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Sherrie Norris Lovin’ Spoonful Cooking Column: Happy Halloween!

By Sherrie Norris

If you’re planning a gathering for the monsters in your life within the coming week, hopefully these “spooky” recipes will prove to be real treats, no tricks.

Keep in mind that there are numerous “alternative” celebrations going on around the High Country, so the kids don’t have to be out on the street going door-to-door for their treats. Taking them to local churches or other venues sponsoring events will keep them safe, while still providing them plenty of opportunities for fun. It will also allow you, as parents, to tag along and have a good time, as well.

 

Ghost Toast

Bread slices

Margarine

Shredded coconut

Raisins

Chocolate chips

Spread margarine to make faces on toast. then sprinkle on coconut. Put raisins or chocolate chips for eyes and mouth. (Cut toast into ghost shapes before decorating, if desired.)

           

Kool Witch’s Brew

1 pkg. each of orange and grape Kool-Aid, unsweetened

2 cups sugar

1 qt. (bottle) chilled Sprite, 7-UP or ginger ale

3 qt. cold water

Mix Kool-Aid packets together with the sugar and water in a large pitcher. Before serving, add the Sprite. Serve over ice cubes.

Tip: Serve the drink in a large black bowl to simulate a cauldron. Add a “frozen hand” ice cube to creep out your guests: Freeze some of the punch or Mountain Dew in a plastic food service glove and tie tightly with bread wrapper tie. Or use water tinted with your choice of food coloring to make it really stand out in the punchbowl. Carefully cut iced “hand” from glove after frozen and place into punch bowl when ready to serve.

Magic Wands

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

12 pretzel rods

3 oz. white chocolate baking bars or confectionery coating

Red and yellow food colorings

Assorted sprinkles

Ribbon

Line baking sheet with waxed paper. Melt semisweet chocolate in top of double boiler over hot, not boiling, water. Remove from heat. Dip pretzel rods into chocolate, spooning chocolate to coat about ¾ of each pretzel. Place on prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm.

Melt white chocolate in top of clean double boiler over hot, not boiling, water. Stir in food colorings to make orange. Remove from heat. Dip coated pretzels quickly into colored white chocolate to coat about ¼ of each pretzel. (Much easier is to use purchased coating already colored.)

Place on baking sheet. Immediately top with sprinkles. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm.

Tie ends with ribbons.

Makes 12

 

Halloween Spiders

2 Tbs. smooth peanut butter

2 Tbs. powdered sugar

2 Tbs. graham cracker crumbs

2 Tbs. coconut

Licorice

Raisins

Mix peanut butter, sugar and crumbs together and form a ball. Divide the ball into 2 parts to form 2 balls, 1 slightly smaller than the other. Roll balls in coconut and place smaller ball on top of larger one. The smaller ball with be the head, the larger one the abdomen.

Add 8 licorice legs and 8 raisin eyes.
Makes 1 Halloween spider. Multiply ingredients to make as many as you need.

 

Spider Web Dip

1 (16-oz.) jar black bean dip

1 (12-oz.) container guacamole

¼ cup sour cream

1 cup shredded lettuce

1 cup cheddar Cheese, shredded

½ cup chopped tomato

Tortilla chips

Spread bean dip onto center of large platter, leaving 1 to 2 inches around edge of platter. Carefully spread bean dip with guacamole. Spoon sour cream into resealable plastic food bag. Snip off corner. Pipe sour cream in 4 concentric circles onto guacamole. Drag toothpick or knife through sour cream from center outward to make spider web design. Layer lettuce, cheese and tomatoes on edge of platter. Serve with tortilla chips.

 

Frozen Witch Heads

3 whole graham crackers

6 scoops mint-flavored ice cream

6 chocolate-flavored ice cream cones

Red string licorice

Small round candies

Candy corn

Break graham crackers crosswise in half. Place 1 scoop ice cream on center of each cracker; top with upside-down ice cream cone for witch’s hat. Cut licorice into 1½ -inch lengths; place next to cone for hair. Add candies for eyes and candy corn for noses. Freeze 4-6 hours or until firm. Serve immediately after removing from freezer

 

Scarecrow Scramble

3 cups. small pretzels

3 cups. shoestring potatoes

3 cups peanuts

½ cups. seasoned croutons

4½ oz. can French fried onions

½ cups margarine

½ cups Parmesan cheese

Mix well. Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring often.

 

Casper Cookies

1 pkg. white chocolate chips

1 pkg. Nutter Butter Peanut Butter Cookies

Small pack of mini chocolate chips

Melt chips in double boiler (or small pan over larger pan of simmering water), stirring occasionally. Dip cookies into chocolate, covering completely. Place on waxed paper to cool. You many need to brush ends with pastry brush dipped in coating to cover entire area. While coating is still warm, place two small chips on each cookie for eyes.

 

Monster Mouths

5 medium size Red Delicious apples

¼ cup orange juice

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 pkg. miniature marshmallows

Core and cut each apple into wedges; brush each wedge with orange juice to keep from turning brown, and spread one side of each wedge evenly with creamy peanut butter. Press four marshmallows into peanut butter on half of wedges; top with remaining wedges, peanut butter side down. Makes about 35 servings.