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Host a Halloween Party! Here Are Some Great Ideas for Kids & Adults!

by ‎10-23-2013 06:23 PM - edited ‎09-29-2016 11:04 AM

Hello, foodies…

Halloween is a few weeks away! Have you already bought your trick-or-treat candy? If so, how many pieces have you snuck from the bag? This year I told myself I would wait to buy candy until the holiday itself…because it always seems to disappear. So far, it’s working. But I don’t know how much longer I can last!

Are you ready for the holiday? Are you throwing a Halloween party this year? I'll be hosting my own get together with friends in a couple weeks and while I know what recipes I'd like to serve, I was stumped on the DIY decorations…until I talked with my dear friend Jill Bauer. She’s a DIY craft queen. I don’t know how she does it, but she’s always got the cutest DIY decorations displayed in her home. So, Jill and I got together and decided to throw a Halloween party early to give you some ideas! (Plus, I wanted to make these crafts under her supervision, so they didn’t look like a 2-year old made them!)

First, the crafts. Jill taught me to make a DIY centerpiece with a Harvest Trail Mix inside…so easy, so festive, so ADDICTIVE! We also made mummy bars (that are almost too cute to eat) and ghost lanterns from your empty milk jugs.

DIY Centerpiece
Chocolate Bar Mummies
Ghost Jugs

Jill kindly wrote out step-by-step directions on how to make these crafts in her blog today, so I urge you to go there and try these for your party!

Now, what about the food for the party? I’ve got you covered.


Ghost Shortbread Cookies

Those are my Ghost Shortbread Cookies! Make these a day or two before your party to save time. And, consider making a double batch so your coworkers can have a Halloween treat!)

Ghost Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients:
Cookies:
•    3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
•    1 cup sugar
•    Zest of 1 lemon
•    1/4 tsp salt
•    1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
•    3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Icing:
•    12 oz white chocolate, chopped
•    Store-bought black icing, black licorice, or black jelly beans (for decoration)

 


Preparation:
1.    Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line one (or more) baking sheets with parchment paper.
2.    In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, lemon zest, salt, and vanilla on medium speed. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour, and mix on low speed until a dough forms.
3.    Place the dough on a surface dusted with flour and form it into a flat disk. Wrap it in plastic and chill for 25 minutes.
4.    Return the dough to the lightly floured surface and roll it to a 1/3'' thickness. Cut with a ghost-shaped cookie cutter. Place the cookies on the baking sheet(s) and bake 18-23 minutes, until the edges are light brown. Set the cookies aside to cool completely.
5.    While the cookies are cooling, make the icing. Melt 10 oz of the white chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over warm water. Stir constantly until completely melted. Add the other 2 oz of white chocolate and stir until melted.
6.    Use a spatula to spread the chocolate on top of each cookie and place the cookies on a parchment paper-lined surface (even a cookie sheet). While the chocolate is still warm, decorate the cookies, as desired, with the black candy.


David's Homemade Apple Cider

Now, lots of you will probably recognize this recipe…it’s my Homemade Apple Cider. Out of all my recipes, I probably get the most feedback on this one. It’s a true fall essential and two recipes in one, really. When you make cider, you get apple sauce! For adult-only parties, consider adding a little rum or bourbon. If kids are invited, though, obviously keep this virgin.

Homemade Apple Cider

Ingredients:
•    8 Red Delicious apples, quartered, seeds and peels removed
•    1 cup sugar
•    4 cinnamon sticks
•    1 Tbsp nutmeg
•    6 whole cloves
•    1 Tbsp maple syrup
•    3/4 tsp whole allspice
•    4 (1/4'' slices) fresh whole ginger, peeled

 


Preparation:
1.    Place the apples in a large pot with 10 cups of water. Add all the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
2.    Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for two hours, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
3.    Use a potato masher to mash the apples, then stir the mixture into a strainer with a large spoon. Make sure you get all the juice!
4.    Set aside the applesauce you've now just made, and pour the cider into a glass bottle. Remove the cinnamon sticks and cloves from the applesauce and drop them into the bottle with the cider. Refrigerate.


Ham & Apple Monte Cristo Sandwiches

And now, the “entrée.” I kind of listed these recipes in the opposite order…I guess my mind is on the sweets! It IS Halloween, after all! Everyone loves a grilled cheese sandwich. But, it’s fun to get a little fancy for parties. Here’s my recipe for Ham & Apple Monte Cristo Sandwiches. Keep these warm in the oven until your guests arrive. And, feel free to play with the ham/cheese combination to accommodate for what you have on hand or your guests’ preferences. Turkey and brie, for example, would be delicious. It might even be nice to omit the meat in some sandwiches so vegetarian guests can eat these too.

Ham & Apple Monte Cristo Sandwiches

Ingredients:
•    8 oz ham, sliced
•    8 slices sourdough bread
•    1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
•    4 oz Swiss Cheese, sliced
•    3 eggs, beaten
•    3/4 cup milk
•    1/2 tsp salt
•    2 Tbsp butter
•    Powdered sugar (optional garnish)

 


Preparation:
1.    Divide the ham slices equally among four slices of bread. Place the apple slices and Swiss cheese on top of the ham and cover with the other four slices.
2.    Combine the eggs, milk, and salt in a shallow bowl. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and dip both sides of each sandwich quickly in the egg mixture; place in the hot skillet 1 or 2 at a time.
3.    Cook for about 2 minutes on each side, or until the cheese is melted and the tops are nicely browned. Top each sandwich with powdered sugar, if desired.

Here's looking forward to a Happy Halloween! I hope you're able to share pictures of all your Halloween and Fall treats with me this season on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and more.

Keep it flavorful!
—David