Chocolate Covered Pretzel Monsters

From: http://www.cuteasafox.com/
I saw these ghost pretzels featured on Craft Gossip, Edible Crafts and knew I had a winner.


(Originally posted on PBS Parents)

I decided I wanted to branch out a bit and try some other monsters too. So today I am going to show you my Pretzel Mummies and Frankensteins.

What you need:

• Rod Pretzels
• Candy Melts or Candy Coasting - I used White Chocolate, Regular Brown, and 'Spooky Green' candy melts
• An edible ink pen or toothpick to draw on faces

Step 1. Dip all your pretzels once. White for mummies and green for Frankenstein.

Step 2. After the chocolate has set draw on your Mummy eyes.

Step 3. Using a spoon or cutting a corner in a ziploc bag, drizzle the chocolate back and forth over the pretzel. This will make th bandages. I like to get reallly close to the eyes. I even went in between some of the eyes or partially covered them.

Step 4. Let them set lying down just to make sure your bandages don't run and drip. You don't want to get those eyes covered up!

Step 5. Optional: Once the front has set, you can add more 'bandages' to the back. I didn't, but you may want to.

Frankenstein:

Step 1: Dip your pretzel rods in green candy melts and let it set.

Step 2. Dip just the tip in brown or black for Frankenstein's hair. Let set.


Step 3. Using your Food dye pen, draw on some eyes, a stitched up mouth, and neck bolts.

My pen started giving me fits half way through so I decided to switch to using the melted chocolate for the faces. It was late and I was tired, so I just went at the rest of my Franketsteins with a toothpick and the chocolate. I think putting some chocolate in a ziploc and cutting a teeny tiny hole in the corner would work much better.

Here are my finished pretzel monsters again. They were a huge hit at preschool! That is a good thing, because making 48 of them sure did take a long time! Each child got 2 pretzels and some apple slices. Sounds like a snack I wouldn't mind having myself!

Spooky and delicious!

Chocolate-Dipped Twinkie Mummies

From: http://www.inbetewwnlaundry.blogspot.com/ 

These are dangerous.

And completely irresistible.
And definitely not carrot sticks.
Consider yourself warned.

Start with a box of Twinkies (which normally contains 10, but somehow, we only had 6 in our box--now how did that happen? LOL).

Insert craft sticks and freeze them for about an hour. This helps with the dipping later.

Melt a package of chocolate chips and dip the Twinkies in, spreading the chocolate evenly.

Place them back in the freezer while you melt a package of white baking pieces.

Pour your melted white chocolate into a baggie and pipe strips on your Twinkies using a flat tip.

Add eyes with icing or candy.

You can eat your mummies cold, but they are So YuMmY at room temp.

Happy Halloween!

Oreo Ghosts Mummy’s

Oreos
White Chocolate
mini choc chips (or black candies for eyes)

Dip oreos in melted white chocolate, place choc chip morsel or candy on for eyes.  Let chocolate harden then drizzle more white chocolate for mummy drape look.

Chocolate Dipped Candy Corn Rice Krispie Treat

From: http://www.alittletipsy.com/

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows
• 6 cups Rice Krispies
• Yellow and red food coloring
• 1/2 cup Chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup White Chocolate Chips
• 1 teaspoon Crisco

1. In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on high stirring once a minute, until smooth. Add food coloring to die the marshmallow mixture orange (about 4 yellow drops and one red drop).

2. Add Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using buttered spatula evenly press mixture into two 9 inch round pans coated with cooking spray. Cool.

 4. Cut into 8 triangles. Round the pointed edges to make them look more like candy corns.

5. Melt chocolate chips with 1/2 teaspoon of crisco in microwave on 50 percent power stirring often. Spoon melted chocolate over the big end of the triangle. Place on wax paper.

6. Repeat step 5 with the white chocolate on the small end.

7. Place in fridge to help chocolate set.

Hope you like this rice krispie treat as much as we did!

Swamp Juice

These are "howl-worthy" recipes for kids and adults alike. Maybe you are still looking for a few ideas to put the finishing touches on your own Halloween party or maybe you are just looking for fun. In any instance, I'm hoping you enjoy some of these holiday treats!


I'm kicking my Halloween week off with a couple of drinks. One is for all the adults and the other is for the kids, designated drivers, or those that like a good swamp juice. Either way, they are a great way to get your party started. First up a candy corn inspired cordial that is certainly beautiful to look at and even better to sip. Vodka is infused with candy corn for a few hours which imparts the great color scheme. Your vodka won't be tasting exactly like candy corn, but it will add a good amount of sweetness. The colored liquor is then mixed with Grand Marnier, lemon juice and a splash of lemon-lime soda for a bit of fizz.

Next up is the green tinted swamp juice. This drink is a hit with kids and adults alike. Lime jello is dissolved in hot water before being mixed with pineapple juice, orange juice concentrate and lastly a splash of ginger ale. Yellow and blue food coloring assure the perfect color.  Decorate these drinks with gummy worms or go ahead and freeze little gummy critters in an ice cube tray and drop them into your swamp juice for a "gross" affect.

Both of these drinks are easy to make ahead. Making a big pitcher or punch bowl will free up your hands and makes it easy to mingle instead of playing bartender. All that's left to do when your guests arrive is the splash of soda. Even if you are not planning a party this year, you might be able to surprise your loved ones with one of these drinks and get everyone involved into a ghoulish mood!

Candy Corn Cordial


(adapted from Foodnetwork.com)

(Makes 4 drinks)

Ingredients:


For the infused vodka:

1/2 cup candy corn
1 1/2 cup vodka

For the cordials:

Infused vodka
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
Juice of 1 Lemon
Lemon-Lime Soda
Candy Corn, for garnish

Preparation:

Infuse the vodka: Combine the candy corn and vodka in an airtight container; set aside for at least 3 hours, then strain.

Make the cordials: Combine the infused vodka, orange liquor and lemon juice in a large measuring cup, add a splash of lemon-lime soda and stir. Pour into chilled martini glasses and garnish with candy corn.

Swamp Juice

(adapted from AllRecipes.com)

(makes 20 servings)

Ingredients:

2 (3 ounce) packages lime flavored gelatin mix
1 quart hot water
1 (46 fluid ounce) can pineapple juice
2 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
4 cups cold water
yellow and blue food coloring, optional
2 liters ginger ale
gummy worms, for garnish

Preparation:

Dissolve gelatin in 1 quart of hot water. Allow to cool.

When gelatin is cool, pour into a large punch bowl. Stir in pineapple juice, orange juice concentrate and cold water. Add food coloring (if desired) until preferred color is reached (start with a couple of drops of each). Pour in ginger ale just before serving. Garnish with gummy worms.

Popcorn Balls

• 3/4 cup light corn syrup

• 1/4 cup margarine
• 2 teaspoons cold water
• 2 5/8 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup marshmallows
• 5 quarts plain popped popcorn

Directions

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the corn syrup, margarine, cold water, confectioners' sugar and marshmallows. Heat and stir until the mixture comes to a boil. Carefully combine the hot mixture with the popcorn, coating each kernel.

2. Grease hands with vegetable shortening and quickly shape the coated popcorn into balls before it cools. Wrap with cellophane or plastic wrap and store at room temperature

Best Ever Popcorn Balls

• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 2 teaspoons cold water
• 2 5/8 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup marshmallows
• 5 quarts plain popped popcorn

• In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the corn syrup, margarine, cold water, confectioners' sugar and marshmallows. Heat and stir until the mixture comes to a boil. Carefully combine the hot mixture with the popcorn, coating each kernel.

• Grease hands with vegetable shortening and quickly shape the coated popcorn into balls before it cools. Wrap with cellophane or plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

Love this soft chewy recipe!!!! EASY!!! A quick way to make balls is to oil a cup(measuring cup works well) ans stuff coated popcorn in. A tap to the bottom of the cup onto waxed paper leaves beautiful balls! Yum!! I've made them a few times and love them but add 2 teaspoons of vanilla to flavor Remember to butter hands before playing in coated popcorn or it'll stick!.

Using the insert for crock pot sprayed w/cooking spray and 1 1/2 bags of popcorn, used 1/2 of hot syrup mixing w/sprayed spatula and 1 measuring cup for shaping balls as well as spatula. I just sprayed one hand and rubbed hands to help further shape if needed. The syrup mixture was then reheated and process was repeated. It came out perfect, little bigger than baseball about 22 servings. Used zip sandwich bags to hold and give out.

Spooky Witches Fingers

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 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

• 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.

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

• 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.

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

• 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.

We added green food coloring to the dough and when I took them out of the oven I added a single chocolate chip for a wart. We also added red gel food coloring for the severed end of the finger. The cookies do enlarge when baked (almost double the thickness) so make sure you don't make them to round when you are rolling them out.

Chocolate Mice

• 4 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs

• 1/3 cup chocolate cookie crumbs
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 24 silver dragees decorating candy
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 12 (2 inch) pieces long red vine licorice
• Melt the chocolate, and combine with sour cream. Stir in 1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs. Cover and refrigerate until firm.

• Roll by level tablespoonfuls into balls. Mold to a slight point at one end (the nose).

• Roll dough in confectioners sugar (for white mice), and in chocolate cookie crumbs (for dark mice). On each mouse, place dragees in appropriate spot for eyes, almond slices for ears, and a licorice string for the tail.

• Refrigerate for at least two hours, until firm.

The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies

• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

• In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

• Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

Popcorn Balls

Talk about taking me back to my childhood and even my kids back to their childhood!!  My Aunt (Great Aunt) Eunice lived next door to my all of my child life, and most of my adult life.  She made popcorn balls every Halloween.  Kids (and adults too) came from miles to get her popcorn balls on Halloween night!  She always had tons of trick or treaters searching for those yummy balls.  She passed away and we no longer have that blessing in our life.  I love them so much, now that I am a Nanna, I will have to start this tradition for my grandkids!!


Today Americans consume over 17.3 billion quarts of popped popcorn. That's an average of 68 quarts for each of us. There's no telling how many ears of corn that takes! Popcorn Balls are one of those simple gifts from the kitchen that can't be improved upon!  What memories she created for each of us. They are a treat for all ages.

Ingredients:
• 3 quarts of popcorn
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup corn syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions:

First, pop about 3 quarts of popcorn. Then start making the syrup, which will give the popcorn balls great flavor and holds all the corn together.

In a large saucepan combine the sugar with the corn syrup, and add water, butter and salt over medium high heat. Now, cook this stirring constantly until all of the sugar has dissolved. Next, stop stirring and let it continue to cook until it reaches a temperature of 270 degrees or until the syrup forms a ball when dropped into cold water. Then add the vanilla for a little added flavor.

Just pour this syrup over the 3 quarts of salted popped corn and mix it together. Grease your hands with butter and shape them into balls. Once you pour the syrup in you need to work fast because it will harden.

Now the balls will last up to 2 weeks in air tight bags but around my house, they evaporate long before that.

I Scream Sandwitches (Martha Stewart)

Once upon a time, it seems, some wicked witches gathered around their hot cauldron and agreed upon a signature silhouette. So making instantly recognizable "sandwitches" is easy. Just use dark-and-dreary (chocolate) cookies and gruesome green (mint) ice cream. Then eat quickly. Wicked witches have a habit of melting -- these ones, especially.


For neat rounds of ice cream, snip away the carton with scissors, cut ice cream into 3/4-inch-thick slices, and make shapes with a 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter. Freeze leftovers in an airtight container.

Ingredients
Makes 8 (16 circles, 8 half circles).


• 2 large egg whites
• 1 cup superfine sugar
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• Pinch of salt
• 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
• Mini candy-coated chocolates, for hats
• Green mint-chocolate-chip ice cream

Directions


1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put egg whites and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix 30 seconds. Mix in flour, cocoa, and salt. Mix in butter, cream, and vanilla; mix 30 seconds.

2. Bake cookies: Using plastic lids or heavy card stock, cut out 1 circle (2 3/4 inches in diameter) and 1 half circle (4 1/2 inches long). Using the outlines as stencils, spread dough on a Silpat baking mat with an offset spatula to make 4 circles and 2 half circles. Transfer mat to a baking sheet; bake cookies until starting to set, 6 to 7 minutes.

3. Shape cones: Remove half circles with an offset spatula while still hot. With straight sides of cookies facing up, quickly bring edges together to form cones, holding until set. Repeat three more times with remaining dough.

4. Make sandwitches: Dip cones in melted chocolate to coat 1/4 inch of rims. Place cones on 8 whole cookies; press 1 candy onto band of each hat. Freeze until set, 10 to 20 minutes. Brush remaining 8 whole cookies on one side with melted chocolate. Freeze until set, 10 to 20 minutes. Cut ice cream using technique described above. Place on coated cookies; top with hats.

Invisible Pops

Makes 1 dozen.

• 2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup light corn syrup
• Assorted candies and seeds, such as red and black licorice whips, candy corn etc.  Any candy that fits the season

Directions


1. Line three baking sheets with Silpat nonstick baking mats or parchment paper. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside.

2. Bring sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Don't stir, but occasionally wash down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water to prevent crystals from forming; boil until mixture turns golden and registers 300 degrees to 310 degrees (hard-crack stage) on a candy thermometer, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Immediately set pan into ice-water bath to stop the cooking (syrup will steam vigorously); let sit about 20 seconds. Swirl pan 2 minutes more to cool.

4. Working quickly, pour syrup onto baking sheets, forming circles (3 to 31/2 inches in diameter) and spacing pours about 4 inches apart .

Press in lollipop sticks.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
With your fingertip or a wooden skewer, lightly press candies and seeds into syrup. Let stand until completely hardened and cooled.

Punkin Cake

Ingredients

• 1 pkg Duncan Hines® Moist Deluxe® Spice Cake Mix
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 2 tubs Duncan Hines® Creamy Home-Style Classic Vanilla Frosting
• green, red and yellow food coloring
• 1 flat bottom ice cream cone

Baking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 10-inch Bundt pan.

2. Combine cake mix, eggs, water and pumpkin in large bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer for 2 minutes. Stir in nuts. Pour into pan.

3. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 25 minutes. Invert onto serving plate. Cool completely.

4. Measure 1/4 cup frosting into small bowl. Tint with green food coloring. Place ice cream cone upside down on waxed paper. Frost with green frosting. Refrigerate.

5. Tint remaining frosting with red and yellow food coloring until frosting is desired orange color. Measure 3 tablespoons orange frosting in small bowl; add green food coloring to brown frosting.

6. Frost cake with orange frosting. Make eyes, mouth and nose with brown frosting as desired on pumpkin. Place green frosted ice cream cone in center hole of cake for stem.

** I am not a big fan of pumpkin...I am going to use spice cake mix and canned apples