Halloween is just around the corner! Some of us may be putting together our costumes, others might be dreading chaperoning the kids, and others may just be sitting at home enjoying their favorite show with a glass of wine- like any other Monday. What ever your plans may be, you can’t go wrong with festive treats! Whether it’s a pumpkin bourbon shake (if you’re into that), or bat shaped tortilla chips, these spooky snacks will surely get you in the Halloween spirit and most importantly- they’ll give you a reason to cheat on your diet.. After all, it is a holiday! Indulge!
Pumpkin Shaped Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Directions:
Use a cookie cutter in the shape of a pumpkin and cut the bread slices. Spread butter (or mayonnaise, whichever you’d like) on both sides of the bread. Place some cheddar cheese on the slice and sandwich them. Place the sandwich on a pan with butter on medium heat and leave until it is crispy and golden on both sides.
Ingredients:
5 quarts air-popped popcorn
2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons marshmallow creme
Candy corn, orange candy slices, milk chocolate M&M’s and salted cashews
1.Place popcorn in a large oven-proof bowl; keep warm in oven at 200° In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, water, corn syrup and salt. Cook over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 250° (hard-ball stage). Remove from the heat; stir in butter and vinegar until butter is melted. Immediately pour over popcorn; toss to coat.
2.When mixture is cool enough to handle, quickly shape into five 3-1/4-in. balls and five 4-in. balls, dipping hands in cold water to prevent sticking. Flatten bottom of popcorn balls slightly to allow them to sit flat. Place a small ball on top of a large ball, forming the owl’s head and body.
3.Immediately decorate owl, using marshmallow creme to attach candies. Add candy corn for claws. Press the orange slices into sides for wings. Flatten and cut additional orange slices into semicircles for ears and 3/4-in. circular eyes. Press M&M’s into orange circles to complete the eyes. Add a cashew for each beak. Yield: 5 owls
Black Cat Dippers with Pumpkin Pie Dip Recipe
Ingredients
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon honey
1 package (15 ounces) refrigerated pie pastry
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk
Black paste food coloring
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions
1.In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add the pumpkin, confectioners’ sugar, pie spice and honey; beat until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
2.Roll out each pie pastry directly on an ungreased baking sheet to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-in. cat-shaped cookie cutter, leaving at least 1 in. between cutouts. 3.Remove excess dough and reroll scraps if desired. Beat the egg, milk and food coloring; brush over cutouts. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over cutouts.
Bake at 400° for 6-7 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. Serve with pumpkin dip. Yield: 2-1/2 dozen black cats(3 cups dip).
Spooky Witches’ Hats
Ingredients:
2 (16 ounce) packages fudge stripe cookies
1/4 cup honey, or as needed
1 (9 ounce) bag milk chocolate candy kisses, unwrapped
1 (4.5 ounce) tube decorating gel
Directions:
Place a fudge stripe cookie with bottom side up onto a work surface. Smear a small dab (about 1/8 teaspoon) of honey onto the bottom of a chocolate kiss, and secure the candy piece to the center of the cookie, covering the hole. Use decorating gel to pipe a small bow onto the cookie at the base of the candy piece. Repeat with remaining ingredients.