Stuffed Potato Ghosts

Stuffed Potato Ghosts
2 lbs. fingerling potatoes
1 large baking potato
1/3 cup sour cream
2 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tbs. butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
7 thin slices Monterey Jack cheese
1 tbs. chopped ripe olives
2 green onions, thinly sliced
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Bake the fingerling potatoes at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until tender; set aside.
Meanwhile, pierce baking potato several times with a fork. Microwave for 6-7 minutes or until tender. Cut in half and scoop out pulp; discard shell. Place pulp in a small bowl; mash. Stir in the sour cream, cream cheese, butter, salt and pepper until smooth.
Cut each fingerling in half lengthwise. Spoon about 1 tablespoon mashed potato mixture over each potatoe half. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet.
Cut each cheese slice into six rectangles; place one on each stuffed potato. (Save remaining cheese for another use.) Bake at 350° for 10-22 minutes or until cheese is melted and potatoes are heated through. Position olives and green onions on each for eyes and mouth.

Caramel Apple Dip

Caramel Apple Dip
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup marshmallow creme
3 medium Granny Smith apples
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. water
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In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, brown sugar, caramel topping and vanilla until smooth; fold in marshmallow creme. Cut apples vertically into thin slices.

In a small bowl, combine lemon juice and water; toss apples in lemon juice mixture. Drain. Using Halloween cutters, cut out the center of each slice. Serve apple slices and cutouts with dip.

Jack-o'Lantern Oranges

Jack-o'-Lantern Oranges
8 small navel oranges
1 small apple, chopped
1/2 cup halved seedless red grapes
Slivered almonds and whole cloves
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Choose which side of each orange will be the jack-o;-lantern's face; cut a thin slice from the bottom of each so that it rests flat. Cut another small slice from the top. Spoon out pulp. Chop pulp and combine with apple and grapes; set aside.

Cut faces as desired; decorate with cloves and almonds. Spoon fruit mixture into jack-o'-lanterns.

Wiggly Pumpkins

Wiggly Pumpkins
2 pkg. (6 oz. each) orange gelatin
2-1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup cold milk
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) instant vanilla pudding mix
Candy corn
Black licorice and/or gumdrops
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Dissolve gelatin in water; set aside for 30 minutes. Whisk milk and pudding mix until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour into gelatin; whisk until blended.
Pour into 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. pan coated with non-stick cooking spray. Chill until set. Cut inot circles or use a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter. Just before serving, add the candy eyes and mouths.

Cauldron Dip

This is one of my favorites from last year. Growing up I hated peppers. DID. NOT. LIKE. THEM. A few years ago we were at a family function and I watched as my two young cousins (I think they were 2 and 3) went nuts over the peppers. I decided that if a small child loved peppers so much, maybe I should give them another chance. I still don't care for green peppers, but I add the colorful ones to EVERYTHING.
Also, if you don't want to buy a whole bag of rye bread for one bowl, I just bought a small cauldron dish and used it instead.

Cauldron Dip
1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream
1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 slice soft dark rye bread
1 each medium sweet red, yellow and orange pepper, julienned
10 pretzel rods, broken in half
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In a small bowl, combine sour cream, parsley, sugar, onion powder, garlic salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate.
Flatten bread with a rolling pin. Press over an inverted greased 10-oz. custard cup. Top with another 10-oz. custard cup. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 7 minutes. Carefully remove top dish. Bake 3-5 minutes longer or until bread is lightly toasted. Immediately remove the bread form dish. Cool.
Fill bread bowl with dip. Arrange peppers and pretzels under and around bowl.

Magic Potion Punch

Magic Potion Punch
2 pkg. (3 oz. each) lime gelatin
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup boiling water
3 cups cold water
1 quart non-carbonated lemon-lime drink (kool-aid), chilled
1-1/2 quarts lemon-lime soda, chilled
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Dissolve gelatin and sugar in boiling water; add cold water. Transfer to a punch bowl. STir in lemon-lime drink & soda.

Yummy Mummy Cheese Spread

Yummy Mummy Cheese Spread
2 port wine cheese logs (12 oz. each)
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp. milk
2 whole peppercorns
1 pimiento strip
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Cut cheese logs into pieces for mummy's head, body, arm and legs; arrange on a serving plate.
In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and milk. Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert basket weave tip #47. Pipe rows across the mummy, creating bandages. Add peppercorns for eyes and pimiento strip for mouth. Chill until serving.

Apple Dip with Crisps

I made this dish a few years ago. It was so good I made it three more times that year. It tastes a lot like apple pie.Apple Dip with Crisps
Cinnamon Sugar Crisps:
Pastry for double-crust pie (9 inches)
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Apple Dip:
6 medium tart apples, peeled and coarsely chopped
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cold water
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For cinnamon-sugar crisps, on a lightly floured surface, roll pastry to 1/8-in. thickness. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over pastry. Cut with floured 2-1/2 inch Halloween-shaped cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 425° for 4-6 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute apples, sugar and cinnamon in butter until apples are tender. Combine flour and cold water until smooth; stir into skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Spoon into a serving dish. Serve warm with cinnamon-sugar crisps.

Velveeta Pasta

Velveeta Pasta
2 lbs. hamburger
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup Velveeta cheese, cubed
6 tsp. butter
1 green pepper, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pkg. wide noodles, cooked & drained
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Brown burger with onion and pepper. Drain. Add soup, tomatoes and cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Stir in noodles. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

30 days of Halloween Food

Every day in October I am going to highlight some Halloween dishes that look fun. I have tried a few and have plans to try several this year. Each year we have family up for my Halloween dinner and I can hardly wait for it. Also last year I threw a Scentsy party in October and it was so fun to prepare Halloween treats for it that I thought I would do it again this year. Watch for me to announce the date so you can be sure to be there!

Everyday I will post at least one Halloween dish. I've been busy combing through magazines and have so many I want to highlight that I'll probably do 2 or 3 a day, depending on my speed, schedule and sanity. Most of my recipes come from the last several editions of Taste of Home Magazines, but I might do a few others from other places. Happy Haunting!