"This cake consists of two chocolate cakes, stacked on top of each other, 
with vanilla frosting in between.  Take the remaining vanilla frosting 
and dye it orange.  Then spread the orange frosting over the stacked cakes. 
Afterwards, decorate the face with candy corn, etc.  Then place a chocolate 
hostess twinkle, I think that's what it's called, at the top of the pumpkin 
cake to resemble a stalk." 
 

USING THE INSIDE OF THE PUMPKIN  
------------------------------- 
OK, we all know that carving a pumpkin is pretty basic stuff, but what do 
you do with the insides?  Before flushing the seeds and pulp down the 
disposal this year, read on...  Make pumpkin puree! 
 
Method #1: 
 
"I always wait to carve our pumpkin until the day before Halloween. That 
way we can enjoy a jack-o-lantern and use the pumpkin for baking. It 
shouldn't spoil sitting out for a day. After all the seeds are out of the 
pumpkin you can cook it by cutting it in half and laying it flesh-side down 
on a baking sheet. Cook in a moderate oven (about 325 degrees) for at least 
an hour.  Check it frequently. When the flesh is soft, scoop it away from 
the rind. Put it in a food processor and pulse a few times to make it smooth. 
You can then use it in recipes or freeze in bags for later use. I usually put 
about 2 cups in a bag. When using fresh (or frozen) pumpkin remember that it 
is more watery than canned pumpkin. So cut down slightly on the liquids in 
most recipes." 
 
Method #2: 
 
"Prepare a large amount when pumpkins are plentiful and low in cost.  Pack 
in frozen food containers, label and freeze -- it will keep 1 year in perfect 
condition in a deep freeze and 6 months in a refrigerator freezer.  When 
called for in a recipe, pumpkin puree, fresh or thawed, can be replaced by 
an equal amount of canned pumpkin." 
 
"To make the puree, cut a slice off the top of a fresh pumpkin with a good 
sharp knife.  Remove the seeds (see the recipe for toasting them), peel, 
cut meat into big pieces and soak it 2 hours in very cold water. Drain, place 
in a saucepan full of boiling water and let boil covered until tender --  it 
can take from 40-90 minutes, depending on the quality of the pumpkin.  Drain 
well, pass through a sieve to puree, then use or freeze." 
 

PUMPKIN BREAD  
------------- 
Makes 2 loaves. 
 
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
2 tsp. baking soda 
1 1/2 tsp. salt 
2 tsp. cinnamon 
2 tsp. nutmeg 
3 cups sugar 
4 eggs, beaten 
2 cups of fresh pumpkin --) 16 ounces if using canned pumpkin 
2/3 cup water --) if pumpkin is canned 
1/2 cup water --) if pumpkin is fresh or frozen 
1 cup vegetable oil 
1 cup chopped pecans 
 
Preheat oven to 350 F.  Combine flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and 
sugar in large mixing bowl. Add eggs, water, oil and pumpkin. Stir until 
blended. Add nuts. Mix well. Pour into two 9x5" loaf pans. Bake 1 hour. 
Cool slightly and take out of pans to let cool on a rack. This tastes best 
if you wrap, refrigerate and wait a day to eat it.  It keeps well in the 
refrigerator and can be frozen. 
 
 
TOASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS  
--------------------- 
Even the seeds get into the act.  Toast your supply in the time of plenty, 
just before the frost touches the colourful autumn leaves.  They will keep 
for 1 year stored in the freezer or a few months in a cool place in sealed 
jars. 
 
Remove the fibres from the seeds of a large pumpkin and place seeds in a 
saucepan.  Top with cold water, add 1 tsp salt, cover and simmer 2 hours. 
Drain and spread on paper towelling 4-8 hours to dry.  When completely dry, 
place on a baking sheet, sprinkle with a few spoonfuls of salad oil -- 
just enough to make seeds slightly oily when rubbed together. 
 
Set in a 350 F oven for 20-35 minutes, or until nutty brown, stirring a few 
times with a fork.  When done, spread on brown paper, salt to taste and let 
cool.  Eat as is, immediately, or store, and if you then want a crisper 
seed, warm up in a 350 F oven for 15 minutes. 
 

SPIDER CAKE  
----------- 

 
1 boxed cake mix 
1 box green Jello, prepared, set and well-whipped 
Black Frosting (recipe follows) 
6 black licorice sticks 
2 large green gumdrops 
 
Take your average cake mix.  Bake it up in 2 metal bowls--1 bigger than the 
other.  One unmolded, cut the bigger one (the "body") in half, horizontally. 
CAREFULLY scoop out an adequate cavity in each half.  FILL with well-whipped 
set green Jello, and reattach the halves.  Frost black, arrange on serving 
platter. Use licorice stix as legs.  Use 2 BIG green gumdrops and 6 little 
ones as eyes.  When the cake is cut into, it spurts green goop, just like a 
real spider when stepped on.  Why not add a red hourglass to the back and make 
it toxic? 
 
NOTE:  Another good cake.  I would modify this one by using two round pans, 
cutting a smaller circle out of one and using it as the head and filling the 
hole left over.  Place the other layer on top, and trim to shape. 

BLACK CAKE FROSTING  
------------------- 
Method #1:  Add blue food coloring to chocolate frosting to get black 
frosting. 
 
Method #2:  Buy black food coloring from a craft store that carries a wide 
selection of Wilton Cake Decorating supplies. 
 
 
COLORING SUGAR  
-------------- 
I have never tried coloring confectioners sugar but do color regular sugar by 
mixing it half and half with flavored gelatin powder (Jello).  I use this to 
sprinkle on the top of sugar cookies.  The color seems very pale but 
intensifies as the cookie bakes.  It also adds a different flavor than you 
would get with sugar alone.  Depending on what you plan to do with the 
confectioners sugar, this might be a way to color it. 
 

KITTY LITTER CAKE  
----------------- 
1 spice or german chocolate cake mix 
1 white cake mix 
1 package white sandwich cookies 
1 large pacakge vanilla instant pudding mix 
12 small tootsie rolls 
1 litter box (preferably a NEW one!) 
1 plastic scoop 
green food coloring 
 
Prepare cake mixes and bake according to directions (any size pans). Prepare 
pudding mix and chill until ready to assemble. Crumble white sandwich cookies 
in small batches in blender, they tend to stick, so scrape often.  Set aside 
all but about 1/4 cup. To the 1/4 cup cookie crumbs, add a few drops green 
food coloring and mix using a fork or shake in a jar. 
 
When cakes are cooled to room temperature, crumble into a large bowl.  Toss 
with half the remaining white cookie crumbs and the chilled pudding.  You 
probably won't need all of the pudding, mix with the cake and "feel" it, you 
don't want it soggy, just moist; gently combine.  Put mixture into clean 
litter box. 
 
Put three unwrapped Tootsie rolls in a microwave safe dish and heat until soft 
and pliable.  Shape ends so they are no longer blunt, curving slightly. Repeat 
with 3 more Tootsie rolls and bury in mixture.  Sprinkle the other half of 
cookie crumbs over top.  Scatter the green cookie crumbs lightly over the top, 
this is supposed to look like the chlorophyll in kitty litter. Heat remaining 
Tootsie Rolls, three at a time in the microwave until almost melted. Scrape 
them on top of the cake and sprinkle with cookie crumbs. Place the box on a 
newspaper and sprinkle a few of the cookie crumbs around. Serve with a new 
pooper scooper. 
 

"DIRT" CAKE RECIPE #1  
--------------------- 
1 flower pot (about 8" in diameter or use 2 6" pots) 
1 garden trowel (or plastic shovel) 
3 large gummy (or plastic) worms 
plastic flowers 
1 16-oz package Oreo cookies 
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened 
1 8-oz block cream cheese, softened 
1 cup confectioners sugar 
1 t vanilla 
2 4-serving-size boxes chocolate fudge pudding, instant-type 
3 cups milk 
1 12-oz tub whipped topping, thawed 
 
Crush the cookies until they resemble potting soil.  Set aside. Cream butter, 
cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth and fluffy; set aside.  Combine 
the pudding mix and milk until well blended, then fold in the whipped topping. 
Gently fold the cream cheese and pudding mixtures together. 
 
To put the cake together, layer flower pot with 1/3 of the cookie crumbs 
followed by 1/2 the pudding mixture, 1/3 of the crumbs, the rest of the 
pudding mixture and topping with the remaining cookie crumbs.  Refrigerate 10 
to 12 hours.  About 1/2 hour before serving, remove from refrigerator and 
decorate with flowers.  Serve by digging out portions with the trowel. 
 
Serves 10 to 12. 
 
 
"DIRT" CAKE RECIPE #2 
--------------------- 
1/2 stick margarine, softened 
1 pkg. 8-oz. cream cheese, softened 
1 cup powdered sugar 
3-1/2 c. milk 
2 pkg. instant vanilla pudding 
1 12-oz. tub cool whip, thawed 
1 20-oz. pkg. Oreo cookies, crushed 
1 plastic flower pot 
1 plastic flower 
gummy worms 
 
Cream margarine, sugar, cream cheese.  In another bowl mix milk and pudding. 
Let sit until thick.  Stir in cool whip, mix with cream cheese mixture.  Make 
sure pot holes are plugged.  Put 1/3 of cookie crumbs in bottom of pot.  Add 
1/2 of cream cheese mixture.  Repeat cookie crumbs and cream cheese mixture. 
Add extra crumbs on top (to look like dirt).  Refrigerate over night. Add 
flowers and worms on top, use trowel to serve. 
 
 
"DIRT" CAKE RECIPE #3  
--------------------- 
Dirt Cake would be great by itself, but someone on the net came up with a 
nifty variation.  Unfortunately I don't know who, but I wish I had kept the 
attribution on this one, cause it's a neat idea.  What you do is take your 
basic dirt cake recipe and modify it in this way: Take another latex glove, 
fill it up with mashed potatoes and anchor it at the bottom of your flower 
pot.  Fill the dirt cake around it up until just the finger tips are sticking 
out of the dirt.  If you like, you can plunge a knife in the "hand" and add 
fake blood.  I don't know if this one was ever made, so try at your own risk. 

"SAND" CAKE  
----------- 
1 3-qt plastic sand bucket and shovels (or 3 1-qt sand buckets) 
1/2 cup butter (one stick) 
2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese 
1/2 cup powdered sugar 
12 ounces frozen whipped topping 
3 1/2 cups milk 
2 3/4-ounce packages of instant vanilla pudding 
1 20-ounce package vanilla wafers, crushed 
Beach Bears, Gummy Worms, and/or Gummy Sharks for garnish 
 
Using soapy water, wash sand buckets and shovels, rinse them and dry them, 
then set them aside.  On a microwave safe dish, place butter. Place in 
microwave on defrost (or 30% power) for 1 minute.  Put butter in large mixing 
bowl.  Repeat softening process with cream cheese and add to mixing bowl. 
(Note:  you can also place butter, cream cheese, and whipped topping on the 
counter for 1 hour to soften them.)  Mix butter and cream cheese together. 
Uncover frozen whipped topping and place in microwave on defrost (or 30% 
power) for 1 to 2 minutes.  In a medium-size bowl, add milk.  Sprinkle pudding 
over milk and whip or beat until thickened, about 1 minute.  Add pudding and 
whipped topping to the cream cheese mixture and mix until smooth using a 
wooden spoon or electric mixer.  In a food processor, process vanilla wafers 
until they form a fine even crumb.  Or place wafers in a plastic bag and roll 
them, using a rolling pin, until you have completely broken them up. 
 
In the buckets, place a layer of crushed vanilla wafers, then a layer of the 
cream cheese-pudding mixture.  Keep layer until full and end with a layer of 
crushed wafers.  Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate several hours.  Before 
serving, decorate with Beach Bears, Gummy Worms, or Sharks if desired.  Use 
shovel to serve. 
 
Serves 8-10 people. 
 

FLAMING GHOST CAKE  
------------------ 
This recipe is more of a procedure than a recipe and of course I didn't save 
the post or remember who wrote it.  Anyway, first make a 9"x13" cake.  When 
cool, cut the 2 upper corners of the cake, not straight, but sort of rounded. 
The curvature adds to the shape of the ghost's head and the corner pieces 
become the ghost's arms.  I know, the diagram is really bad as ascii art goes, 
but hopefully you get my meaning (the original poster had a "much" better 
diagram).  You can also "carve" the body so it has a more ghost-like shape 
(bell-shaped?). 
 
            ------------- 
            |   /   \   | 
            | /       \ |      (-- cut pieces are arms 
            |/   O  O  \|      (-- eyes 
            |           | 
            |     ()    |      (-- mouth 
            |           | 
            |           | 
            |           | 
            |___________| 
 
Place the arms on the body so it looks like the ghost is raising its arms, 
then frost.  Traditionalists will want to use white frosting.  Use thin 
licorice to form a mouth, and as you mentioned, use 2 clean egg shell halves 
for the eyes. 
 
The next part about the flaming eyes gave me some trouble. You're supposed to 
place a sugar cube in each shell, add alcohol and ignite.  I used half a 
teaspoon sugar (didn't have cubes) and then tried vodka, wine, sherry, 
amaretto, and kahlua.  In each case the match fizzled and died.  Bummer. My 
ghost ended up with piped frosting eyes instead of flaming ones. Belatedly I 
found out warmed brandy is a good source of fuel. 
 

"LITTERBOX" COOKIES  
------------------- 
There are two flavor cookies: chocolate and gingerbread.  The cookies are 
dense and not very sweet, this is necesssary so that they will keep their 
shape during baking.  If you use white flour or sugar they may be tastier but 
they won't look like "shit". 
 
Chocolate ingredients: 
     1/2 cup honey 
     2/3 cup (1 and 1/3 stick) butter or margarine 
     1 egg 
     1 tsp vanilla or peppermint extract 
     2 cups whole wheat flour 
     1/3 cup cocoa powder 
     Grape-Nuts cereal 
 
Gingerbread ingredients: 
     1/4 cup honey 
     1/4 cup molasses 
     2/3 cup(1 and 1/3 stick) butter or margerine 
     1 egg 
     2 and 1/3 cups whole wheat flour 
     spices--ginger, cinnamon, and cloves to taste (1/2 tsp each) 
     Grape-Nuts cereal 
 
Mix-ins: 
     coconut 
     chocolate chips 
     butterscotch chips 
     peanut butter chips 
 
Microwave the honey till it bubbles (about 1 minute).  Add the butter, and the 
molasses, if any.  Add the egg, mix well, then mix in all the other stuff. 
Add mix-ins of your choice to some or all of the batter. 
 
Chill 1 hour in the freezer or several hours in the fridge.  Roll dough logs 
of random length and the diameter of cat poops.  Roll logs in grape-nuts and 
bake at 350 degrees till done (10 to 15 minutes). 
 
Serve in a disposable cat litter box on a bed of grapenuts, with a cat litter 
scoop.  I hear you get lovely effects by decorating the box and scoop with 
melted chocolate or pudding. 
 
NOTE:  This recipe worked especially well at my Halloween party where the 
table was already decorated with plastic flies. 
 
  

SKELETON BONE COOKIES  
--------------------- 
4 egg whites 
1 teaspoon grated orange peel 
1 3/4 cups sugar 
1/2 teaspon baking powder 
1 3/4 cups flour 
1 1/2 cups salted almonds 
 
With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat egg whites and sugar with orange 
peel and baking powder until blended.  Gradually add nuts and flour, beating 
until mixture is thoroughly mixed.  Cover and chill until firm enough to 
handle, at least 1 hour or up to 1 day. 
 
Lightly flour your hands and pinch off a 3 tb size piece of dough.  On a 
lightly floured board, use the palms of both hands to evenly roll an 8 inch 
long rope.  Cut rope in half; roll each half out again to 8 inches.  Fold 1 
inch of each end back onto rope; pinch ends to make bone-end shapes. Repeat to 
shape all the dough.  Place bones 1 inch apart on buttered and flour-dusted 12 
x 15 inch baking sheets.  Bake in a 325F oven until cookies are lightly 
browned on bottoms, about 20 minutes. 
 

COOL WHIP GRAVEYARD TREAT  
------------------------- 
From a Cool Whip advertisement - October 1994. 
Makes 15-18 single servings. 
 
Dessert: 
    2-1/4 cups chocolate wafer cookie crumbs, divided 
    1/2 cup sugar, divided 
    1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted 
    1 8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened 
    1 12-oz tub Cool Whip topping, thawed 
    2 cups boiling water 
    2 4-serving pkgs orange Jello 
    1/2 cup cold water 
    ice cubes 
 
Decorations: 
    12-14 rectangular or oval-shaped sandwich cookies 
    decorator icing -- brown, green, orange, white 
    candy corn 
    candy pumpkins (mellowcream pumpkins) 
 
Mix together 2 cups of the cookie crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, and margarine in a 
13x9x2" pan.  Press firmly into the bottom of the pan to create a crust. 
Refrigerate. 
 
Beat cream cheese and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl until smooth.  Stir in 
1/2 of the Cool Whip.  Spread over crust. 
 
Stir boiling water into Jello in bowl for 2 minutes or until completely 
dissolved.  Mix cold water and ice cubes together to make 1-1/2 cups.  Stir 
ice water into Jello until thickened. Remove any remaining ice.  Spoon Jello 
over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm. 
 
Spread remaining Cool Whip over Jello layer.  Sprinkle with remaining cookie 
crumbs.  Decorate as a "graveyard" by poking sandwich cookies on end into the 
dessert.  Decorate the cookies as tombstones with the decorator icing. 
Scatter candy corn and pumpkins around on the surface. 

RADIOACTIVE PUNCH  
----------------- 
Easiest is to mix something yellow with something blue.  Orange juice and 
Mountain Dew are good for the yellow, Great Bluedini kool-aid is good for the 
blue.  You'll end up with a radioactive shade of green.  If you're using a 
punch bowl, try this: Get some of those latex gloves, fill them with water or 
juice tinted with food colouring, freeze.  Unmold carefully and float the 
disembodied hands in the punch bowl.  Dry ice and back lighting are good for 
effect too. 
 
 
NUCLEAR WASTE PUNCH  
------------------- 
1 measure blue curacao 
1 measure Bailey's Irish Cream 
top up with one pint cider (or lager if you prefer) 
 
The end result is a sort of greenish-brown liquid with scummy bits floating in 
it and a THICK layer of scum on top.  Tastes wonderful, especially if  you 
dunk chocolate bars in. (These are referred to as Control Rods, and the bar of 
preference is a Toffee Crisp, if only because the crisped rice pieces start 
floating around in the drink and making it look even nastier) 
 
GLYCOL PUNCH  
------------ 
Glycol Punch has two primary ingredients: Diet Mountain Dew, which has an 
decidedly evil odd yellow glow to it. Diet is necessary so that you don't over 
sugar people.  (Alternately, use regular Mountain Dew and mix Kool-Aid with 
less sugar than usual).  BTW, we also tried other sodas, including Squirt, 7- 
up and Sprite, but none had that evil yellowness. 
 
A flourescent blue liquid. I know for a fact that the raspberry "little hugs" 
drinks for kids are the perfect color.  There is a Kool-Aid blue flavor that 
I'm sure would work well, too. For the "little hugs" the ratio is about 4-5 
barrels to 1 2-liter bottle of soda.  Adjust as you think best.  I'd start by 
pouring out the soda and adding the blue.  You know you've got it right when 
you get the sickly yellow-green of many Glycol-based Antifreezes. Plus, when 
you drink, it fizzes! 
 

EERIE WITCH'S BREW  
------------------ 
4 cups cranberry juice 
1 cup chopped candied ginger 
3 oranges 
12 ounce can frozen apple juice concentrate 
6 ounce can frozen limeade concentrate 
2 cups grapes 
2 32-ounce bottles ginger ale 
4 cups water 
1 to 2 pounds dry ice 
 
A SERIOUS CAUTION: Never touch dry ice; use tongs to handle. In a 1 to 2 quart 
pan, bring 1 cup of cranberry juice and candied ginger to a boil over high 
heat. Boil, uncovered, about 2 minutes, set aside. With a vegetable peeler, 
peel zest from oranges; cut peel into thin 2 inch long worms.  Add orange peel 
to cranberry mixture.  Cover and chill at least 4 hours or as long as 
overnight. 
 
Juice oranges; put juice in a 6 to 8 quart pan or heavy bowl. Stir in 
cranberry-ginger mixture, the 3 cups cranberry juice, apple concentrate, 
limeade, grapes and water.  If made ahead, cover and chill up to 2 hours. Add 
ginger ale and about a 1 pound piece of dry ice (DO NOT put small pieces in 
punch or cups); ice should smolder at least 30 minutes. Ladle into cups. Add 
any remaining ice when bubbling ceases. 
 
"AQUARIUM" JELLO  
---------------- 
Great idea for a simple dessert at kid's parties! 
 
goldfish bowl, nice and clean 
red hots or Jelly Belly gravel beans 
blue Jello 
ice cubes 
cold water 
purple endive 
parsley sprigs 
gummy fish 
 
Use a new or well cleaned goldfish bowl.  In the bottom, the original recipe 
called for red-hots as the 'gravel', but I plan to use the Jelly Belly beans 
that look like rocks.  Mix up as much blue Jello as your bowl will hold.  Mix 
using ice cubes and cold water instead of the cold water called for on the 
box.  Pour this into the bowl over a knife blade or something to keep from 
disturbing the gravel.  If you want it to have 'seaweed', poke a couple of 
pieces of purple endive or something similar down into the gravel.  When the 
whole thing starts to jell, use a wooden skewer to push gummy fish into 
different parts of the bowl. If you're going to be able to supervise the 
serving, you could even add a plastic diver man, etc. 
 
 
TOXIC AQUARIUM JELLO  
-------------------- 
Well, what we'd do for a Halloween party would be to make a Toxic Aquarium. 
Mix orange and blue jello to get a putrid shade of green.  Lifesavers make old 
tires and you can toss in other junky things for trash on the bottom of the 
sea.  Something barrel-shaped for that illegally dumped toxic waste.  Float 
your fish upside-down on top, and add a plastic skeleton or two. Haven't 
figured out a good way to put something on the bottom to represent the sand. 

POTTY JELLO  
----------- 
Purchase the plastic bowl that fits in a child's potty training chair (they 
sell them at places like KMart).  Wash the bowl and prepare lemon jello per 
package directions.  Float miniature O-Henry bars in it, refrigerate, and 
serve. 
DAIQUIRI JELL-O  
--------------- 
Large Box (or two smalls) Lime Jell-O 
2 cups boiling water 
1+1/4 cup cold water 
1/4 cup Triple Sec 
1/4 cup Dark Rum 
1/4 cup Light Rum 
 
Mix the usual way. 
 
 
STRAWBERRY-BANANA DAIQUIRI JELL-O  
--------------------------------- 
Large box of Strawberry-Banana Jell-O 
2 cups boiling water 
1 cup cold water 
1/4 cup lime juice 
1/4 cup Triple Sec 
1/2 cup Rum 
 
Mix the usual way. 
 
NOTES:  These are tasty. The 3/4 cup of liquor gives it a little more kick. 
Good and tasty.  I've been making them in 2-oz. plastic "salsa cups" (those 
little wide shallow ones you get condiments in) and a batch makes about 19 of 
them. 
 
 
SHIRLEY TEMPLE JELL-O  

Use Cherry Jell-O; use boiling and cold 7-up or other lemon-lime soda instead 
of water. 
 

Swamp Water Punch  

orange juice 
optional: ginger ale, alcohol of some kind 
blue food coloring 
optional: floating arm-of-death (recipe follows) 

Put some blue food coloring into the orange juice punch until it 
turns a disgusting swamp-green color.  The color is gross and the 
orange juice pulp floating around really adds to the effect. 
People will realize that the punch tastes good, but it will take 
them awhile to figure out it is orange juice. 

Floating Arm-of-Death  
Water or orange juice 
optional: gummy worms 

Freeze the water (and gummy worms if desired) in a clean rubber glove. 
Peel off the rubber glove and float the arm in the punch 
 

OTHER HALLOWEEN FOOD IDEAS  

You can take some ordinary foods and relabel as them something 
creative: 
     1.   Ribs with lots of barbeque sauce. 
     2.   Baked potatoes with chili ladled over for shrunken 
          heads with brain sauce. 
     3.   Spaghetti for your basic guts.  A twist on this would 
          be to put brussel sprouts in the sauce instead of 
          meatballs.  People won't be able to tell the difference 
          until they bite into them. 
     4.   Fill your candy dishes with Black Jellybeans, Mellowcream 
          pumpkins and candy corn. 
 
More cookie ideas:  
     1.   Bake brown sugar cookies in pumpkin-shaped stoneware 
          cookie molds (Brown Bag Cookie Molds). 
     2.   Make sugar cookie cut-outs with pumpkin-shaped cookie 
          cutters. 
 

CHEESECLOTH GHOSTS  

What you need for those are a mess of cheesecloth, fabric stiffener or white 
glue, googly eyes (available in craft stores), balloons, drinking glasses, and 
nylon thread or fishing line (optional). First, blow up the balloons and set 
them in the drinking glasses; this will provide a form for you to mold the 
ghosts around. Cut squares about 12-14" of double layers of cheesecloth. 
Dilute the fabric stiffener or white glue 1:1 with water, dip the cheesecloth 
squares in the glue mixture and wring out the excess. Drape the cheesecloth on 
the balloon in a ghostly shape. You can have the ghost's hemline trail the 
table for a standup ghost, or you can have a sheer drop for a flying ghost. 
Let dry overnight. When dry, remove the balloons, glue on the googly eyes and 
attach nylon thread to the beads of any ghosts you want to fly through the 
air. Hang the flying ghosts wherever appropriate! The standup ghosts can stand 
on a table. 
 

KIDS' PARTY IDEAS  

Ghost Suckers:  

Take a round-headed lollipop.  Lay the head in the center 
of a white handkerchief (disposable tissue or cloth depending on how 
classy/expensive you want).  Fold and gather the handkerchief down around 
the stick and tie just below the head with a thread/ribbon/rubber band. 
Add 2 black dots for eyes. Voila - a ghost.  These make good party favors. 
I've got a book that suggests writing the invitation around the outside of 
the handkerchief before assembling and mailing them in padded envelopes. 

Eyeballs:  

Make Rice Krispie Treats and form the treats into balls, about 1 
or 2 inches across.  Add a pastel MandM or other small round candy for the 
iris and dot the candy with frosting or gel for the pupil.  A big hit at a 
recent 8-year old party and my 5-year old is eager to try it out. 

Ghost Hand Punch:  

Ahead of time, buy some new latex gloves.  Wash one out 
and fill with water.  Fasten the arm closed and freeze it.  Float it in 
the punch before serving.  (Source - a magazine my son picked up at 
McDonalds today) 

Green Slime:  

Serve lime jello out of a bowl.  Don't cut it nicely - slop it out. 

Gnarled Witches Fingers  

1 Tbs veg oil 
4 boneless chicken breasts 
1 cup flour 
1 egg, beaten 
1 c bread crumbs 
Pitted black olives, halved lengthwise 
Shredded lettuce 

Grease cookie sheet with oil, set aside. 
Carefully cut chicken breasts partway to create five fingers (the uncut part 
will be the palm of the hand).  Slice them a little crooked for effect. 
Dust in flour, dip in egg, coat in bread crumbs, broil 5 minutes each side 
til golden and cooked through. 
Trim the tips with the olive fingernails and serve on lettuce. 
Truth be known, I'm going to try shake'n'bake this year to ease my meal prep 
time on this busy, busy day of the year. 

Worms au Gratin  

Worms:  6-7 oz egg noodles, cooked with 
        8 oz spaghetti, broken into short pieces 
Toss with 
        2 T butter or marg 
        1 1/2 cups grated process cheese (though the kids prefer regular 
        cheddar) 
Place in greased casserole. 

Dirt:   2 slices whole wheat bread, toasted, crumbled into tiny crumbs. 
        1 T butter or marg, melted 
        1/4 tsp salt 
Mix dirt ingredients together, sprinkle over worms. 

Place under broiler for 5 minutes. 

Strained Eyeballs  

6 eggs, hardcooked, cooled, and peeled 
6 oz whipped cream cheese 
12 green olives stuffed with pimientos 
red food coloring or ketchup 

Half eggs widthwise.  Remove yolks and fill the hole with cream cheese, 
smoothing surface as much as possible.  Press an olive into each cream 
cheese eyeball, pimiento up, for an eerie green iris and red pupil.  Dip a 
toothpick into ketchup and draw broken blood vessels in the cream cheese. 

CHEESE EYEBALLS  

2 cups grated Cheddar 
1/2 cup butter 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon paprika 
1 cup flour 
6 ounce bottle pimento-stuffed green olives 
 
Combine cheese and butter.  Add salt, paprika, and flour and mix well. 
Measure approximately one ts of this mixture and form an "eyeball" around an 
olive.  Turn the olive in the "eyeball" so that it is "staring" outward. Line 
up the eyeballs on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake in 400F oven for 15 
minutes. 

"Graveyard" Cake. 
 
       you make a sheet cake and frost with chocolate frosting. Then you 
       cover it with crushed chocolate sandwich cookies, so it looks 
       like dirt. 
 
       To make headstones use a flat vanilla cookie 
       (rectangle shaped) and decorated with icing, use gravestone 
       motifs like: RIP, skulls, etc. 
 
       Put the headstones on the cake, standing up to looke like headstones. 
 
       Add some small Halloween decorations, like ghosts, witches, 
       black cats. 
 

 THE BLACK CAT 
 
       You take two round cake layers. One you leave whole, the other is 
       cut so there is three pieces; one bow shaped (middle) and two 
       kind of long ovid shaped ones (either end), I can't figure out how to 
       draw a picture of it. 
 
       Anyway you take the bow shaped piece and put it on the bottom of 
       the cake, like a bow tie. 
 
       Take one of the ovid shaped pieces and cut in half the short way, 
       so you have to triangle shaped pieces. Put on top of the round 
       layer, like ears. 
 
       Eat the third piece. 
 
       Frost the whole thing with dark chocolate frosting. Pipe on eyes 
       with green frosting, and nose and lips with red; use licorice shoe 
       laces for wiskers. 
 

Witch's Brew  

How about orange punch (Koolade) and scoops of lime sherbert on top, put in a 
big banged up pot or caludron; it looks like witch's brew. 

Handy Punch or Snacks  

Fill up a rubber glove with water and freeze it. When frozen, remove the glove 
from the ice and use it in your punch. Drop red food coloring on it for blood. 
Makes a really nice bloody hand! 

You can also use clear plastic gloves, fill with popcorn, add a candycorn for 
fingernails and drape in that unsuspecting place...its a fun thing! 

Potty Jello  

Purchase the plastic bowl that fits in a child's potty training chair (they 
sell them at places like KMart).  Wash the bowl and prepare lemon jello per 
package directions.  Float miniature O-Henry bars in it, refrigerate, and 
serve.  Get the picture? 
 

Wormy Grab Bag  

  Cook up several packages of regular spaghetti, and when cooked,place in a 
small (clean) kitchen trash can or diaper pail.  Fill itat least half full - 
which may require lots of spaghetti (it'scheap).  Don't rinse the spaghetti - 
you want it slimy.  Add enoughwater so the spaghetti stays wet!  If you really 
want to shake 'em up, put some grapes in with the slimey spaghetti--tell 'em 
they're eyeballs. (evil grin)  Wrap your "prizes" in plastic wrap or bags, and 
sink them to the bottom of the can/pail.  The mixture should be at room temp. 
by party-time.  Cover the top with black cloth (felt is good) and put a slit 
in it. 

  Have an ominous-looking character (gate-keeper) directing guests intoa 
darkened room/closet (its best if you make the "prize" a requirementfor 
admission) - and direct them to find a "toll" so they can pass.Once they have 
their arm halfway into the "worms", have another(hidden) person jump out (or, 
if you're worried about heart attacks,just rustle around a bit).  Very 
effective for setting the mood! 
 

  Ceature Eggs  
       Yield: 6 servings 
      6    Or 12 canned peach halves 
           - AND - 
    1/3 c  Syrup 
           - OR - 
           For small creature eggs, use 
           - apricot halves instead and 
           - double up) 
    1/2 c  Orange-flavored liqueur, 
           - such as Cointreau, opt. 
      1 c  Whipping cream 
      2 ts Powdered sugar 
    1/2 ts Vanilla 

    Put peaches/apricots, cut side down, and syrup in an 8 inch square 
  pan. Add liqueur; cover and chill 6 hours or up to overnight. 

    With an electric mixer, whip cream, sugar and vanilla until cream 
  holds soft peaks.  Spoon 1/6 of the cream onto each of 6 salad plates 
  and spread out to form a disk about 4 inches across for 'egg whites'. 

    With slotted spoon, lift peaches/apricots from syrup and arrange 1 
  peach or 2 apricots ('double yolks'), round side up, in the center of 
  cream on each plate to make 'yolks'. Pour syrup into a small pitcher 
  and offer to pour onto individual portions. 

    Makes 6 servings. 
 

Chocolate Spiders and Webs   
      Yield: 2 doz spider 

      1 sm Pk (6 oz or 1 c) semisweet 
           - chocolate chips 
           Spider web pattern (follows) 

    In the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water, stir the 
  choco- late until melted; remove from heat. Let stand over water until 
  chocolate is cool but still fluid, about 10 minutes. Or melt 
  chocolate in microwave. Lay pattern on a 12 x l5 inch baking sheet 
  and cover with waxed paper. 

    Put chocolate into a pastry bag fitted with 1/4 inch diameter tip 
  or a paper cone; fold top edge down to seal. 

    Squeeze chocolate out of pastry bag onto waxed paper, tracing 
  spider or web designs that show through from the pattern underneath. 
  If chocolate is too runny to hold lines, let cool a little more.  As 
  pan is filled, transfer pattern to another 12 x l5 inch, cover with 
  waxed paper and continue. 

    Chill spiders or webs on pan until firm, about 10 minutes.  Gently 
  peel paper away from chocolate.  Spiders and webs are delicate and 
  melt fast, so handle gently and quickly.  If made ahead, arrange in 
  single layers, separat- ed by waxed paper; store airtight in the 
  refrigerator up to 2 weeks.  Serve as candy or to top desserts. 

    Makes about 2 dozen spiders or 1 dozen webs. 

    Spider and Web Pattern.  
    On a 12 x l5 inch sheet of light-colored paper, boldly draw at 
  least 1 pattern for spider and web.  You can either repeat the 
  pattern as you pipe the chocolate onto the waxed paper, or you can 
  draw a pattern that includes designs for multiple items. 

    Start with spider legs: draw a half circle that is 1 1/2 inches 
  across. Inside and about 1/4 inch parallel to it, draw another half 
  circle.  Back to back to the big half circle, repeat the 2 curved 
  lines; you now have 8 legs. Where the lines curve together, draw a 
  small circle to intersect all 4 lines to make the body. Draw a small 
  circle for the head on top the first circle. 

    For the web, draw a 4 inch long cross.  Draw diagonal lines to 
  bisect the quadrants.  Connect these spokes with concentric loops 
. 
Scary "Goulade"  
Yield: 12 servings 

1 pk Blue jelly powder [170g] 
8 c Lemonaide 

Lemonaide or "Goulade" really packs a punch when you float a frightening , 
ghostly blue hand in your serving bowl. For an even scarier effect, use red 
jelly powder to make a blood-red hand and tint the lemonade green. If you 
want, just let the gelatin set in a flat container, then cube it and serve 
with lemonade in dishes. 

Dissolve powder in 1-1/2 cups boiling water; let cool slightly. 

Meanwhile, thoroughly wash and dry inside and outside of new, medium-size 
stretch latex (medical) glove. Spray outside with baking spray; turn inside 
out. With 6-inch or longer skewer, puncture glove just below 1 side of 
opening; push skewer through to pierce opposite side, leaving wide opening. 
Suspend in tall pitcher. 

Carefully pour gelatin mixture into hanging glove. Close top with twist tie 
between gelatin mixture and skewer. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until 
firmly set. [Glove can be refrigerated for up to 48 hours.] 

Place glove flat in 12-cup punch bowl. Using scissors and bring careful not to 
puncture gelatin, cut glove open along palm and each finger; gently turn over 
and remove glove. Pour lemonade over gelatin hand. 

Makes 8 cups or 12 servings 

Halloween: Crispy Marshmallow Ghosts 
Yield: 14 ghosts 

1/3 c Butter 
6 c Miniature marshmallows 
1 ts Vanilla 
8 c Crispy rice cereal 
2 oz Semisweet chocolate, chopped 

PALLOR ICING 
1 c Granulated sugar 
3 tb Water 
1 Egg white 
pn Cream of tartar 
pn Salt 
1/2 ts Vanilla 

Pallor Icing: In top of double boiler over boiling water, combine sugar, 
water, egg white, cream of tartar and salt. With electric mixer, beat at high 
speed for 7 minutes or until stiff glossy peaks form. fold in vanilla. Cover 
and refrigerate for 1 hour or until thickened. [Can be stored up to 3 
days.][Makes 2 cups.] 

Ghosts: In Saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; stir in marshmallows until 
smooth. Stir in vanilla. Scrape into large bowl; stir in cereal until coated. 

Set bowl over saucepan of boiling water. Using rubber gloves, shape cereal 
mixture into 4-inch long ghost shapes. Let stand for about 30 minutes or until 
firm. Spread with Pallor Icing; let stand for about 30 minutes or until set. 

In top of double boiler over bot (not boiling) water, melt chocolate; pipe 
onto ghosts to make faces. 

[Ghosts can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 3 days.] 

Decorate by drawing faces with chocolate, or use candies and licorice strings. 

Variation: Jack-O-Lanterns: Add orange food colouring with vanilla; shape into 
1-1/2 inch balls. Create face with currants, red fruit leather, and licorice 
shoestrings and twists 

Halloween: Goblin Balls  

Yield: 24 balls 

8 c Popped corn 
1 c Granulated sugar 
1/2 c Corn syrup 
1/3 c Water 
1 tb Butter 
1/2 ts Salt 
1 ts Vanilla 
1 c Orange and black gumdrops 
-or jujubes, chopped 

Currants and diced apricots can replace the candy. 

Place popped corn in bowl; set aside. 

In small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring sugar, corn syrup, water, 
butter and salt to boil; cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Cook, without 
stirring, for 10 minutes or until at hard-ball stage of 254F 123C on candy 
thermometer, or until 1/2 ts syrup dropped into cold water forms rigid but 
still slightly pliable ball. Remove from heat. Wearing oven mitts to shield 
against splatters, carefully stir in vanilla. 

Pour over popped corn; using greased spoon, toss until coated. Stir in candy. 
Wearing rubber gloves, form into 2-inch balls; let cool on baking sheet. 

Halloween: Green Slime  

Yield: 2 cups 

10 oz Frozen spinach, thawed 
4 oz Cream cheese 
1/2 c Sour cream 
1/3 c Mild salsa 
2 Green onions, chopped 
1 Garlic clove, minced 
1/2 ts Salt 
1/2 ts Pepper 

Drain spinach; squeeze dry. In food processor, pure spinach, cheese, sour 
cream, salsa, onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 2 
hours or until thickened slightly. Let stand at room temperature for 30 
minutes. 

"Halloween: Skeleton Bread"  

Yield: 1 small loaf 

1/2 pk Frozen bread dough 
-[1/2 of 1 lb pkg][8 oz] 
1 Egg, beaten 
1 tb Water 
1 tb Poppy seeds 

Thaw and let bread rise according to manufacturer's instructions. Punch down 
dough; divide in half. Set 1 half aside. 

Cut remaining half into thirds. With 1 of the thirds, form head shaped like a 
light bulb. With scissors, cut eyes, nose and mouth. Place heat at end of 
greased 17x11-inch rimmed baking sheet. Shape second third into 3-inch long 
triangle; place, point down, below heat to form body. Divide remaining third 
of dough into 7 pieces; roll into sausages. Arrange 3 on each side of upper 
body for ribs. Use remaining piece for neck. 

Halve reserved dough. With 1 half, make 4 logs for upper and lower legs; 
attach to body. With two-thirds of the remaining dough, make 4 logs for upper 
and lower arms; attach at shoulders. 

With remaining dough, make 2 small and 2 large triangles for hands and feet. 
With scissors, make 4 cuts at broad ends of triangles for fingers and toes; 
attach to arms and legs. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes. 

Whisk egg with water; brush some over joints, pressing to seal. Brush entire 
skeleton with remaining egg wash; sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake in 375F 190C 
oven for about 15 minutes or until golden. 

Halloween: Ghostly Cupcakes 

Yield: 6 ghosts 

1 c Cake-and-pastry flour, sift 
2/3 c Granulated sugar 
1 1/4 ts Baking powder 
1/2 ts Salt 
1/3 c Butter, softened 
1/3 c Milk 
1 Egg 
1 ts Vanilla 

PALLOR ICING 
1 c Granulated sugar 
3 tb Water 
1 Egg white 
pn Cream of tartar 
pn Salt 
1/2 ts Vanilla 

Bake as ghost shapes or as cupcakes, then cover in a ghostly white shroud of 
icing. 

Pallor Icing: In top of double boiler over boiling water, combine sugar, 
water, egg white, cream of tartar and salt. With electric mixer, beat at high 
speed for 7 minutes or until still glossy peaks form. fold in vanilla. Cover 
and refrigerate for 1 hour or until thickened. [Icing can be stored for up to 
3 days.][Makes 2 cups.] In bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and 
salt. Using electric mixer on low speed, mix in butter, milk, egg and vanilla 
until combined. Beat on high for 2 minutes. Spoon into 6 well greased 5-inch 
long ghost-shape pans or 12 small paper-lined muffin cups; bake in 350F 180C 
oven for 20 minutes for ghosts, 17 minutes for cupcakes, or until tester comes 
out clean. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes; remove from pan and let 
cool completely on rack. Spread with Pallor icing. 

Makes 6 ghosts or 12 small cupcakes. 

Halloween: Pallor Icing  
Categories: Icing, Halloween 
Yield: 2 cups 

1 c Granulated sugar 
3 tb Water 
1 Egg white 
pn Cream of tartar 
pn Salt 
1/2 ts Vanilla 

in top of double boiler over boiling water, combine sugar, water, egg white, 
cream of tartar and salt. With electric mixer, beat at high speed for 7 
minutes or until stiff glossy peaks form. Fold in vanilla. Cover and 
refrigerate for 1 hour or until thickened. [Icing can be stored for up to 3 
days.]