Ghastly Pear Ghosts

Ghastly Pear Ghosts
9 medium ripe Bosc pears
9 Popsicle sticks
2 pkg. (14 oz. each) caramels
1/4 cup water
2 lbs. white candy coating disks
2 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. shortening, divided
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup orange candy coating disks
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Line a baking sheet with waxed paper and grease the paper; set aside. Wash and thoroughly dry pears; insert a Popsicle stick into the top of each.

In a microwave, melt caramels and water; stir until smooth. Dip each pear into caramel mixture; turn to coat. Place on prepared pan; let stand until set.

In another bowl, melt white candy coating and 2 tablespoons shortening at 70% power for 1 minutes; stir. Microwave at additional 10 to 20 second intervals, stirring until smooth. Dip pears into coating; allow excess to drip off. Return to pan; let stand until set.

In another bowl, melt chocolate chips and 1 tsp. shortening; stir until smooth. Repeat with orange candy coating and 1 tsp. shortening. Decorate ghost faces; let stand until set.

Jack-o'Lantern Cream Puffs

Jack-o'-Lantern Cream Puffs
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 Tbs. sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs
FILLING:
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
3/4 cup whipped topping
FROSTING:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp. butter, softened
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 to 2 teaspoons milk
Green and orange food coloring
1 Tbs. baking cocoa
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In a small saucepan, bring the water, butter and sugar to a boil. Combine flour and pie spice; add to water mixture all at once and stir until smooth ball forms. Remove form the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny.

Drop 12 rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack. Immediately split puffs open; remove tops and set aside. Discard soft dough from inside. Cool puffs.

For filling, in a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar and pie spice until smooth. Pipe into cream puffs. Top each with 1 tablespoon whipped topping; replace tops.

For frosting, in a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, butter, vanilla and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Tint 1 tablespoon frosting green and 2 teaspoons orange; set aside. Stir cocoa into the remaining frosting. Pipe jack-o'-lantern faces with orange and chocolate frosting. Pipe stems with green frosting.

Fried Bolts

Fried Bolts
16 medium fresh mushrooms
2 small zucchini
2 eggs
2 Tbs. water
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
Oil for frying
Sweet-and-Sour sauce, optional
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Remove stems from mushrooms. Cut a thin layer from the top of mushroom caps; cut mushroom edges, forming a hexagon shape. Cut zucchini lengthwise into quarters, then into 2-in. pieces. Trim one end to fit into mushroom caps.

Insert a toothpick through the top of the mushroom into the zucchini, leaving about 1 in. of toothpick to use as a handle for dipping.

In a small bowl, beat the eggs and water. In another bowl, beat the eggs and water. In another bowl, combine the flour, chili powder, salt, sugar, garlic powder, cayenne and cumin. Dip the zucchini-mushroom bolts in the egg mixture, then coat with flour mixture.

In an electric skillet, heat 1 in of oil to 375°. Fry bolts in batches for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown on all sides. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm with sweet-and-sour sauce if desired.

Candy Corn Cheese Spread

Candy Corn Cheese Spread
3/4 cup finely crushed yellow tortilla chips
2 tbs. butter, melted
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
4 tbs. sour cream, divided
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 tsp. chili powder, divided
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Mexican cheese blend
Assorted crackers
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Press parchment paper onto the bottom of a 1-qt. round baking dish. In a bowl, combine crushed chips and butter; press into prepared dish. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, 2 tbs. sour cream, egg, garlic, 1/4 tsp. chili powder and cumin. Stir in the chillies and cheese blend. Spoon evenly over warm crust.

Bake at 325° for 40-45 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and a thermometer inserted near the center reads 160°. Let stand for 10 minutes; run a knife around the edge and invert onto a serving platter. Carefully remove parchment paper.

Place remaining sour cream in a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in a corner of bag. Pipe a large candy corn shape; sprinkle with remaining chili powder. Serve with crackers.

Marshmallow Witches

Marshmallow Witches
1/2 cup vanilla frosting, divided
36 miniature semisweet chocolate chips
12 large marshmallows
1 drop each green, red and yellow food coloring
1/4 cup flaked coconut
12 chocolate wafers
12 miniature peanut butter cups
12 milk chocolate kisses
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For the face of each witch, place a dab of frosting on the bottom of three chocolate chips; press two for eyes and one for nose on each marshmallow.
For hair, combine green food coloring and a drop of water in a small resealable plastic bag; add coconut and shake well. Spread a small amount of frosting on sides of marshmallows; press coconut hair into frosting. Place 3 tablespoons of frosting in a small heavy-duty resealable plastic bag; tint orange with red and yellow food coloring. Set aside.
For hats, spread some of the remaining frosting in the center of chocolate wafers; press peanut butter cups upside down into frosting. Lightly spread bottoms of chocolate kisses with frosting; place on peanut butter cups.
Cut a small hole in the corner of plastic bag; insert a small star tip. Fill the bag with reserved orange frosting and pipe stars around the base of each peanut butter cup. Secure a hat to each witch with a dab of frosting.

Hosts of Ghosts

Ghosts of Hosts
10 chocolate cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies
1 pkg. (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened
6 oz. white candy coating, chopped
1 tsp. shortening
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In a food processor, cover and process cookies until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Cut cream cheese into three pieces; add to food processor. Cover and process until mixture forms a soft dough.
Using 2 teaspoons dough for each, form 26 ghost shapes. Place on a waxed paper covered baking sheet.
In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt candy coating and shortening; stir until smooth. Slowly spoon over each ghost shape to cover. Use a toothpick to create eyes. Store in the refrigerator.

Ghoul-ade

Ghoul-Ade
1/2 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened blueberries
1 can (15 oz.) lychees, drained
1 bottle (46 oz.) V8 V-Fusion peach mango juice, chilled
1 envelope (.15 oz.) unsweetened orange soft drink mix (Kool-aid)
2 drops orange food coloring
46 oz. lemon-lime soda, chilled
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For floating eyeballs, insert a blueberry into the center or each lychee. Place in a single layer in a freezer container; freeze.

In a 3-qt. punch bowl, combine the juice, soft drink mix and food coloring. Just before serving, add soda and frozen lychees.

Ghosts to Go

Ghosts to Go
1 pkg. (2.7 oz.) French vanilla mousse mix
3 drops each neon blue, green and purple food coloring
Assorted decorations: cake decorator hearts, red decorating gel, and purple & red Nerds
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Prepare mousse mix according to package directions; divide into three portions. Tint one portion blue, one green and one purple.
Transfer each to a pastry or plastic bag; cut a hole in one corner of each bag. Pipe ghost shapes into 5-oz. plastic cups. Decorate just before serving.

Mounds of Bugs

Mounds of Bugs
1 pkg. (11.3 oz.) snack-size Mounds candy bars
20 pretzels
1/4 cup chocolate frosting
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Using a skewer, poke three holes in both long sides of each candy bar. Break rounded pretzel sections into 1-in. pieces; insert into holes for legs. Use frosting to attach candies.

Buried Surpise Cupcakes

Buried Surprise Cupcakes
1 pkg. (18-3/4 oz.) red velvet cake mix
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) cook-and-serve chocolate pudding mix
1-1/4 cups water
1/3 cup canola oil
3 eggs
1/2 cup seedless raspberry spreadable fruit
24 Halloween gummy candy body parts or gummy candy finger rings
1 can (16 oz.) cream cheese frosting
6 to 12 drops purple neon food coloring
Purple sugar
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In a large bowl, combine cake and pudding mixes. Beat in the water, oil and eggs on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing form pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Using a sharp knife, cut a 1-in. circle 1 inch deep in the top of each cupcake. Carefully remove tops and set aside. Fill each with 1 tsp. spreadable fruit and a gummy candy; replace tops. Tint frosting purple; spread over cupcakes and sprinkle with purple sugar.