RECIPE PALETTE FUN

Yield: 10 servings
Ingredients:

Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
1 (18.25 oz.) package Pillsbury® Yellow Cake
1 cup water
1/3 cup Crisco® Pure Vegetable Oil
3 large eggs
1/2 cup chocolate-flavored candy melts or coating wafers, melted
1 (16 oz.) can Pillsbury® Chocolate Fudge Frosting
6 rectangular graham crackers
2 rectangular chocolate graham crackers
Candy-coated peanut butter pieces
Candy corn
3 candy pumpkins
6 oval creme-filled sandwich cookies, cut in half crosswise
7 baked refrigerator sugar cookie dough with ghost shapes

Directions:

1. HEAT oven to 350°F. Spray a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray. Prepare cake mix as directed on package, using water, oil and eggs. Pour batter into prepared pan.

2. BAKE 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 30 minutes or until completely cooled.

3. PLACE sheet of foil on cookie sheet. Spoon melted candy melts into small resealable food storage plastic bag; seal bag. Cut small hole in bottom corner of bag. Squeeze melted candy in shape of trees onto foil. Refrigerate trees.

4. RESERVE 1/4 cup fudge frosting for roof and decorations. Frost cake with remaining frosting. With sharp knife, cut peaks in one short side of each of 2 graham crackers. Insert crackers into cake for front and back of haunted house. Break 1 graham cracker in half crosswise; insert into cake for sides of house. Frost 2 graham crackers; place on house for roof.

5. BREAK up chocolate graham crackers; arrange on cake for walkway and on house for windows and door. Arrange peanut butter pieces along edge of walkway. Pipe line of frosting along top of house; arrange candy corn in frosting.

6. ARRANGE chocolate trees on cake. Place candy pumpkins near house. Pipe frosting on sandwich cookies to resemble tombstones. Arrange "tombstones" on cake. Crush remaining graham cracker; mound graham cracker crumbs in front of tombstones for graves. Place ghost cookies behind tombstones.

Licorice-Eared Mice Mini-Cakes


NOTE: "For this dessert, you'll need a box of Betty Crocker Super Moist German Chocolate cake mix, which chef Mary Maher enhances with a couple of choice ingredients. To add flavor and moistness, replace the 1 1/3 cup water the recipe calls for with the same amount of grade-A dark maple syrup, and swap the 1/2 cup oil with an equal portion of pumpkin pie filling."


Ingredients


1 box(es) Betty Crocker Super Moist German Chocolate cake mix, prepared

1/3 cup(s) grade-A dark maple syrup

1/2 cup(s) pumpkin pie filling

Black food coloring

1 tub(s) Duncan Hines Classic Vanilla frosting

Black licorice


Directions

Coat a mini-egg cake pan with cooking spray and fill each compartment to the top with prepared cake mix.

Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, then cool cakes on a wire rack.

Repeat until you've baked 16 cakes.

Slowly add black food coloring to 3/4 tub of frosting, while stirring, until frosting turns pale gray.

Microwave for 10 seconds, and stir; repeat until frosting is thin enough to pour, then coat cakes.

Apply pieces of licorice to form tails (cut to 4 inches) and shaped ears (cut to 2 1/2 inches), as shown.

Slowly add black food coloring to remaining frosting, while stirring, until frosting turns dark black.

Pour inside a freezer bag with one tip snipped off to create a piping sleeve.

Use piping sleeve to draw eyes, nose, and whiskers.

Recipe here:
http://www.countryliving.com/recipefinder/licorice-eared-mice-mini-cakes-recipe

Raisin Spooky Spiders

Prep time: 15 minutes
Chill time: 15 minutes

1/2 cup California raisins
1/3 cup almond or peanut butter
3 tablespoons each: honey and unsweetened cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups brown rice crispy cereal
1 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, melted
96 tiny thin black licorice strips
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
24 small candies or frosting for eyes

Place raisins, almond or peanut butter, honey and cocoa powder in a food processor and process until a thick paste forms. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in cereal, using your hands to mix in completely. Press mixture into 12 balls, then press lightly onto a foil or wax paper lined baking sheet. Spread a small amount of melted chocolate on the bottom of each and slide 8 small pieces of licorice under each to form the spider legs; refrigerate until firm. Stir a few drops of water into powdered sugar to make a thick mixture to “glue” eyes onto spiders.

Makes 12 servings

Recipe here:
http://sacfoodies.com/2009/10/spooky-raisin-spiders/

TAG: RPFHalloween2011 (Halloween-October Challenge)

Spooky Witch Fingers

Ingredients

* 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 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.

Recipe Here:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/spooky-witches-fingers/detail.aspx

Pumpkin Pot Pie

Ingredients:

6 sugar pumpkins or acorn squash (1 to 2 pounds each)
Salt and ground black pepper
6 tablespoon butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups canned chicken broth
8 ounces frozen mixed vegetables
8 ounces frozen pearl onions or chopped onions
4 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried leaf sage
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 refrigerated pie crust
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk for egg wash

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Slice tops off pumpkins. Remove seeds and pulp. Sprinkle insides of pumpkins with salt and pepper. Place pumpkins cut side up on a baking sheet. Cover pumpkins tightly with foil. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or just until skin is easily pierced with knife. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
2. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly until well blended, about 1 minute. Add broth and stir constantly until mixture is thick and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Add vegetables, onions, chicken and herbs. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and divide mixture evenly among cooled pumpkin shells (approximately 1-1/2 cups per pumpkin).
3. Unwrap pie dough and place on lightly floured work surface. With a sharp paring knife, cut (12) 6-inch-long, 1/2-inch-wide strips, and roll dough to resemble tendrils. Cut small leaf shapes, and with back of knife, gently press lines into leaf to resemble veins.
4. Use egg wash as glue to attach dough strips, twisting gently to form coils. Attach leaves. Brush all decorations with egg wash. Return pumpkins to oven and bake about 30 minutes, or until pie dough is golden and filling is hot and bubbly.

Recipe here:
http://blogs.smarter.com/babieskids/2008/10/15/halloween-recipes-frighteningly-delicious/

1 cup Unsalted butter 250 mL

3/4 cup Brown sugar 200 mL

and 2 tbsp

11/2 tsp Vanilla extract 7 mL

1/2 cup Candied ginger 125 mL

2 tbsp Fresh ginger, 30 mL peeled and minced

2 tbsp Ground ginger 30 mL

2 cups All purpose flour 500 mL

1/2 tsp Baking soda 2.5 mL

3/4 tsp Salt 4 mL

Preheat oven to 340 F.

Cream the butter and sugar with a paddle attachment in an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, fresh ginger and finely chopped candied ginger to the creamed mixture.

Sift together dry ingredients and then add to the creamed mixture. Mix just until the dough comes together. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill until firm.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thick. Using a moon shaped cutter, cut out dough and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place a small piece of candied ginger for the eye and then chill the cookies once more until firm.

Bake for approximately 8 minutes or until just firm but soft to the touch.

Dust lightly with icing sugar before serving.

BLEEDING FINGER LEMON COOKIES

Finger food, anyone? After Halloween you could roll this cookie dough from Culinary Capers to 1/4 inch and use a pretty cookie cutter for less creepy cookies.

11/8 cups Unsalted butter 275 mL

11/2 cups Sugar 375 mL

3/4 tsp Fine sea salt 4 mL

1 Large egg 1

1/4 cup Whole milk 50 mL

1 tsp Vanilla 5 mL

1 tbsp Lemon zest, 15 mL finely grated

41/4 cups Cake flour 1050 mL

11/4 tbsp Baking powder 19 mL Whole almonds Raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cream the butter, sugar and salt in an electric mixer with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy.

Add the egg, then the milk, vanilla and zest. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and mix again.

Sift together flour and baking powder. Add dry mixture to wet mixture and blend just until combined.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill until firm.

Take about 2 to 3 tablespoons of dough per finger. Roll each into a ball, then a log, and shape into a finger with knuckle marks. Make an indent at one end for fingernail, smear some raspberry jam into it and place whole almond in the indent. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. You might need to add more jam once cooled for a bloodied look.

Makes approximately 15 to 20 cookies depending on size.

Chocolate Chip Raisin Cookies

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1-1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6-ounces (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2-1/2 cups quick oats
1 cup Sun-Maid Natural Raisins
3 dozen craft sticks or popsicle sticks
Decorating glaze (recipe below) or 1 tub vanilla frosting
Colored icing tubes or pens

Heat oven to 350 F. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

Combine butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla; beat until well blended. Stir in melted chocolate, flour and baking soda. Mix well. Mix in oats and raisins.

Space sticks 4-inches apart on baking sheet. Drop a rounded 2-inch ball of dough onto the end of each stick.

Butter the bottom of a glass, dip in flour, and gently press cookie dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on pan 3 minutes. Remove with spatula to cool on wire racks.

Decorating Glaze

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
1 pound (about 3-1/2 cups) powdered sugar

Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add milk. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar. (Sift sugar first if it is lumpy.)

Stir vigorously with a fork for 3 to 4 minutes until mixture turns white and opaque. Mixture should be thick, smooth and pourable; add ore milk or sugar if needed. Working quickly before glaze stiffens, generously spoon glaze over cookies allowing excess to run off edges. Let set until dry to the touch. Decorate.

RECIPE Here:
http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2010/10/13/spider-cookie-pops/

1 1/2 cups toasted pecans
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, in pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 ounces thin black licorice strands, cut into 2-inch pieces
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
Chocolate curls or jimmies, optional
Directions
Line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper and lightly spray with nonstick spray. Mound 30 small clusters of pecans, about 3 or 4 pecans each, spaced a couple inches apart on the pan.


Make caramel: Warm the cream over low heat and keep warm while you cook the sugar.


Put the sugar and corn syrup and in a deep, heavy-bottomed large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Stop stirring, raise heat to medium-high, and simmer until the sugar reaches the hard crack stage, or 305 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 7 minutes.


Whisk the butter and salt into the sugar mixture. Gradually pour in the cream and vanilla taking care since the mixture will bubble up. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar reaches soft ball stage, 240 degrees F on the thermometer, about 5 minutes more. Immediately remove from the heat and cool for a minute.


Ladle a couple tablespoons of warm caramel over some of the nut clusters, to make the spider bodies. Then press 6 pieces of licorice into the warm caramel to make the legs. Repeat with the remaining caramel and licorice. (It's helpful to have an extra hand here, since the caramel can set quickly. If caramel hardens, warm over very low heat. ) Let spiders cool 15 minutes.


Meanwhile, put the chocolates in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1-inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water. Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth. (Alternatively, put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Melt at 50 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 1 minute. Stir, and continue heat until completely melted, 2 to 3 minutes more.)