Oscraps

How to Halloween?

tanteva

tanteva

Mistress of Mayhem
I desperately need something fun happening! Summer was awful, rained all the time. I've basically been ill since mid-December. I need some cheering up. I'm gonna celebrate Halloween for the first time in my life. I mean, why not?

What do I need? Hit me with ideas. Crafts? Decorations? Recipes? I don't have much money to spend, so frugal is good.

What do you serve for dinner?

Movies to watch?

Any and all ideas welcome!
 
Move in with me, I show you!
In the meantime:

Decorations:
Skeletons, of course. Or do they count as guests? :D
Do you have dollar stores near you? I can get some cute things to hang on the walls or put on shelves for next to nothing. Fake spider webs to put outside.

Frugal Crafts:
Paint glass bottles and jars or plastic medicine containers black. Use a glue gun to drip spider webs, then dry brush it with grey paint. You can find spooky labels online and use wine bottles. Put as red candle in and let if melt a bit. Or use a white candle and drip wax or crayon so it looks like blood.


Food:
You must make Pretzel Spider. Recipe to follow.

Movies:
Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin is a classic family-friendly one.
Any of the Michael Meyers Halloween movies. Or Friday the 13th
Hocus Pocus 1 and 2.


Posting this now so I can get recipes.
 
Last edited:

​

Cheese Pumpkins​

INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 c. shredded cheddar
1 package cream cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/3 tsp. dry mustard

DIRECTIONS
  1. Put Cheddar, cream cheese, garlic salt and mustard in a food processor and process until smooth.
  2. Coat mold with nonstick spray.
  3. Spoon cheese mixture into cavities, pressing with back of spoon to pack mixture tightly into mold.
  4. Cover with plastic wrap. Chill overnight.
  5. To unmold, briefly dip bottom of pan into a larger pan filled with hot water. Tap pan firmly on flat surface to loosen, then unmold.

Mummy Jalapeño Poppers​


INGREDIENTS
Jalapeño poppers
1 sheet refrigerated crescent roll dough
frozen peas, thawed, or tiny pieces of roasted red pepper

DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick foil or parchment paper.
Unroll the crescent dough and cut into 1⁄4" strips. Wrap 2 strips around each jalapeño popper to create a mummy-like pattern. Transfer poppers to the prepared baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 15 minutes.
Let the mummies cool for 5 minutes, then place two peas or pieces of pepper on each one for eyes. Transfer to a platter and serve warm or at room temperature.

Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
  • ▢ 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • ▢ 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • ▢ 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk

Instructions​

  1. In a small saucepan, combine cheddar cheese and cornstarch. Toss until cheese is evenly coated.
  2. Stir in evaporated milk and salt and pepper to taste (I like 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper). Heat over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally, until cheese is melted and smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes.
  3. Reduce heat to low, cover, and keep warm until serving time. Or, transfer to a slow cooker on the "warm" setting for serving.





Brownie Bat Truffles

INGREDIENTS
1 13"-x-9" pan fudgy brownies, baked and cooled
1/2 c. Chocolate frosting
7 Oreo cookies, halved and stuffing removed
11 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
2 c. Black sanding sugar
royal icing for eyes

DIRECTIONS
  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, roughly crumble brownie by hand. Mix in chocolate frosting and gently knead mixture until evenly moistened.
  3. Using a cookie scoop, portion out 1 tablespoon brownie frosting mixture and roll into small balls.
  4. Insert two halved Oreo cookies on either side to create wings.
  5. Place brownie balls on the prepared baking sheet and freeze until firm, roughly 2 hours.
  6. Remove balls from freezer and let come to room temperature, 15 minutes.
  7. Melt chocolate.
  8. Dip bat brownie truffles in chocolate and dust with black sanding sugar.
  9. Decorate with royal icing eyes.

Graveyard Chocolate Cheesecake Dip​

INGREDIENTS​

CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE DIP:​

  • 1 package cream cheese — (8 ounces) at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter — (1/2 stick) at room temperature
  • 5 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 2 cups sifted powdered sugar — plus 2 tablespoons

DECORATE AND SERVE:​

  • Crushed chocolate cream sandwich cookies — enough to cover dip (about 10)
  • Vanilla sandwich cookies — such as Milanos
  • Black decorating icing
  • Graham crackers, — apple slices, and/or pretzels, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS​

  1. In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth.
  2. Sift in cocoa powder, then add brown sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and milk. Beat on low speed until the cocoa powder is incorporated, then increase speed to high until very well combined.
  3. Sift in powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating slowly after each addition to incorporate. Increase speed to high and beat until smooth and light, about 3 minutes.
  4. Transfer dip to a serving dish and smooth top with a spatula.
  5. Spread crushed chocolate cookies over top of dip to form “dirt.”
  6. With decorating icing, write “RIP” on vanilla wafer cookies, then stand upright in dip to form “tombstones.”
  7. Serve with graham crackers, sliced apples, and/or pretzels as desired.
 
Pretzel Spider
WUJi4mR3MJp-HRsw28CyB8dwDIAtLKFaeJETGZmrh8ACZ74_-MbuAVGzRNw87kZJLJFeysoxG9I0ZowstrBWQnBZRbPjFvZxsFMKo7gksBN_sr7X901OitGVmVg1Cl9P-qvFY8Z6zyDnaxJUJ09JdBA

Prep time
1 hour 20 mins
Cook time
10 mins
Total time
1 hour 30 mins

Ingredients
  • The Dough:
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 package (2¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
  • 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
  • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
  • 2 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt
  • ----------
  • The Soda Bath:
  • ¼ cup baking soda
  • 2½ cups warm water
  • ----------
  • 4 tablespoon melted butter for brushing
  • coarse salt for topping
Instructions
  1. Make the pretzels: Warm the milk in microwave (about 30 seconds); pour into a medium bowl & add yeast. Let it sit about 2 minutes; stir in the brown sugar and 1 cup flour with a wooden spoon. Add 2 tablespoons softened butter; mix. Add the remaining 1¼ cups flour and salt to make a sticky dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface & knead, adding more flour if needed, knead about 5 minutes. Shape into ball, place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or kitchen towel. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
  2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper, non-stick mat or grease with butter.
  3. Divide dough into 6 pieces. Use a lightly oiled surface to roll and stretch each piece with the palms of your hands into a 30-inch rope. Form each rope into a pretzel shape.
  4. For the soda bath: dissolve the baking soda in warm water in a shallow baking dish. Dip each pretzel in it, then arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
  5. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until tops are turning golden brown.
  6. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a shallow dish. Brush pretzels with butter or dip them in the butter. Sprinkle with coarse salt.
 
Appetizers and Dinners
Cheeseball pumpkins looks good-- what can we use as a mold?
Deviled eyeballs good!
Mummy jalapeno poppers
Spider pretzel and cheese dip (use this recipe for inspiration)
Snake bread Sticks (with garlic butter)
Desserts
Bat truffles don’t think we can get black sugar but maybe mix sugar and cocoa powder?
Graveyard cheesecake dip very cute!

Drinks
Melted witch martini
Jack o’lantern cocktail
Salted caramel martini
Snickertini
Samoa martini
Salted caramel white Russian

(I am C&P-ing from our theme night notes so ignore some of the comments and such
 
Well, Eva, I think you've found your muse! I'm personally not a fan of Halloween :couchhide: and was rather relieved when my kids were old enough to make their own Halloween fun. This time of year, I just do some general fall decorating with a wreath and buying some mums.
 
I haven't decorated for Halloween for the last two years, and I miss it!! I am hoping that I can talk my family members into bringing the decorations out of the little "house in the sky" playhouse that we just use for storage for me, tomorrow or Thursday. I don't want to go another October without doing my decorations!!! It IS my favorite holiday, after all! I was out of town two years ago, and then last year was during the most horrible time in my life, so wasn't up to decorating, and still had my full time job. I need to see my cheerful spooky goodness up, this year :heartpumplove: I will post pictures once I AM able to decorate! Chris, those are some FUN and spooky recipes!!!!!!!! :lovey3::flyingwitch:
 
Kythe said:
@tanteva How is the Hallowe'en planning going?
Click to expand...
Not much happening really. My wrist got worse again & I went to the dentist to finish fixing the broken tooth. Turned out it's still infected & I had another temporary fix with meds & will have to wait til early November to get it fixed properly. Looks like no chewy candy for me for another month. Can't knit. Can't crochet for my wrist. Feels like I can't do anything.

Pumpkin soup. I won't need to chew that. That's my plan for Halloween now.
 
tanteva said:
Not much happening really. My wrist got worse again & I went to the dentist to finish fixing the broken tooth. Turned out it's still infected & I had another temporary fix with meds & will have to wait til early November to get it fixed properly. Looks like no chewy candy for me for another month. Can't knit. Can't crochet for my wrist. Feels like I can't do anything.

Pumpkin soup. I won't need to chew that. That's my plan for Halloween now.
Click to expand...
Need an easy pumpkin soup recipe? I have one. LMK and I'll take a pic and upload. It calls for chicken broth but I use vegetable instead. I always make homemade croutons to go with it, that just puts it over the top delish.
(I think that is what I making for dinner tonight!)
 
joyfulheartdesigns said:
I haven't decorated for Halloween for the last two years, and I miss it!! I am hoping that I can talk my family members into bringing the decorations out of the little "house in the sky" playhouse that we just use for storage for me, tomorrow or Thursday. I don't want to go another October without doing my decorations!!! It IS my favorite holiday, after all! I was out of town two years ago, and then last year was during the most horrible time in my life, so wasn't up to decorating, and still had my full time job. I need to see my cheerful spooky goodness up, this year :heartpumplove: I will post pictures once I AM able to decorate! Chris, those are some FUN and spooky recipes!!!!!!!! :lovey3::flyingwitch:
Click to expand...
I hope that you can decorate. Scott is coming over tomorrow to decorate here. Gary usually puts on a big display in the yard. Skeletons that move, music, that kind of stuff. He builds them out of pieces and parts of junk. In the last few years he hasn't done as much and it becomes more of a hassle when everything breaks. He says he isn't putting anything outside, but there is still time to change his mind. :pokestick:
 
Wow you guys have some great recipes and decorating ideas. My daughter and her husband go all out for Halloween and they dress up (this year by son in law is going to be a dinosaur). My daughter paints rocks and in addition to candy she puts out a basket of rocks that the kids can take if they want and it is fun to watch how happy the kids are to get them. Her house is now known as the house you can get pretty rocks at.
 
My sister goes all out decorating as well. She has several full size skeletons that she dresses accordingly. Her house has a lovely large covered deck (porch) which she has made into a
-pirate ship -complete with cannon that fires smoke synchronized,with a soundtrack of a cannon bast, and a plank to walk
- old west saloon -cowboy skeletons
- Bates Hotel (from Hitchcock movie)
- witch's den
- and this year Barbie
We dress in costume and go very year to her porch party where we give out treats and act the part of whatever theme it is that year. Not sure what I will do for Barbie. I think every pink outfit and fabric was sold months ago. (I'm so not a fan of Barbie dolls.)
 
here you go, @tanteva
Notice there is NO ketchup in this recipe. Even after you convert it to grams and into Swedish, there is still no ketchup. :D
I use a full carton of veggie broth and half and half instead of cream.
When I make the croutons I cut up semi-stale Italian bread, and toss it with olive oil, a tiny bit of garlic powder, and thyme in the pan.

PXL_20231012_105252853.MP.jpg
 
Do you use ketchup as pizza sauce? :sick:

They are adorable, BTW :)
I can't eat mushrooms (allergic or sensitive but they make me nauseous) but dang those skulls are way too cute!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top