Creepy Treats: Recipes for Halloween

Whether a party for friends, a classroom party or just dinner at home, add some Halloween spirit to your table with these spooky recipes.

Coffin Sandwiches

You'll need:

Bread

Knife

Filling-meat and cheese, peanut butter and jelly, etc.

No matter what goes between the bread, coffin sandwiches haunt our table every year. You can make then with peanut butter and jelly for a child's party or grilled cheese served with blood (eh, tomato) soup for a pre-trick or treating dinner. For a more sophisticated party, try using roast beef and blue cheese on pumpernickel or ham and swiss on rye.

To construct these diabolical delicacies, just cut your slices of bread into a coffin shape. I like to save the remnants for croutons or to feed the birds. The sandwiches are easy to make and sure to make even the meanest monster smile. Your guests will be happy to provide a final resting place for these coffins.

Deviled Eyes

You'll need:
Eggs

Mayonnaise

Mustard

Green Eyes

Green Olives

Ham

Dill (fresh is best)

Paprika (optional)

Black Eyes

Black Olives

Tuna (fresh or Tomato Pesto in the pouch)

Tomato

Deviled eggs always seem to show up at our family functions, but I like to spice up the basic recipe. For green eyes, use sliced green olives. You can dice some of the olives to mix in with the filling, along with some dill and finely chopped ham (you can also use canned deviled ham, but I prefer the real thing). If you want them to look authentically sleep deprived, add some red veining with paprika. Cut a sliver out of a piece of wax paper and hold it over the filled egg. Sprinkle paprika in the void. Rotate the wax paper and continue.

For black eyes, use black olives. With black olives, I like mixing tuna into the yolk mixture. As always, fresh is better, but if you want to use canned, the tomato pesto tuna in the pouch works well. For the veining, use slivers of tomato. I like the sweetness of cherry tomatoes, but you can use whatever type you like.

Jack-O'-Melon

You'll Need:

A melon

Knife

Melon baller

Fruit (any assortment you like)

Carving pumpkins is a given, but how about carving a melon? You could use any melon, but for larger gatherings a watermelon works well. Cut a decent sized hole at one end off the melon and scoop the insides with a melon baller. Once your melon is hollow, lightly score a face into the front of your jack-o'-melon. You're going to refill the melon with fruit, so just scrape the top layer of skin away so the inner rind shows through. If Jack will be hanging out on the table for a while, smooth some Vaseline over the bare rind to prevent drying out. After your party, stick him on the front porch next to your pumpkin for a little diversity.

Ghost Cookies

You'll Need:

Oval shaped cookies (Nutter Butters, Milanos, etc.)

White melting chocolate

Small chocolate chips

These are really easy to make. First, put your melting chocolate in a glass in the microwave. Heat for one minute to start and follow with 30 seconds until smooth. Stir between each reheating. While the chocolate is in the microwave, lay out some wax paper. Dip your cookies into the chocolate and lay to harden on the wax paper. Before the chocolate sets, put two chocolate chips on the cookies for the eyes.

Enjoy your Halloween!