Howling good recipes for Halloween

More Halloween Recipes

Halloween is no time to serve food so dull it turns family and friends into zombies -- it's time to get out the cauldron and scare up bewitching taste treats.

Bone Chillin' Breadsticks and Halloween Dip

Breadsticks

12 frozen bread dough dinner rolls, thawed but still cold

1/4 cup butter, melted

Parmesan cheese

Poppy seeds

Using the flat of your hand, roll the center part of a roll into a 6-inch rope leaving both ends large and rounded. With scissors, clip 1 1/2 inches into the center of each end. Separate and lay the cut sides flat on a large sprayed baking pan. They will look like bones. Brush well with melted butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and poppy seeds.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise about 20-30 minutes. Remove wrap and bake at 350 degrees 15-20 minutes. Serve with Halloween Dip, if desired.

Dip

1 pound lean ground beef

1 pound processed cheese, Mexican style

10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained

4-ounce can diced green chilies, undrained

In a frying pan, brown ground beef until completely cooked. Drain and set aside. Cut cheese into 1-inch cubes and place in microwave safe bowl. Microwave until melted. Add tomatoes and green chilies and mix well. Combine cooked ground beef with cheese mixture and serve warm.

-- Recipe and photo courtesy of Rhodes Bake-N-Serv

Raisin Spooky Spiders

1/2 cup raisins

1/3 cup almond or peanut butter

3 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 3/4 cups brown rice crispy cereal

1 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted

96 tiny thin black licorice strips

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

24 small candies

Place raisins, almond or peanut butter, honey and cocoa powder in a food processor and process until a thick paste forms. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in cereal, using your hands to mix in completely. Press mixture into 12 balls, then press lightly onto a foil or wax paper lined baking sheet. Spread a small amount of melted chocolate on the bottom of each and slide 8 small pieces of licorice under each to form the spider legs; refrigerate until firm. Stir a few drops of water into powdered sugar to make a thick mixture to "glue" eyes onto spiders. Makes 12 servings.

-- Recipe courtesy California Raisin Marketing Board

Halloween Hoot Owls

Cupcakes:

18.25-ounce package butter recipe white cake mix

1 1/4 cups water

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 egg whites

1 teaspoon almond flavoring

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Frosting:

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 tablespoon milk

Decorations:

48 butter rum-flavored hard candies with holes

Milk chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup sliced almonds

24 whole cashews

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all cake ingredients except coconut in large bowl. Beat according to package directions. Gently stir in coconut. Fill paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 19-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Combine all frosting ingredients in medium bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy.

Frost cooled cupcakes. Place 2 butter rum candies on each cupcake for eyes. Dip bottoms of chocolate chips into frosting; place onto each candy circle to form center of eye. Arrange almonds above eyes for feathers. Add cashew for beak.

Store refrigerated in container with tight-fitting lid. Makes 24 cupcakes.

-- Recipe courtesy Land O'Lakes, Inc.