When throwing a terribly fun Halloween party, it's important to fill up your ghouls'-er, guests'-stomachs with tasty treats. These recipes will do just the trick. They're both tasty and tantalizing, and even the pickiest of eaters will surely go batty over these scrumptious dishes!
SCREAM SALAD WITH BLOOD ORANGE VINAIGRETTE AND TOASTED PUMPKIN SEEDSIngredients:
Two packages of your favorite lettuce or salad blend, pre-washed
One package of pumpkin seeds
One cup blood orange juice
Two teaspoons spicy mustard
Two teaspoons sugar
Two tablespoons red wine vinegar
Two cups (and a bit extra) extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat about one cup of pumpkin seeds in a large skillet over medium heat. Add one teaspoon of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Allow to heat and crisp thoroughly, about five minutes. Reserve.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the blood orange juice, mustard, sugar, and vinegar. Slowly add the two cups of olive oil until properly blended. Season with onion powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Reserve.
Place the salad blend into a large bowl. Add additional elements as desired, such as chopped red onion and tomato. Pour vinaigrette over the lettuce and vegetables and mix well. Sprinkle the toasted pumpkin seeds on top in lieu of croutons.
ALEX'S ORANGE-AND-BLACK CHICKEN PICCATAIngredients:
One pound boneless chicken breasts
Two tablespoons flour
One tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
One half cup orange juice
1/4 cup honey mustard
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1/4 teaspoon rosemary
Salt and pepper
One thinly sliced orange
Splash of balsamic vinegar
Pound the chicken breasts to nearly ¼ inch thin. Coat with flour, and heat olive oil in a skillet on medium heat. Cook chicken until browned, about five minutes.
Mix juice, honey mustard, marmalade, and crushed rosemary in a bowl. Add to the warm skillet with the chicken, and bring to a boil. Simmer over medium-low heat for five minutes until sauce thickens and chicken finishes cooking. Stir in orange slices and serve immediately.
To add a Halloween touch, sprinkle the orange chicken with a splash of balsamic vinegar and ground pepper.
WITCH'S BLACK HAIR BALSAMIC SPAGHETTIIngredients:
Four cloves of fresh garlic
Half cup of extra virgin olive oil
One box spaghetti
Two tablespoons of high-quality balsamic vinegar
Fresh mozzarella, cut using a melon baller
Ten leaves of fresh basil, washed and dried
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring water to a boil on the stove. Season the pot with sea salt, and add the pasta. Cook until al dente—firm but not too hard.
Heat a small saucepan on low. While the pasta cooks, finely mince garlic and add to the pan along with olive oil. Cook until the garlic turns golden and slightly translucent, then remove from heat. Add vinegar and seasonings to pan, and mix well.
Drain cooked spaghetti and place in a large bowl. Drizzle dark sauce over the pasta, then add small mozzarella balls and shredded fresh basil leaves. Stir thoroughly to encourage the mozzarella to melt slightly. Serve piping hot.
JACK-O-LANTERN ICE CREAM WITH CINNAMON WHIPPED CREAMIngredients:
1 ½ cups of whole milk
One cup packed brown sugar
Two tablespoons molasses
1 ¾ cups pumpkin puree
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
One teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
2 ½ cups heavy cream
One teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For whipped cream:One pint whipping cream
One teaspoon vanilla extract
Three tablespoons sugar
Sprinkle of cinnamon
In a mixing bowl, combine milk, brown sugar, and molasses until the sugar dissolves completely. Stir in pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Next, add the heavy cream and vanilla and mix thoroughly.
Transfer contents of mixing bowl to an ice cream maker, and allow to mix until firm. Set ice cream in the freezer for one hour after mixing in the ice cream machine.
To make the cinnamon whipped cream, beat one pint of whipping cream with three tablespoons of sugar and one teaspoon of vanilla extract until firm peaks form. Sprinkle with cinnamon while beating until desired fragrance and spicy taste achieved. Serve immediately above the pumpkin ice cream.
DREAD DRINKSIngredients:Two 64-oz cartons of orange juice
One liter of seltzer
One bottle of grenadine (for garnish)
Red, blue, and green food dye
Water
A few hours before the party, fill a small pitcher with water and add food dye until the water is deep purple to black. Add the water to an old ice cube tray and freeze until ready to serve.
In a punch bowl, mix the cartons of orange juice with the liter of seltzer. To serve, pour the sparkling orange juice into a wine goblet. Then, pour a serving of grenadine into the glass (which will settle at the bottom of the drink, giving it an eerie crimson tinge). Top it off with two black ice cubes.
CAULDRON QUENCHERSIngredients:One bottle of Concord grape juice
Two liters of ginger ale
Juice of half a lemon
Red and blue food dye
Half a cup of white sugar
Mix the chilled grape juice and ginger ale in a large punch bowl. Carefully add the juice of half a lemon and mix thoroughly. Add red and blue food dye to deepen the purple color, if desired.
Next, in a sealable plastic container, mix the sugar with equal parts of red and blue food dye. Shake until the sugar becomes purple. Add dye as needed to get the desired hue.
To serve, dip a clean martini glass into the punch bowl to coat the rim. Place the purple sugar on a sturdy plate, and roll the glass in the confection. Ladle punch into the glass without touching the sugared rim.