What’s more fun than dressing up in uncomfortable makeup and costumes, and chowing down on food that looks like dead things? Nothing, as far as we’re concerned. For some really gross recipes check out our post from 2009 (the kitty litter cake really steals the show). This year, we’re leaning toward the delicious fall fare with a few graveyard twists here and there.
Graveyard Cake
Recipe from: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/graveyard-cake-10000001875461/
Sabrina Szteinbaum
Ingredients:
2 ¼ cups sifted flour
¾ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
⅓ cup boiling water
¾ cup milk
2 sticks plus 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 ½ cups sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ box (9 oz.) box chocolate wafer cookies
1 (16 oz.) can chocolate frosting
1 tube black icing
1 (6 oz.) bag Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies
1 (7.25 oz.) bag Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
Candy rocks if desired
Instructions/Assembly
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 13-by-9-inch pan.
2. Whisk flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, stir together cocoa and water, whisk in milk until smooth. Set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Scrape bowl. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour and cocoa mixtures, alternating each 3 times, scraping bowl. (Batter may separate a bit).
4. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake, rotating halfway through, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool in pan for 1 hour. Run a knife around the edge of the cake and turn out on platter.
4. Crush chocolate cookies in a plastic bag with a rolling pin or use a food processor. Cover top and sides of cake with chocolate frosting and sprinkle with cookie crumbs. Score top of cake into 12 equal rectangles.
5. Pipe “RIP” and other scary words on Milano cookies with black icing. Cut a slit in each square to insert a Milano or Chessman cookie for gravestones. Add candy rocks if desired.
Apple Cinnamon Sangria
by Amanda Waters
3 apples, cored and thinly sliced
3 cinnamon sticks
½ cup honey
½ bottle white wine
1 bottle hard apple cider
1 cup orange juice
1 pint gingerale
1. Put all ingredients, except orange juice and gingerale, in a large pitcher and stir with wooden spoon to mix well. Let sit in refrigerator preferably overnight or at least 3 hours.
2. Add in orange juice and gingerale when ready to serve. Garnish with a slice of apple on rim or cinnamon stick.
Our friends at the Food Network have cooked up this great recipe for Wormy Weenie Sandwiches. They would make a fun, easy to whip up treat after your candy collectors have made their neighborhood rounds!
Beth Christian, Burlington County
Wormy Weenie Sandwiches
Prep Time:15 min
Inactive Prep Time: — Cook Time:25 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 6 sandwiches
Kids will love the “yuck” factor of eating worms, but everyone will appreciate that these dressed-down versions of sausage and peppers are also quite yummy.
Ingredients
6 strips bacon, chopped
One 14-ounce package foot-long hotdogs (8 hotdogs), each cut into 6 strips lengthwise
3 medium red and/or yellow bell peppers, cut into 1/4-inch-wide slices (about 3 cups)
1 large red onion, halved and cut into 1/4-inch-wide slices (about 3 cups)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
6 hoagie rolls, split
12 slices provolone (about 6 ounces)
Directions
Cook the bacon in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until crisp, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
Cook the hot dogs in the same skillet in 2 batches over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until curled and golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Preheat the oven broiler.
Cook the peppers and onions in the same skillet, stirring frequently, until soft, 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Stir in the barbecue sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar, mustard and hot pepper sauce. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce begins to thicken, about 1 minute. Add the hot dogs and continue to cook, stirring, until coated, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
Toast the hoagie rolls in the broiler if desired. Arrange the provolone slices in the rolls and broil 30 seconds to melt. Top with the hot dog mixture and sprinkle with bacon.
Copyright 2013 Television Food Network G.P.
Pasta with Creamy Pumpkin Sauce
Hillary Irwin simplybeautifulmom.com
1 tsp olive oil
1 medium shallot, minced
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 sprigs sage leaves, chopped
1 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1/2 cup low-fat milk
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups cooked whole grain pasta (About 1 cup uncooked)
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic; cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until they have softened. Add the pumpkin puree, chicken broth, milk and half of the sage. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce is slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Add in the cooked pasta and toss to coat. Mix in 2 tablespoons of Parmesan and mix well. Divide among individual plates and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cheese and the remaining sage.
Pumped-Up Pumpkin Cookies by Kerry Brown
The semi-sweet and versatile flavor of pumpkin is always a welcome guest at the table in the Fall and Winter party season. But let’s be honest, it’s not usually a trend-setter. In this cookie, the mainstay ingredient is not only enhanced by the classic spices of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger but walks the runway in unique style with the addition of carefully chosen accessories: oatmeal, dark chocolate, raisins and walnuts. Definitely pumped-up with flavor to wake-up your taste buds. Paired with a Pumpkin Martini? Downright cutting edge!
Ingredients:
1 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 1/2 cups Flour (I used a combination of white and whole wheat
1 /2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 teaspoons Nutmeg (try fresh grated )
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Butter (softened slightly)
1 cup Canned Pumpkin
1 Egg (beaten)
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 3/4 cups Rolled Oats
1/2 cup Raisins
1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts
1/2 cup Chocolate Chips or Chopped Semi-Sweet Chocolate
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugars, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt
Add butter to dry ingredients
(I cut it in with a pastry blender but a fork will work. Stir until mixture is crumbly.)
Stir in the beaten egg and vanilla, pumpkin, oats, raisins, walnuts and chocolate
Drop teaspoonfuls of dough onto an un-greased cookie sheet
Bake fifteen minutes or until done
*Editors Note*
This makes a tender and moist cookie. I baked one tray of cookies a second time in a 425 degree oven for about 10 minutes. The result was a crispier cookie with a chewy center. Both versions are delicious! Makes about 5 dozen.
