Throwing a monster bash this Halloween? Here are five quick and easy Halloween treats to get you and your guests into the spirit of things. Be sure to save on everything you need for your festivities at Coupons.com.
Cheese Pumpkins
8 T. smoked cheddar cold pack cheese food (from 8-oz. container), well chilled
2 tsp. finely chopped nuts
4 pretzel rods or sticks, broken in half
16 small pieces fresh parsley leaves
Line small serving plate with waxed paper.
Roll each tablespoon of cheese food into a ball and place on serving plate.
Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes.
With end of toothpick, draw ridges around balls to resemble pumpkins.
Dip bottoms of cheese balls in chopped peanuts, or use a round cracker as a base.
Just before serving, insert pretzel halves into cheese balls for pumpkin stems.
Decorate with parsley for leaves. Store in refrigerator.
Boo-riffic Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
30 fresh strawberries
8 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon shortening
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Wash strawberries and gently pat with paper towels until completely dry.
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt white chocolate and shortening at 50% power; stir until smooth. Stir in extract.
Dip each strawberry in chocolate mixture and place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet, allowing excess chocolate to form ghosts' tails. Immediately press chocolate chips into coating for eyes. Freeze for 5 minutes.
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt remaining chocolate chips, and stir until smooth. Dip a toothpick into melted chocolate and draw a mouth on each face.
For a different variation, decorate chocolate-dipped strawberries with black and orange sprinkles, or add food coloring to the melted chocolate mixture to create autumn colors.
Oozing Monster Apple Mouths
This is quick and easy! You just need apples, peanut butter and marshmallows.
Cut an apple (red or green) into eight slices. Rub with lemon to keep them from turning brown.
Spread creamy peanut butter on one slice and dot with mini-marshmallows, flat side down.
Spread peanut butter on a second piece of apple and place on top of the marshmallows to complete Frankenstein's smile. If you want an oozy, gooey smile, spread the peanut butter on thick.
Nutter Butter Ghosts
1 (1 lb.) pkg. Nutter Butter cookies
60 (or so) semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
12 oz. white chocolate chips
Melt white chocolate in a microwave or double boiler.
Lay a Nutter Butter cookie on a small plate or other washable surface.
Spoon melted white chocolate over front of cookie.
Press two mini chocolate chips into white chocolate for eyes. Refrigerate on waxed paper to set.
Repeat with remaining cookies.
Note: If you want both sides of your "ghost" to be white, use a little extra white chocolate and dip the entire cookie.
Deviled Egg Eyeballs
For a spooky spin on a crowd-pleasing party treat, make your favorite deviled egg recipe. Then:
Top with sliced green or black olives with small pieces of pimiento in the middle to create the "pupil."
Dip a toothpick in red food coloring and decorate egg whites for the "bloodshot" effect.
You can also add a few drops of blue food coloring to the yellow yolk mixture to create a soft green color for your "eyeballs."