Ghost Sandwiches Halloween Idea

Ghost Sandwiches Halloween Idea



Ingredients needed:

* 1/2 cup + 16 milk chocolate chips
* 1/4 cup peanut butter
* 16 slices of country white bread
* 1/4 cup seedless strawberry jam

Preparation steps:

* Melt 1/2 cup of chocolate chips according to package directions: cool; stir in peanut butter until smooth.
* In separate bowl, stir jam until smooth.
* Using 4" x 3 7/8" ghost shaped cookie cutter, cut out 1 ghost from each bread slice, discarding scraps. Using small end of round pastry tip with 3/8" opening, cut out eyes and mouths from 8 ghosts.
* Spread each uncut ghost with 1 tablespoon of chocolate mixture, then 1 1/2 teaspoon of jam. Top each with cut-out ghosts, pressing lightly to make jam push up through holes. Insert remaining 16 chocolate chips into eyes.

This makes 8 sandwiches.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cheese Balls Halloween Idea

Pumpkin Cheese Balls Halloween Idea



Ingredients needed:

* 1 package of cream cheese, at room temperature (8 oz.)
* 2 3/4 cups finely shredded Cheddar cheese (12 oz.)
* 1 cup shredded pepper-jack cheese, 4 oz.
* 2 scallions, cut into pieces
* 1 teaspoon chili powder
* 32 grape tomatoes
* 16 sliced pitted black olives
* 1 rib of celery, cut into 1" x 1/8" pieces

Preparation steps to make cheese mixture:

* In food processor, combine cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, Jack cheese, scallions and chili powder; process until smooth and scallions are finely chopped. Transfer to bowl; cover and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Preparation steps to shape balls:

* Chop remaining 1 1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese; transfer to plate. Shape 1 tablespoon of cream cheese around 1 tomato; roll in cheese.
* Repeat with remaining cream cheese mixture, tomatoes and Cheddar. For eyes and noses, cut olives into tiny triangles; press onto cheese balls. For stems, insert celery pieces.

This makes 32 cheese balls.

Enjoy

Witch's Hat Calzones Halloween Idea

Witch's Hat Calzones Halloween Idea



Ingredients needed:

* 3.5 ounce package of sliced pepperoni
* 1/2 of an 8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened
* 1/4 cup of finely shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
* 2 packages of refrigerated crescent-roll dough (approximately 8 ounces each)
* 1 egg, lightly beaten
* 1 tablespoon of water
* Optional toppings: Dried Italian seasoning, finely grated Parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper or warmed pizza sauce.

Preparation steps:

* Reserve 6 to 8 slices of pepperoni. Chop remaining pepperoni slices. In a small bowl, stir together chopped pepperoni, cream cheese, and the 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese until well combined. Set aside.
* Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease an extra large baking sheet; set aside.
* On a lightly floured surface, unroll each package of crescent-roll dough. Separate dough into individual triangles. Place half the dough triangles on the prepared baking sheet. Place about 1 tablespoon of the pepperoni-cheese mixture in the center of each triangle. In a small bowl, stir together egg and water. Brush triangle edges with some of the egg mixture. Top with remaining triangles. Press triangle edges together to seal. Brush dough with egg mixture. Fold short edges of the dough triangles up, forming a hat brim. Prick the dough a few times with the tines of a fork.
* If desire, sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and/or crushed red pepper. Cut reserved pieces of pepperoni into small stars, crescent moons, and/or small diamonds. Press onto dough for decoration.
* Bake for 10 minutes or until golden. Serve warm with pizza sauce if desired.

Enjoy
(makes 8 calzones)

Mummy Hot Dogs Halloween Idea

Mummy Hot Dogs Halloween Idea



Ingredients needed:

* 11-oz. tube refrigerated bread stick dough
* 12 hot dogs
* 1 egg
* 1 tablespoon of water
* Garnish: mustard

Preparation steps:

* Separate dough into strips. Wrap one strip of dough around each hot dog, leaving 1/2 inch uncovered for face. Arrange on a lightly greased baking sheet.
* Whisk together egg and water; brush over dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden, Dot mustard on hot dogs with a toothpick to form eyes, if desired

Enjoy

Chocolate Dipped Spoons Halloween Idea

Chocolate Dipped Spoons Halloween Idea



Ingredients needed:

* 12-oz package of semi-sweet chocolate chips
* 2 teaspoons of shortening
* 35 to 40 plastic spoons
* Candies for decorating

Preparation steps:

* Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
* Place chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave on medium for 2 minutes, or until melted, stirring every 30 seconds.
* Add shortening to thin the chocolate; stir gently.
* Dip each plastic spoon into chocolate mixture to cover the bowl of the spoon; place on parchment paper to set.
* Arrange candies on spoons as desired while chocolate is still soft; let cool completely.

Enjoy

Monster Kebabs Halloween Idea

Monster Kebabs Halloween Idea



Children will love these.
Choose candies soft enough for the wooden picks or skewers to go through. Use about 8 to 10 candies per skewer. Vary the colors and the types of candies.

Enjoy

Haunted Castle Halloween Food Idea

Haunted Castle Halloween Food Idea



Ingredients needed:

* 2 cans of vanilla frosting (16-ounce)
* Confectioners' sugar
* Green food coloring
* 1 package Petits Beurre crackers (7.5 oz)
* 1 package long, oblong cookies (12-ounce)
* 4 rolled cookies (Pirouette)
* 1 package of sugar wafers (12 to 16-ounce)
* 8 to 10 ice cream cones
* Assorted candies

Preparation steps:

* To make a stiff frosting, combine the canned frosting in bowl of electric mixer. Add enough sugar, by the half-cup, to make a frosting that stands up. Add 3 to 4 drops green food coloring to tint.
* You will need a flat surface on which to build the castle, such as a piece of cardboard covered with aluminum foil.
* Build the four walls with two layers of Petits Beurre crackers, following the photograph. Cement the cookies in place with the frosting. Building the walls will be easier if you have a milk carton or a rectangular shape in the center to hold the walls up until the frosting hardens.
* Place the long, oblong cookies at the point where the layers of cookies meet. Hold these together with frosting.
* To create the spiky gate, place a few upright rolled cookies and hold these together with frosting.
* Now build the castle's roof, using two rows of sugar wafers. Seal the sugar wafers together with frosting.
* Create turrets by placing the cones upside down on the four corners of the castle. Hold these together with frosting.
* For a finishing touch, add candies in Halloween colors to the structure. Personalize your castle with jelly beans, gummy snakes, even candies shaped like ghosts.

Enjoy

Pumpkin Soup Halloween Idea

Pumpkin Soup Halloween Idea



Ingredients needed:

* 1 can of pumpkin puree (15-ounce)
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
* 2 cups of milk
* 3/4 teaspoon of salt
* 1/4 teaspoon of pepper
* 3 tablespoons of crème fraiche
* 2 hard-boiled eggs
* 1 ripe olive

Preparation steps:

* In a medium pot, combine pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger, milk, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until soup is hot and spices are blended.
* Stir in crème fraiche and cook over very low heat for 5 minutes or until crème fraiche blends in. Do not allow soup to boil.
* Add a creepy detail: two eyes floating on the surface of the soup. Place the hard-boiled eggs gently on the soup so they float. Then add two tiny pieces of olive to each egg to form eyes.

Enjoy

Haunted Graveyard Halloween Idea

Haunted Graveyard Halloween Idea



This is an awesome party snack and very easy to make.

* In a food processor, puree 1/2 cup of fresh spinach with 10 ounces of hummus.
* Spread the dip in a platter or a baking dish and top with veggie trees and a pretzel fence.
* For the boiled egg ghosts, cut slits and insert black olive features.
* Use an edible marker to turn crackers into tombstones.
* Serve with carrot stick dippers on the side.

Enjoy

Mummy Meat Loaf Halloween Idea

Mummy Meat Loaf Halloween Idea



Before heading out for a night of trick-or-treating, whip up this frighteningly clever spin on a classic dinner.
Make your favorite meat loaf recipe and shape the loaf to resemble a mummy. Bake the loaf until its cooked through. Let it rest for about 3 minutes then lay 1-inch-wide strips of American cheese across the body as shown, leaving a narrow space on the head for the olive slice eyes. Trim any overhanging cheese with scissors and return the mummy to the still-warm onion to slightly melt the cheese (about 1 minute).

Emjoy

Mini Cupcake Pumpkin Halloween Idea

Mini Cupcake Pumpkin Halloween Idea



Easy preparation steps:

* Arrange 2 dozen store-bought mini cupcakes in the shape of a pumpkin, using 2 for the stem.
* Frost the body of the pumpkin with orange-tinted canned white frosting, leaving the eyes, nose and mouth unfrosted.
* Use green-tinted canned frosting for the stem.
* Add shimmering sprinkles to the stem, eyes, nose and mouth.

Enjoy

Football Playing Pumpkin Carving Halloween Idea

Football Playing Pumpkin Carving Halloween Idea



Materials needed:

* Newspaper
* Pumpkin Saw
* 2 large Pumpkins (12 to 14 inches across)
* Strong metal kitchen spoon
* Bowl
* 2 small pumpkins (about 7 inches across)
* Watercolor pencil or water-soluble marker
* Drill bit
* Thin-bladed paring knife
* Paper towels
* Your favorite team's two colors in spray paint and your team's opponent's two colors in spray paint
* 1 sheet stiff paper (8 1/2 by 11 inch)
* Razor knife
* About 10 straight pins
* Green plastic doormat and white tape (optional)
* 2 tea lights

Preparation steps:

* Cover your work surface with newspaper.
* Using the saw, begin by cutting the entire bottom off of the larger-sized football helmet pumpkins, and clean them thoroughly, scraping with the spoon.
* Place the seeds and pulp in the bowl.
* Make sure that the shells can fit easily over the smaller pumpkins.
* Cut out a face opening from each helmet, leaving a 1-inch horizontal strip at the bottom. Carve that strip into a simple mouth guard. The width of this face opening should be slightly smaller than the width of the head pumpkin, and about 2 inches shorter than its height. It is best to design the players inside the helmets, to be sure that the faces will be visible.
* Draw the faces with the watercolor pencil or marker. Make the oval eyes lean forward aggressively (after all, this is football :-), and give them long, pointy noses.
* Remove the helmets to carve the faces.
* With the drill bit, make a hole in the center of each shape by twisting it in a clockwise direction.
* Holding the pumpkin saw at a right angle to the surface, insert the blade into hole, and very gently saw around the shape. If you like, highlight the angry teeth by removing the skin over them with the paring knife. Wipe off any markings remaining.
* When all four pumpkins are carved, place the helmets on newspaper in a well-ventilated area, and paint each with two coats of the base color. While waiting for the helmets to dry, you can design number stencils about 3 inches high. Center your numbers in the middle of a sheet of stiff paper, and cut them out with a razor knife. (Note: the easiest stencils to make are the numbers 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7, as they have no closed loops).
* Pin your stencil flat against the side of the large pumpkins, and spray lightly. Do not over-paint!
* Remove the pins and stencils when dry.
* To mask off the area of the strip, use two lengths of continuous paper towels. Start at the front of the helmet, and pin the towels on either side, using a pin every 2 to 3 inches.
* When the stripe has been masked, spray lightly. Allow to dry, and then remove the pins.
* Make the playing field out of a green plastic doormat, using white tape for the line markers. These are available at many hardware stores.
* Place a lighted tea light in each head, and position your players before putting on their helmets.
* Cut chimney holes if needed.

Enjoy

Pick a Pumpkin Fun Halloween Game Idea

Pick a Pumpkin Fun Halloween Game Idea



Ready, set, toss! This pumpkin game is sure to score big with the kids.
Setup couldn't be simpler. Cut the pumpkins from poster board and attach them to the side of a cardboard box.

Great way to keep the little ones entertained :-)

Enjoy

Utensil Holder Halloween Idea

Utensil Holder Halloween Idea



Materials needed:

* 7-inch beige Velcro sew-on tape
* Black tracing paper
* Chalk pencil
* Sheets of craft foam or felt
* Craft glue
* Remnants of felt
* Feathers and other decorations as desired
* Glitter glue pen

Preparation steps:

* Use the Utensil Holder pattern below


(You will need to enlarge this)

* Cut brim once and hat twice from foam or felt.
* Glue hat sections together along sides, leaving upper straight edge open.
* Cut out center of brim, as marked on pattern.
* Glue center of brim to edges of hat, forming pocket.
* Decorate as desired, using felt to make stars, hatband or other shapes as desired. Glue shapes and feathers into place.
* If desired, add motifs with glitter glue pen.

Enjoy

Spooky Bottle Wraps Halloween Idea

Spooky Bottle Wraps Halloween Idea



Materials needed:

* Cardstock in black, white, and gold
* Crepe paper in black and cream
* Floral stem wire
* Glue dots or transparent tape
* Craft knife
* Glass or lid to trace circles
* Pen
* Wide cutting surface

Preparation steps:

* Print out bat and ghost templates (easy to find from books or simple search through a search engine). Use them to cut the shapes out of the cardstock.
* Using a small glass or lid, trace and cut out a circle about 2 1/2 inches across from the gold cardstock to make the moon.
* Wrap the bottle in the crepe paper, leaving about 4 to 6 inches at the bottom. The crepe paper should wrap around the bottle once or twice with several inches of overlap. Tear a jagged edge in the wrap. Once torn, pull and stretch the edge of the crepe paper to make it even more jagged and ruffled. Center this jagged edge on the front of the bottle. Fold up the excess at the bottom and secure with scotch tape.
* Secure the crepe paper on the bottle using the stem wire as you would a twist tie wrapped around the bottle's neck. A couple wraps and a couple twists should do the trick.
* Use the glue dots or a small piece of tape to attaché the ghosts and/or bats to the wire. The moon should attach behind one of the larger bats. Bend the wires up and down at interesting angles to show off the figures to their best advantage.
* Tear the top edge of the crepe paper around the bottle. Make it a jagged tear that angles up from the wire tie and spirals up through the various layers of crepe paper that wrap the bottle. Remember to stretch the edge of the paper for an extra ragged edge.

Enjoy!

Haunted Window Halloween Idea

Haunted Window Halloween Idea



Materials needed:

* Corrugated cardboard
* Craft knife
* Glue stick
* Orange tissue paper
* Painter's tape or Masking tape
* Lamp

Preparation steps:

* Measure the inside of your window and cut the corrugated cardboard to fit it tightly.
* Draw a jack-o-lantern on the cardboard.
* Cut out the facial features with a craft knife.
* On the side that will face in, use a glue stick to cover the openings with orange tissue paper.
* Set the cardboard in the window and use painter's tape to hold it in place.
* Put a lamp nearby to make it light up.

Enjoy

Cute Candy Apples Halloween Idea

Cute Candy Apples Halloween Idea



Materials and Ingredients needed:

* 8 wooden craft sticks (approximate 4-inch)
* 8 Gala apples
* 2 packages of caramel apple wraps (6 1/2 oz.)
* 16-oz. chocolate candy bar
* 16 ozs. white melting chocolate
* Orange gel paste
* Colored sprinkles
* Chopped peanuts
* Black decorating gel

Preparation steps:

* Insert craft sticks into apples.
* Cover each apple with one caramel wrap.
* Microwave in a microwave-safe dish on high for 20 seconds. Cool.
* Melt chocolate bar in a small saucepan over low heat.
* Dip each apple into chocolate; let excess drip off. Cool on buttered wax paper until set.
* Melt white melting chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat; stir in orange food coloring.
* Dip or drizzle each apple with white chocolate mixture; let excess drip off. Decorate with desired toppings. Cool on buttered wax paper until set.

Enjoy

Festive Straw Halloween Idea

Festive Straw Halloween Idea



Halloween straws will add a spooking touch to all the beverages at your Halloween party.

Materials needed:

* Orange, purple, green straws
* Craft foam in black, orange, green, white
* Tracing paper
* Beads
* Nontoxic glue
* Colored pencil
* Black marker
* Craft knife

Preparation steps:

* Trace some pumpkin, witch, bat, or ghost patterns.
* Transfer the patterns to the foam and cut them out with the craft knife.
* You may add eyes by gluing beads or small circles cut out of craft foam.
* There are two ways to attach these decorations: glue them to the straw with nontoxic glue or make two small cuts in the foam about 1/4 inch apart and slip the straw through the cuts.

Enjoy

Pumpkin Centerpiece Halloween Idea

Pumpkin Centerpiece Halloween Idea



Pumpkins are so festive for Halloween. Here's one that will last for a long time. It can be used to hold a bouquet of flowers, and arrangement of autumn leaves, or some of your trick or treat goodies.

Materials needed:

* Inflatable balloon
* Plaster gauze strips, 1 3/4 inches X 49 feet
* Orange acrylic paint
* Black acrylic paint
* Black felt
* Varnish
* Scissors
* Two paintbrushes

Preparation steps:

* Blow up the balloon, tie the end tightly, and cut it as close to the knot as possible. Place the balloon on its side. Cut the plaster gauze into strips about 10 inches long. Soak them in water for a few seconds and apply them to the surface of the balloon, making sure the strips overlap. Allow an area at the top of the balloon to remain uncovered.
* Lightly flatten the bottom of the balloon to create a stable base for the pumpkin. Apply three more layers of plaster strips. Allow the pumpkin to dry for a day. Use scissors to snip around the top of the plaster strips to create a more even opening.
* Make thick plaster strips by placing three plaster strips one on top of the other to form the pumpkin's ribs. Place each strip 1/2 inch apart until the pumpkin is covered. Allow to dry.
* Apply a last layer of plaster gauze to the entire surface of the pumpkin. Let this layer dry thoroughly.


* Burst the balloon and remove it from the pumpkin. Paint the pumpkin with orange acrylic paint and let it dry.
* Use the black marker to draw the eyes, nose, and mouth. Fill in the outline with black paint.
* Protect your pumpkin by applying two layers of varnish to the entire pumpkin, including the base.
* To create a flower arrangement, place some flower foam in a sturdy plastic bag, fill it with flowers, and place the arrangement in the pumpkin. Just be sure that water does not seep out into the plaster.

Have fun and enjoy

Pumpkin Pets Halloween Idea

Pumpkin Pets Halloween Idea



This is a fun craft to do with the kids. These pumpkin kittens smile and play under the watchful eye of the mama cat. Since no carving is involved, this project is a very easy one to do with younger children.
When painting the kitten's faces, vary the shapes and colors of the features to give them different expressions.

Materials needed:

* Newspaper
* Small pumpkins, 5 to 6 inches in diameter
* Hot, soapy water
* Acrylic paints
* Fine paintbrushes
* Bamboo skewers, 3 per kitten (each will be cut in half)
* Kitchen shears
* Half a potato (optional)

Preparation steps:

* Cover your work surface with newspaper.
* Wash the pumpkins in hot, soapy water to remove any waxy finish.
* Paint the skewers black. Until they are dry, it helps to have half a potato to poke them into for temporary storage.
* Paint your pumpkins.
* When everything is dry, cut the skewers in half with the shears (or you can use a knife or wire cutters).
* To make holes, poke the pointed ends of the 3 skewer halves into each pumpkin on one side of the face. Remove them, and then insert the blunt halves of the skewers into the other side of the face and leave them there. This completes your kitten's whiskers. (Note: If the pumpkin skin is hard, you may first need to make small holes with the tip of the shears).
* Touch up the skewer ends with black paint once you have them inserted.

Have fun and enjoy!

Spooky Welcome Halloween Idea

Spooky Welcome Halloween Idea



This spooky Halloween welcome is made using a galvanized wired frame and little white lights, with copper sheet metal to outline the blinking eyes. This ghost can be mounted onto a wall, a large tree or porch. He's guaranteed to dazzle people passing by :-)

Materials needed:

* Newspaper
* Masking tape
* pencil
* galvanized wire
* 5 yards of 12-gauge
* 3 yards of 14-gauge
* Pliers
* 8-inch square of copper roof flashing
* Heavy duty scissors or metal shears
* Hammer and nail
* 1 yard of tie wire
* String of small white Christmas lights (about 130 lights)
* Electrician's tape
* Spool of clear fishing line

Preparation steps:

* Tape sheets of newspaper together to form one sheet about 5 by 3 feet for a pattern. Draw ghost pattern on paper, making ghost about 5 feet high and about 3 feet wide at arms.
* Starting at bottom point of ghost, bend 12-gauge wire to follow pattern. Use pliers for tight curves and corners. Weight wire down as you bend it to help keep shape.
* Bend each end into hook; hook ends together and tighten with pliers.
* For supports, attach pieces of 14-gauge wire across ghost frame from side to side in several spots. Attach two supports, 3 inches apart, across head for eye support.
* Make and 2 1/2 x 4 1/2 oval newspaper pattern for eyes. Using pattern, cut two eyes from copper flashing.
* Tape eyes to wood scraps or pile of old magazines, then use hammer and nail to punch large hole in center of each eye. Hole should be large enough to insert Christmas light. Also punch 2 holds on each side of eye, making holes 3 inches apart for support. Hammer each eye lightly in center so eyes cup inward.
* Attach eyes to support wires on frame with small pieces of tie wire.
* Starting at bottom point of ghost, wind lights around frame up to lower eye support wire. Using electrician's tape, tape lights along support wire, inserting a bulb through each eyehole, then tape lights back along same support wire and continue wrapping frame, ending at bottom point.
* If lights along eye support wire can be removed without causing the entire string to fail, remove those bulbs; if not, place electrician's tape over them.
* Use fishing line to hang ghost; also tie fishing line to a weight at bottom of ghost to keep it stable.

Enjoy