Home Ec 999: Potions, Feasts and Tricky Treats! (Buffet)

[twinflower]

Home Ec

 

Eyes of Newt, Bat Wing Soup, Balls of Bones and of course Witches Brew are all favorites on a Halloween Buffet!  But do you know how to make them?  LOL  You are all in luck!  Professor Torrie, our Chef extrodinaire of  Potions, Feasting and Tricky Treats is here to tell you how!

 

This month she will be giving recipes, even a possible picture and ideas of how to set your Halloween table so that every single Ghoul, Ghost and Monster will envy your family!  The first half of the month their will be a buffet of  foods from appetizers to dessert and potions to try out!  Then she will be given hints even Martha Stewart wishes she had for setting up a great party!

 

Then to top it off, a few ideas for amazing party favors for all your favorite Trick or Treators!

 

Now this class I wish was real and not online!  Eat up!

 

[Torrie]

Thank you Twin!

 

Ok Ladies and ghouls! (lol Had to throw that in there.)

We are starting out with an easy one that everyone should have the ingredients to. (Well you should have everything after the pumpkin has been carved.)

 

One thing that I have always loved about cooking is the it really is like one big experiment. **Evil scientist laugh** Don't be afraid to add something unusual to the mix. After all is said and done you have have discovered a wonderful recipe!

 

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds!

1 1/2 cups pumpkin seeds

2 teaspoons melted butter or melted oil (olive oil or vegetable oil work well)

salt

garlic powder (optional)

cayenne pepper (optional)

seasoning salt (optional)

Cajun seasoning (optional)

Directions

1)Preheat oven to 300° F.

 

2)While it's OK to leave some strings and pulp on your seeds (it adds flavor) clean off any major chunks.

 

3)Toss pumpkin seeds in a bowl with the melted butter or oil and seasonings of your choice.

 

4)Spread pumpkin seeds in a single layer on baking sheet.

 

5)Bake for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.

 

 

Now me personally, I go light on the cayenne pepper and the Cajun seasoning. Feel free to taste while you are mixing everything! You can also throw in some other spices. I always find that a little bit of onion powder goes well with the garlic.

[Jaydena]

I am so doing this one, I love pumpkin seeds and I have never been able to get them right.

[Torrie]

I found these and I think they are really cute. I will be heading to the store today to get some apples!

 

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:

Apples 

Slivered almonds 

 

1. Just quarter and core an apple, cut a wedge from the skin side of each quarter, then press slivered almonds in place for teeth.

 

2. Tip: If you're not going to serve them right away, baste the apples with orange juice to keep them from browning.

 

Source

 

 

[Jaydena]

LOL those are very cute, I will have to get some almonds.

[twinflower]

or just as a tip:

 

as you cut the apples you can toss them in lemon juice to keep them from browning.

[twinflower]

LOL  I was so excited the first year I found out you could FLAVOR Pumpkin seeds! Ranch dressing, cinnamon sugar, tex mex....*grins*

 

Ok Professor Torrie, I have a recipe to offer for this Buffett and the Appetiser section! Lots of great Finger Foods are available for Halloween, and part of the FUN is the crazy names for our dishes!  HINT: When you set up a Buffet...make little signs to put in front of or on like one of those floral picks of what the name is!

 

I love this one:  Bone-Crunching Meatballs

 

Ingrediants

1 8 ounce can sliced water chestnuts(drained)

1 egg, slightly beaten

3 Tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 cup choppen green onions(green part only)

1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

1-1/2 teaspoons grated lime peel

1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh gingerroot

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon eash salt and pepper

1-1/2 pounds lean ground turkey or beef

2 tablespoons canola oil

 

*Cut enough water chestnut slices in half to make 60 pieces; set aside.  save  remainingwater chestnuts slices for another use.

 

*In a bowl, combine thenext 10 ingrediants.  Crumble meat over mixture and mix well.  Divide into 60 portions and shape each portion around a water chestnut piece.

 

*In a large nonstick skillet, saute the meatballs in oil in batches for 5 minutes or until browned.  Transfer to a 13-in X 9 inch baking dish.  Cover and bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Serve with plum or orange sauce.

 

 

[Torrie]

Thank you Twinny!  :)

 

What table is complete without monsters! These are made from Rice Krispies and make a wonderful addition to your table. I swear you can make just about anything out of rice krispies! lol

Perfect for setting individually around your bowls at your table.

 

Green Halloween Monsters

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 (10 ounce) package large marshmallows, about 40 or 4 cups miniature marshmallows

6 cups Rice Krispies or Ready-To-Eat Cereal Cocoa Krispies

canned frosting or decorating gel

assorted candies

 

Directions

 

1)In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2)Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.

3)Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 8 rectangles. Decorate with frosting and/or candies to make monster faces. Best if served the same day.

 

[Torrie]

This is one of my favorite recipes. Rice pudding is wonderful and it is even better with pumpkin!

 

Enjoy!

 

Creamy Pumpkin Rice pudding

1 cup white rice (white rice is optimal, but I used long-grain yellow in this last time and it came out just as tasty, you can use almost any kind of plain rice)

2 cups water

2 1/2 cups milk (or a milk variant I mentioned above, or one you like)

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon unsweetened applesauce

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or, 1/4 tsp each ground allspice and ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg but I'm too lazy for that)

Directions

1)Rinse the rice, and cook it according to instructions (but don't add oil/butter, greasy rice will mess up this recipe) or just add the 2 cups water to a saucepan with the rice and simmer it for 15-20 minutes until fluffy. I think microwaving the rice (please check your brand of rice's instructions) will also work if you're in a hurry but I've only done it the stovetop way so far.

2)Don't rinse or drain the fluffy rice! It kills the nutrients and will also be hard to stir after this.

3)Add the milk, or milk variant, and stir it in well. Then add the applesauce and meld it perfectly.

4)Let the mixture simmer over medium heat until it thickens.

5)Add the pumpkin, mix thoroughly. Then add the sugar and spice.

6)Stir and let it cook until the rice is soft.

7)Pour into a large heatproof bowl/container, or individual serving ramekins/bowls, and let it chill for at least 2-3 hours before serving.

8)For presentation, garnish with cinnamon sticks or fresh mint leaves.

 

[Torrie]

Check out these invitaions to a monster mash!

 

http://www.zazzle.co.uk/halloween_party_monster_mash_halloween_invitation_card-137035404918749046

[Jaydena]

Ohhh those are cute!

[Torrie]

The great Mad Scientist laboratory!

 

This is a great party theme that has so many options.

 

 

Straight from Martha Steward:

 

Invitations

Tools and Materials

Paper price tags

White card stock

Cup of brewed tea

Paper towels

Matches

Black-ink pen

Corn syrup

Red food coloring

Fine paintbrush

Plastic floral tubes

Fake bugs

5/8-inch corks

Black thread

Small cardboard boxes

Excelsior (wood shavings

1. To give the paper an aged look, dip tags and card stock in tea for a minute; let dry on a paper towel. Once dry, carefully singe edges. Use a pen to label specimen tags.

 

2. To make blood-colored ink, combine 2 teaspoons corn syrup, 3 teaspoons water, and several drops of red food coloring. Use a paintbrush to write party details and spatter drips on card stock.

 

3. Fill each floral tube with fake bugs and top with cork; attach "specimen" tag with black thread.

 

4. Place each invitation (with specimen) in a cardboard box filled with excelsior. Check with the post office for mailing specifications, or deliver the invitations yourself.

 

 

Specimen Jars!

Tools and Materials

Glass cylinder vase or jar

Encapso K

Plastic paint bucket

Mixing tool

Halloween teeth and eyes

Sil-Poxy Silicone Rubber Adhesive

Chopsticks (optional)

 

Specimen Jars How-To

1. Combine 2 components of Encapso K in a plastic paint bucket and mix for 5 minutes.

 

2. Pour mixed Encapso K into a glass cylinder or jar until the depth is about 2 inches. Let dry at least 2 hours.

 

3. Using silicone rubber adhesive, glue teeth to hardened silicone surface in jar. Let dry for 15 minutes.

Tip: Use chopsticks to place teeth inside jar.

 

4. Pour another few inches of Encapso K over teeth. Let dry for 15 minutes.

 

5. Glue eyes to hardened silicone rubber surface and allow 15 minutes for eyes to dry. Pour one more layer to fill cylinder or jar.

 

Candles!

 

Tools and Materials

Cauliflower head

Grapes, optional

Celery root, optional

Glass vase

Small suction cup

Water

Food coloring

Wax granules

Wicks

Lighter

 

Specimen-Jar Candle How-To

1. Attach a cauliflower head to the metal part of a small suction cup, and secure it to the inside of a glass vase. You can also experiment with other fruits and vegetables instead of cauliflower, such as grapes or celery root.

 

2. Fill jar with water (water should cover top of cauliflower head).

 

3. Dye water with one or two drops of food coloring.

 

4. Pour wax granules on top of water and lace wicks in granules. A 1-inch layer of granules burns for about 1 hour.

 

5. Light candles.

 

Glow in the Dark Jello

 

Materials

•package of Jell-O or other gelatin

•tonic water

•black light

Make the Jell-O

1.Basically you just follow the directions on the package, except use tonic water instead of water.

2.For a small package, the usual directions would be to heat 1 cup of tonic water to boiling.

3.Mix the boiling tonic water and Jell-O until the powder is completely dissolved.

4.Stir in another cup of tonic water.

5.Pour the liquid into a pan or bowl.

6.Refrigerate the Jell-O until is has set.

7.You can use cookie cutters to make shapes out of the gelatin, if desired.

8.Shine a black light on the Jell-O to make it glow.

 

 

 

 

[Jaydena]

Ohh I like that one!!

[Torrie]

I am so making the glo in the dark jelly. That may become a year long thing.

 

 

So next party theme we have is Dracula!

 

~Party invitations can be shaped as bats and made out of black construction paper. You can also go for details written on cape of inexpensive vampire dolls.

~Decorate the venue of the party in the fashion of Dracula's dark and lonely castle at Transylvania. Put the curtains of black cloth to drape all windows and glass doors to block the sunlight and protect all the vampires.

~Hang plastic or rubber bats upside down from the ceiling at different levels. Some of them should be at the eye-level of the guests. You can also make a crude coffin using cardboard boxes, to serve as the table or just to put in a corner of the room.

~A vampire's night and Dracula's Halloween party is nothing without Bloody Punch and eatables. Red wine, vanilla ice creams mixed with red food coloring and rare blood-red steaks are perfect for a party for vampires. Tomato juice is good for children's Vampire Halloween party.

~Costumes for Dracula';s or vampires' party may range from vampire dress up with a pair of fangs to bats and vampire victims.

While dressing up as a vampire, for the Dracula party, make your color pale and blood-less, using stage-makeup for better effect. You can find fangs for the party at any nearby Halloween store.

~Party activity can consist of sitting around lighted candles or a candelabra and sharing stories of vampires. Be sure that your guests go back to their coffin's safety before it dawns.

~You can also play 'Stay Away from Garlic', where guests have to avoid coming in contact with the garlic that you keep placing randomly anywhere, anytime, during the party. The vampire, who touches the garlic, 'dies' and is out of game.

~You can also play 'Vampire Hunting', where one random person is assigned to be the vampire secretly by the host. This person has to remain silent, when he meets someone. All other normal person, make a sound or say 'Hello' when they meet. If any normal person comes in contact with the vampire, he is a vampire too. If two vampires come together, they become normal again.

~You may use fake body parts as props for Halloween decorations for the party. A rubber glove with frozen ice and blood along the wrist can be made to look like a severed hand and makes an eerie table centerpiece.

 

[Torrie]

Here are a few pranks that I have found go well at a party. Enjoy!

 

Party Pranks

Before guests are to arrive at your Halloween party, have someone dress up and discretely "haunt" the route your guests will take to get to your house. Later on, tell a "true" story about how someone died a horrific death and the ghost haunts the vicinity.

 

At your party, keep a cooler on hand for beverages. Put in fake spiders and insects near the bottom. Someone will discover it sooner or later.

 

When serving food at your Halloween party, add a set of fake fangs or dentures to the serving bowl.

 

For a hay-rack ride, have someone lay in the ditch, perfectly visible, face down, pretending to be dead. Add fake blood for visual effects. Stop the hay rack to investigate and let party-goers approach the "body." Give your guests the scare of their life when the body jumps up (wearing a very scary mask or makeup) and chases them.

 

[U4ea]

LMAO that haunting trick is freakin' hilarious and I so want to try it now...

[Torrie]

Tricks are the best part of Halloween. Scaring people is an art. **Grin**

 

 

Ok here are a few games to play at your party!

 

Treasure hunt!

Object of the game: To find all the items hidden in the "Treasure Bottle" and mark them off on a list. The first person to find all of the items wins!

 

What You Need: A Halloween themed Treasure Bottle. Don't know what that is? A treasure bottle is basically an empty water bottle that has been filled with trinkets, small toys and household objects and filled with bird seed. You make a list of everything that you put in the bottle and let the kids find each item by shaking the bottle and rolling it around to find the objects buried inside.

 

What To Do: Each person gets a bottle. They must roll, shake, twist and move the bottle around so they can make the items hidden inside come up the the surface. As they do, they check off each items on pre-made lists telling them what is in each bottle. This can keep kids occupied for quite a while depending on what you've "hidden" in the bottles.

 

Tip: Make the Halloween Treasure Bottles up in advance, about a week before the party. That will give the caps plenty of time to dry when they are glued on. You can also let each child keep the bottle as a party favor. This is something that they'll want to play with again and again, even after they find everything inside!