Thai Coconut Pumpkin Soup - Spooky Treats

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

1 medium onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon yellow curry powder

2 1/4 cups store-bought or homemade pumpkin purée

2 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 (13.5-oz.) can unsweetened coconut milk

Sour cream, for serving

Pumpkin seeds, for serving

Add the butter to a medium sauté pan set over medium-low heat. Once the butter has melted, add the onions, garlic and curry powder and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent. Transfer the mixture to a blender.

Add the pumpkin purée and chicken stock to the blender and blend until combined. Pour the soup into a large stock pot set over medium heat then whisk in the coconut milk. Cook the soup, stirring occasionally, until it is warmed throughout. Taste and season it with salt and pepper.

When ready to serve, divide the soup into bowls and garnish with sour cream and chopped pumpkin seeds.

This soup can be made vegetarian by swapping vegetable broth for the chicken stock.

https://www.justataste.com/thai-coconut-pumpkin-soup-recipe/

Spooky Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole - Spooky Treats

2 lbs. Idaho potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks

1 teaspoon salt

4 Tablespoons butter

3/4-1 cup milk or half and half

Salt and pepper, to taste

4 ounces cheddar or colby jack cheese, shredded

8 slices bacon

1/3 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water and 1 Tbs. salt to a simmer on the stove top.Add the potatoes and bring to boil. Boil for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, fry the bacon on the stovetop until crispy. Remove the bacon strips to a paper towel lined plate. Once they're cool enough to handle, crumble the bacon and set aside.

When the potatoes are done, drain, then return to the pot. Place the pot back on the burner, and use a potato masher to mash them over very low heat. Continue mashing until no lumps remain.

Turn off the heat, then add 4 Tablespoons of butter and ½ cup of milk or cream. Slowly mash in the added ingredients until smooth. Continue to add the cream, a little bit at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Taste the potatoes and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Spread the potatoes into a 9 inch deep dish pie dish and cover with shredded cheese and the crumbled bacon. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Allow the casserole to cool for 10-15 minutes before adding the spider web.

To make the web, add the sour cream to a zip lock bag and cut a tiny hole in one corner. Twist the bag above the sour cream and use your hand to squeeze the sour cream towards the hole. You may want to practice drawing a line once or twice before doing it on the casserole.

You'll start the web by drawing four straight lines through the center of the casserole, like you would cut a pie. Start by making a T through the center, and then follow that with an X through the center. In the end, you should have eight equal spaces. Starting in the center of the pie, draw a small circle, connecting each of the eight sections. Move a few inches outward and draw another circle. Move another inch or two outward and draw one final circle. Top with a fake spider of one made from olives. Serve while the potatoes are still warm. You can also prepare this ahead of time, refrigerate, then bake the day of and add the spider web right before serving.

https://neighborfoodblog.com/2014/09/loaded-mashed-potato-casserole.html

Severed Lady Fingers - Spooky Treats

Fresh lady finger cookies, cut into layers

Icing of your choice

½ cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup white chocolate morsels

1-2 drops red food coloring

Heat whipping cream over medium heat and add chocolate morsels. Stir until chocolate is melted and well combined to create a chocolate ganache. Coat lady fingers with ganache.  Put almonds on the edge of fingers for nails. Add rings if you like.

Severed Hand Cheese Ball - Spooky Treats

3 8 oz pkg. cream cheese

2 Tablespoons worcestershire sauce

1 Tablespoon mustard

2 Tablespoons chopped onion

1 Tablespoon chopped garlic

¾ pound meat of your choice (I used less than a 1/4 lb. salami, pepperoni, ham each)

8 oz finely shredded cheddar

Save some ham for shaping face

Combine ingredients and chill for one hour. Shape into arm or hand. Put ham slices on top and chill until ready. Serve with crackers.

Scary Skull Cake - Spooky Treats

1 box cake mix

1 can vanilla frosting

Tubes of colored frosting

Mix batter according to package directions and make cupcakes. Cool.

Place cupcakes on tray close together in skull shape. Frost as one cake with white frosting.

Use tubes of decorative frosting to create eyes, nose, and mouth of skull. Add other designs as desired.

Meringue Ghost Shells - Spooky Treats

3 egg whites, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

Dash of salt

1 cup sugar

Combine egg whites, vanilla, cream of tartar and salt. Beat until frothy. Gradually add sugar; a small amount at a time, beating until very stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved.

Cover cookie sheet with plain ungreased paper. Using a 9-inch round cake pan as a guide, draw a circle on the paper. Spread meringue over circle; shape into shell with back of spoon, making bottom ½ inch thick and mounding around edge to make side 1 ¾ inches high. Bake in very low oven (275 degrees) for 1 hour. Turn off heat and let dry in oven (door closed) for at least 2 hours.

Can also make individual meringue shells by drawing separate circles and spreading smaller amounts of meringue inside each circle.

Frankenstein Pasta - Spooky Treats

1 cup basil, fresh

2 cloves garlic

1/3 oz (167 kernels) pine nuts, dried

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 dash salt

1/3 cup olive oil

16 ounce whole wheat pasta shells

3 medium cucumber

4 oz – mozzarella cheese

1 cup – black olives, canned

In a blender or food processor, combine basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, salt, and olive oil (you can add pepper if you want as well).  Taste and add more salt, pepper or garlic if desired.

Bring a pot of water (about 5 cups) to a boil and add whole wheat pasta. Cook according to box instructions. Drain and add pesto sauce.  Stir well and let cool.

Peel and chop up 1 1/2 of the cucumbers and stir into pasta.

Pour out onto a platter and make a rectangle out of the pasta.  Cut two slices of mozzarella and make them into circles using a cookie cutter or knife. Use olives to create Frank's hair, pupils and mouth.  Use the rest of the cucumber to make "bolts" in the side of his neck

https://www.superhealthykids.com/frankenstein-pasta/

Eye of Newt Deviled Eggs - Spooky Treats

1 2 eggs

1 Tablespoon sweet pickle relish

1 Tablespoon mayonnaise

1 pinch celery salt

1 Tablespoon prepared yellow mustard

2 drops green food coloring, more as needed

1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained

Place all of the eggs into a large pot so they can rest on the bottom in a single layer. Fill with just enough cold water to cover the eggs. Bring to a boil, then cover, remove from the heat and let stand for about 15 minutes. Rinse under cold water or add some ice to the water and let the eggs cool completely. Peel and slice in half lengthwise.

Remove the yolks from the eggs and place them in a bowl. Mix in the relish, mayonnaise, celery salt, mustard, and food coloring. Spoon this filling into the egg whites and place them on a serving tray. Round the top of the filling using the spoon. Place an olive slice on each yolk to create the center of the eye. Dab a tiny bit of mayonnaise in the center of the olive as a finishing touch.

Brimstone Bread - Spooky Treats

1 box Fleischmann's Simply Homemade Bread Mix

1-2 tsp red food coloring

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare bread according to package directions, but make sure to add red food coloring to the warm water prior to adding it to the dry bread mix.

Cut dough into 12 pieces, roll into balls, and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Cover with a damp towel and let rise according to package directions. While the rolls rise, prepare to topping.

2 T dry active yeast
2 T sugar
2 T vegetable oil
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 cups rice flour
1 cup warm water (105-115 degrees) with black food coloring

Mix yeast, sugar, oil, salt and rice flour together. Mix black food coloring into warm water and add to the flour mixture. Make sure the topping is very black by adding more black food coloring if needed. I used gel food coloring and it worked very well. The topping will be sticky but still fluid enough to drip of the end of a spoon.

Using your hands, smear topping on rolls. Make sure to spread the topping fairly thick so that it forms the cracks when baked. Let the topping sit for 15 minutes to adhere to the bread dough and then bake according to package directions. Right out of the oven, slice open and slather on some garlic butter and devour!

https://castellonskitchen.blogspot.com/2017/09/brimstone-bread.html

Tamale Pie - Corn!

2 pounds ground beef

2 large poblano peppers, diced

1 cup canned corn

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon dried oregano

1 (16 ounce) jar thick salsa

2 (8 ½ ounce) boxes dry corn muffin mix

2 large eggs

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

½ cup shredded monterey jack cheese

Optional: olives, peas (1 cup each)

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large skillet, cook and stir the ground beef over medium high heat until the meat starts to brown and releases juices; about 5 minutes. Add the poblano peppers, corn, beans, salt, pepper, chili powder and oregano. Stir to evenly combine and cook for another 10 minutes. Stir in salsa and remove from heat and layer in 9x13 inch pan.

In large bowl, mix packages of corn muffin mix with the eggs and milk. Stir until batter is smooth and lump free. Pour the batter over the seasoned beef, spreading it in an even layer. Top with the cheese and bake for 50-55 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Crock Pot Corn - Corn!

4 lbs frozen corn

16 ounces cream cheese (2 8 ounce packages)

1 stick butter

¾ cup heavy cream

4 Tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon salt

Put all ingredients in crock pot. Do not bother trying to mix at this point; wait until it is all heated. Set on low for 4 hours and then stir; it may need more than 4 hours. It might need to heat with the lid off in order to properly thicken.  

Corn with Cream Cheese - Corn!

¼ cup milk

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese

1 Tablespoon butter

½ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon pepper

2 (12 ounce) cans whole kernel corn, drained (approximately 3  cups)

Combine milk, cream cheese butter, salt and pepper in saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until cheese melts and is blended. Add corn and heat.

Pierogis and Ham

1 Tablespoon olive oil 

1 red bell pepper, chopped 

½ yellow onion, chopped

1 package fully cooked ham steaks (2 steaks), chopped

1-2 packages Mrs. T's frozen pierogis, any variety

Heat oil in large skillet and add bell pepper and onion. Cook over medium high heat for 5-7 minutes until just cooked. Add chopped ham. Cook an additional 10-15 minutes until ham is heated through. Add pierogis. Continue cooking until pierogis are heated through and golden brown. Serve immediately. 

This easy meal can use a variety of vegetables; carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, etc. Also season with salt and pepper as desired. These  are perfect for a busy night.

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

1/4 cup butter

4 large onions, thinly sliced

4 cups beef broth

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onions in melted butter until clear and browned, 10 to 15 minutes; transfer to a slow cooker. Add beef broth, garlic, salt, and black pepper to the slow cooker.

Cook on High for 4 hours or on Low for 8 hours.

Ginger Cookies

About a week ago, one of my cookbook club members stopped into the library with a gift for me. Inside a black tin, were about 3-4 ginger cookies. Personally, I love ginger. It is one of my more favorite sweet tastes and it goes perfectly with coffee or tea. These ginger cookies were absolutely delicious! Not only are the flavors there, but the cookies itself is larger than an average cookie and it was also soft. Unlike most other ginger cookies I have tasted, these seemed to dissolve in my mouth. I wish to try this recipe soon and when I do, I will be sure to post pictures. The recipe is as follows....

1 pound dark brown sugar

3 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup molasses

2 large eggs, room temperature

6 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons cinnamon

2 Tablespoons ginger

½ teaspoon allspice

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Cream brown sugar into butter. Mix in molasses, then eggs. Combine dry spices then add into wet mix slowly, until fully incorporated. Divide dough into 4 parts, separate with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least four hours (freeze up to 3 months).

Preheat oven to 375F. Thaw dough and roll or press to ¼ inch thick, cut or shape into cookies. Reroll once. Place 1 inch apart on a cookie sheet (if the pan is dark, consider parchment paper or lower temperature 25 degrees and/or bake for the shortest time). Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely.

Makes up to 8 dozen 1 inch cookies.  

Easy Oatmeal Muffins

Lately, I have been more health conscious and trying to find ways to incorporate proteins. One high protein food is oats and I could not resist this simple and nutrition packed recipe. 

1 cup milk 

1 cup quick-cooking oats

1 egg

1/4 cup vegetable oil 

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Optional Ingredients

Raisins

Dried cranberries

Chopped walnuts (or other desired nut)

Diced apple

Cinnamon

Dried fruit of choice

Preheat oven to 425 F. Combine milk and oats in bowl and let sit for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and set aside. Lightly beat one egg and combine with vegetable oil and milk/oat mixture. Add dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Mix in any desired optional ingredients. Fill muffin cups (I use reusable silicone ones) 3/4 full of batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean. Enjoy! 

Easy Oatmeal Muffins (original recipe)

Catlin Chili

This recipe is great for busy days in the winter or fall. It makes enough to have a few leftovers and my husband and I ate it right up. Slice some fresh bread to go along with the chili.

1 package ground Italian sausage

1 onion, chopped

2 bell peppers, chopped

1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 can kidney beans

1 can hot chili beans

1 can green chilies

Dash of hot sauce

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

1 Tablespoon ground cumin seed

In skillet, cook onions with Italian sausage until onions are translucent and sausage is browned. Line slow cooker and place sausage and onions in bottom. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Set crock pot to low and cook.

Blackberry Muffins

I decided to make these for a quick breakfast and because blackberries were on super sale and I just couldn't resist. They turned out pretty delicious!

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup white sugar 

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup milk

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups blackberries, sliced in half

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

2 Tablespoons white sugar 

Preheat oven to 350F. Line mini muffin tins with paper liners or grease them. In a bowl, mix together butter and sugar; then add eggs, vanilla and milk and mix thoroughly. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Mix dough well until combined and even. In small bowl, toss blackberries in lemon juice and sugar. Gently fold in blackberries to batter. Spoon batter into muffin tins (fill 3/4 full).  Bake in preheated oven for 14-16 minutes. 

I did mine for 15 minutes and they were perfect. This makes about 4 dozen mini muffins. 

This recipe was originally taken from The $5 dinner mom breakfast to lunch cookbook.

Bargain Baked Ziti

Normally, Mondays are hectic, but today I had the day off, so I wanted some comfort food. Here is my version of a very easy Baked Ziti that is also easy on the wallet.

Ingredients

1 lb cooked Rotini pasta

Tomato sauce; 24 oz. jar

1/4-1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Shredded mozzarella cheese (1 package)

Optional Ingredients

Sliced andouille sausage

Green peppers

Oregano

Basil

Garlic Salt

First, boil 6 cups water and cook pasta til al dente. While pasta is cooking, mix tomato sauce, parmesan cheese, and any other optional ingredients in 9x13 inch baking pan. Preheat oven to 350 F. Drain cooked pasta and toss to coat in tomato sauce mixture. Spread shredded mozzerella over top and bake for 20 minutes.  This was so delicious and perfect for a busy night, because you can make it ahead, throw it in the refrigerator and then just bake it as needed.