We’re only a week away from Halloween and while everyone is crazy about the costumes and decorations, I’m crazy about the treats. That’s right, I get more excited about the approaching candy rush than what I’m going to wear around the neighborhood. No Halloween is complete without some spooky treats that adults and kids can enjoy together at festive Halloween gatherings.
Let me clarify — there is no need to rely on standard store-bought treats from the candy aisle. Those can be expensive and, let’s face it, a little boring. I have some more creative ideas for you, and the good news is that they’re also affordable. From (edible) scary chattering teeth to spider deviled eggs, your guests will be in for a treat. It’s that time of the year when you have a pass to play with your food, so why not? I’ve scoured blogs and Pinterest to bring you some of the spookiest and yummiest choices to your table. Here are my favorite five choices:
Scary Chattering Teeth: You only need three ingredients, which are red apples, peanut butter and marshmallows. Cut the red apples into slices. Slather on some peanut butter on top of a slice of apple and top it with marshmallows lined up to look like teeth. Top it with another slice of apple to make it look like chattering teeth. (I found this idea on PearTreeGreetings.com.)
Spicy Spider Deviled Eggs: I came across this idea on Pinterest a year ago and made my own version of it. The serving portion depends on how much you need, but in my household we generally need 12 peeled boiled eggs, 6 tablespoons of mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon of ground mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, cayenne pepper and 1 can of whole black olives. Cut the eggs in half. Take out all the cooked yolks into a bowl and add mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper and mix. Next, fill the whites with the yolk mixture. Sprinkle cayenne pepper over the top. Try to refrigerate the eggs for at least three hours. Then, slice the whole olives in half and use the top half as the spider’s body. Slice the other half into thin circles and cut it into half for the tentacles. It’s a spicy Halloween treat!
Clementine Celery Pumpkins: I love healthy treats that look cute because you know the kids will eat them. I found these clementine celery pumpkins on Spaceshipsandlaserbeams.com. Not only are they super healthy, but they take absolutely no time to make. All you need are clementines or oranges and celery stalks. You can peel the fruit and then just add one inch pieces of celery to the top — simple as that.
Spooky Pizza: Everyone loves pizza. Combining some fun, spooky elements to everyone’s favorite food is a perfect marriage of food and entertainment. You need about six Ciabatta rolls, pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese (or a vegan alternative), sea salt, olive oil and toppings, such as whole olives and pepperoni. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the rolls in half so they look like an oval or square face, depending on the shape of your roll. Add pizza sauce, a little bit of sea salt and mozzarella cheese to the top. Cut olives into the shape of eyes and eyebrows and cut pepperoni into the shape of mouths with teeth. Add them to the very top of the pizza. Put individual pizzas into the oven and watch for the cheese to melt and remove immediately. This is a fun activity to do with the kids.
Jack-O-Lantern Sandwiches: One of the easiest and festive snacks you can make are these cheese sandwiches. You can make them in no time and everyone will love them. You’ll need white bread and cheddar cheese slices (you can use alternative vegan cheese slices, too). Place cheese slices on top of white bread and use a square cookie cutter to cut them into perfect squares. Take each cheese slice square and make fun Jack-O-Lantern patterns on it. While you are doing that, you can toast the bread squares. Place the designed cheese squares onto the toast and you’re done! This is another fun snack you can make with your kids.
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How to Save Money on Halloween Treats originally appeared on usnews.com
