creative Halloween treats
Jack-o’-Lantern Pizza
Toppings, such as orange and green bell pepper strips, sliced ripe olives and cherry tomato wedges
Spiderweb Nacho Spread
Ingredients
Bean Layer
16 oz each) lowfat refried black or pinto beans
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp hot Mexican chili powder
1 tsp minced garlic
3 large plum tomatoes, sliced
1 1/2 cups thick and chunky salsa
1 cup (4 oz) shredded Mexican cheese blend
Guacamole Layer
4 ripe Hass avocados
3 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp minced red onion
2 large jalapeño chiles, seeded and minced
1 tsp salt
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
Decoration: a clean plastic toy spider
Serve with: blue, red and yellow corn tortilla chips
Cooking Instructions Bean Layer: Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl until well blended. Scrape the mixture onto a 12- to 14-in. round serving plate and smooth into a 10-in. circle with a spatula. Arrange tomato slices around edge of bean layer to make a border.
Drain salsa in a strainer to get rid of excess juice. Spread over bean mixture, leaving some of the bean layer showing around the edge. Sprinkle cheese over salsa, leaving some of the salsa layer showing.
Guacamole: Halve avocados; remove seeds and spoon flesh into a medium bowl. Add lime juice, onion, jalapeños and salt, and mash until fairly smooth. Spoon over cheese layer and spread into an even layer.
Place sour cream in a ziptop bag; seal bag and snip a small tip off one corner. Pipe a spiderweb design over guacamole and onto the plate. Decorate with toy spider. Serve with tortilla chips.
Plan Ahead: You can make 4 hours ahead, cover and refrigerate
Witches' Brooms
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
½ c. butter or margarine, softened
2 tbls. Water
1 tsp. vanilla
1 ½ c. flour
1/8 tsp. salt
10 pretzel rods, 8 ½ inches long, cut crosswise in half
2 tsp. shortening
2/3 c. semisweet chocolate chips
Butterscotch-flavored chips, melted
Toppings, such as orange and green bell pepper strips, sliced ripe olives and cherry tomato wedges
Spiderweb Nacho Spread
Ingredients
Bean Layer
16 oz each) lowfat refried black or pinto beans
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp hot Mexican chili powder
1 tsp minced garlic
3 large plum tomatoes, sliced
1 1/2 cups thick and chunky salsa
1 cup (4 oz) shredded Mexican cheese blend
Guacamole Layer
4 ripe Hass avocados
3 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp minced red onion
2 large jalapeño chiles, seeded and minced
1 tsp salt
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
Decoration: a clean plastic toy spider
Serve with: blue, red and yellow corn tortilla chips
Cooking Instructions Bean Layer: Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl until well blended. Scrape the mixture onto a 12- to 14-in. round serving plate and smooth into a 10-in. circle with a spatula. Arrange tomato slices around edge of bean layer to make a border.
Drain salsa in a strainer to get rid of excess juice. Spread over bean mixture, leaving some of the bean layer showing around the edge. Sprinkle cheese over salsa, leaving some of the salsa layer showing.
Guacamole: Halve avocados; remove seeds and spoon flesh into a medium bowl. Add lime juice, onion, jalapeños and salt, and mash until fairly smooth. Spoon over cheese layer and spread into an even layer.
Place sour cream in a ziptop bag; seal bag and snip a small tip off one corner. Pipe a spiderweb design over guacamole and onto the plate. Decorate with toy spider. Serve with tortilla chips.
Plan Ahead: You can make 4 hours ahead, cover and refrigerate
Witches' Brooms
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
½ c. butter or margarine, softened
2 tbls. Water
1 tsp. vanilla
1 ½ c. flour
1/8 tsp. salt
10 pretzel rods, 8 ½ inches long, cut crosswise in half
2 tsp. shortening
2/3 c. semisweet chocolate chips
Butterscotch-flavored chips, melted
Heat oven to 350
Mix brown sugar, butter, water and vanilla in medium bowl. Stir in flour and salt.
Shape dough into twenty 1/4 – inch balls
2. Place pretzel rod halves on ungreased cookie sheet. Press ball of dough onto cut end of each pretzel rod.
Press dough with fork to resemble “bristles” of broom.
3. Bake about 12 minutes or until set but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely on wire rack, about 30 min.
Cover cookie sheet with waxed paper. Place brooms on waxed paper. Heat shortening and chocolate chips over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth; remove from heat. Spoon melted chocolate over brooms, leaving about 1 inch at top of pretzedl handle and bottom halves of cookie bristles uncovered. Drizzle with melted butterscotch chips. Let stand until chocolate is set.
Witches' Hats
32 Hershey’s Kisses milk chocolates, unwrapped
1 package (11 ½ ounces) fudge-striped shortbread cookies (32)
Mix brown sugar, butter, water and vanilla in medium bowl. Stir in flour and salt.
Shape dough into twenty 1/4 – inch balls
2. Place pretzel rod halves on ungreased cookie sheet. Press ball of dough onto cut end of each pretzel rod.
Press dough with fork to resemble “bristles” of broom.
3. Bake about 12 minutes or until set but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely on wire rack, about 30 min.
Cover cookie sheet with waxed paper. Place brooms on waxed paper. Heat shortening and chocolate chips over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth; remove from heat. Spoon melted chocolate over brooms, leaving about 1 inch at top of pretzedl handle and bottom halves of cookie bristles uncovered. Drizzle with melted butterscotch chips. Let stand until chocolate is set.
Witches' Hats
32 Hershey’s Kisses milk chocolates, unwrapped
1 package (11 ½ ounces) fudge-striped shortbread cookies (32)
1 tube (4.25 ounces) orange decorating icing
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