No tricks here: Halloween recipes easy to create and share.
Written by Tamara Berg
Halloween is in the air. Leaves are piling up on the ground, pumpkins are everywhere, and maybe you’re still searching for the perfect costume. If you need that costume for a party, you probably need to bring a treat with you. As my invites piled up, I wondered what kind of appetizer I could bring that’s easy yet shockingly good. If you’re like me and your costume requires plenty of makeup or assembly, you probably want to spend minimal time working in the kitchen. So I sat down with food stylist Patty Mastracco from Idofood.com as she picked out some of her simplest recipes for a sweet and savory Halloween.
Mastracco says Halloween is all about having fun in the kitchen. She has two items that are staples in her fridge for the holiday.
“I like to use chocolate and cheese. These items are easy to work with, and it’s all about keeping things simple, savory, and sweet,” Mastracco says.
All recipes courtesy of Patty Mastracco, recipe developer in Granite Bay.
Ranch Cheddar Pumpkin Sandwiches
(Serves 8 to 12)
1 package Alouette ranch cheddar spreadable cheese
12 slices thick-cut French bread
12 small pieces celery
1 chopped red bell pepper, or 3 to 4 mini peppers
1 can black olives
Spread cheese onto bread slices. Using edge of a knife, make curved lines from top to bottom to make pumpkin ridges. Place celery at the top to make stem. Cut red pepper into small, curved pieces, and place on pumpkin to make mouth. Cut olives into triangles or slices to make eyes and nose. Serve immediately.
Chocolate Spiders
(Serves 6 to 8)
1 bag large pretzel twists
8 chocolate-covered marshmallow cookies
1 package candy eyes
1 bar baking chocolate, melted
Break pretzels into 1½-inch curved pieces, using 4 for each spider. Carefully press into lower part of each cookie. Dab the back of candy eyes with a tiny bit of melted chocolate using a toothpick and press onto spider. Store in refrigerator or serve immediately.
Cheesy Monsters
(Serves 8 to 12)
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
¼ cup green onions,chopped
¼ real bacon bits
24 small pretzel sticks
24 large candy eyes
Stir together equal amounts of cream cheese and cheddar cheese, then stir in a little green onion and bacon bits. Shape into 1½-inch balls and roll each in more shredded cheddar cheese. Place small amount of cream cheese on one end of pretzel sticks and use to glue on candy eyes. Press into cheese monsters.Serve chilled.
Note: Monsters may be prepared 1 day ahead, but add pretzel eyes at the last minute as they’ll become soggy if stored overnight.
You can find more recipes created by Mastracco at her website, Idofood.com. Mastracco is available for catering, recipe creation, and cooking segments.
You may recognize Tamara Berg’s name if you’re a local news viewer. Berg is the weekday morning meteorologist at KCRA 3. When she’s not tracking storms, Berg enjoys eating some of the best foods from around the region. She’s been writing restaurant reports around Northern California for more than five years. Berg loves being outdoors with her husband and attending food events across
