3. 1/2 prepared salsa

4. 6 thin slices red and blue fruit leather

 

1. Slice the avocados in half. Remove the seeds and set aside. Scoop the avocado out of the skin into a bowl. Mash with a fork or whisk and stir in the salsa. Set aside. Slice off one side of each pit to make it flat and expose the cores of the pits. They will look like eyes.
2. Remove all of the leaves from the cauliflower and remove the stem, leaving a nice hollow area with the outer part of the head intact. Use toothpicks to hold it together if it starts to fall apart.
3. Place the cauliflower into a small bowl, so that the hollow is facing upwards and most of the cauliflower is up out of the bowl. The bowl is just for stability. Fill with the avocado dip and arrange the pits as eyes. Decorate the white ”brain” by weaving thin strands of red and blue fruit leather between the florets to make veins and arteries. I wrap the bowl with cheesecloth and decorate with red food coloring to make it even more horrific!

 

Candy Corn Cookies

Last but not least, a fun cookie recipe.

1. 1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker™ sugar cookie mix

2. 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

3. 1 egg

4. Betty Crocker™ orange gel food color

5. 2 oz semisweet chocolate, melted, cooled

 

1. Line 8×4-inch loaf pan with waxed paper, extending paper over sides of pan. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, butter and egg until soft dough forms.

2. On work surface, place 3/4 cup dough. Knead desired amount of food color into dough until color is uniform. Press dough evenly in bottom of pan.

3. Divide remaining dough in half. On work surface, knead chocolate into one half remaining dough until color is uniform. Press over orange dough in pan, pressing gently to edge of pan. Gently press remaining plain dough into pan on top of chocolate dough. Refrigerate 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until firm.

4. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove dough from pan. Cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut each slice into 5 wedges. On ungreased cookie sheet, place wedges 1 inch apart.

5. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are set and edges are very light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely. Store in tightly covered container.