HOT DOGS N' NOODLES

Great idea for your HALLOWEEN dinner party.

CANDY CORN MARSHMELLOWS

Found this idea but it did not come with a recipe or what they used to dip the marshmellows in. I figure they used dipping chocolate (white) and colored it with food coloring or bought orange chocolate and melted that. Cute idea though. Use your imagination, I'm sure you'll come up with something.

CHOCOLATE MOUSE

Ingredients

• 8 ounces chocolate confectioners' coating
• 20 red maraschino cherries with stems
• 3 tablespoons blanched slivered almonds
• 20 milk chocolate candy kisses, unwrapped
• 40 small red decorating candies 
• 1 bag of Oreo cookies pull apart, use the frosted side for the mouse to sit on

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Chop the confectioners' coating into chunks, and place into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat the coating in the microwave oven on High for 30 seconds; then heat again 4 or 5 more times for 10 to 15 seconds each time until the coating is warm (not hot) and melted. Stir well until the chocolate coating is smooth and free of lumps. The coating should be about 95 degrees F (35 degrees C).
3. Dry the cherries well with paper towels. Holding each cherry by the stem, dip it into the chocolate coating to just reach the bottom of the stem. Carefully lay the cherry on its side, so the stem sticks out the side. This will be the tail. Before the coating sets up, stick the flat side of an unwrapped chocolate kiss opposite the tail, to make a pointy-nosed face. Pick out two nicely shaped slivers of almond, and insert them between the chocolate kiss and the dipped cherry to make little ears. Use a toothpick to make two small dots of melted coating on the face for eyes; stick two little red candies to the coating dots. Repeat with the rest of the cherries. Allow the coating to set until firm and cool, about 30 minutes.

HALLOWEEN SNACK MIX

Ingredients

• 1 pound yogurt covered raisins
• 1 pound salted cashews
• 1 can salted  peanuts
• 1 pound white chocolate covered pretzels, broken into pieces
• 1 pound candy corn
• 1 bag pretzel sticks
• 2 pounds candy-coated chocolate pieces
• Keep in air tight container

PEANUT BUTTER CUP CARAMEL APPLES

Ingredients

• 6 of your favorite apples (I like golden delicious)
• 6 wooden sticks
• 1 (14 ounce) package individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups chopped peanut butter cups
• 4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
• 4 ounces white chocolate, chopped

Directions

1. Insert wooden sticks 3/4 of the way into the stem end of each apple. Place apples on a cookie sheet covered with lightly greased aluminum foil.
2. Combine caramels and water in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring often, until caramel melts and is smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Dip each apple into the caramel and gently run apples around insides of saucepan to scrape off some of the caramel. Scrape excess caramel from the apple bottoms using the side of the saucepan.
3. Spread the chopped cookies out on a dinner plate. Roll caramel apples in the peanut butter cups and place on the aluminum foil. Place the milk chocolate and white chocolate into separate microwave-safe bowls. Heat in the microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. Drizzle milk chocolate over the apples, then drizzle the white chocolate over the milk chocolate. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

CHERRY CHOCOLATE CARAMEL APPLES

Ingredients

• 6 of your favorite apple ( I like golden delicious)
• 6 wooden sticks
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 (14 ounce) package individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups dried cherries
• 1 cup sliced almonds

Directions

1. Insert wooden sticks 3/4 of the way into the stem end of each apple. Place apples on a cookie sheet covered with lightly greased aluminum foil. Place the chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring between each until chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside.
2. Combine caramels and water in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring often, until caramel melts and is smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Dip each apple into the caramel and gently run apples around insides of saucepan to scrape off some of the caramel. Scrape excess caramel from the apple bottoms using the side of the saucepan.
3. Roll apples in mixture of cherries and almonds. Place on the aluminum foil. Use a spoon to drizzle chocolate over the apples. If the chocolate is too thick, thin by mixing with a little vegetable oil. Chill until ready to serve.

WITCHES HAT

Ingredients
2 ounces semisweet chocolate
Chocolate-rolled sugar ice cream cone
Candy pumpkins ( flat little cake toppers halloween shapes)
Waxed paper
Purchased unfrosted plain or chocolate cake doughnut
Canned chocolate icing
Nonpareils or sprinkles
Orange, yellow, and green Starburst candy or candy-coated gum (we used mini Chiclets)

Directions
1. Melt semisweet chocolate according to the package instructions. Holding the open end of the cone, dip the bottom or pointed top half at an angle into the melted chocolate. Immediately press candy pumpkins into the chocolate. Place the cone on waxed paper and let sit until the chocolate sets.

2. Frost the top and side surfaces of a doughnut with icing. If you purchase chocolate cake donuts instead to save time, dip the hat in chocolate frosting and put on top of chocolate donut. 
Sprinkle icing with nonpareils or sprinkles on if you frost a plain cake donut .Center the open end of the cone on the frosted doughnut. Use a sharp knife to cut candies or gum pieces into quarters and adhere them around the bottom of the hat with icing

You may find little chicklet gum that you don't have to cut, or any candy that would look cute for the rim of the hat.

CARAMEL APPLES

A different twist to your caramel apples is to find some sturdy twigs to use for the handles. Makes them more "goolish" I think.

EDIBLE EYEBALLS

Ingredients 3.4-ounce box vanilla pudding mix (instant)Jelly beans (black)LifeSavers Gummies Plastic eggs (the small size)2 empty egg cartons Instructions Prepare the pudding according to the package directions. For each eye, fit a jelly bean into the center of a LifeSavers Gummies candy and place it in the bottom of a plastic egg half.Fill the egg cup with the pudding, then place the egg halves in an egg carton in the freezer until they're firm (about 3 hours).Remove the egg halves from the freezer and let them sit at room temperature for about 3 to 5 minutes.With the back of a fork, gently press down on the edge of the pudding, rolling the frozen ball out of the egg cup. If you're not serving them right away, place the eyes in a freezer-safe dish in the freezer until you're ready.Recipe makes 24 eyeballs.

FRANKENSTEIN CUPCAKES

Surprise your little goblins with monster-headed cupcakes filled with a slimy surprise-green   pudding.

Ingredients
2 dozen cupcakes from your favorite recipe
3.4-ounce box of vanilla-flavored instant pudding
green food coloring
1 cup of green melting candy (we used Wilton Candy Melts)
24 large marshmallows
skewers (the wooden ones and break in half if they are real long)
waxed-paper-lined baking sheet
M&M's Minis
small serrated knife
chocolate frosting (canned or your own recipe)
black gel decorating tube
2 green Tic Tac mints

Instructions
Bake and cool 2 dozen cupcakes from your favorite recipe. Prepare a 3.4-ounce box of vanilla-flavored instant pudding. Stir in drops of green food coloring until you have a shade you like, then place it in the refrigerator to chill.

Next, microwave 1 cup of green melting candy (we used Wilton Candy Melts, available at party supply stores) for 1 minute at 50 percent power, then stir. If necessary, heat in 15-second intervals until completely melted. One at a time, spear 24 large marshmallows with a skewer and roll them in the melted candy, coating the sides. Set them on a waxed-paper-lined baking sheet

Add M&M's Minis for eyes, and place them in the refrigerator to chill.

With a small serrated knife, remove a 1-inch-wide chunk from the center of each cupcake. Fill each hole with a tablespoon or so of the pudding, then spread chocolate frosting around each pudding hole.

Cover each pool of pudding with a chilled marshmallow. Add black gel facial features and 2 green Tic Tac mints for bolts.

Finally, top each monster head with a bit of frosting and muss with your finger or a fork. Keep the cupcakes chilled until serving time.

HOT DOG MUMMIES

Ingredients

1 11-ounce can of refrigerator breadsticks
1 12-pack of hot dogs
Yellow mustard  


Instructions
For each mummy, separate one breadstick from the roll and use kitchen shears or a knife to slice it in half lengthwise to create two thinner strips.
Wrap one strip at a time snugly around the hot dog. Depending on the size of the hot dog, you may not need all of both strips. Leave about 1/2 inch of hot dog exposed for the face area and continue wrapping the top of the hot dog.
Bake the mummies on a cookie sheet at 350º for 15 to 18 minutes or until the breadstick wrapping is golden brown.
Remove the mummies from the oven and cool them for 5 minutes. Add yellow mustard eyes just before serving. Makes 12 mummies.

Ghost Treats

Ingredients
3 Tlb butter
1 pkg (10 oz . about 40 regular) or 4 cups mini marshmellows
6 cups Rice Krispies
bag flake coconut
can white frosting
tube black decorating gel

In large pot melt butter over low heat.
Add marshmellows and stir til melted and smooth. Not too hot or they will burn on bottom. Remove from heat

Add Rice Krispies
Stir until well coated.

Using a 1/2 cup measuring cup sprayed with cooking spray, divide cereal into portions. Using buttered hands shape portions into ghosts shapes. Cool. Dip bottom of ghosts into frosting and then into coconut. Dot on eyes

PUMPKIN CUPCAKES

Makes 24 cupcakes

Heat oven 350

Stir together:

4 cups flour

2 t baking soda

2 t ground cinnamon

1 t ground ginger

1/2 t ground nutmeg

1/2 t salt

Beat together :
2 cups canned pumpkin

2 cups brown sugar, packed

2 stickes soften butter

4 eggs beat well after each

Stir in 1 cup chopped pecans

Add flour mixture and beat well on medium

Line muffin tins with halloween liners or reg. cupcake liners.

Fill each liner half full of batter.

Bake 20-30 min.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8oz. cream cheese

3/4 stick butter

2 Tlb. orange juice concentrate

2 cups powder sugar

Beat well til smooth.

Making cobwebs on top- heat 1/2 120z. bag of chocolate chips in microwave in a microwave proof bowl 50 sec. stir til smooth. Place with spoon into baggie. Slide down to the corner of baggie by twisting top tight forcing choc. to corner. snip off the corner of bag with siccors a tiny hole. Start in the middle of cupcake and squeeze out a spiral. With a knife, start in the middle of cupcake and drag side of knife straight down to edge of cake. Drag 6-8 lines.