Ghostly Bananas

Ghostly Bananas

 I needed some healthy treats for my kids class party and I had to make these cuties. Just a banana sliced in half and chocolate chips for the eyes and mouth make some easy little ghost bananas!
EnJOY!

Halloween Oranges

Halloween Oranges

 A friend of mine gave me the idea for these adorable jack o' lantern pumpkins in the top picture when I saw hers last week and the bottom picture is from a pinterest search. I just love Halloween!

The top pic is just a sharpie pen and a "cutie" orange, just be creative and draw your favorite pumpkin face.

The bottom picture is just a peeled cutie orange and a small piece of celery poked into it for the pumpkin stem. EnJOY!

Happy Halloween!

Vegan/gluten free Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

Ok so vegan/gluten free baked goods usually get a bad wrap but these cookies are just awesome! Super sweet and amazing! I adapted this recipe from minimalistbaker.com These are one of my new fav cookies!

Vegan Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) vegan butter (such as Earth balance) softened
1/2 cup organic can sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup pumpkin puree (or sub pumpkin butter)
1 1/2 cups + 1 Tblsp unbleached all-purpose flour (I used gluten free baking flour)
1/2 Tblsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder (for thickening/binding)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tblsp unsweetened almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)

Frosting

1/2 cup (1 stick) vegan butter, softened
1 1/2 Tblsp pumpkin butter (I used pumpkin puree)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 cups organic powdered sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
splash of non-diary milk

 Add softened butter to a large mixing bowl and cream with a mixer for 1 minute. Add sugar, brown sugar and vanilla and beat for 1 more minute. Add pumpkin and mix once more. Set your sifter over something that will catch fall out and add dry ingredients. Use a spoon to briefly stir, then sift over butter and sugar ingredients to combine.
 Mix until incorporated, being careful not to over mix. Then add almond milk and mix until a soft dough is formed. Freeze dough for 15 minutes, or refrigerate for 30 minutes (or chill overnight), preheat oven to 350.
 Scoop out heaping 1 Tblsp amounts of dough and roll into balls. Place on a clean baking sheet 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. Gently press down into a disc.
 Bake on center rack for 10-12 minutes, or very slightly golden brown. Let rest on pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Prepare frosting in the meantime.

Frosting:
 Wipe/rinse your mixing bowl clean and add softened butter. Beat until light and fluffy. Then add vanilla, spices, pumpkin butter or puree and mix once more.
 Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time and continue mixing on low until thick and creamy. Drizzle in a little non diary milk to thin. Your want your frosting to be pretty thick so it will hold it's shape once on the cookies, so only add a little milk at a time. Add more powdered sugar if too thin.
 Once the cookies have cooled, frost cookies and top with a sprinkle of pie spice or cinnamon. Store covered at room temp for a few days, freeze for longer term storage. EnJOY!

Bones and Blood

I found this fun Halloween recipe on pinterest, of course. They take some time to make so give yourself plenty of prep time so you don't have to rush them like I did. I also didn't have the breadstick dough so I used a can of refrigerated french bread. It worked just fine but the breadstick dough makes them more full/thick and looks cuter so I definitely recommend using the breadstick version.

Bones and Blood

1 can refrigerated breadstick dough
1 jar marinar sauce

Unroll your bread sticks and separate. Using a pizza cutter, or a non-serated knife make one 1-inch slice at the top and bottom of each bread stick. Tie each each section of the slice into a knot, (2 knots on top and 2 knots on bottom) do this on both the top and bottom. Bake according to package directions. Serve with warmed marinara. EnJOY!

Spider Deviled Eggs

This is such an easy way to dress up a basic deviled egg recipe! It takes a little time to get all the little legs on each spider so I quickly decided that every egg would not have a spider on it!

Spider Deviled Eggs

1 small can pitted whole olives, drained
12 eggs, hard boiled and shell removed
1 cup Mayonaise
2 Tblsp mustard, yellow or dijon
salt and pepper to taste

Hard boil 12 eggs by putting the eggs into a pot with water covering the eggs. Bring to a boil. Let boil a minute, put lid on and turn off heat. Let it sit in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain hot water and fill with cool water. After about 5 minutes, carefully tap the eggs on the counter to crack the shell all over and remove shell, rinse.
 Cut each egg lenghtwise and place egg white portion on a plate and put all cooked egg yolks into a bowl. Mash the yolks in a bowl with a fork until its all evenly mashed. Add mayo, mustard and salt and pepper. Mix together. Add more mayo if its not smooth enough, it should be creamy but not runny so only add extra mayo 1 Tblsp at a time. You can either spoon the egg mixture into the egg whites or pip them to make them fancy.
Slice olives in halves. Place one halve on an egg for the spider body. Slice remaining halves into little slices to make the legs. Carefully put 4 slices of olives on each side of the spider body. EnJOY!

Pumpkin Bowl Veggie Platter

I was planning to bring a veggie planner to my sons class Halloween party today and wanted to make it festive. Thanks to pinterest (how did we get crafty before we had pinterest?) I saw a cute idea of using a small pumpkin, hallowing it out and filling with ranch. Super easy!

Pumpkin Bowl Veggie Platter

Assorted veggies: cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, celery, olives, baby tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.
1 small pumpkin
1 bottle ranch dressing

Hallow out a small pumpkin and fill with ranch and put on a cute Halloween platter, Slice and chop your veggies and arrange around your veggies. EnJOY!

Worm Juice

I came across this super easy fun Halloween drink on pinterest while I was trying to find some fun drink ideas for a dinner party last week.

Worm Juice

1 liter sprite or lemon lime drink
1 liter fanta or orange soda
2 packages gummy worms

Fill a glass 3/4 full of sprite, drop a worm at the bottom, top with a little orange soda to make it a light orange color but light enough to still be able to see the worm. Top with ice and another worm. EnJOY!

Pumpkin Cream/ Pumpkin Guts

Today my friend Chris shared with a super fun and easy Halloween treat! I had to post it immediately because it was so awesome! The person that made it put an orange paper around the cool whip container that said "Pumpkin Guts" ...too cute! The cream is a nice orangeish color too which makes it even more festive!

Pumpkin Cream/Pumpkin Guts

1 regular sized container (not large) of cool whip
1 can Pumpkin Pie Mix
1/2 tsp -1 tsp cinnamon
4 packs graham crackers

Mix all ingredients and put in a cute Halloween bowl and serve with graham crackers. EnJOY!

Mummy Dogs

I love Halloweeen! Like obsessed a little, so when I saw a recipe for these cute little guys on pillsbury.com I had to make them for my kids. Their just like "pigs in a blanket" but without cheese and much cuter.

Mummy Dogs

1 can pillsbury cresent rolls

1 package hot dogs

ketchup or mustard

Heat oven to 375. Cut hot dogs in half. Seperate cresent rolls into 4 rectangles. Press perforations to seal on one rectangle (2 triangles attached). You can add cheese but I left it out to make it easier.

Using a pizza cutter, make thin strips of dough. Then wrap each strip around the hot dog starting at the top and leaving a half inch opening for the face. Don't wrap it perfectly, the less perfect looking the more "mummy-ish" it will look. Spray a little pam on a tin foil wrapped baking sheet. Bake for about 13-17 minutes or until dough is golden brown. When cooked, add a little mustard into a plastic sandwich bag and cut off the tip of the bag to pipe 2 little eyes on the mummy face. EnJOY!

Ghostly Shepards Pie

This was our halloween meal but its great anytime of year. Instead of making ghosts out of potatoes, just smooth potatoes on top of beef mixture and bake according to recipe!

Ghostly Sheperds Pie

1 lb ground beef (I use ground turkey)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 ½ cups frozen mixed veggies
1 can (14.5oz) diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, undrained
1 jar (12oz) beef gravy
1 ¾ cups water
2 Tblsp butter
¼ tsp garlic powder
½ cup milk
2 ¼ cups mashed potato mix (dry)
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (I use cheddar)
1 egg, slightly beaten

Heat oven to 375. Cook meat and onion in skillet until meat is completely cooked. Drain. Set aside 12 peas for garnish. Add remaining frozen veggies, tomatoes and gravy to ground beef. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to med-low; cover and cook 8-10 minutes or until veggies are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, bring water, butter and garlic powder to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in milk, dry potato mix and cheese. Stir in egg until well blended. ( you can also chopped 4 potatoes and boil until tender, mash and add ¼ cup milk or cream and ½ stick butter with salt and pepper until desired taste and consistency. Add cheese and mix).
Spoon ground beef mixture into baking dish. Make 6 large mounds of potato mixture on top of beef mixture to resemble ghosts. Place 2 reserved peas on each mound to resemble eyes.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are set and mixture is thoroughly heated.
EnJOY!

Halloween Feet

I love this creepy halloween meal, super yummy but super creepy to look at! A great party dish!

Halloween Feet

Meat Loaf
1 cup bread crumbs, or cracker crumbs or oatmeal.
2 lbs lean ground beef
3 beaten eggs
2 Tblsp Worcestershire sauce
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Mix all ingredients together. Shape two feet on foil lined sheet pan, reserving small amount of meat to shape 5 toes on each. You can use slivered almonds for toe nails or small candies. Bake for 45 minutes at 350. Drizzle ketchup on ankle area after baking for extra creapy affect!
EnJOY!

Ghostly Treats

This is my favorite halloween treat to make because it looks adorable, tastes yummy and is super easy to make!
Ghostly Treats

INGREDIENTS:
2 rolls chewy fruit snack (from 4.5-oz box)
14 pretzel sticks (2 to 3 inches long)
2/3 cup white vanilla baking chips, melted
1 teaspoon miniature semisweet chocolate chips


DIRECTIONS:

Line large cookie sheet with waxed paper or parchment paper. Unroll fruit snack rolls; cut into 1-inch strips. With kitchen scissors, cut 3/4-inch-long fringe on one long side of each fruit snack strip. Cut each fringed roll into 2-inch pieces.
To make each "broomstick," wrap piece of fringe around one end of pretzel, uncut edge toward long end of pretzel; press to seal. Place "broomsticks" on cookie sheet.
Drop rounded 1/2 teaspoonfuls of melted vanilla baking chips crosswise onto pretzels; shape to resemble "ghosts" seated on "broomsticks."
Press 3 miniature chocolate chips onto each "ghost" for eyes and nose. Let stand at room temperature about 45 minutes or in freezer about 5 minutes or until set. Peel candies from waxed paper.
EnJOY!

Ghost and Spider Cookies

Halloween is here and I love making Halloween treats! These are my new favorite Pillsbury treats to make! Soooo yummy and easy to make, the pretzels take forever to break into legs so if your short on time just make the ghosts!

Ghost and Spider CookiesINGREDIENTS:
8oz vanilla-flavored candy coating, cut into pieces
8oz chocolate-flavored candy coating, cut into pieces
1package (1 lb) peanut-shaped peanut butter-filled sandwich cookies
32 miniature semisweet chocolate chips (about 2 teaspoons)
16 regular-size semisweet chocolate chips
32 small pretzel twists
32 miniature candy-coated chocolate baking bits

Line cookie sheets with waxed paper. In 2 (1-quart) saucepans, separately melt vanilla candy coating and chocolate candy coating over low heat, stirring each constantly, until smooth.
Ghost cookies will be dipped in vanilla coating; bug cookies will be dipped in chocolate coating. Coat and decorate a few cookies at a time as coating sets up quickly. For each ghost or bug, place cookie in coating; lift out with fork, letting excess drip off. Place cookies, coated side up, on cookie sheets.
For each ghost, place 2 miniature chocolate chips on each coated cookie to resemble eyes and 1 regular chocolate chip for mouth. Let stand 10 minutes until set.
For spiders, cut pretzels into curved pieces for legs. Dip one end of each curved piece in chocolate coating; place 3 legs on each side of each cookie. Place 2candy-coated baking bits near antennae for eyes. Let stand 10 minutes until set.
EnJOY!