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Last-minute Halloween treats!
You’ve only got a few hours till the most exciting holiday on any kid’s calendar: Halloween! What are you going to serve those hungry little beasties?
I’ll have a cauldron of vegetarian chili bubbling and apple cider with mulling spices simmering on the stove. But who cares about that? The little ones are looking for SWEETS!
Popcorn Hands
This is one I’ve made for about 10 years running. I can’t even remember where I saw it first, but I’ve kind of taken it over as my own specialty. I usually send this as a class treat, but they would be great for a party snack or favor, or to pop into trick-or-treat bags. Better than stale ol’ popcorn balls, these spooky delights will thrill young and old alike.
Here’s what you need:
— Giant $2 bag of fresh-popped popcorn from Walmart or wherever.
— Box of Latex-free, powder-free gloves (I found mine at CVS), or thin plastic food service gloves.
— Bag of Brach’s autumn mix (use the candy corn, eat the pumpkins).
— Package of spider rings from Dollar Tree.
— Twist ties from bread bags.
Kids as young as 2 can help with the assembly.
Alien Cupcakes
I saw some super-cute Toy Story Alien Cupcakes in a recent Family Fun magazine. Click here for the recipe, which involves green food coloring, Mentos and green-apple sour straw candy. These are sure to make an impression.
Peanut Butter Caramel Apples
We’re going to make some quick caramel apples using sheets of caramel wrap from Concord Foods. I picked up a few packages and a bag of Galas at the market, plus I’ll have the kids decorate them with some Reese’s Pieces I just happen to have hangin’ around. Sounds yummy, right? And if you make it at home, it’s about half the cost of buying pre-packaged caramel apples.
Kitty Litter Cake
And no proper Halloween party would be complete without some weird, gross-out food items, so for my piece de resistance: Kitty Litter Cake!
I made this a few days ago for a colleague who was coming back to work after a long illness. He loves cats, volunteers at a shelter and raises funds for an annual spay and neuter program, so of course I thought this would be the perfect thing to celebrate with. And yes, people actually ate it!
Here’s how I did it:
— Make a box cake, let it cool, and ice it with a tub of frosting (I used chocolate fudge cake mix and vanilla icing, but any kind will do). I used a metal pan and ‘scoop,’ but you could bake the cake then plop it into a NEW kitty litter pan and serve it with a new scoop, if you want to get really fancy.
— Crush about a package and a half of graham crackers in a zipper-top plastic bag. Sprinkle on cake to cover, so no icing shows through.
— Sprinkle green sugar crystals, or decors, all over to look like ‘odor-absorbing crystals.’ Find these in the cake decorating section at the grocery store, or make your own my mixing a few drops of green food coloring with large-crystal sugar — or just plain sugar.
— Unwrap some small Tootsie Rolls and put them on a plate. Microwave them for 10 or so seconds, and shape as desired. This was my 4-year-old’s favorite part!
— If you happen to have a Dollar Tree near by, run over there and purchase a bag of plastic flies. Place a few on top to add to the authenticity of the dish.
Wishing you all have a frightfully fun Halloween!
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