Halloween Foods

Looking to serve up some frightfully fun food for Halloween this year?  Whether it be treats for a child’s party or something splendid for an adult gathering, check out these ideas to wow your guests!

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

What could be more fun than a pumpkin cake that LOOKS like a pumpkin?  This recipe was my mother-in-law’s and it is a crowd-pleaser every time we make it.  Once you make the cake, create a simple glaze with powdered sugar, water, and a bit of red and yellow food coloring.  The orange glaze on top will give it that pumpkin feel for sure!  Decorate with a few silk leaves in the middle for the crowning touch.

To make the cake, follow this recipe.  Ingredients:
3 c sugar
1 c vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 can pumpkin
2 t baking powder
3 c flour
1 t nutmeg
1/2 t baking soda
1 t allspice
1/2 t salt
2 t cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix sugar, oil and eggs together.  Add pumpkin and mix well.  Sift together remaining ingredients and combine.  Pour into a greased and floured tube or bundt pan.  Bake for 35 minutes, then turn down the oven to 275 degrees and bake an additional hour.  Cool upside down.

Edible Fingers

This is a quick and healthy appetizer for kids and adults alike.  Take baby carrots, slivered almonds and a mayonnaise-based dip for vegetables.  Dip an almond sliver into the dip to coat the back and press onto the end of a carrot stick.  The carrot becomes your “finger” and the almond is the “fingernail”!  Stick the finished products into a bowl of vegetable dip for some frighteningly yummy fun.

Tricked-Out Caramel Apples

Who says caramel apples have to be JUST caramel?  Prior to creating your caramel apples, melt your choice of “drizzle” over low heat (and preferably in a double-broiler).  Drizzle can be caramel, white chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, butterscotch or any other drizzle-worthy delicacy.  Also be sure to have your base coat of caramel ready to go as well.  Prepare your caramel apples by sinking a popsicle stick into the top of the apple and dipping the apple into the base coat of caramel.  Then, let your imagination go wild.  Top the still-warm caramel with your choice of toppings: marshmallows, nuts, chocolate chips, coconut, crushed pretzels, raisins, crushed graham crackers - whatever will stick in the caramel!  Drizzle your “drizzle” over the entire creation and set aside to harden.  Enjoy your creation with LOTS of napkins!

Harvest Haystacks

Take a cup of butterscotch chips and a 1/2 cup of peanut butter and melt.  Add 1/2 cup of peanuts and 2 cups of chow mein noodles to the melted mixture.  Drop by teaspoonful onto wax paper and let harden.  For variety, add other ingredients, such as coconut, mini M&Ms, red hots, or even marshmallows.  Be aware that the chocolate candies and marshmallows will melt, so it might be best to add them once the mixture is slightly cool, but not too cool to drop onto the wax paper.