As you get older, you realize a few things about Halloween. The scary movies that tormented your sleep as a kid probably are your favorites to watch for the heck of it these days. People tend to side-eye you if you trick ‘r treat with graying hair. Above all else, Halloween can become like any of the major holidays in that it’s a time for family to get together and have some fun.
How can you possibly host the town’s best Halloween party without some killer appetizers and drinks? The answer is you can’t. So today, let Mangled Matters give you some culinary ideas for your big shindig.
Witches Brew Cocktail
This hypnotizing green drink consists of three ingredients only. A carton of orange juice, a two-liter of lemon-lime soda and a bottle of Midori melon liquer become friends in your pitcher of choice. The liquer provides the vibrant green color while the juice and soda provide a refreshing zest.
Feeling really spooky? Get some black sanding sugar and kiss the rim of the glass with it. Feeling super spooky? Pick up some dry ice for added effect!
If you’re looking for a drink to knock you off your feet, this isn’t the one- it’d work best in a cauldron beside the finger foods. Enjoy it throughout the night, compliments of The Chunky Chef!
Candy Corn fudge
If you are one of the millions of heathens out there who actually enjoy candy corn, then this recipe is for you. You’ll need:
8-oz. of cream cheese (room temperature)
2 cups of confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
3 cups of white chocolate chips (roughly 18 oz)
2 cups of crushed mini pretzels
1 cup of dried cherries
1 cup of candy corn
Grab yourself a 9-inch square pan and line it with parchment paper. Be sure to leave some overhang on all sides. Your favorite mixer will be used to beat the cream cheese and sugar together in a large bowl and after about two minutes, mix in the vanilla.
Next, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave until smooth. You’re going to then add the chocolate to the cream cheese mix and after about two minutes of mixing, you’ll have a smooth concoction of sugary goodness. Let’s fold in the pretzels and cherries then evenly pour the mixture into the pan. Sprinkle the top with the candy corn and refrigerate for a few hours (or more) until firm. Once that’s done, you’re going to use the parchment overhangs to remove the fudge from the pan and place on an even surface to cut into squares or triangles.
Saucy Spider
If you’re anything like me, you’re a sucker for pizza and pizza-related treats. Nothing sounds better than what essentially amounts to bread sticks and a bowl of marinara.
First things first, the ingredients:
2 balls of pizza dough (thawed out)
1 large egg
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan
2 teaspoons of grated Parmesan
2 cups of marinara sauce
1 large pitted black olive
Once you heat your oven up to 375 degrees, go ahead and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Making the spider is next. Cut one of the dough balls in half. Shape one half into a five-inch ball to make the spider’s body. Cut a 1.5 inch strip from the remaining dough and shape that into a 2.5 inch ball for the head. Don’t use the second dough ball yet. With the rest of the dough (not the second ball), cut it into eight strips and them them into 6-inch rope. This will be used for the legs.
Next, you’ll arrange the body, legs and head on one of the sheet pans. Gently press the piece of dough together to get them to stick a bit. Brush the entire spider with a bit of the egg. Sprinkle the two teaspoons of Parmesan over the spider legs. Slice the olive up and place two of the slices on the top of the head for the eyes. Two more slices of olive should go on the bottom of the head for pincers. Toss this bad boy in the oven for about 25 minutes (or until golden brown). Be sure to cover the legs with foil if they start browning too quickly!
With the other ball of dough, let’s make some leg sticks to munch on. Cut the ball into eight pieces. Roll each piece into rope, about an inch thick. Cut these ropes into various lengths and taper one end of each piece and bend it slightly to resemble legs. Place these on the second baking sheet. Brush with the remaining egg and sprinkle the last of the Parmesan over the legs. Bake for about 15 minutes, until golden brown.
Warm up the marinara sauce and hollow out the body of the spider. Fill with the red stuff. Boom- serve this beastly with the leg sticks and you are good to go! (Recipe compliments of Woman’s Day)
Swamp Juice
This is a personal favorite, one that I enjoy every Halloween season. This one requires:
2-oz. of fresh apple cider
2-oz. of Cognac
1-oz. of Cointreau
1-oz. of fresh lemon juice
For garnish: lemon zest
Grab your favorite moonshine jug and mix the cider, alcohol and lemon juice. Add ice and stir. Keep stirring until the jug is cold to the touch. Fill your Halloween cups, top with lemon zest and let the good times roll!
Mangled Matters 