HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Halloween is my second favorite holiday, after Thanksgiving. They are the two holidays that fall in my favorite season of the year, Autumn! So I guess it makes sense. Even though I am traveling during All Hallows, Halloween, Samhain, etc. this year, I am looking forward to spending the holiday with our friends Nicki and Lisa in Vermont π
I would like to re-post something from a few years back, early in my blogging career, some special treats I made a few years ago for a Halloween Party! Enjoy! Have a safe and happy Halloween everyone!
Spindly Spiders:
I thought I would make these guys using black licorice gumdrops and black shoestring licorice. However, according to the manger at the Publix grocery store we went to, black licorice is not popular in Florida, therefore they do not carry it, even at holiday time. Bah! So I had to come up with a different plan!
You Will Need:
Dried Plums
Blackberry Fruit Leather
Toothpicks
Red Tube Icing
METHOD:
To make the spider, roll the plums in the palms of your hands to form them into balls. Cut the fruit leather into very thin strips (using the shortest side). Using toothpick make 4 small holes on each side of the plum (spider body) and poke the fruit leather strip into the holes. Spiders have 8 fruit leather legs in total. Then using the tube of red icing, place two eyes on the top of the spider! Great for decoration and a very healthy fruit snack!
Kitty Kupcakes:
Cupcakes with character. I have a black kitty and I had to pay homage to her especially on Halloween – so she is my inspiration for these cupcakes! You could change it up and do orange kitties if you prefer.
You Will Need:
Halloween Cupcake Wrappers
Cupcake Baking Pans
Chocolate Cake Mix
Chocolate Icing
Pastry Bag
Star Tip
Dark Chocolate M&M’s or Reese’s Pieces
Blue Corn Tortilla Chips
Chocolate Chips
1 cup Chow Mein Noodles
1 TBS Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder
1 TBS Sugar
Red Tube Icing
METHOD:
Prepare the cupcakes according to the cake package directions. Once they have cooled put the icing in the pastry bag using a star tip. Pipe the icing on the cupcakes.
In a small bowl combine chow mein noodles, cocoa powder and sugar. Place two small pieces or blue corn tortilla chips as ears, M&Ms for eyes, chocolate chip for nose , chocolate covered chow mein noodles as whiskers and a red mouth.
Dark Chocolate Pretzel Wands:
Bring a little magic into Halloween with these delicious dark chocolate pretzel wands!
You Will Need:
1Β½ package of Ghiradelli Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
Package of Pretzel Rods
Halloween Sprinkles
Microwave Safe Mug
Parchment Paper
Cookie Sheet
METHOD:
In a microwave safe mug melt the chocolate chips (you want to use a mug so that when you dip the pretzel rods, the chocolate will go about 1/3 way up the stick).
Dip pretzel rods in chocolate and sprinkle them with sprinkles over parchment paper (you can also roll the sprinkles if you prefer, but you will use a lot more). Lay on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper until chocolate has hardened.
Eerie Eyeballs:
These were a HUGE hit at the party! Everyone loved the peanut butter surprise inside! Yum!
You Will Need:
Mixing Bowl
2 Cups Confectioner’s Sugar
1Β½ Cup Creamy Peanut Butter (I used Organic and did not mix the oil in, that way the PB itself is harder)
3 TBS Unsalted Butter, softened
Parchment Paper
Cookie Sheet
1Β½ Lb. White Candy Coating (like Dolci brand for covering fruits)
24 Dark Chocolate M&M’s
1 TBS Water
ΒΌ to Β½ TSP Red Food Coloring (I had less and my icing turned out pink, so I used the leftovers of the red icing from the cupcakes).
METHOD:
In a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, peanut better and butter. Shape into one inch balls. Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Chill for 30 mins or until firm.
In a microwave safe bowl melt white candy coating and stir until smooth. Be careful not to burn. Dip PB balls into coating and place on parchment paper. Immediately press M&M (M side DOWN) on top of each ball for a pupil. Let stand in fridge for 30 mins or until set.
In a small bowl combine water, food coloring and remaining confectioner’s sugar. Transfer into a re-sealable bag and poke a small hole into the corner of the bag. Pipe wavy lines downward from pupil creating the look of bloodshot eyes. Store in fridge until ready to serve.
Rosa - October 31, 2009 at 9:33 am
Happy Halloween! Great ideas. So cute!
I love you shirt…
Cheers,
rosa
Aggie - October 31, 2009 at 10:42 am
These are great Jenn! Black licorice not popular in FL??? (such a thing to say!) I love black licorice!
Those wands are adorable, I’ve made them before for a bridal shower (white chocolate, blue sugar crystals), I love the Halloween version!! And the spiders…love it all!
Happy Halloween and enjoy that northern Fall weather!! Your missing a 90 degree FL Halloween! =/
kat - October 31, 2009 at 11:03 am
What fun Halloween treats!
Teresa - October 31, 2009 at 11:06 am
Happy Halloween Jenn. Your snacks are frightfully delightful! Halloween is my all time favorite time of the year too. Be safe.
ValleyWriter - October 31, 2009 at 11:23 am
These are all such cute ideas – love the little black kitty cupcakes (I say as I have a real little black kitty on my lap – you know how they have a special place in my heart ;-).
Happy Halloween!
Bellini Valli - October 31, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Happy Hallowe’en Jenn. I love the eyeballs:D
Natashya - October 31, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Such fun! You are so creative.
Happy Halloween!
Jenn - October 31, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Awesome Halloween treats. I love the cat cupcakes. So cute!!
Happy Halloween!!!
kat - October 31, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Happy Halloween!!
Marillyn @ just-making-noise - October 31, 2009 at 5:24 pm
My favorites are the preztel wands!! I used to LOVE it with carmel wrapped around the sticks and then dipping it into dark & white chocolate… oh so good! It was a Christmas treat :o)
Adam - October 31, 2009 at 5:52 pm
See what you did to me? Now I will never eat regular prunes again. I’ll have to dress them up π
Happy Halloween, it’s one of my favorites too. Glad all is well on your travels and up north. Cheers my friend!
dawn - October 31, 2009 at 5:58 pm
girl you need to smile in the pics–you have such a gorgeous smile.
we got sun today, you’re lucky as we’ve had nothing but gloomy skies and rain. what a selection.
Maggie - October 31, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Happy Halloween! I love the idea of an all fruit spider (well except for the gel icing). My mother would much prefer the black licorice version however.
Amy @ Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free - November 1, 2009 at 12:12 am
Love your Halloween treats!! I tried to make these adorable gingerbread mummies but I couldn’t figure out how to make the gingerbread gluten & sugar-free. I’ve not given up, though.
Pam - November 1, 2009 at 12:43 am
Loved the post Jenn! Travel safely and most of all have fun! Happy Halloween!
Enjoy!
Peter G - November 1, 2009 at 1:01 am
Happy Halloween Jenn! These creations all look like fun…the spiders are my faves!
licorice lover - November 1, 2009 at 1:52 am
Too bad you couldn’t get black licorice. You can order it from http://www.licoriceinternational.com
Happy Cook - November 1, 2009 at 6:44 am
Looks like you have made a lot of scary things.
We don’t celebrate Halloween here,
Happy Halloween and wish you had a scary wonderful day yesterday.
Mardi @eatlivetravelwrite - November 1, 2009 at 10:07 am
Looks like a great spread of scariness! Next Hallowe’en I will be happy to send you some black liquorice in exchange for some of those treats!!!
Erica - November 1, 2009 at 10:57 am
I love Vermont! I hope you have a great time there!Can anyone resist those delicious treats? Thank you for sharing.
Velva - November 1, 2009 at 12:10 pm
These Halloween treats rock! Really, everything loooks great. I can tell Halloween is one of your favorite holidays.
pierre - November 1, 2009 at 2:36 pm
bravo for your sense of humour !!
and if you like hummmus in a different way come and visit me !!
Γ bientot Pierre
Deborah Dowd - November 1, 2009 at 5:20 pm
You are so inventive! We made some chocolate dipped pretzel rods as favors for my daughter’s 21st birthday at the beach, and they were a hit, but Ilove those kitty cat cupcakes!
girlichef - November 1, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Great Halloween treats!! I hope your travels are safe and happy π …p.s…my favorite time of year including holidays, too!
Johanna - November 1, 2009 at 6:38 pm
happy halloween – these treats are great – I especially like that spiders – love prunes – and I saw some other kitty kat cupcakes with quartered oreos for ears which I liked – because it is hard to find blue corn chips here – the only ones I know are round!!!
DebinHawaii - November 1, 2009 at 8:37 pm
So very fun! Hope you had a wonderful Halloween.
Natasha - 5 Star Foodie - November 2, 2009 at 12:44 am
Your Halloween treats are all very neat! Great ideas! Hope you had a wonderful Halloween weekend!
Arlene (MOM) - November 2, 2009 at 10:55 am
That was a lot of fun wasn’t it. Very yummy too. Hope you had a spook-tackular Halloween.
alice - November 6, 2009 at 3:07 am
My kids and I love chocolate covered pretzels and yours looks great!
Jeff - November 10, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Awesome job!!!!!!!!! I love Halloween too but this year I just could not get into it. Worst was it was on a Saturday so I had extra time to be goofy.
Also, love the Transylvania shirt!
Krissy - November 11, 2009 at 1:53 pm
How cute I love all these π