You’ll eat up these Halloween ideas
These hair-raising snacks make any party a hit.
One of the best things about Halloween is the fun of turning normal foods into creepy versions. Regular cheeseballs can become a spooky cheesy goblin, guacamole transforms into a barfing pumpkin, and cookies get all wrapped up like a mummy. ❚ The best parties feature some tried-and-true dishes along with a few surprising items that get everyone talking, and these recipes fill the bill for any Halloween bash. ❚ These recipes from Thanksgiving.com, Grateful.co and FoodBlogs.com, which are part of the USA TODAY Network, are sure to be the hits of any Halloween party. Monster munch Halloween popcorn
This Halloween popcorn, shared with us by Smells Like Home, is an easy way to use up extra Halloween candy and delivers that satisfying sweet-salty flavor everyone loves.
To make it, pop 12 cups of popcorn (about 1⁄ cup of kernels) and place it in a
2 large bowl. Melt one package of almond bark according to package directions. Mix in candy corn, M&Ms and honeyroasted peanuts, pour the melted chocolate over the top, and mix.
Spread the mixture on baking pans and let it set up for 30 minutes before you break it into chunks. Have fun playing around with this recipe and using different mix-ins, such as chopped Snickers and Milky Way bars.
Cheddar cheese pumpkin pita chips
These cheddar cheese pumpkin pita chips, shared with us by Hungry Happenings, are easy to make.
Cut pitas in half and roll flat with a rolling pin. Cut into shapes with a Halloween cookie cutter (such as a pumpkin). Fry the pumpkins in an electric fryer with oil heated to 375 degrees F, flipping over one time until golden brown.
Remove the pumpkins from the oil and place on paper towels. Generously sprinkle the pita chips with your choice of popcorn seasoning; try flavors such as cheddar cheese, bacon ranch, white cheddar and cheesy jalapeño.
Jack-o’-lantern chicken and rice stuffed peppers
Orange bell peppers carved into edible jack-o’-lanterns and stuffed with spicy shredded chicken and brown rice become a scary good dinner for Halloween gatherings, harvest parties, and fun family meals.
Fast and delicious (and gross) barfing pumpkin guacamole
If you want to make a real impression at the next Halloween party, this hilarious guacamole, from Somewhat Simple, will do the trick. Sure, it’s a little gross, but not gross enough to stop anyone from diving in.
Cut open the top of a medium-sized pumpkin and remove the seeds. Replace the top and cut out triangle slits for eyes and a round hole for the mouth.
Place the pumpkin on a serving tray and spoon the guacamole out of the mouth. Surround the pumpkin with tortilla chips.
For speedy guacamole, combine avocado, salsa and lime juice. Easy-peasy! For a zesty version, combine avocado, tomatoes, limes, onions, garlic powder and Tajin seasoning. For Texas caviar, use the same recipe as zesty guacamole, adding corn, black beans and olives.
Kitty litter cake
As far as gross Halloween party food goes, this kitty litter cake from Amanda’s Cookin’ actually takes the cake.
At first glance, it looks like kitty litter with brown droppings; upon closer inspection, it’s a cake with green cookie crumbles and Tootsie Rolls. Adults might find it a little icky, which will make the kids love it even more!
To make kitty litter cake, bake chocolate and vanilla cake mixes. Next, use a food processor to crumble up vanilla cookies, and add green food coloring to 1⁄ cup of the crumbled cookies.
4 After the cakes are baked and cooled, crumble them both up and pour them into a new (emphasis on the new, never-ever-been -used) kitty litter box. Combine with half of the cookie crumbs and stir in just enough prepared vanilla instant pudding or pistachio pudding to make the cake crumbles slightly moist.
Now comes the fun part: Unwrap Tootsie Rolls and place them in the microwave until almost melted, shape them into cat droppings, and place them throughout the kitty litter. Hang a few Tootsie Rolls off the side for a realistic touch. (The more disgusting it looks, the better.) Sprinkle the green cookie crumbs over the top — and serve with a new pooper scooper.
The USA TODAY Network and Thanksgiving.com, America’s home for the holidays, are here to help you make those special times of year with family and friends even brighter. Whether you’re looking for recipes, how-to food videos, seasonal decor ideas, or delicious new desserts, we’ve got you covered. Thanksgiving.com is produced by USA TODAY Network newsrooms and Grateful Ventures, a part of the network. For more recipes complete with photos and videos, visit us online.