Spooky Eyeball Tacos

Yesterday I posted some ideas of spooky treats to pack for the "little monsters" lunchboxes, but today is dinner! Spooky Eyeball Tacos are easier than you might think. Everything you would make for your regular taco night with a simple modification...
Instead of spooning ground beef (or turkey) into your taco shells, make meatballs! Here are the steps to make the taco after you have prepared all the traditional ingredients you usually serve.

1. Spoon in shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes into the bottom of the shell.
2. Spoon in cheese and guacamole.
3. Place two meatballs into shell.
4. Using half a tablespoon of sour cream top the middle of the meatball.
5. Add sliced olives for irises.

They look really cool when you lay them on the side and on top of each other. Just like a monster coming at you and I assure you more than one will gobbled up!

Halloween Sandwiches and Lunch Treats

When Halloween falls on a school day, I add these fall themed treats to children's lunches with labels on the bags for a bit of lunchtime "eeww"s and aahh's:

1. Halloween Sandwiches - chicken salad sandwiches with the bread cut out of Halloween shaped cookie cutters.
2. Deviled Eyeballs - hard boiled eggs sliced, green olives sliced for irises, and red gel frosting for veins.
3. Spicy Bat Wings - chicken wings
4. Toasted Bones - You will need:

• 1 pkg refrigerated bread sticks
• 1 egg white
• sesame seeds or
• poppy seeds or
• cinnamon sugar or
• Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Line cookie sheet with foil.
2. Unroll breadsticksand separate.
3. Roll each bread stick making in 10 inches long.
4. With a knife cut in half.
5. At each end of the bread stick tie a half knot. They should look like doggie bones.
6. With a pastry brush apply a light coat of egg white.
7. Sprinkle bones with your desired toppings.
8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown.

You can serve these treats for lots of different parties. It's all about the presentation! So remember the labels. For a third grade classroom celebration I was asked to bring grapes. To make it spookier, I made a sign that said, "Watch out... Spider Egg sacks." Gross, right? But the kids gobbled them up just as fast as the sweeter treats provided. Have a Happy Halloween lunch!

Graveyard Ghosts

I have a sweet treat "scene" to share today. Imagine a freshly filled in grave with tombstone... Got a picture in your mind? Good. You will need:

• brownies (I prefer the large brownie squares from the bakery department at my local grocery store)
• rectangle shaped cookies (any flavor)
• whipped topping (Cool Whip does nicely)
• mini chocolate chips
• candy corns and pumpkins
• red gel frosting tube

1. Using the red gel frosting tube, decorate rectangle shaped cookies with "RIP" or "Boo".
2. Stick the cookie into the brownie. (I like to purchase the pre-made from the bakery)
3. Stack a few spoonfuls of whipped topping in the shape of a ghost on top of the brownie.
4. Use 2 mini chocolate chips for the ghost eyes.
5. Finish the "scene" with candy corns and pumpkins on top of the brownie.

You can do this in an assembly line fashion if you choose to do it for an edible craft at your block party or classroom celebration. I like the pre-made brownies because they seem to be the perfect size for the "scene" and the cookies stick better than my homemade recipe. I assure you will have a tasty "scene"!

Something to Wet your Lips... Grown-up Monsters

Because it's Friday and you may be hosting or attending a "Monster Mash" tonight or this weekend, I found a couple of themed mixed drinks to serve! 

Dragon's Blood Punch

   

This drink is sure to wow your guests especially if you add a block of dry ice for that spooooky effect! You'll need: 

• 1 750ml Bottle of Vodka
• 1/2 cup Orange Liqueur
• 6 cups Red Fruit Punch 
• 6 cups Apple Juice
• 6 cups Cranberry Juice
• 2 Liters Ginger Ale

Optional: 1-2 blocks of dry ice 

1. Make sure to acquire all of the ingredients the night before your event.
2. Chill everything for at least 8 hours.
3. Pour all ingredients into a large punch bowl or cauldron.
4. Stir well and add the dry ice, (as alternatives, you can add large chunks of regular ice if you don't want to deal with the safety issues of dry ice).   

The Sweet Vampire

You'll need:

• 1  scoop Vanilla Ice Cream 
• 1 oz. Triple Sec 
• 1oz White Creme de Cacao 
• Drizzle of Grenadine

2. Pour into a wine glass
3. Drizzle grenadine down the inside edge of the glass and drip over the top of the drink for a bleeding effect.

Enjoy!

Blend all ingredients (save for the grenadine) until smooth.

Ghost Meringues

The day got away from me because I had so much fun making these! I had every intention of sharing these with you yesterday... A fluffy white and squishy ghost atop a chocolate graham cracker... Cute, cute, cute! This is fun for everyone and easy too. You will need:

• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 cup sugar
• mini chocolate chips
• chocolate graham crackers

1. Make your meringue.

Once meringues are cool, place them atop a choclate grham crasker square.

1. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until very stiff and glossy.
2. Gradually beat in sugar a little at a time.
3. Spoon on to baking sheet lined with parchment paper; shaping them in a kind of slanted volcano shape.
4. Bake at 275 degrees for 60 min.
5. Turn off oven after 60 minutes but let the meringues cool inside.

1. Place meringues atop a chocolate graham cracker square.
2. Attach mini chocolate chips for eyes.

Fun and easy!  I assure you will get kudos and pats on the back for this cute treat. The kids loved them and shared as an after school snack yesterday so I'm off to bake another batch today!

A Blast of 31 Ideas

This is an easy post for me today, but I suspect you will be busy with the site I am going to share! (I know I will be bookmarking and taking notes for later events!) Check out:

DisneyFamily.com for "31 Days of Disney Halloween Crafts and Recipes"

I am saving all the cupcake decorating ideas! Whoo-hoo! Not only are they spooky for Halloween, but can be used for birthday parties with themes of Little Mermaid or Snow White! The 3D crafts can be used for birthday party activities like Pixie Hollow too. I love the Huey, Louie and Dewey ghosts and the Oogie Boogie Monster craft! What fun! You can always count on Disney to find a balance between the scary and fun.

Goblin Nutty Mix

This is a great treat to have out for a block party or Fall Open House. Of course I can't recommend this for a classroom party because of all the nut allergies our students have these days... sigh... And it is so simple, you could throw it together at the very last minute as you are walking out the door! You will need:

• Spanish peanuts with skins
• candy corns

Pour both containers into a black, green or purple ceramic bowl. Viola! I LOVE simple! The Spanish peanuts with skins just makes it look a little creepier. Don't forget to make a "food flag" to stick up from the bowl that says, "Goblin Nutty Mix". I assure you folks will appreciate the clever name for such a simple and festive treat.

Candy Corn Caramel Apples

This is a fun activity to do for a classroom party! Prep work will be key to successfully execution, but the kids will LOVE it! You will need:

• Granny Smith apples (1 per guest at least)
• Popsicle sticks for each apple
• caramel squares to melt for amount of apples (see package recommendations)
• 2-3 large bags of candy corn
• medium to large size crock pot
• nonstick spray
• wax paper
• quart size Ziploc

Prep to do before arriving at classroom party:

1. Wash apples and remove stems.
2. Stick Popsicle sticks into bottoms of apples.
3. Spray nonstick spray all over inside of crock pot.
4. Begin to melt caramel squares in crock pot on low.
5. Pour candy corn in to medium bowl.
6. Pack it up in the car and head to the classroom party!

Once at school:

1. Making this activity a "center" or "station" keeps the mess to a minimum. So set up  where there is room for crock pot, candy corn bowl, and a place for the "hardening process".
2. Have each kiddo dip their apple into  crock pot covering apple as best they can.
3. Next each kiddo should gently dip the bottom of their apple into the candy corn bowl.
4. Have kiddos place decorated apples on wax paper in your "hardening area".

5. Let them take them home at the end of the day in a quart size Ziploc!

I assure you the kids have probably not made their very own caramel apples before. What a fun experience for them!

Graveyard Cups

Graveyard Cups are that good ol' standby - dirt cups. And dirt cups by any name are still dirt cups and always party hit! So gather your ingredients:

• Chocolate graham crackers - smashed
• chocolate pudding
• gummy worms
• clear plastic cups (1 per guest)

You probably know the drill, but just in case:

1. Fill plastic cups half way with chocolate pudding.
2. Top  with crushed chocolate graham crackers.
3. Lay 2 gummy worms on top.

Ta-da! A party favorite!

Ants on a Log

I have used these for just about every party theme and this healthy snack is good one for Halloween class parties. Remember, I don't like to sugar the kids up too high! You will need:

• celery (one bunch for whole class is plenty)
• cream cheese (I use the garden vegetable flavor for added speckles of "stuff")
• raisins

1. Wash and cut celery into serving pieces.
2. Spoon in cream cheese to "stuff" the celery.
3. Place 2 or 3 raisins on top.

I like simple and quick!


Lots of kids don't like celery but when it's disguised with a title like "ants on a log" they just might try it and enjoy it. Same with the raisins, but most kids pick them off at classroom parties. You could use this as an edible craft, but it may not get eaten at all because the mystery has disappeared. When you use these for block parties or potlucks, most adults appreciate the healthy treat. Although they too may pick off the "ants"!

"Cool" Eyeballs

You can serve these spooky looking treats is muffin cup liners to toss away, colorful the silicon liners as a take home or even serve in Mom's sherbet punch! It's just ice cream and candy. You will need:

• 1 gallon of vanilla ice cream
• 1 or 2 packages of Gummy Lifesavers
• pre packaged red frosting tube
• muffin cup liners (if you serve individually)
• cookie sheet that  will fit in your freezer

1. Place your muffin cup liners on your cookie sheet
2. Scoop ice cream into cup liners
3. Push a Gummy Lifesaver into the top center of ice cream
4. Using red frosting, make wavy lines starting at the Lifesaver down creating a vein-like look to your eyeball.

I have also used other types of candy for the "iris" of the eyeball. If you choose to float them in your "witch's brew", you have to choose the type of candy you use carefully because it throws the weight of the scoop of ice cream off. It won't be much fun for you or the guests if they can't see (ha ha!) what the ice cream is suppose to mimic. Serving the treat individually is always a hit for a class or block party.

Black Cat Pinata

A black cat no one will be afraid of! This is an easy craft to put together and a party favorite! You will need:

• 2 black Chinese lanterns (one small, one large)
• 1 piece of black construction paper (8x12 or 12x12 should be enough)
• 1 small piece of white construction paper
• 1 craft black pom pom
• white craft wire (about 18 inches worth)
• 2 brass brads
• glue gun
• candy
• glitter confetti
• plastic bat

1. Glue the 2 lanterns together, the small one for the head and the large one for the body.
2. Trace the bottom lantern hole onto the black construction paper, cut out and glue to bottom. 
3. Cut out triangles from the black construction paper for ear and glue on.
4. Cut out triangles from the white construction paper for the eyes and attach with brass brads.
5. Glue the black pompom on for the nose.
6. Cut white craft wire in half.
7. Twist and bend up the white craft wire for whiskers.
8. Poke the wires through the lantern to stick out around where you glued the pom pom nose.
9. Fill with candy at the top! This is when I put the glitter confetti in as well it's just for sparkle.

Sometimes I attach a wide wired ribbon around the neck to cover up my glue as well as to add to the decoration. I also decorate the plastic bat with plastic holiday garland. Don't forget to have small bags for the kiddos to put their candy in once the pinata breaks. I assure you some fun will be had by witches and warlocks alike.

Slime

Slime doesn't have to be used as a Halloween themed activity so you may want to email this one to yourself to use later on... like for Dr. Suess Day and call it ooblek.

Kids love slime! It's a great idea for a class party. You can make a batch prior to the party to set up as a "center" activity to play with or have it as an activity to make as a craft for the party. It can be bagged up in a Ziploc to take home! Check with the classroom teacher regarding supplies - she may have a stash! In any case, you will need:

• 2 cups of white glue (Elmer's)
• 2 cups water
• liquid food coloring (I like to make bright green for Halloween)
• 1 tsp borax
• 2 mixing bowls
• wooden spoon or rubber spatula

1. Pour glue into a mixing bowl and slowly add 1 and a half cups of water.
2. Add several drops of liquid food coloring.
3. In another bowl, dissolve borax in 1/2 cup of water.
4. Add dissolved borax to glue mixture.
5. Knead for ten minutes until slime separates between your fingers.

Sometimes the mixture turns out better if you let it sit overnight in an airtight container. It can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks. You will knead  the slime before use if sotred overnight. i assure you will hear lots of, "eew," and, "gross" and, of course, "cool!"

Peekaboo Ghost Craft

This is a great take home craft from the class party or Halloween block party. Don't forget to ask for these items to be donated from your class parents instead of too much food that kiddos won't be able to finish and ends up in the teachers' lounge. You will need:

• black paper cups (1 per guest)
• chopsticks (1 per guest)
• small Styrofoam balls smaller than the opening of the cup (1 per guest)
• two 6 inch squares of cheesecloth, gauze or white tissue paper per guest
• black fabric marker, Sharpie or black paper ovals for eyes

1. Poke a hole through the bottom of the black paper cup with a chopstick (I usually get chopsticks at Cost Plus/World Market using a monthly coupon. Leftovers from take out work great too!).
2. Slide the chopstick up into the cup.
3. Plant a small Styrofoam ball on top of the chopstick
4. Glue two 6 inch squares of cheesecloth, gauze or white tissue paper onto the Styrofoam ball.
5. Using the fabric marker or Sharpie, draw eyes. Or if you decided to use black paper ovals glue them on.
6. Let glue dry for a bit.
7. Slide the stick up and down to play peekaboo.

There you have it! Looks like a lot of work, but the kiddos will finish in no time. I assure you will hear lots of "boo-ing".

Neighborhood Boo

I have lived in my neighborhood for 12 years and have always thought of it as a friendly one. We have a social committee that plans activities throughout the year, but the one activity my kids look forward to the most is being "Boo'd". Maybe you have something like this in your neighborhood too. The following is the letter that has been in the "Boo" bag for as many years as I can remember:

You've been Boo'd

Now it's your turn to "Boo" two other people in the neighborhood.

Please "Boo" these people within 2 days of receiving your treat.

Hang the paper ghost on your front door so everyone can see you have been "Boo'd" and will not "Boo" you again. This will also let you know who you can boo.

Fill 2 bags with candy and treats. Copy this letter and the ghost twice. Include treats, letter, and the ghost in your bag of goodies for the neighbors that you choose.

After dark, and only with an adult, "Boo" 2 of your neighbors. Do not let the person you are "Boo-ing" see you, for it adds to the fun of it all.

Place the treat bag on the doorstep, ring the doorbell and run!

It will be fun to see how many ghosts will appear in our neighborhood by Halloween.

Please keep it safe and enjoy!

This year I found some Halloween themed silicon cupcake sets and Ross. I thought it was the perfect family treat. The kits came with everything but the cake mix and I didn't spend more than $5. I have the letter saved on the computer to print each year along with a clip art ghost.

Having watched many of the kids in our neighborhood grow up, move out or go off to college, I realized some of our neighbors don't get to participate by default - no kids at home! SO I tweaked the letter above to say say, "You've been Boo-zed" and left an inexpensive bottle of wine wrapped in a fall colored dishtowel. The part of the letter about candy and treats, I modified to, "Wrap a bottle of wine or 6 pack." You could do some other tweaks if you like but I felt like these two left the integrity of the activity yet left my neighbors with the feeling that we still appreciate them. Have fun with it - that's what this is about! I assure you, you will.

Ghoul's Eyes

Another healthy treat to serve with a spooky theme! You will need:

• dried apricots
• spreadable cream cheese
• chocolate chips

1. Put 1/2 teaspoon of spreadable cream cheese in the center of each apricot
2. Top each with a chocolate chip

E-A-S-Y right?! This could be another edible craft for a classroom celebration. Sometimes I use raisins instead of chocolate chips. It usually depends on how many sweet treats are served. When you have the kiddos make edible crafts with a spooky theme, the older the kiddos the less spooky the feeling though. However, if you remind the kiddos they could make a plate full of GHOUL EYES at home on their own; I assure you they will want to "pull a fast one" on their younger siblings!

Brain on a Platter

I have been sharing many sweet treats, but today is a healthy one. You will need 1 small watermelon, a knife, and a potato peeler to create a brain on a platter.

1. Cut off the "bottom" 1/4 of the watermelon creating a flat bottom to sit on.
2. Using the potato peeler peel the watermelon.
3. Using the potato peeler carve in a line at the top half of melon creating two hemispheres.
4. Using the end of the potato peeler, carve past the rind in curvy lines letting the red of the fruit show through on each side of the "brain".

If you get some dry ice for the party, the "fog" will help create a spooky nature around the "brain". Because the rind is greenish white, the "brain" looks like it's glowing! Kids love watermelon so I assure you will have no leftovers either.

Moo (Whoopie) Pie Spiders

Imagine a platter full of edible black widow spiders being served at you Halloween party. Today's treat will have the kids wanting more and more spook-a-licious fun. This is a treat kiddos can take apart and eat piece by piece and is always a hit. And, pay attention classroom mom's, this spider could be used as an edible craft for your Halloween class festivities.

I didn't grow up eating Moo Pies (sometimes called Whoopie pies) but have always heard about them. Think "large Oreo-like" cake sandwiches. You can make your own - trending all over cooking and recipe websites - or do it the easy way. And if you haven't guessed by now, I L-O-V-E the easy way! You will need:

• Little Debbie's chocolate pie sandwiches (1 per guest)
• Twizzler's Black licorice (2 twists per guest cut into 8 pieces)
• Gummy Lifesavers (enough for 2 per guest - 2 bags ought to be enough)
• M&M's (2 personal bags ought to be enough)
• large tube of pre-made frosting (I like Betty Crocker)
• paper plate or wax paper for each guest if doing as an edible craft
• plastic knifes if doing as an edible craft

1. Lay out paper plate or wax paper and plastic knife for each guest to create their spider treat along with one moon pie. Have the kiddos unwrap their pie and throw away the wrapper while you continue to pass out supplies.
2. Pass out licorice twists asking kiddos to cut licorice twists into 8 pieces for the legs. This keeps guests busy while you pass out Lifesavers and M&M's. They may come up with interesting ways to cut twists you hadn't thought of!
3. Pass out Lifesavers and M&M's or have an "eye station" where the kiddos mount the M&M's on Lifesavers using the frosting from the tube. If the kiddos sit in table groups in the classroom, you may want to provide 1 tube per table group.
4. Have kiddos mount eyes on pies!

Viola! Finished with an easy and spook-a-licious treat. In to past I have cut up red fruit roll-ups into triangles to place 2 on the top of the moon pies in an "hourglass" shape. I know black window have that mark on their underside and the kids may tell you that too if you provide this addition, but it does help the visual of spooky and scary! I assure you'll hear lots of conversation regarding spiders and black licorice being yucky!

Here's link too:

Adventures in Whoopie Pies

blog.williams-sonoma.com

Witches' Hats

This is another easy Halloween themed treat and a great hit for the class party! You will need:

• chocolate wafer cookies (I have used Girl Scout Thin Mints or Keebler cookies too)
• Hersey Kisses
• pre-made frosting
• orange food coloring

1. Color the pre-made frosting orange.
2. Use orange frosting to attach Hersey Kiss to wafer cookie.

TWO steps to this treat! Amazingly easy! I do squish the Hersey Kiss down far enough to have the orange frosting show, creating a "ribbon" look to the hat.  Sometimes I use an orange gel decorating pen to "draw" a buckle to accent the hat as well. Because this treat is easy, you could use this as an activity for the kiddos to put together at the class party for an edible craft. I assure you the kids will be successful with their creations! 

Chocolate Bones

This salty and sweet snack gets gobbled faster than any at Fall festivities! You will need:

• bag of pretzel sticks
• white almond bark or white melting chocolate
• bag of mini marshmallows
• wire rack
• wax paper
• rubber spatula
• Pyrex measuring bowl or other microwavable bowl

1. Lay wire rack on top of wax paper. The wax paper will collect dripping chocolate to use later.
2. Stick one mini marshmallow on each end of pretzel stick and place on wire rack until rack is full.
3. Melt bark or chocolate in microwave 1 minute at a time, stirring each minute to keep from burning. Remember that chocolate piece can be melted by stirring the hot parts around.
4. Drizzle (my preference) the melted chocolate over the pretzel bones. When chocolate hardens I break it up and put back in my Pyrex to remelt for additional batches.

I have dipped the "bones" into the melting chocolate too. Drizzling is less messy for me. When dipping, your hand will accumulate chocolate in a layers and you still need to use a wire rack and wax paper to collect the drips from the pretzels. Serve "bones" in multiple shallow serving bowls to show off the pretzels as "bones". I assure you crunchy bones will take on a new meaning!

"Bones" can be seen in the orange bowl between Cleopatra and the witch.

Print Your Own Halloween Party Decorations... For Free!

Loving this sight and thought I would share with you... Print Your Own Halloween Party Decorations... For Free!

Mini Caramel Apples

Caramel Apples are a big hit for a Fall celebration, but do kids ever finish them? I assure you they'll finish these! You will need:

• Popsicle sticks
• 4-6 Granny Smith apples
• bag of caramel melts
• mini cupcake liners

1. Using a melon baller, ball out Granny Smith apples. Leave some peel where the you push the Popsicle sticks into balls.
2. Melt caramel and dip apple balls into warm caramel.
3. Place into mini liners to harden.

Ta-da! Sometimes I sprinkle the mini caramel apples with extras like crushed cashews, mini chocolate chips, or colorful sprinkles depending on the ages of my party guests. I tried the caramel wraps that are popular and supposedly faster and easier... they didn't work. So stick with this plan and I assure you success and delight from kiddos that are able to finish their treat!

The mini caramel apples can be seen on the orange platter to the witch's left.

Pumpkin (Bundt) Cake

It looks like a pumpkin but is a frosted bundt cake! This treat is always a hit when you arrive at a friend's house for Fall festivities! You will need:

• a bundt cake (won't matter what flavor - pick your fav!)
• one cupcake (if you have baked you own bundt, just use small amount of batter for cupcake needed)
• white cake frosting
• orange food coloring
• Large green pre-made frosting tube (I like Betty Crocker)

1. Bake you bundt cake and single cupcake.
2. While cakes are cooling, blend orange food coloring into white frosting.
3. Once bundt cake cools, flip from bundt pan and frost cake with orange frosting.
4. Flip cupcake upside down and mount in center top of bundt cake. This will be the pumpkin stem. Frost with green frosting.
5. Everywhere the bundt cake "indents" frost green lines downward.
6. Around the stem of the "pumpkin" frost swirling green lines to mimic vines and add a leaf or two.

I also like to surround the bottom of the bundt cake with Brach's marshmallow pumpkin candies and make a "food flag" for the top that says, "It's the Great Pumpkin." Sometimes I include "Charlie Brown" on the sign too. I assure you will get some "congratulations" pats on your back for this simple, festive contribution!

Rice Krispie Treats for Halloween!

Gosh! This old time favorite can be used in a variety of ways for Halloween celebrations. Today I found a picture of upright ghosts in the Costco Magazine. (I have seen this done with Easter Eggs and Valentine Hearts too!) If you choose to do a treat that is 3-D like these, you will need to whip up a batch of the homemade kind of Krispie Treats found on the cereal box. But if you plan to use cookie cutters or dip the treats in chocolate and sprinkles for your celebration, you could use the pre-made treats that come individually wrapped. (Sometimes the grocery store bakery even has these pre-made!)

3-D shaped ghosts (or pumpkins, witch's hats, black cat heads, skulls...**) can be "molded" with your hands. Although, I like to use plastic food handling gloves or spray my hands with PAM to decrease the messy feeling and urge to wash my hands and get the job done. Anyhoo... Take a hand-full of Krispie from you homemade batch and form a flat bottom to stand the ghost upright and a rounded head. Once the Krispies harden up a bit choose to dip the ghost figures into white melted candy making chocolate or drip the chocolate over the figures. Your choice should depend on how messy YOU like to be. When the white chocolate hardens use pre-made chocolate frosting tubes (Betty Crocker brand) or mini chocolate chips for ghost eyes. I serve them on a platter with gauze weaved in and out to give it a spooky feel.

For a take home treat, I put pre-made Krispies on Popsicle sticks and dipped them in white chocolate, then sprinkled orange, yellow and white sprinkles to resemble candy corn, and wrapped them in cellophane bags tied up with Halloween themed satin ribbon. They were fun and SO easy to make. This year a plan to use them on Styrofoam monster head place markers as the antennae.

**With the different 3-D shapes I mentioned above, you will need different colors of candy melting chocolate. The additions you would add to these shapes will be different too. For example, you may want to mount yellow or green M&M's for a black cat's eyes with white frosting.

Monster Cutlery

The U.S.Toy catalog came in the mail this week and has the BEST idea for Halloween themed cutlery! You will need:

• 3 monster fingers per guest/place setting
• orange napkins 1 per guest/place setting
• black napkins 1 per guest/place setting
• green napkins 1 per guest/place setting
• purple napkins 1 per guest/place setting
• plastic forks, knives and spoons 1 per guest/place setting
• curling ribbon (the cover shows purple but you could use any Halloween color)

1. Put a monster finger on each fork, knife and spoon.
2. Place napkins, one of each color, in a graduating order so that you can see about a half inch of each color.
3. Wrap around cutlery with monster fingers sticking out (it would resemble a striped sleeve).
4. Tie closed with curling ribbon.

You could also use plastic spider rings in the curling ribbon for even more fun. I haven't used this idea myself, but will this year! Once again I have most of these items around the house. I'm thrilled to try it out on my guests. I assure you some spooky fun and finger pointing at your creativity!

Light up Ghost yard decoration

I made this cute decoration a couple Fall seasons ago. The kids in the neighborhood love it! You will need:

• 1 tomato cage
• pliers to bend the cage ends
• duct tape
• 1 string of holiday lights (I used Christmas lights)
• 1 twin flat sheet
• a 4 foot dowel or stick
• 2 socks that no longer have matches (darn that sock monster in the dryer!)
• black fabric marker

I was lucky enough to have all of these supplies some where around the house. Pack rat tendencies run in the family!

Directions:

1. Turn tomato cage upside down, creating a flat base.
2. Using pliers, bend the pointy ends inward and rounding. you are creating the head of the ghost.
3. Once all three ends of the cage are turned in, duct tape them together. This will keep your sheet from tearing as well as you!
4. Wrap the string of lights all around the tomato cage, weaving in and out of levels of cage. Make sure you leave enough to plug into an outlet.
5. Duct tape one sock to each end of the dowel.
6. Stick the dowel through the mid line of the tomato cage. This will serve as the arms of the ghost.
7. Drape the twin flat sheet over the tomato cage and dowel arms. You may have to do a bit of tucking to ensure it meets your expectations of a ghost figure.
8. Using your black fabric marker, make dots to mark where you want the eyes and mouth.
9. Remove sheet and design the eyes and mouth completely with the black fabric marker. The bigger and darker the better!
10. Return the sheet to the tomato cage and dowel form and arrange flat sheet so that the "face" of your ghost lays appropriately.
11. Plug in!

Viola! A very C-U-T-E yard decoration to spook little spooks! I assure you will receive pats on the back for your creativity.

Frog Eyes!

Here is a fairly healthy treat to share at a Fall themed get-together titled "Frog Eyes"! The name alone will have your group wondering.

Ingredients:

• 1 -2 good size kiwi fruits
• 1 cup limeade concentrate
• 1 Tbsp honey
• eight 3 oz paper cups
• 8 Popsicle sticks

1. Mix limeade concentrate with honey in a small bowl.
2. Slice kiwi into 8 thin pieces and press into the bottoms of 3 oz. paper cups.
3. Pour mixture of limeade and honey on top of kiwi slices filling cups half way.
4. Place cups into Pyrex dish or baking pan.
5. Cover with foil and insert Popsicle sticks through foil into each cup.
6. Freeze for a minimum of 4 hours.

When the pops are completely frozen peel off cups and display "frog eye" up! It will look like a green eyeball and completely believable to the younger guests. I assure you, you will hear, "Gross!" multiple times!

Ghoulish Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt is great for neighborhood fall parties and this one is E-A-S-Y! Down the side of 3 or 4 pieces of notebook paper (one for each team) write "HAUNTING ZOMBIES". Put an X on the lines for the second "N" in "HAUNTING" and the "I" in "ZOMBIES" - these are double letters of the hunt. Teams must "scavenge" the neighborhood for items that begin with the letters on each line before they can return to base.  Give bonus points for the smallest or largest items. What the teams return home with could be VERY interesting. Once we had a team return with a very large car part.

Salt Dough Ghosts and Paper Bag Trees

Lots of kiddos have a Fall Break so today I am posting an easy activity that nurtures those creative juices and gets them in the mood for fall festivities! This activity could also be used for a party activity "take home".

Materials:

• 1 cup of flour
• 1 cup of salt
• 1/2 cup of boiling water
• bowl
• wooden spoon
• fine-point Sharpie marker

1. Combine the flour, salt, and water in a bowl. Stir the mixture with spoon until smooth.
2. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and shape into a ghost, flattening the base so it will stand up.
3. Microwave the ghosts on a plate one or two at a time for 20 to 30 second intervals until the dough is fairly firm. No more than 2minutes in total. Let the ghosts cool because they will get quite hot.
4. Use the fine point Sharpie to draw on eyes and a mouth.
5. Twist paper bags into tree trunk. You will need to tear down from the top of the bag to make branches.

I also bring out the marshmallow pumpkins and candy corns to help decorate a table top scene. Ghosts peer out from behind the "twisty" trees! Cute! Cute! Cute!

If the kids want "more" I dye the dough black with food coloring to make black cats. Sometimes I'll dye it orange for pumpkins because the candy gets eaten from the scene too quickly. I tried making bats to hanging from the twisty trees, but the weight of them caused the trees to fall over.