Halloween Quesadillas
OK, maybe I’m taking the whole Halloween theme too far. I was making quesadillas the other day, and realized that the ingredients were black, orange and green. Thought the combination would be perfect for a Halloween party.
Quesadillas are a fun party food already, and by using black olives, orange sweet peppers, green chilies, onions and cheddar cheese, they fit in well with the color scheme for Halloween. They taste great, too, which is always the most important thing in the end.
Of course other ingredients can be used. I have used nopales and green enchilada sauce.
I pan fried these, but you can also bake them in the oven. They can be made ahead, and warmed up before serving. Serve with a nice blood- red salsa. Ok, I’ll stop now.
Halloween Quesadillas
Large flour tortillas
oil
sliced or shredded cheese
sliced black olives
chopped orange sweet peppers
chopped sweet onion
diced green chilies, fresh or canned
Mix olives with veggies and set aside. Place tortilla on work surface and spread one half with some of the veggie mixture. Top with some of the cheese and fold over. Press slightly. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Heat oil in skillet and cook quesadillas over medium heat until golden on both sides and heated through. Remove to cutting board and cut into wedges before serving. Serve on a platter with sour cream and salsa, if desired.
Note: If you would rather bake the quesadillas assemble as directed above. Place on a baking sheet and brush with a little oil. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven until golden, about 15 minutes
Apple Bacon Fritters with Maple Glaze
I recently posted a recipe for apple fritters. I also love this variation on that recipe. The batter contains diced, fresh apples and crispy bacon. The combination is really special.
Fritters aren’t difficult to make. They really don’t take that long to make, either. I prefer to make fritters close to when I am serving them- so my guests can enjoy them warm.
They make a wonderful dessert, or a fun addition to a breakfast or brunch menu. I dipped them in the maple glaze, which also went well with the apples and bacon.
I must warn you, they are addictive.
Apple and Bacon Fritters
2 c. flour
2 T. sugar
2 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 c. milk
2 eggs, beaten
2 T. melted butter
1 c. diced apples
1 c. cooked, crumbled bacon
oil for frying- I used coconut oil
Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Mix together milk with the eggs and butter. Stir in dry ingredients until just moistened and add the apples and bacon. Heat oil to 375. If using gluten free flour, heat oil to 350. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls into the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Don’t do more than 4-5 at a time. It will take about 4 minutes in total but you need to turn them to brown evenly so 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Dip in maple glaze (recipe follows) while warm. Makes about 32.
Maple Glaze
1 c. Powdered sugar
1/2 c. maple syrup
a little water if mixture gets too thick
Combine all ingredients and set aside until ready to use.
“Bat” Wings
With Halloween fast approaching I thought I’d share this recipe for bat wings. OK, not really bat wings, but you already knew that. I just add black food coloring to barbecue sauce and use it to color chicken wings. You could also use black cocoa powder to make the sauce black.
I made a batch for a Halloween party a few years ago and someone actually asked if they were real bat wings.
A word of warning- when you use black food coloring it will transfer to you. No matter how careful you are when you eat the wings, you’ll end up with purple fingers. Also, for the best effect, keep the wings intact- no trimming off of the tips. You can separate the drums before serving, if you like. Makes eating a little easier. They look pretty cool when set out on the table. Creepy- but very tasty.
Bat Wings
2-3 lbs. whole chicken wings
salt and pepper
1 c. barbecue sauce- store bought or home made
black food coloring- handle carefully- it stains
Place chicken wings in a roasting pan, season with salt and pepper and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. Meanwhile in medium bowl combine sauce with food coloring. Add just a little black food coloring at a time. Too much will alter the flavor of the food. Remove wings from the oven and dip them in the bowl of sauce. Turn to coat. Place wings on a clean baking sheet and return to the oven. Bake an addition 45 minutes. You can baste them with additional sauce during the baking, if you like. Place on a serving platter and provide plenty of napkins.
A pile of “bat” wings
Homemade Popcorn Balls
I have fond memories of eating popcorn balls when I was a kid. One memory was during the summer. An amusement park near my home was famous for their popcorn balls. Every time we went there, we would end the day with popcorn balls.
The other memory was making our own, around Halloween. They seem to be a part of more than a few Halloween parties when I was younger.
I don’t make them often, but popcorn balls are always a special treat for friends and family. This recipe is pretty easy. Kids, supervised, could help make them. You just have to make sure the mix cools down enough before you let them form the popcorn into balls.
I am a bit of a purist and enjoy them plain, but you can add Halloween themed candies to the mix, to dress them up for a party. Candy corn or black and orange M&M’s would both work.
The recipe calls for corn syrup. If you don’t want to use corn syrup, my recipe for a corn syrup substitute, (sugar syrup) is listed below.
Homemade Popcorn Balls
9 c. popped popcorn
1 c. sugar
1 T. butter
1 T. vanilla
1 c. corn syrup*
Place popcorn in large bowl and set aside. Combine sugar, butter, vanilla and corn syrup in a saucepan. Heat and boil until thick, about 4 minutes. Pour over popcorn. Stir until well coated. Let cool until safe enough to handle. With buttered hands form mixture into balls. Store wrapped tightly in plastic wrap until ready to eat. Best eaten within a few days of making. Makes about 8.
*If you don’t have corn syrup- or don’t want to use it here is a way to make a substitute for it.
Sugar Syrup- corn syrup substitute
3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup Water
1/2 tsp. Cream of Tartar
1/4 t. salt
Combine ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and cover the pot. Reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook to soft-ball stage. Stir frequently.
Soft ball stage occurs at 235-245 degrees. This stage can be determined by dropping a spoonful of hot syrup into a bowl of very cold water. In the water, use your fingers to gather the cooled syrup into a ball. If it has reached soft-ball stage, the syrup easily forms a ball while in the cold water, but flattens once removed from the water.
Remove from heat. Cool and store at room temperature. It will keep well for a month or two.
Halloween Sushi
When I make sushi, I often use brown or black sticky (sweet) rice. I actually prefer the texture over the white rice. It occurred to me that the black sticky rice might make fun sushi for Halloween. I find black sweet rice at my local Asian grocery store. That is also where I get nori, rolling mats and wasabi.
To add a pop of color, I finely shredded carrots and added them to the sushi roll, too. The black rice actually cooks to a dark purple color. The color combination is fun for Halloween.
You’ll need a rolling mat, but beyond that, not a lot of special equipment is needed. I served my sushi with wasabi. You could serve with pickled ginger, too. Here is the recipe and directions.
“Spooky” Sushi
To make the rice:
4 c. black sweet rice, uncooked
4 c. water, or a little more
1 recipe Sushi Su, recipe follows
finely shredded carrots
In strainer, rinse the rice repeatedly with cold water until the water runs clear. Place rice in microwave safe container with the 4 cups of cold water. Cover container with a lid and place in microwave. I use a large Pyrex casserole dish that has a lid. Cook 20 minutes. Check for doneness and add a little more water, if needed. Cook another 10-15 minutes. Don’t stir the rice. Black rice takes longer to cook than white sushi rice. You want it to be cooked, but not mushy. Cooking times vary by microwave. Remove from the microwave once cooked and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Place rice in a large, cool bowl and pour on the Sushi Su, tossing in. Fan rice while tossing to give it a shiny look. Makes enough for 8 rolls.
Sushi Su:
1/2 cup rice vinegar
4 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt
msg, optional
Combine all and set aside until ready to use. You can also buy a dry powder of Sushi Su and you can use that instead. It is a 2.65 oz. packet.
Assembling Sushi
Place a sheet of nori ( dried seaweed sheets) on mat and spread about 1 cup of the rice over the nori, leaving about 1-2 inches empty on the far side. Place fillings in a strip a little off center away from the side with no rice. Start rolling up the mat using it to press the sushi roll and keeping the fillings in the nori. Once rolled, press the mat once more to seal and make the fillings stick together. Wetting the edge of the nori with a little water can also make the sushi stick better. Slice each piece using a sharp knife dipped in water.
Wrapping the sushi takes practice. Don’t be discouraged if the first few are a little less that perfect, Still, with a little practice it gets pretty easy. Just be careful not to overfill the rolls as it makes the job harder.
Flaming Ghost Cake
I have posted this recipe before, but thought it might be a good time to post it again. This one is fun for Halloween. You start with a baked 9×13-inch cake. Frost it with chocolate frosting and then use white frosting to draw a ghost on the cake.
You can make all sorts of images- cats, bats, pumpkins. When ready to serve the cake, the eyes are set on fire. Fun effect. Kids and grown-ups both will get a kick out of it.
Just be sure to have proper adult supervision for the kids. The picture doesn’t do it justice. Very cool blue flames. Don’t forget to turn down the lights!
Flaming Ghost Cake
1 prepared 9×13- inch cake, any flavor
2 c. chocolate frosting, I prefer homemade
1 c. vanilla frosting, I prefer homemade
3 oz. semi sweet chocolate, optional
2 empty eggshell halves, washed well and dried
2 sugar cubes
Lemon extract
Frost cake with chocolate frosting, then spread vanilla frosting in the shape of a ghost. Melt chocolate in a small plastic bag. When chocolate is melted snip off the corner of the bag and use to outline ghost. Place eggshell halves in cake, round side down where the ghost’s eyes would be. Soak sugar cubes in lemon extract and place in eggshells. When ready to serve light sugar cubes and turn off the lights. Serve 12-16.
Variations: You can use the flaming eyes effect on cat shapes, pumpkins or even bats. Practice drawing the shape on paper before frosting the cake. If you bake a larger round cake the whole thing can be the pumpkin. Just frost it with orange tinted frosting.
Candy Spiders
If you are looking for a quick spooky decoration/treat idea, you might want to make some candy spiders. These are about the size of a tarantula. Super simple, and kids can make them, too. You only need a few ingredients.
The body is made from marshmallows, the legs are chow mein noodles and the eyes are small candies. Sixlets work well.
I used melting chocolate, but you can use any kind of chocolate you like. To start, melt some chocolate. Dip the chow mein noodles in the chocolate and tap gently to remove excess. I leave one end un-dipped to make it easier to stick in the marshmallow later. Allow to harden up before going to the next step. I set them on a flexible cutting board, but wax paper is good, too. You have to peel them off later, a flexible surface is best. You’ll need 8 for each spider- so be sure to make enough. Allow for breakage. Set a marshmallow flat side down and poke 4 holes in each side, 8 total. I used a bamboo skewer. Stick a noodle “leg” in each hole. Spoon chocolate over the marshmallow until coated. Whatever drips off can be re-melted and used again. While the chocolate is still soft, press 2 candy eyes into place. Hold them for a minute to be sure they are secure. Now, you can decorate cakes with them, use them on a dessert tray- or just eat them.
Chow mein noodle legs
Insert legs into marshmallow
Spoon chocolate over the marshmallow to cover it.
Swedish Limpa Bread
There is nothing better than the smell of fresh baked bread. This Swedish rye bread is a favorite of mine. It has a soft texture and makes great sandwiches. It also makes the house smell wonderful as it bakes.
The flavor in enhanced by a combination of caraway seeds and a little orange zest. It even makes wonderful French toast. My brother-in-law always said it was just like the bread his Swedish mother made.
It is not like rye breads you might traditionally think of. Limpa is lighter in color and texture. It makes really great French toast, too.
I shape mine in two round loaves, but you can also bake this bread in loaf pans, if you prefer. If you want to use it for sandwiches, the loaf pans are probably a good idea. You can also shape the dough into dinner rolls, if you like. You will get 2-3 dozen rolls out of this recipe, depending on how big you make your rolls.
Swedish Limpa
6 ½ c. flour
2 c. rye flour
¼ c. brown sugar
2 t. salt
2-t. caraway seeds
2 t. grated orange peel
2 pkt. Active dry yeast
2 T. butter, softened
2 2/3 c. hot water (125-130 degrees)
Set aside 1-cup flour. Mix remaining flours and other dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add butter and water to flour mixture and stir to blend. Mix in enough additional flour to make a soft dough. Knead on a floured surface until smooth about 8-10 minutes. Place dough in oiled bowl turning to oil top. Cover and let rest in a draft free area until doubled, about 30 –40 minutes. Punch down. Divide dough in half and form into 2 balls. Place on greased baking sheet and cover until doubled in bulk, about 30 –40 minutes. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 30 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when tapped lightly. Makes 2 loaves.
Note: you can also divide the dough and place in 2 (9×5-inch) greased loaf pans.
Pumpernickel Bread
I bake a lot of bread. Homemade pumpernickel is one of my favorites. Plus, there is that wonderful aroma as it bakes.
The dark color comes from a mixture of rye flour, strong coffee, cocoa powder and molasses. These ingredients give this bread a flavor and texture I adore. We had this bread in class last night and the students really enjoyed it.
It’s hard for me to find a store-bought Pumpernickel bread that comes close to this one. Some store bakeries rely on caramel coloring for the color in the bread. For real flavor you need the real ingredients. It is worth the time to make your own.
Pumpernickel Bread
2 Packages active dry yeast
½ c. warm water
2 c. lukewarm strong coffee
¼ c. each molasses and unsweetened cocoa
2 T. Caraway seeds
2 t. salt
5-6 c. all-purpose flour or bread flour, if you prefer
2 c. rye flour
Cornmeal
1 egg white, slightly beaten
In large bowl dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in coffee, molasses, cocoa, seeds, salt and 3 cups of flour. Beat with wooden spoon about 2 minutes. Stir in rye flour and enough of the remaining regular flour to make soft dough. Turn onto floured surface and knead until dough is smooth, about 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top, cover and let rest until doubled, about 1 hour. Grease large baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal. Set aside.
Punch down dough, divide in 2, and form into balls. Place on baking sheet and cover. Let rise until double, brush with egg whites, slash tops and bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes. Makes 2 loaves.
Apple Pie “Blintzes”
Since I posted the recipe for making your own apple pie filling, I thought I’d share a fun way to use it- other than in a pie. In a tortilla class with kids, we made “blintzes” with the pie filling.
We used flour tortillas for the crepes. Don’t get me wrong, I love making real crepes. But, when you don’t have the time, the tortillas are a fun and tasty substitute. We soaked the tortillas in milk. By soaking the tortillas in milk, they soften up, and can be used like a crepe. Soak them for about 10 minutes, or up to 30 minutes. If you don’t want to soak them in milk, you can use a milk substitute or even juice or water.
After they are filled, the blintzes are toasted in a pan with butter, than dusted with powdered sugar. They are so tasty. Like a warm apple pie. These were a big hit with the kids.
They make a nice dessert, but they can be served for breakfast or at brunch.
Apple Pie Blintzes
10-12 flour tortillas
1/2 c. milk
2 c. apple pie filling
3-4 T. butter
Powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar, for topping the blintzes
For the filling, I used some of my homemade apple pie filling. If you have fresh apples, you can just peel and slice the apples, then cook them in a little water and sugar until softened. You can make them as sweet as you like. You made need less sugar if the apples are extra sweet. Add some cinnamon and nutmeg, too. If they are too watery- combine a little cornstarch with cold water and drizzle the mixture in until the apples thicken up. Don’t add too quickly or you might them too thick and gummy.
Place tortillas in a shallow pan, drizzling with a little milk as you go. Set aside for a few minutes, so the tortillas will soften.
To assemble the blintzes, place a softened tortilla on your work surface and spoon a little apple filling in the middle. You can do this with hot filling, but cold or room temperature filling is easier to use. Don’t over fill them or you won’t be able to fold them up. I used 8-inch tortillas and used about 1/3 cup of filling for each one. Fold the sides in until they almost meet in the middle and them roll the tortilla up to cover the filling. Place seam side down until ready to fry them.
Heat butter in a skillet, and brown the blintzes over medium heat until lightly toasted on both sides. They will be crispy on the outside, but tender in the middle. Put on a serving plate, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve while warm. These are fine just as they are, but feel free to add ice cream or whipped cream, too.
I have made these before and use different fruit fillings. I’ve even made a cheese filled version a few times. It seems I usually have a package of tortillas, so it is a go-to dessert for me in a pinch.
