It’s Boo Time

Sarah

A peek at our vintage Halloween decor and the ghoulish goodies I am making this month.

I’ve always felt like we have a “fall house.” It just looks better when it’s all dressed up in our Halloween décor and takes on a cozy ambiance from the warm glow of candlelight, comfy throw blankets and, of course, all the good smells coming from the kitchen.

This is the time of year I tend to roast more meats, make more casseroles (ahem…I mean hotdishes) and bake my “guts” out—as in attempting to flex my creativity for some Halloween-inspired sweets and treats in anticipation of visits by neighborhood goblins or invites to ghoulish gatherings. 

A couple of the goodies I’m making this month are actually festive twists on two of my mom’s recipes that I make all year.

The first is Chocolate Cupcakes with (orange) Cream Cheese filling. My mom’s recipe is simply titled Self-Filled Cupcakes which doesn’t truly capture of the essence of these scrumptious cupcakes that include a cream cheese and chocolate chip filling! While the original recipe uses a vanilla cake mix, I’ve been loving this recipe with a chocolate cake mix and tinting the cream cheese filling a shade of orange. And don’t get me started on this frosting. Made with melted butter, sugar and chocolate chips, it takes on a slightly shiny sheen that looks even better with a candy corn or spooky eyes on top!

Chocolate cupcakes made from a cake mix with a dollop of cream cheese and chocolate chips tucked inside (tinted orange) and topped with the perfect chocolate frosting. Based on my mom’s recipe for Self-Filled Cupcakes found here.

This next treat is one I make especially for my husband who loves Rice Krispie Bars and is also a big fan of candy corn! As if Carol’s Krispies weren’t good enough with the added flavor that comes from blending in melted peanut butter and butterscotch chips, I threw in 1 1/2 cups of mini marshmallows and 1 cup of chopped-up candy corn for a seasonal spin that I call Candy Corn Krispies.

Candy Corn Krispies use my mom’s recipe we call Carol’s Krispies (you can find the recipe here) as the foundation with some additional mix-ins of mini marshmallows and candy corn.

Aside from sweets, deviled eggs come out to play during the spooky season at our house. I like to top them with spiders made from cutting black olives. I slice an olive lengthwise, using one half for the body of the spider and the other half to slice into spider legs. It can be helpful to have a tweezer on hand to add the legs!

Spider Deviled Eggs

The deviled egg recipe I use couldn’t be simpler. It’s based on the Classic Deviled Eggs from the late Sheila Lukins and is my absolute favorite. After hardboiling 6 eggs, cut them in half and remove the yolks. Mash the yolks with 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1-2 dashes of your favorite hot sauce, some salt and pepper and 3 tablespoons of mayo. Garnish with paprika, chives or…even better? Black olive spiders!!

I recently learned to make “bloodshot” deviled eggs so look for an even spooky version of deviled eggs coming soon.

Make “bloodshot” deviled eggs by cracking hardboiled eggs on the counter and rolling them around gently until the eggs are cracked all over. Submerge the eggs in a jar of water, a teaspoon of vinegar and some red food coloring. Let them sit for a few hours or overnight and then peel to reveal your bloodshot eye-looking masterpiece!

Last but not least, the Halloween season wouldn’t be complete for me without this chewy caramel corn. It’s an easy recipe made easier if you use microwave popcorn! Sheet Pan Caramel Corn includes a mixture of melted butter, brown sugar and marshmallows that is added to the popcorn before baking. It’s an addictive treat that I would take over all the fun-size candy bars in the world any day.

Sheet Pan Caramel Corn is baked in the oven and includes just four ingredients (popcorn, butter, brown sugar and marshmallows), for a chewy texture you can really sink your teeth into. You can find the recipe here.

Happy spooky season!

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