Halloween!

We're having a bit of a "Halloween" meal this evening and I thought I'd share the menu & recipes with you!


MENU
Mac O'Lantern
Spooky Eyeball Eggs
Veggie sticks & dip
Apple slices & caramel dip
Pumpkin cupcakes & ice cream
Apple cider & donut holes (storebought)




Mac O'Lantern (from my favorite recipe site, www.recipezaar.com)

• 1 (8 ounce) can pizza sauce, divided

• (7 1/4 ounce) package macaroni and cheese mix
• 1 lb 93% lean ground beef, cooked, drained, and divided
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Remove and set aside 1/4 cup pizza sauce. Combine prepared macaroni, half the ground beef, remaining pizza sauce, garlic powder, egg, and basil. Spoon evenly into a 9 inch pie plate. Sprinkle with cheese. Combine remaining meat with the reserved pizza sauce. Use to create a jack-o'-lantern face on top of the casserole. Bake 15 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.



Spooky Eyeball Eggs

• 12 hard boiled eggs
• 1 jar green pimento stuffed olives
• red food coloring

Make your favorite deviled eggs recipe with the hard boiled eggs. Slice the olives in half short ways. Place one slice on each deviled egg yolk. Using a toothpick dipped in red food coloring, draw squiggles from the olive to the outer portion of the egg yolk filling.


Caramel Dip

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk

Remove the label from the can of milk and put it in a 3 quart pot. Add water, enough to cover the can as much as possible. Bring to a boil, cover and continue to boil for 3 hours, adding water every now and then to keep the can covered. Remove from heat and let can cool in the pan overnight. Open to reveal the milk has now turned to caramel dip!


Pumpkin Cupcakes (in the top picture)

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

In large bowl, sift and whisk flour,sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set a side. In separate bowl, whisk eggs, blend in pumpkin, buttermilk and oil. Pour over dry ingredients stir until just moistened. Spoon into large paper-lined or well greased muffins cups, filling about 3/4 full. Bake at 375 oven 18-22 minutes or until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Let cool on rack.

You can frost with cream cheese frosting. We chose to cover ours with orange marshmallow fondant and add little green stems, vines and leaves (pictured at the top).