It was a gross day really! For appetizers we had a Black Punch, Ear Wax Swabs and Boogers-on-a-Stick! They were so hideous that the girls didn’t think they could eat them, but the boys had no trouble at all devouring everything. There was also a plate of candy corn bark which more suitable for the girls and the rest of the crowd! The menu consisted of a South Western Bean skillet, Dinosaur Eggs, Copper Pennies, Mexican Lasagna, an Orange-Pretzel Gelatin Salad and for dessert–an Anthill Cake. The special treat of the day were the Jack-O-Lantern Cake Balls – made with red velvet cake no less!

Mix first 4 ingredients together until sugar is dissolved, and slowly stir in ginger ale. To make this really fun freeze red cool aid in a plastic glove and then unmold it in the punch.

Melt cheese in microwave or on top of stove. Let cheese cool slightly in jar. Stir in about 3 drops of green food color–just enough to turn it a delicate snot green. Dip and twist pretzel sticks in cheese. Wait 20 seconds, then dip again. Put on wax paper to cool. Can serve with red salsa, if desired. Believe it or not, these were very good!

These were just short lollipop sticks (I cut them the size of a Q-tip) with a mini-marshmallow stuck in each end. Then I dipped the ends in a tiny bit of honey. Nothing hard about this, except getting it into your mouth!

Place eggs in pan and cover with cold water. Bring to boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain; rinse eggs with cold water until cool enough to handle. Gently crack shells of eggs with back of spoon until there is a find network of cracks, but do not remove shells. Return eggs to pan. Add 4 cups of water, tea, soy sauce and salt. Cook on low heat for 1 hour. Cool and chill eggs in the liquid for a least 8 hours or up to 2-3 days.

Brown ground beef; drain thoroughly. Add next 7 ingredients; heat through. Cover bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 baking pan with half of tortillas. Pour beef mixture over tortillas; place layer of tortillas over meat mixture and set aside. Combine cottage cheese, Jack cheese and egg; mis well and pour over tortilla. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle rows of Cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and olives, diagonally across the center of the casserole. (see picture) Serves 6 to 8.

In large skillet, mix all ingredients except cheese and tomatoes. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Uncover and simmer 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender. Stir I cheese and
tomatoes until cheese is melted. Serves 4.

Combine all ingredients except carrots and mix until blended. Add carrots. Marinate in refrigerator overnight in a covered container. Serve cold or at room temperature.

In small bowl, mix pretzels and 3 teaspoons sugar; stir in butter. Press into an ungreased 9 x 13 pan. Bake 350 for 10 minutes. Cool completely. In large bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Add pineapple and oranges; chill until partially set, about 30 minutes. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining sugar until smooth; fold in whipped topping. Spread over crust. Gently spoon gelatin mixture over cream cheese layer. Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours or until firm. Cut into squares. Garnish with more whipped topping, if desired. Serves 15.

In food processor, chop sandwich cookies until coarse texture. Add peppermint patties and process to coarse texture. Pour in melted butter and process 1 more time. Coat a 10-inch spring form pan with cooking spray; add cookie mixture and press down gently to coat bottom and up 1/2 inch on the sides. By spoonfuls, add softened ice cream, using back of spoon to even it out on the top. Cover with a sheet of foil and freeze overnight or at least 8 hours.

To make Anthill: Place vanilla wafers in food processor and blend until smooth. Place in a sealed plastic bag until needed. To assemble: remove rim of spring form pan and put cake on serving platter. On one side of cake, slowly pour vanilla wafer crumbs to form a mound or “anthill”. Arrange “ants’ on cake using 1 chocolate covered almond for each body and one chocolate covered raisin for each head. Pipe on eyes and legs with black gel. Makes 16 servings.

.

.

.

.

.

..

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

*I made my own cornbread in a 9" square pan and crumbled that.

Back to top

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Cook pasta; drain. Meanwhile, cook the ground beef, onion, salt and pepper until meat is just done; drain the fat. Stir in pizza sauce, garlic salt and oregano; remove from heat and set aside. In small bowl, combine the eggs, milk and Parmesan cheese. Add drained pasta and toss gently in the egg mixture. Transfer to a greased 3 quart baking dish; top with beef mixture, mozzarella cheese and pepperoni. Cover and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 20-25 minutes longer or until golden brown. Serves 12.

Heat oven to 350. Lightly grease an 8-inch square pan. In large bowl, combine brown sugar, oats, flour and butter. Mix until crumbly. Place half of crumb mixture in pan. Spread the apples evenly over crumbs. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and top with remaining crumb mixture. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. (For a 9 x 13 pan, double all ingredients)

We had as much fun eating as we did playing games. Apple Creamy is a wonderful "warmer-upper" drink -- which everyone loved as the sun went down and it got chilly. There was a little brown mouse with beady eyes and long tail on each person's plate when they sat down at the table. The salad was a Wiggly Pumpkin jello mold and the main course was Chile Chicken Enchiladas along with several side dishes. The "bread" was on the disgusting side -- Lumberjack Fingers! -- but they went over big with the kids! The hit of the night was the desserts: a basket full of Ghost Cookies, a plate full of Witches Hats and a Pumpkin Cheesecake with Chocolate Mice on the top. (Recipes below)

In blender, blend pie filling until smooth. Combine all the ingredients in large saucepan and mix well. Simmer over low heat until mixture is steamy, but do not boil. Can be served with a dollop of whipped topping if desired.

Heat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 dish with cooking spray. Combine chicken, jack cheese, chiles and sour cream; mix well. Spread about 2 teaspoons enchilada sauce on each tortilla. Top each with 1/2 cup chicken mixture. Roll up tortillas; arrange, seam side down in baking dish. Top with any remaining enchilada sauce. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Spray sheet of foil with cooking spray and cover baking dish sprayed side down. Bake at 250 for 45-60 minutes or until heated through. If desired, remove foil last 5 minutes of baking.

Use the handle of a wooden spoon to push a 2-inch long hole into the end of each sandwich roll. Don’t push through the roll! Cut each hotdog in half, then cut a notch in the uncut end for the “nail bed”. Heat the hotdog through–either steam, boil or microwave. But watch them because if they get too hot they will lose their shape. Spoon a little catsup into each roll and then push a hotdog into each roll with the notched end sticking out. Cut 8 thin slices of radish and trim them into wedges to fit on the notched end of each hotdog to make fingernails. Serve with extra catsup for dipping.

In double boiler, melt candy coating, stirring until melted. Dip cookies into coating, covering completely. Set on wax paper to cool. While coating is still warm, place 2 mini chips on each cookie for eyes. A bag makes about 3 dozen.

Melt chocolate and shortening, stirring until smooth. Dip pointed tips of ice cream cones a third of the way into melted chocolate; roll in sprinkles. Just before serving, spoon topping into cones (making sure it is to the top). Top each with a chocolate wafer (the topping will hold the cookie on) and invert onto a serving platter. Makes 1 dozen.

Melt chocolate and mix with sour cream. Stir in 1 cup of chocolate wafer crumbs. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate until firm. Roll by tablespoons into balls. Mold to a slight point at one end. Roll into confectioners sugar (for white mice) or in chocolate wafer crumbs (for dark mice). On each mouse, place a gold or silver dragee in appropriate spot for eyes, almond slices for ears and a licorice string for the tail. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until firm. These are delicious, too!

Back to top

Back to top

(Almost too real looking to eat!) The boys thought it was “cool”! The girls couldn’t say anything but “yuck”! If this doesn’t make your guests go “tilt” nothing will! I made this a day ahead of time and kept it ‘hidden away’ until dinner was over and dessert was served. Buy a small litter box and scooper and wash them thoroughly.
You will need:
1 box spice or German chocolate cake mix
1 box white cake mix
1 pkg. white sandwich cookies
1 large package vanilla instant pudding mix
A few drops of green food coloring
12 small Tootsie rolls

Make both cake mixes according to directions, in any size pan. Make pudding and chill. Crumble cookies in small batches in blender. To 1 cup of cookie crumbs, add a few drops of green food coloring. Mix with a fork or shake in a jar. Set aside.

When cakes are cool, crumble them into a large bowl. Toss with half of the remaining cookie crumbs and enough pudding to make the mixture moist but not soggy. Pour mixture into litter box.

Unwrap 3 Tootsie Rolls and heat in microwave until soft and pliable. (only a few seconds.) Shape the blunt ends into slightly curved points. Repeat with 3 more rolls. Bury the rolls decoratively in the cake mixture. Sprinkle remaining white cookie crumbs over the mixture, then scatter green crumbs lightly over top.

Heat 4 more Tootsie Rolls until almost melted. Scrape them on top of the cake and sprinkle with crumbs from the littler box. Heat the remaining Tootsie rolls until pliable and hang them over the edge of the box. Place box on a sheet of newspaper and serve with scooper!ut one of these on each plate before the dinner starts!