A twisted mind and some creative food shopping can scare up all kinds of gruesome grub for ghouls and goblins of all ages this Halloween.
The ideas here start with cookie mixes, but you could use the same topping treatment on any cake or cookie recipe.
For example, turn sandwich cookies into tilting tombstones in a Halloween granola graveyard. Fill in with candy pumpkins. Or design a spidery icing web.
Turn a round cake (or cupcakes) into a grinning face with candy eyes, nose and lips and a mane of shoestring licorice hair.
Or spread out all the goodies and let kids design their own creepy critters.
Go ahead. It’s the one night of the year when you’re encouraged to play with your food.
SPIDER WEB PEANUT BARS
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes
Yield: 12 bars
A plastic spider and other Halloween creatures will add a scary touch to these peanut bars.
1 package chocolate-peanut butter dessert bar mix, with chocolate frosting
1/2 cup honey-roasted peanuts, chopped
3 tablespoons butter or margarine butter, softened
1 egg
Vanilla decorating icing
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 8- or 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil, leaving edge of the foil hanging over the side of pan. Grease foil. Stir bar mix, peanuts, margarine and egg in a medium bowl; mixture will resemble soft cookie dough. Spread in pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until top is light golden brown. Cool completely; lift out foil and bars. Pull foil away from sides of uncut bars for easier frosting and decorating.
2. Knead packet of frosting included with mix for about 10 seconds. Cut off one corner of packet. Squeeze frosting onto bars; spread evenly. Using white decorator icing, pipe a series of thin circles onto uncut brownies, each about 1/2 inch larger than the previous circle. Draw the tip of a knife from the center of the rings to the edge in a spoke fashion to create spider web. Place plastic spider near the center of the web.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ……. 335 Fat ……. 15 g
Cholesterol .. 45 mg Sodium .. 290 mg
DINO PUNCH
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Yield: 14 half-cup servings
1 can (6 ounces) each, thawed: frozen lemonade concentrate, frozen limeade concentrate
1 cup water
Few drops green food coloring
1 bottle (1 liter) chilled ginger ale
1. Combine concentrates and water in large non-metal pitcher.
2. Add food coloring; blend well. Just before serving, add ginger ale and stir gently. Serve over ice.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories …… 80 Fat …… 0 g Sodium …… 5 mg
GRAVEYARD BROWNIES
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25-30 minutes
Yield: 18 servings
1 package chocolate chunk or walnut brownie mix
3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup granola without dried fruit
5 to 7 finger-shaped vanilla sandwich cookies
Candy pumpkins, other Halloween candy
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13- by 9-inch pan with aluminum foil, leaving edge of foil hanging over the rim of pan. Grease bottom of foil.
2. Mix brownie mix, water, oil and eggs in medium bowl until well blended. Spread mixture in pan. Sprinkle with granola, breaking up any large pieces. Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from edge of pan comes out clean or almost clean.
3. Remove brownies from oven; immediately press sandwich cookies halfway into warm brownies to look like tombstones. Cool completely; lift out foil and transfer uncut brownies to serving tray or piece of cardboard covered with foil. Arrange candy to complete graveyard scene.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ……. 240 Fat ……… 13 g
Cholesterol .. 25 mg Sodium …. 125 mg
SPIDER WEB MUNCH
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Chilling time: 30 minutes
Yield: 12 servings
1 package (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 cups toasted rice cereal
1. Heat chips and 3/4 cup of the peanut butter in a small, heavy-duty saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth; remove from heat. Add sugar and stir vigorously until smooth.
2. Place cereal in a large bowl. Add 1 cup of the melted chocolate mixture; stir until well-coated. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Using a small metal spatula, shape into a 10-inch circle with slightly raised 1-inch border. Pour remaining melted chocolate mixture into center of circle and spread to border.
3. To make spider web, place remaining peanut butter in a heavy-duty plastic bag; knead with hands to soften. Cut tiny corner from bag; squeeze to pipe concentric circles on top of chocolate. Using a wooden pick or tip of a sharp knife, pull tip through peanut butter from center to border in several places. Chill 30 minutes or until firm. Cut into wedges.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories …… 320 Fat ……… 20 g
Cholesterol .. 0 mg Sodium …. 150 mg
