Spooky Haloween Treats
The American tradition of "trick-or-treating" dates back to the
early All Souls' Day party. During the festivities, poor citizens would beg
for food and families would give them pastries called "soul cakes" in
return for their promise to pray for the family's dead relatives. The practice,
which was referred to as "going a-souling" was eventually taken
up by children who would visit the houses in their neighborhood and be given
drink, food and money.
Have a party for Halloween! These days, parents are concerned about their
children going trick or treating door-to-door. They would rather have them
safely nearby on Halloween and letting your kids have a party in your home
will do just that.
Another option is to check out your neighborhood
churches. Many of them have
supervised Halloween events with all kinds of activities for all ages including
games, food and plenty of treats.
Tempting Treats . . . The Mummy Dogs and Boo Bites are very tasty and easy
to make. The Eyes of Newt are more time consuming to prepare but well worth
the effort. The Spook-tacular Puch recipe is one that I have used for years
for socials, programs and weddings. The Creepy Crawler Ice Ring adds a great
touch to the Halloween theme.
MUMMY DOGS
- 1 pkg (11 oz - 8 breadsticks size)
- 1 pkg (16 oz) franks
- Mustard
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using 1 dough strip for each, wrap franks to
look like mummies, leaving opening for eyes. Place on ungreased baking sheet.
Bake 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown. Place dots of mustard for
eyes.
Yield: 8 servings
BOO BITES
- 8 qts popcorn
- 1 pkg (10.5 oz) mini marshmallows
- 1/2 cup butter
Pop popcorn; place in large bowl. Combine marshmallows and butter and either microwave or cook over low heat until melted. Pour mixture over popcorn. As soon as ingredients are cool enough, butter hands (or use disposable gloves) and shape into balls.
Yield: about 40 depending on size of balls
EYES OF NEWT
- 1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
- 2 tbsps salsa
- 2 tbsps canned green chilies, drained
- and finely chopped
- 1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
- chopped fresh or bottled cilantro to taste
- 1 pkg (12-13 oz) flour tortillas
In a bowl, blend all ingredients except cilantro and tortillas. Spread one side of each tortilla with filling mixture and sprinkle with cilantro.
Roll tortilla around filling lengthwise and place seam side down on plate or in plastic container. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour - but no longer than four hours - to allow filling to become firm. Slice 3/4" widths of tortilla cross-wise to form roll-up pinwheels.
On each roll-up pinwheel; attach black olives and small pieces of red pepper or pimiento in center of each olive to look like eyes.
Yield: about 40-50 pieces
SPIDER WEB DIP (WITH SPOOKY TORTILLA CHIPS)
- 1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (8 oz) prepared salsa
- 1/2 cup prepared guacamole (optional)
- 2 tbsps sour cream
If preparing your own tortilla chips, do so and set aside.
Place cream cheese and salsa in mixer and blend until almost smooth. Spread
cream cheese mixture on round serving dish or pie plate. If desired, smooth
guacamole over top, leaving about a 1-inch border. Place sour cream in small
resealable plastic food storage bag; seal bag. Pipe sour cream in circles
over guacamole. Run tip of knife through sour cream to make "spider
web" effect. Serve with corn chips of your choice or Spooky Tortilla
Chips.
Cook's Note*: Find the Spooky Tortilla Chips recipe online (see recipe below).
Yield: 10-12 servings
BONUS ONLINE RECIPE:
SPOOKY TORTILLA CHIPS (FOR SPIDER WEB DIP)
- 3 pkgs (12 oz ea) 8-inch plain or flavored flour tortillas
- Salt to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray baking sheet with olive oil nonstick cooking spray.
Using 3-inch Halloween cookie cutters, cut tortillas, one at a time, into shapes. Discard scraps.Lightly spray tortilla shapes with cooking spray. Place on prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.
Bake 7-9 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.
Yield: about 90 chips
SPOOK-TACULAR PUNCH
- 2 bottles (67 oz ea) Hawaiian Punch*
- 1 can (46 oz) pineapple juice
- 1 bottle (2 liter) lemon-lime carbonated beverage
Mix Hawaiian Punch and pineapple juice in a large plastic container and
chill.
Chill lemon-lime beverage.
At serving time, pour punch mixture into punch bowl and add lemon-lime beverage. Take ice ring out of mold and add to punch bowl.
Makes 247 ounces or approximately 8 quarts of punch.
Note*: Hawaiian Punch is a registered trademark of Dr.Pepper/Seven-Up, Inc.
CREEPY CRAWLER ICE RING
- 1 cup gummy worms or other creepy crawlers
- 1 qt (4 cups) lemon-lime carbonated beverage
Arrange gummy worms in bottom of 5-cup ring mold; fill mold with just enough liquid to cover worms.
Freeze solid. Fill mold almost to the top with remainder of beverage and freeze solid. Make the day before needed.
Yield: 1 ice ring
Heaven is no trick and Hell is no treat.
For more great recipes, visit our past issues then click on Culinary Corner.
Please direct any questions or comments you may have regarding Culinary Corner to: bethoover@aol.com.
© 2008 Good News Tucson
