Halloween Drinks

Witches Brew
1 (10 ounce) package frozen raspberries, thawed
2 1/2 cups cranberry juice
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
2 liters ginger ale
2 liters sparkling apple cider (non-alcoholic)
6 gummy snakes candy

1. To make the frozen hand: Wash and rinse the outside of a rubber glove. Turn glove inside out and set aside. In a 4 cup measuring cup, combine the thawed raspberries and cranberry juice.

2. Pour 2 cups of the raspberry mixture into a small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over and let stand 2 minutes. Warm over low heat, stirring constantly, just until gelatin dissolves. Mix back into the reserved raspberry mixture in the measuring cup.

3. Pour raspberry mixture into the inverted glove. Gather up the top of the glove and tie securely with kitchen twine. Freeze until solid, or several days if possible.

4. To serve: Carefully cut glove away from frozen hand. Place frozen hand, palm side up, leaning against side of a large punch bowl. Pour in ginger ale and sparkling cider. Garnish with gummy snakes.



Orange Party Punch
1 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 liters lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage
1 (46 fluid ounce) can pineapple juice, chilled
1 quart orange or pineapple sherbet

Prepare orange juice according to package directions; pour into a punch bowl. Stir in the soda and pineapple juice. Top with scoops of sherbet. Serve immediately.


Green Grog
2 (12 fluid ounce) cans frozen limeade concentrate
2 (12 fluid ounce) cans frozen lemonade concentrate
2 (2 liter) bottles lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage
1 (750 milliliter) bottle rum
2 quarts lime sherbet

In a large pot, combine limeade, lemonade and lemon-lime soda. Stir in rum (add more to taste if desired.) Mix in the lime sherbet.

Halloween Treats

Spooky Witches Fingers
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup whole almonds
1 (.75 ounce) tube red decorating gel

Directions:
1. Combine the butter, sugar, egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Beat together with an electric mixer; gradually add the flour, baking powder, and salt, continually beating; refrigerate 20 to 30 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease baking sheets.

3. Remove dough from refrigerator in small amounts. Scoop 1 heaping teaspoon at a time onto a piece of waxed paper. Use the waxed paper to roll the dough into a thin finger-shaped cookie. Press one almond into one end of each cookie to give the appearance of a long fingernail. Squeeze cookie near the tip and again near the center of each to give the impression of knuckles. You can also cut into the dough with a sharp knife at the same points to help give a more finger-like appearance. Arrange the shaped cookies on the baking sheets.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until the cookies are slightly golden in color, 20 to 25 minutes.

5. Remove the almond from the end of each cookie; squeeze a small amount of red decorating gel into the cavity; replace the almond to cause the gel to ooze out around the tip of the cookie.


Spider Cupcakes
1 (18.25 ounce) package chocolate cake mix
1 pound black shoestring licorice
1 (16 ounce) can white frosting
48 pieces candy corn
48 cinnamon red hot candies
1/4 cup orange decorator sugar

Directins
1. Prepare cupcakes according to package directions. Let cool completely.

2. Cut licorice into 3 inch sections. Working with one or two cupcakes at a time, so the frosting doesn't set before decorating, frost the cupcakes with the white frosting. Insert licorice pieces into the outer edges of the cupcakes to make the legs of the spider, 3 legs on each side (4 takes up too much space). Place two pieces of candy corn on the front of the cupcake for fangs and use two red hots as eyes. Sprinkle with decorator sugar. Repeat with remaining cupcakes.


Halloween Popcorn Pumpkins
5 cups popped popcorn
1 cup candy corn
1 cup chopped salted peanuts
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3 cups miniature marshmallows
4 drops red food coloring
3 drops yellow food coloring
4 sticks red or black licorice, cut into thirds

Directions:
1. Grease a muffin pan and set aside. Place popcorn, candy corn and peanuts into a large bowl and set aside.

2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in marshmallows, red food coloring and yellow food coloring, adjusting color if needed to get a nice shade of orange. When the marshmallows are completely melted, pour over the popcorn and stir to evenly distribute the candy, nuts and marshmallow.

3. Use a greased spoon to fill the muffin cups. Insert a piece of licorice to act as the stem, and mold the popcorn around it. Let stand until firm, 10 to 15 minutes, and then pull the pumpkins out by their stems and admire your pumpkin patch!


Pumpkin Fudge
2 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 cups white sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 cup white chocolate chips
7 ounces marshmallow creme
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Line a 9x9 inch pan with aluminum foil, and set aside.

2. In a 3 quart saucepan, heat milk and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.

3. Mix in pumpkin puree and cinnamon; bring back to a boil. Stir in marshmallow creme and butter. Bring to a rolling boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 18 minutes.

4. Remove from heat, and add white chocolate chips and vanilla. Stir until creamy and all chips are melted. Pour into prepared pan. Cool, remove from pan, and cut into squares. Store in a cool, dry place.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vinegar

Directions:
1. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt, stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.

2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Pumpkin Cake

3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups canned pumpkin
1 cup white sugar
4 eggs

Directions:
1. Mix dry ingredients into a bowl.
2. Add pumpkin and eggs.
3. Add to pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

Pumpkin Scones

From Better Homes and Garden; October 2010 issue

3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 egg
1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
Ground White Pepper or Black Pepper
2 tsp. chili-flavor oil
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
Milk

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees farenheit. In a large bowl combine the pumpkin puree, Parmesan, melted butter, egg, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, and chili oil. Stir well to mix.

2. In another bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Fold into pumpkin mixture and stir just until combined into a dough.

3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Pat to 1-inch-thick oval.

4. Cut dough into scones using a round 2-inch biscuit cutter dipped in flour. Place scones 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Reform dough and repeat. You should get 12 scones.

5. Brush tops of scones with milk to glaze. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly. Eat warm with butter if desired.

To Freeze:
Baked scones can be frozen in airtight containers or resealable bags for up to 1 month. Thaw for 1 hour at room temperature. Wrap scones in foil and reheat in a 300 degree Faranheit oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Unbaked scones can be put on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper and frozen until solid. Transfer to resealable bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Do not thaw before baking as directed in recipe, adding 2 to 3 minutes to baking time.

Garden Pasta Salad

1 (16 ounce) package uncooked tri-color spiral pasta
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
2 large tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 (16 ounce) bottles Italian-style salad dressing
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling water until al dente. Rinse under cold water, and drain.
2. Mix chopped carrots, celery, cucumber, green pepper, tomatoes, and onion together in large bowl.
3. Combine cooled pasta and vegetables together in large bowl. Pour Italian dressing over mixture, add Parmesan cheese and mix well.
4. Chill for one hour before serving.

BBQ Pizza

3-6 pieces boneless/skinless chicken breasts cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. favorite BBQ sauce (we use a spicy-sweet sauce).
For the pizza
1 basic pizza dough
Cornmeal, semolina or flour for handling
1/2 C. favorite BBQ sauce (we use a spicy-sweet sauce).
2 Tbsp. shredded smoked Gouda cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 C. small red-onion, sliced into 1/8 inch pieces
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

In a large frying pan, cook the chicken in olive oil over medium high heat until just cooked, 5 to 6 minutes. Do not overcook. Set aside in the refrigerator until chilled through. Once chilled, coat the chicken with two tablespoons BBQ sauce; set aside in the refrigerator.

To make the pizza
Place a pizza stone in the center of the oven and preheat to 500 deg for once hour before cooking pizzas.

Use a large spoon to spread 1/4 cup BBQ sauce evenly over the surface of the prepared dough within the rim. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon smoked Gouda cheese over the sauce. Cover with 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella.

Distribute half the chicken pieces evenly over the cheese (approximately 18 pieces). Place approximately 18 to 20 pieces of red onion over the surface. Sprinkle an additional 1/4 cup mozzarella over the top of the pizza.

Transfer the pizza to the oven; bake until the crust is crisp and golden and the cheese at the center is bubbly (about 8 to 10 minutes). When the pizza is cooked, carefully remove it from the oven; sprinkle 1 tablespoon cilantro over the hot surface. Slice and serve.

Repeat with the remaining ingredients for a second pizza. (The two pizzas may be prepared simultaneously if you are careful in placing the pizzas at opposite corners of your pizza stone.)