Creepers Peepers

Even as a kid, I was fascinated by Jello Jigglers. They are just so much fun and I LOVE that they hold a shape. Van is the perfect age for these treats (3 years) he calls them "jig-lies" and he will play with them forever. He will make the shapes dance and wiggle. He will toss them up and watch them jiggle in the air. He is enthralled by their playfulness. He does make a complete mess of himself though and I will often have to wash him in the sink when he is done eating. If you don't like the consistancy of Jello Jigglers or don't have the extra gelatin packets on hand, this Halloween creation can be made with the classic Jello preparation as well. This dish was made with sugar-free Jello so it was a snack I could feel good about feeding my boys.

Serves: 4 (1 cup servings)

Start-to-Finish: 15 minutes + refrigeration

Recipe By:

Ingredients:

12 oz jello gelatin (4 small packages or 2 large packages)

2 1/2 cups boiling water

whipping cream

8 blueberries

Directions:

1.  In a small saucepan, boil water.

2.  Add boiling water to gelatin powder.

3.  Stir for 3 minutes, or until powder is completely dissloved.

4.  Pour into a 9 x 13 glass pan.

5.  Refrigerate for 3 hours.

6.  To unmold, dip bottom of glass pan in warm water for 15 seconds to release.

7.  Cut jello into shapes or squares.

8.  Serve in a bowl with whipping cream and blueberries for eyes.

Ham and Cheese Spookables

Halloween + Lunchables = Spookables! These fun cracker sandwiches are pretty self-explanatory.  I used a set of mini cookie cutters to get my Halloween shapes.  You can usually pick them up at Target or Walmart around the Halloween season.

Serves: 4
Start-to-Finish: 15 minutes
Recipe By: Amber Brunson




Ingredients:

16-20 Ritz crackers
5 slices of cheese (I used both American and Monterrey for the variety of color)
4 slices of deli meat

Directions:

1.  Cut Halloween shapes from cheese.
2.  Cut Halloween shapes from deli meat (I had to push really hard to make sure the cutter was going all the way through the meat, I am not you will get a good cut with a plastic cookie cutter.)
3.  Serves with Ritz crackers

Buried Alive Banana-Cranberry Muffins

Not only are these muffins delicious but healthy, too. The tartness of the cranberries offsets the sweet banana batter and the texture is smooth and light. Like I said before... DELICIOUS! Even those who don't like traditional banana bread will be converted by these fluffly, cake-like muffins. The arms poking out of the muffins are cake picks (toothpicks with a decorative end). There are other picks available at Amazon.com or you can use Barbie doll arms like this woman (click here) or stop by your local craft store and buy doll arms and legs.


Serves: 20 muffins
Start-to-Finish: 30 min prep + 25 min bake
Recipe By: muffin recipe by Betty Crocker and arm idea by Rachael Ray (I am one of the people who thinks the baby arm that was originally thought up by the design team is morbid and does not reflex the happy Halloween spirit, so I made my own spin on the idea.)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (no substitutions)
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 3-4 bananas very well mashed)
1/2 cup buttermilk (I never have buttermilk so I substitute with 1/2 TBSP lemon juice mixed with 1/2 cup milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1-2 cups chopped frozen or fresh cranberries

Directions:

1.  Move oven rack to low position so that tops of muffins will be in center of oven.
2.  Heat oven to 350°F.

3.  Grease or paper line your muffin tins.
4.  Mix sugar and butter in large bowl.
5.  Stir in eggs until well blended.
6.  Add bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla.
7.  Beat until smooth.
8.  Stir in flour, baking soda and salt.
9.  Stir in chopped cranberries.
10. Pour into muffin tins (approximately 3/4 full).
11. Bake 20-22 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
12. Cool 10 minutes.
13. Rough up the tops of the muffins so it looks like overturned dirt.
14. Insert your cake picks into the roughed-up muffin and serve

Dip and Bones

Chips and dip is a classic snacky food. This chili con queso recipe is one of my favorites from childhood. My grandma used to make this recipe when her grandkids would come to visit. With only two ingredients and virtually no prep this is one your children will be able to make themselves as soon as they can use the microwave. The orangy-brown coloring of the dip is an added Halloween bonus. These cute bone chips are cut from tortilla shells and can be served with any salsa or dip your kids will eat.


Serves: 4
Start-to-Finish: 30 minutes
Recipe By: Ruth Jones

Ingredients:

Bone chips:
1 (30 count) pkg corn tortillas
vegetable oil

Chili con queso:
1 (8-oz) pkg cream cheese
1 (16-oz) can chili (with or without beans; whatever your preference)

Directions:

1. In a medium, microwave-safe bowl mix cream cheese and chili.
2. Microwave on high for 5 minutes stirring every minute until the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth.
3. Set aside chili con queso dip.
4. Using a cookie cutter, cut out corn tortillas into the shapes of bones (I was able to get two bones from each tortilla shell).
5. Heat vegetable oil in a fry pan over medium-high heat until popping.
6. Fry tortilla cut-outs for 2 minutes a side, or until crispy and browned.
7. Serve chips with chili con queso dip.

Goblin Gorp

Whether you call it trail mix, gorp, or scroggin. It is a nutritional, high-energy snack that you can feel good about. (I am a personal fan of "gorp"). This gorp recipe takes Granola, Oatmeal, Raisins, and Peanuts a step further and adds candy corn, Chex cereal, pumpkin seeds, and pumpkin spice for an exceptional snack time food with an October flair. After cooking the mix, the pumpkin seeds have a caramel coating that is to die for. This is best served right after it has been made. However, if you need to store it make sure the mix has cooled completely or the steam will cause the cereal and seeds to soften up.

Serves: 4 (1 1/4 cups each)
Start-to-Finish: 20 minutes (10 min prep + 10 min cool)
Recipe By: Amber Brunson

Ingredients:

3 cups Chex Cereal
1/2 cup peanuts
1/2 yogurt covered raisins
1/2 dried apricots, snipped
1/2 cup candy corn
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/8 cup brown sugar
1/2 TBSP pumpkin pie spice
2 TBSP butter
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1.  Combine brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice, set aside.
2.  Melt butter in a microwave safe bowl, approx 30 seconds.
3.  Add vanilla to melted butter, set aside.
4.  Mix together Chex cereal, pumpkin seeds, and peanuts.
5.  Pour melted butter mixture over cereal mixture and toss to coat evenly.
6.  Sprinkle brown sugar and spice mixture over cereal mixture and toss to coat evenly.
7.  Microwave cereal mixture for 4 minutes stirring every minute until cereal starts to brown and brown sugar caramelizes.
8.  Cool on wax paper (approx 5-10 minutes).
9.  Once cooled, add raisins, apricots, and candy corn.