Witches Brew

This recipe features a frozen red hand!

1 latex dishwashing glove

1 (10 oz.) package frozen raspberries, thawed

2 1/2 cups cranberry juice

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

2 liters ginger ale

2 liters sparkling apple cider (non-alcoholic)

6 gummy snakes candy

Directions

How to Make Frozen Hand

Wash the outside of a brand new latex dishwashing glove; rinse thoroughly.

Turn the glove inside out and set aside.

Combine the raspberries and cranberries in a 4-cup capacity measuring cup.

Pour 2 cups of the raspberry mixture into 2-quart saucepan. Over low heat, sprinkle the gelatin over the mixture, stirring constantly until gelatin dissolves.

Pour warm mixture back into the remaining raspberry mixture in measuring cup.

Pour the entire raspberry mixture into the glove (leave inside out).

Tie top of glove (wrist part) securely with twine. Place glove in freezer.

Leave in freezer for several days before using, or if time is a factor, make sure ice is frozen solid.

How to Make Punch

With scissors, carefully cut away latex glove from frozen hand. Sit the frozen hand inside of a large punch bowl, with palm facing up, so that it leans against the side of bowl. Add ginger ale, sparkling cider and gummy bears.

Warm and Spicy Punch

This punch will fill your home with a warm citrusy aroma.

2 oranges

8 whole cloves

6 cups apple juice

1 cinnamon stick

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 cup honey

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 1/4 cups pineapple juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Poke cloves into oranges. Bake oranges 30 minutes.

Combine apple juice and cinnamon stick in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium temperature; simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir in nutmeg, honey, lemon and pineapple juice.

Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

These roasted pumpkin seeds are easy to make and extremely delicious.

1 1/2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic salt

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 cups raw whole pumpkin seeds

Directions

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Place seeds in a shallow baking dish.

Bake for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Pumpkin Spiced Butter

This pumpkin butter makes a delicious compliment to breakfast or a cup of tea.

1 (15 oz.) can solid pack pumpkin

2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup orange juice

1 teaspoon ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan and cook over MEDIUM heat (about 25 minutes); stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick and like the consistency of spreadable jam.

Keep remainder refrigerated.

Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream

This delicious premium homemade pumpkin ice cream makes a nice dessert finale to any festive Fall or Winter meal.

1 1/2 cups evaporated reduced 2% fat milk

1 large egg

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2/3 cup canned solid pack pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Large pinch ground nutmeg

Pinch salt

Directions

In a medium saucepan, bring milk to a boil.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg and sugar. Gradually whisk in the boiling milk.

Add pumpkin, vanilla, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; stir well.

Refrigerate ice cream mixture until thoroghly chilled.

Freeze mixture in an ice cream maker. Follow directions for your specific ice cream machine. Soften ice cream slightly before serving.

Kick it up a Notch: You can add in raisins, dried cranberries, toasted walnuts or pecans, crushed gingersnaps, swirls of maple syrup.

Melting Witch Cups

1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon shortening

8 Bugles brand snacks

1 (4 serving size) box white chocolate pudding mix

1 (4 serving size) box chocolate fudge pudding mix

4 cups cold milk

6 drops green food coloring

8 creme filled chocolate sandwich cookies or chocolate covered mint patties

8 pretzel sticks

1 tablespoon chow mein noodles, broken in half

16 gummi worm candies

Directions

Witch Hat

Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. In a small microwaveable bowl, combine chocolate chips and shortening. Microwave on HIGH heat for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes or until chocolate is completely melted. Stir until smooth.

Dip each Bugle snack, one at a time, into chocolate; coat completely. Let excess chocolate drip off. Place hat point side up on cookie sheet. Let stand until chocolate has set.

Witch Pudding Cups

Prepare white chocolate pudding mix using 2 cups of milk according to package directions. Prepare chocolate fudge pudding mix using 2 cups of milk according to package directions.

Add green food coloring into white chocolate pudding; stir until well blended.

In 8 small, individual serving dishes, add 2 tablespoons of green pudding and on top of that add 2 tablespoons chocolate pudding. Keep adding green and chocolate pudding to form 4-layers.

Using the handle end of a spoon, gently swirl the top two layers.

Push a sandwich cookie down inside of pudding cup and top with a chocolate coated Bugle to resemble a witch's hat. Cookie forms brim of hat.

Add one pretzel stick next to hat and surround with chow mein noodles to create a broomstick.

At the other end of the dish, insert two gummy worms for the witch's legs.

Martian Cookies

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Even Marvin the Martian would have a difficult time resisting these goodie-packed cookies. Each bite is a tasty exploration of chocolate, zucchini, nuts and butterscotch.

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup quick cooking oats

1 cup grated zucchini

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup butterscotch chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until soft, add sugar and beat until fluffy.

Add in the egg and vanilla; beat until well blended.

In a medium sized bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; stir well.

Using an electric mixer on low speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture a little bit at a time; beat until well mixed.

Stir in oats, zucchini, nuts and chocolate chips with a wooden spoon.

Drop a rounded teaspoon full of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet, keep dough

2-inches apart. Bake 10 - 12 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cool on cookie sheet 1 minute. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack.

Marshmallow Mummies

These colorful marshmallow mummies are just waiting to be discovered by adventurous party guests.

18 large marshmallows

6 thin pretzel pieces

1 (4.5 oz.) box chewy fruit snacks, any flavor

1 (0.68 oz.) tube black decorating gel

Directions

Press 3 marshmallows down onto each pretzel stick to create 6 mummy bodies.

Unwrap the fruit snack rolls (do not unroll). Using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors, cut rolls into 1/2-inch strips. Unroll each strip and remove plastic.

Wrap each fruit roll around marshmallows to create a bandaged mummy look.

Leave a small opening to create two dot eyes with the decorating gel.

Note: You can display each mummy inside a glass "case". Take a clear drinking glass and fill bottom with small candies. Set mummy inside.

Jack-o-Lantern Mini Pizzas

1 (16.3 oz.) can homestyle refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

1 pound lean ground beef

1 (15.5 oz.) can sloppy joe sandwich sauce

1 (11 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained

8 slices American cheese

8 small pieces green bell pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Separate biscuit dough into 8 pieces. Arrange biscuits on a large cookie sheet.

Press down on each biscuit to make a 4 1/2-inch round dough piece.

Bake 12 - 15 minutes until golden brown.

In a 12-inch non-stick skillet, cook ground beef over MEDIUM heat for

8 - 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain fat. Stir in corn and sloppy joe sauce. Reduce heat to MEDIUM LOW. Cook an additional 3 - 5 minutes,

stirring occassionally.

With a knife, cut cheese into circles. Cut out eyes, nose and mouth to make a Jack-o-Lantern face.

Take biscuits out of oven. Spoon beef mixture over each biscuit round.

Lay a cheese face over the beef mixture on each round. Use bell pepper piece to create a pumpkin stem.

Return to oven and bake an additional 3 - 5 minutes, or until cheese melts.

Jack-o-Lantern Smoothies

1 tablespoon semisweet chocolate chips

4 (8 or 9 oz.) plastic cups

3 (6 oz.) containers orange or peach yogurt

1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

1 (11 oz.) can mandarin orange segments, chilled and drained

1 banana, sliced

Directions

In a small microwaveable bowl, melt the chocolate chips for 1 minute, or until completely melted, on HIGH heat.

Use the tip of a knife to create two chocolate eyes, one chocolate nose, and a chocolate mouth inside each cup. It's like you are painting a face on the inside of the cup with chocolate. Refrigerate cups for 5 minutes until chocolate has set.

In a blender, combine all of the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth and creamy. Pour smoothie into plastic cups with the chocolate faces.

Hot Apple Cider

6 cups apple cider

1/4 cup real maple syrup

2 cinnamon sticks, plus 6 sticks for serving (optional)

6 whole cloves

6 whole allspice berries

1 orange peel, cut into strips

1 lemon peel, cut into strips

Directions

In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine apple cider and maple syrup.

Wash a square piece of cheescloth and place inside it: cinammon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, orange peel, and lemon peel. Fold up the sides of the cheesecloth and tie securely with kitchen twine. Add spice bundle to cider mixture.

Cook cider over medium heat 5 - 10 minutes, or until very hot. DO NOT BOIL.

Remove from heat. Discard the spice bundle. Pour cider into large mugs.

Garnish each mug with cinnamon stick, if desired.

Halloween Snack Mix

6 cups caramel corn

2 cups salted cashews or peanuts

1 1/2 cups candy corn

1/3 cup raisins

Directions

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients.

Makes 2 quarts.

Store in airtight container.

Ghoulishly Good Cupcakes

8 oz. cream cheese
1/3 c. sugar
1 egg
Pinch of salt
2 tsp. grated orange peel
2 drops red food coloring
2 drops yellow food coloring
1 c. chocolate chips

Beat until smooth - all ingredients but chocolate chips. Stir in chips and set aside.

CUPCAKES:

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. vegetable oil
2/3 c. sugar
1 c. water
1 tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine ingredients, in order listed, in large mixing bowl. Blend well on low speed. Fill 24 muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Spoon 1 tablespoon filling onto each cupcake. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Goblin Cupcakes

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1/3 c. sugar
1 egg
1/8 tsp. salt
2 tsp. grated orange peel
2 drops red food coloring
2 drops yellow food coloring
1 c. chocolate chips

Combine cream cheese, sugar, egg, salt, orange peel and food coloring in a small bowl. Beat until smooth. Add chocolate chips. Set aside.

CUPCAKES:

1 1/2 c. unsifted all purpose flour
1 c. sugar
1/3 c. cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1 c. water
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. vinegar

Combine ingredients in order listed. Blend well on low speed. Fill 24 paper muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Spoon about 1 tablespoon cheese filling onto each cupcake. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Spider Cupcakes

18.25 oz chocolate cake mix
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
12 large marshmallows
chocolate sprinkles
48 M&M'S® mini baking bits
192 pieces black licorice

Prepare cake batter according package directions. Fill 24 greased or lined muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 21-26 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in pan; transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.

FOR FROSTING:

Combine sugar, cocoa, butter, and milk in small pot. Bring to a boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. Cool to 110°F.

Beat with wooden spoon until thick and losing gloss, about 8 minutes. Cut marshmallows in half width wise; place 1/2 on each cupcake. Frost marshmallows and tops of cupcakes. Dip in sprinkles.

Place dab of frosting on each M&M and press on to look like eyes. Using skewers, poke 4 holes on each side of each cupcake. Insert a piece of licorice into each hole.

Santa Claus Cupcakes

Cupcakes, how many it is you need
White frosting for cupcakes
Red colored sugar
White mini marshmallows
Mini chocolate chips
Red hot candies
Coconut

Frost cupcakes with white frosting. Sprinkle red sugar across top half of cupcake. Put marshmallow to one side of red sugar for tassel. Pat on 2 chocolate chips on for eyes. Put on one red hot for nose. Sprinkle bottom 1/3 with coconut for beard.

Bunny Cupcakes

Cupcakes baked in cupcake liners
White ready-to spread frosting
Flaked coconut
Red or yellow food color
Lady fingers
Red or yellow jelly beans
Red hot candies
Red licorice laces

Frost cupcake with white frosting; piling high to form a rounded top. Dip into coconut to coat frosting. Tint a portion of frosting with food color to make a light pink or yellow. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the cut sides of two lady fingers. Make two slits near the edge of the cupcake and insert lady fingers for ears.

Secure in an upright position with wooden picks. Add jelly bean (1/2) for nose and red hot candies for eyes. Cut laces into six 1 1/4 inch pieces. Add for whiskers. Refrigerate to set frosting. Remove picks before serving.

Summer Vegetable Kabobs

2 sm. zucchini
2 sm. yellow squash
2 sm. eggplants
8 lg. mushrooms
1 sm. red pepper, cut into 8 sq.
1/4 c. butter, melted
1 lg. clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. rosemary leaves, crushed
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Cut each zucchini, yellow squash and eggplant into four 1 inch thick slices. Alternately thread two pieces of each vegetable and two mushrooms on four 10 inch skewers. Combine butter, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Brush both sides of vegetables with seasoned butter. Place kabobs over medium charcoal briquets and grill 10 to 12 minutes, turning after 5 minutes and brushing with seasoned butter occasionally.

Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes

Cupcakes:

1-1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup whole
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Peppermint Buttercream:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2-1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2-3 drops green food coloring (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a separate mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until sugar is fully dissolved. Add eggs, one at a time, and stir until completely mixed.

4. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until all clumps of flour have been dissolved.

5. Add milk and vanilla, and stir until batter is smooth and velvety. Pour into greased or lined muffin tins and bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from heat.

6. Let cool for 15 minutes in tins, then remove and let cool outside of tins for at least 1 hour.

7. For Peppermint Buttercream, cream butter for 45-60 seconds. Add powdered sugar, and beat by hand, or with an electric mixer until mixture comes together and makes peaks. Add cream, peppermint extract, and food coloring if desired, and beat for 45-60 more seconds. Refrigerate until ready to use.

9. Once cupcakes are fully cooled, add Peppermint Buttercream. Serve with coffee or milk.

*These are good to serve on St. Patrick's day, or on Christmas. For Christmas, double the recipe, and for second batch of buttercream, use red food coloring instead of green

Honey-Glazed Baked Ham

10 to 12 lb. fully cooked bone in ham
Whole cloves
1/2 c. honey
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tbsp. orange juice

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place ham, fat side up, on rack in roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer in thickest part. Bake, uncovered, 2 hours.

With sharp knife, remove skin, if any; then score fat into 1 inch diamonds; stud each with a clove.

Combine honey, sugar, mustard and orange juice in 1 quart saucepan. Over medium heat bring to a boil while stirring.

Brush half of honey glaze over ham; bake 30 minutes. Brush with rest of glaze; bake 30 minutes until golden and thermometer reads 130 degrees. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes before carving. Makes 18 to 20 servings.