HOW TO HOST THE PERFECT HALLOWEEN PARTY

MENU SUGGESTIONS

Inquire about your guests' nutritional requirements with the RSVPs to determine if they have any allergies or objections to particular ingredients.  Recipes courtesy of the Halloween Party Host Handbook. 

For more Halloween treat recipes, check out Dr. Bon's blog article. 

 

APPETIZERS:

 

DELICIOUSLY DEVIL'D EGG-EYES

Ingredients:

12 eggs

~ 5 oz. of crumbled bacon &/or minced ham - mixed together

2 tablespoons of Honey Dijon mustard

1/4 cup mayo

1 pinch black pepper, salt to taste

24 slices of green olives

Paprika for sprinkling – have on the side for taste.

Black olives for the pupil

Green food coloring for the iris (yolk mixture)

Red food coloring with a toothpick for the capillaries of the sclera (drawn on the egg whites.)

Directions:  Place egg in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, and peel.

Cut eggs in half lengthwise, place the yolks into a mixing bowl, and set the whites aside. Mash the yolks with the bacon/ham mix, mustard, mayonnaise, and black pepper with a few drops of green food coloring – or other color to make the iris of the eyes. Spoon or pipe filling into egg white halves. Place a sliced black olive in the center of the yolk mixture and with a toothpick, drag tracks around the egg white of the red food coloring to resemble ‘bloodshot eyes.’

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SNACKIN' SURPRISE PUMPKIN SEEDS

Ingredients:

2 cups raw whole pumpkin seeds

2 tablespoons of butter, melted

2 teaspoons of salt

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

A few dashes of Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

Clean the pumpkin seeds thoroughly, soaking in a bowl of salt water for 2 hours.  Preheat oven to 300F (150C), line a baking sheet with nonstick foil. Drain and dry seeds.  Mix the ingredients in a mixing bowl, coating thoroughly. Spread seeds onto the foil in a single layer and bake for about 1 hour, until golden brown and crunchy, turning about every 15 minutes.

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SPOOKY 7-LAYER DIP

Ingredients:

16 oz. of refried beans

1 ¼ ounces of taco seasoning mix (1 packet)

1 cup sour cream (divided)

1 cup salsa of your choice – drained if too runny

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 diced Roma tomatoes (or 1 beefsteak diced tomato)

¼ cup green onion

3 ounces of black olives, drained and sliced

1 cup guacamole

Chips for dipping

Directions:

Mix the taco seasoning and refried beans, spreading it onto a platter of your choice (11 inch plate preferred). Carefully spread ½ the sour cream onto the bean mixture. Next, add the salsa carefully over the sour cream – don’t mix it!  Next, guacamole – this may take patience, but add dollops of guacamole over the salsa and very carefully flatten them until they touch. Next is the grated cheese, but place it around the guacamole on the edges, not over it.  Top the cheese with olives, diced tomatoes, and sliced green onions. Take the remaining sour cream and place into a sandwich bag, snipping the corner.  Squeeze the sour cream in a spider web pattern over the guacamole in the center.  Serve with chips.

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MUMMY JALEPENO POPPERS

Ingredients for 10 servings:

10 jalapeno peppers with the center removed (pulp, seeds) – sliced lengthwise

Refrigerated crescent roll dough (1 can)

8 oz. cream cheese

8 oz. pepper jack cheese

1 finely chopped green onion

Salt, pepper to taste

2 beaten eggs

Black olive

Directions:

After slicing your jalapenos, wash them and dry with a paper towel. Mix the cheeses with the onion and salt, pepper and fill the jalapenos with the cheese mixture. Open the dough and cut into thin strips. Wrap your cheese-filled jalapenos with the dough strips like mummy gauze, leaving space for the ‘face’ of the mummy. Put on a baking sheet (use cooking spray to prevent sticking) with the face side up. Cook per the instructions of the dough, checking to see when it turns a golden brown. Remove and allow cooling. Using a piping bag (use a plastic food bag and cut the corner), add two circles for the eyes and top with a small piece of black olive on each for the iris/pupil. Or, for bigger eyes, affix a sliced green olive with pimento center with a dab of cream cheese.

 

ENTREE:

 

FRANKENSTEIN BOO-RITOS

Ingredients for 10 servings:

10 spinach tortillas

5 cups Spanish rice (you can make from a box/package)

3 cups cubed, cooked chicken

Diced sweet yellow onion

1 tbsp. butter

1 can diced tomatoes

Sour cream

Blue corn tortilla chips

Red pepper

Cubed cheese

Fajita chicken mixed spice

Salt, pepper to taste

Shredded mild cheddar cheese

Black olives

Directions:

Prepare your rice according to the package. Heat your spinach tortillas according to the package. Season your chicken with the chicken fajita seasoning, salt, and pepper. Sauté the onion in butter until softened. Drain your diced tomatoes and season. Lay the heated tortilla flat and spoon in rice, chicken, onions, cheddar cheese, and tomatoes. Roll the burrito and place on a platter. Using the remainder of the ingredients, create fun Frankenstein faces on the top side of each boo-rito. Be creative! Serve with sour cream and guacamole on the side.

 

MOUSY MEATBALLS

Ingredients:

1 ½ lb. ground beef or ground turkey

2/3 cup of garlic flavored bread crumbs

1/3 cup minced yellow sweet onion

1 ½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. ginger

¼ cup half and half

1 egg

1 tsp. shortening

2 tsp. cornstarch

½ cup brown sugar, packed

1 can pineapple tidbits (drained) (keep syrup)

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. soy sauce

1/3 cup diced very finely green and red sweet peppers

Lo Mein noodles for tails

Directions: Mix beef (or turkey), crumbs, onion, egg, salt, ginger and milk. Shape into mouse shaped meatballs (small head, larger body), place the eyes (red pieces of sweet pepper) into the heads and sear the outside of the meatballs in the shortening that is heated to medium in a saucepan. Remove the meatballs and place in a baking dish and cook on 350 for 20 minutes.

Sauce: mix the oil from the skillet with red and green peppers, cornstarch, sugar, pineapple syrup, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce and stir thoroughly. 

When it’s time, remove the meatballs from the oven and place the meatballs in a Crockpot, pouring the sauce over the top and cooking on low until done. Test carefully with a meat thermometer.

Optional for mouse tails: cook a few Lo Mein noodles separately per the instructions on the package.  Once you remove the mice meatballs from the crockpot, allow to cool before you manipulate them to put in the tails. Using a toothpick, insert a ~ 1-2 inch tail into each mouse, removing the toothpick when the tail is inserted.

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STUFFED BLOODY BELL PEPPERS

Ingredients:

6 bell peppers (red)

1 lb. of ground beef

1 egg

½ cup of garlic bread crumbs

1 small yellow onion, minced

1 small tomato, diced

2 minced cloves of fresh garlic

½ cup ketchup

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons of mayonnaise

Salt and pepper to taste

½ teaspoon of basil

½ teaspoon of thyme

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8*8 baking dish.  Mix the ingredients in a mixing bowl (set the bell peppers aside).

Clean the bell peppers. Slice off the tops and remove the core/seeds. Stuff the insides of the peppers with the mixture and place into the baking sheet. Bake until done, about 1 hour. You can drip ketchup along the sides for a ‘bloody’ effect.

 

DESSERTS:

 

THE CRACKEN'S CARROT CAKE

Ingredients:

6 cups of grated carrots

2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

1 cup of brown sugar

1 cup of raisins

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups of white sugar

1 cup Smart Balance vegetable oil

1 cup of crushed pineapple (drained)

3 cups of all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

3 ½ teaspoons of ground cinnamon

1 cup of evenly chopped walnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a mixing bowl, mix the grated carrots and brown sugar. Set aside for 1 hour. Prepare two 10 inch cake pans for baking (grease/flour). Stir the raisins into the carrot and brown sugar mixture. In a large bowl, beat eggs until they are light and fluffy. Fold in the white sugar, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Mix for a minute before adding the crushed pineapple. Mix the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon before stirring into the mixture. Finally, add the chopped walnuts and the carrot mixture. Pour the batter evenly into the baking pans.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Test the cake for doneness before removing. Cool the pans for 25 min before removing from pan. When the layers have cooled, you can frost the cake with a cream cheese frosting.

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CANDY CORN ICE CREAM TREATS

Ingredients:

1 quart vanilla ice cream (any brand)

Orange and yellow food coloring

Clear plastic or glass cups

Whipped Cream

Sprinkles

Directions:

Take the ice cream out of the freezer and allow softening for 20-30 minutes. Spoon about 1/3 of the ice cream in a medium bowl, adding orange food coloring to color a bright orange (or as desired). In another bowl, repeat the process with the yellow food coloring.  Stir the remaining ice cream until it is smooth and creamy.  Spoon the yellow ice cream into the bottom of the glass, flattening and avoiding bubbles.  You may wish to wipe the glass from any residue on the sides. Then, add the orange and top with the white.  Add whipped cream and sprinkles (if you wish) on top. Serve with a spoon.

 

COCKTAILS FOR ADULTS:

 

BLOOD ORANGE MARTINI 

Ingredients:

1 cup Tito’s Vodka (or other type of Vodka)

1 cup chilled blood orange or Pomegranate juice

1 cup chilled apple juice

½ cup of orange liqueur

*Red food coloring to boost the color and make it spooky

Directions:

Mix thoroughly with an ice shaker and pour into martini glasses.

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GHOSTBUSTER SLIME ATTACK 

Ingredients for 3-4 cocktails:

¼ cup light corn syrup

Green food coloring

1 oz. vodka

1 oz. peach schnapps

1 oz. sour apple schnapps

1 oz. coconut rum

1 oz. sweet and sour mix

10 oz. lemon/lime soda

Directions:

Frost your glasses and when ready to serve, make your slime by adding green food coloring to the corn syrup – drop by drop until you get the right color. Dip the rim of the frosted glass into the slime and turn right side up, allowing the slime to ooze on the side of the glass. Mix the liquors together in a shaker to chill them and then add soda and stir. Fill the glass with your delicious fruity mix and serve.

 

 

FUN PARTY GAMES: ​