halloween recipes

ingredients

• 2 cups (8 oz.) finely shredded cheddar cheese, medium or sharp

• 8 oz. (1 box) cream cheese, softened

• 2 tablespoons sour cream

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

• For the stems: Pretzel sticks or broccoli stems

• For serving: Crackers, apple slices and fresh vegetables such as jicama, carrots and zucchini

preparation

• Place the cheddar cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed for 20 seconds. (This will help break up the cheese into smaller pieces to create a smooth pumpkin.) Add the cream cheese, sour cream, paprika, salt and pepper and mix on medium speed until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice if necessary.

• Use a spatula to remove the mixture from the bowl. Using an ice-cream scoop or your hands, shape the cheese and mixture into 8-12 individual balls about the size of golf balls or smaller. Using a table knife or pastry spatula, smooth the outer surface of the “pumpkins”, then use the knife to make vertical grooves around them. Top each pumpkin with a pretzel twist or piece of broccoli stalk to resemble a stem.

• Place the pumpkins on a serving platter or individual plates, then serve with crackers, apple slices and fresh vegetables for dipping.

serves 8 - 12

source: http://www.potterybarnkids.com/shop/halloween/?cm_type=gnav

• Prep: 5 min. Bake: 70 min.

• Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients

2 large baking potatoes

3 ounces Jarlsberg or Swiss cheese, shredded, divided

1/4 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 grape tomatoes, halved

8 slices ripe olives

4 small serrano peppers, stems removed

4 green pepper strips

4 blue corn chips

Directions

Scrub and pierce potatoes. Bake at 375° for 1 hour or until tender.

When potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out pulp, leaving a thin shell. In a small bowl, mash the pulp. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese, milk, butter and salt. Spoon into potato shells. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Using the tomato halves, olive slices, serrano peppers and pepper strips, create a face on each potato half. Add corn chip hats. Yield: 4 servings.

Spooky Monster Sandwiches Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast

1/2 cup dried cranberries, optional

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

12 dinner rolls, split and toasted

1 jar (15 ounces) process cheese sauce

24 pimiento-stuffed olives

12 pimiento strips

6 whole baby dill pickles, cut in half lengthwise

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, cranberries if desired, mayonnaise, onion, celery, salt and pepper. Fill rolls with chicken mixture.

Heat cheese sauce to soften; drizzle or pipe over top of each sandwich to resemble hair. For each monster sandwich, attach olives for eyes, pimiento strips for noses and pickles for fangs. Yield: 1 dozen.

Creepy-Crawly Pasta Salad Recipe

Ingredients

8 ounces uncooked fusilli pasta or other spiral pasta

1 medium zucchini, julienned

1 cup cherry tomatoes

1 cup fresh cauliflowerets

1 cup colossal ripe olives, halved

3/4 cup pimiento-stuffed olives

1 small green pepper, chopped

1/2 cup chopped red onion

DRESSING:

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1/2 small onion, cut into wedges

1 garlic clove, peeled

1 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup canola oil

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. Place in a large bowl; add the zucchini, tomatoes, cauliflower, olives, green pepper and red onion.

In a blender, combine the ketchup, sugar, vinegar, onion, garlic, paprika and salt; cover and process until blended. While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream; process until thickened. Pour over pasta salad; toss to coat.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving

Halloween Pizza Recipe

Ingredients

1 frozen cheese pizza (12 inches)

1 can (6 ounces) pitted ripe olives, drained and halved

1 medium sweet red pepper

1 small green pepper

Directions

Place pizza on a 12-in. pizza pan. Arrange olives in a circle around edge of pizza. Cut a nose, eyes and mouth from red pepper. Cut a stem and eyebrows from green pepper. Make a jack-o'-lantern face on pizza. Bake according to package directions. Yield: 6-8 servings.