Someday we'll grow to appreciate Halloween's spiritual roots and celebrate it with the solemnity and reverence it deserves. When pigs fly.
Forget it. Halloween is about dressing up and begging for candy (if you're a kid), or dressing up and begging for attention (if you're "grown up").
Forget good nutrition, too. Foodwise, Halloween is about sweets, pumpkins, sweets, maybe apples, sweets and sweets.
Associated Press
An adult treat -- Pineapple Pumpkin Cheesecake
You can trying planning a Halloween bash where you hand out little boxes of toothpaste, or mini-Golden Books, or orange pencils, or -- nobody's favorite -- boxes of raisins.May as well try carrying an ice cube down Kalakaua Avenue during 90-degree Kona weather, for all the good it will do.
So give up, give in and break out the 5-pound box of sugar. Whether you're planning a Halloween celebration for kids or adults, you're gonna need desserts. It's kind of like a pact with Satan.
Assembled here are some ideas for sweet Halloween treats, arranged by age group, since we all know that this long ago stopped being a holiday just for kids.
These quick, easy recipes require only a handful of ingredients and no stove-top cooking. Older kids can operate the microwave; the youngest can mold and decorate the ghosts or beetles. For little goblins
ages 3 and up
Marshmallow Ghosts
Kraft FoodsTwo 6-ounce packages white chocolate baking squaresCook white chocolate in medium microwave-safe bowl on high (100 percent) power, 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth when stirred, stirring every minute. Cool slightly.
1-1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
Decorator icing or assorted candiesStir in marshmallows; mix lightly until completely coated.
Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper-lined tray. Smooth and flatten to make ghost shape. Decorate with candies and/or decorator icing to make faces. Store at room temperature. Makes about 16 ghosts.
Approximate nutritional analysis per ghost, without icing: 130 calories, 6.5 grams fat, 4 grams saturated, 5 milligrams cholesterol, 20 milligrams sodium.
Chocolate-Covered
Kraft Foods
Marshmallow Beetles1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chipsCook chips in a medium microwave-safe bowl on high (100 percent power) for 2 to 3 minutes, or until smooth when stirred, stirring every minute.
1 cup (6 ounces) butterscotch chips
2 cups fried chow mein noodles
1/2 cup peanuts
2 cups miniature marshmallows
Miniature chocolate candiesAdd noodles and peanuts; mix lightly. Add marshmallows, stirring until completely cooked.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper-lined tray. Add additional chow mein noodles to create legs. Use miniature chocolate candies to create eyes. Store at room temperature. Makes about 24 beetles.
This variation on Rice Krispie Treats is still simple, but requires spreading and cutting, which might be beyond the motor skills of littler kids. For bigger ghouls
ages 10 and up
Witches' Hats Treats
Kraft Foods3 tablespoons margarine or butterMelt margarine in large microwave-safe bowl on high (100 percent power) for 45 seconds or until melted. Add marshmallows; toss to coat with margarine.
10-ounce package regular-size marshmallows, 38 to 40 marshmallows
1/2 cup peanut butter
6 cups crisp rice cereal
1-1/2 cups milk chocolate chips or semisweet chocolate chips
White decorator icing
Assorted candiesCook on high 1-1/2 minutes or until smooth when stirred, stirring after 45 seconds. Stir in peanut butter.
Immediately add cereal; mix lightly until well coated. Press into greased 13- by 9-inch pan.
Cook chips in small microwave-safe bowl on high for 2 minutes, or until smooth when stirred, stirring every minute. Spread melted chips on marshmallow and rice cereal mixture. Cool. Cut into tall triangles so that the treats look like witches' hats. (You can leave a thin base along the bottom of the triangle to resemble the brim of a witch's hat.) Decorate with decorator icing and candies. Makes 24 hats.
Associated Press
Pumpkin Flan reflects the Mexican holiday tradition.
These are adult recipes for somewhat more sophisticated sweet teeth. For full-grown monsters
The first, Pumpkin Flan, is in the tradition of the Mexican variation of the holiday, observed on Nov. 1 and 2, based on the folkloric belief that the souls of deceased relatives return to visit.
Then come a luscious pumpkin cheesecake and an easy alternative to traditional pumpkin pie, made from packaged spice cake mix and solid-pack pumpkin.
Pumpkin Flan
California Milk Advisory Board16-ounce can solid pack pumpkinPreheat oven to 300 degrees F.
12-ounce can evaporated milk, undiluted
1 and 2/3-cups granulated sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
8 orange twists or maraschino cherriesIn large bowl, combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, 1/3 cup of the sugar, the eggs, 1 teaspoon of the vanilla, the cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Beat until well blended; set aside.
In large skillet, cook remaining sugar over medium-high heat, stirring until melted and golden brown. Immediately pour syrup into eight 4-ounce custard cups, dividing evenly. Place cups into a baking pan and fill with pumpkin mixture. Pour hot water into pan until filled to half the depth of the cups. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean; remove from oven. Cool and run a knife around edge of cup. Invert on serving plate.
In small bowl, whip cream with powdered sugar and remaining vanilla until firm. Top flan with dollop of whipped cream and garnish with orange twist or cherry. Makes 8 servings.
Note: Flan may be baked in a 9-inch pie plate for 60 to 65 minutes.
Pineapple Pumpkin Cheesecake
California Milk Advisory Board1-1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugarPreheat oven to 350 degrees F.
12 ounces light cream cheese, softened
16-ounce can pumpkin
4 eggs
2 tablespoons flour
4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
15-1/2 ounce can sliced pineapple in heavy syrupPlace a 9- by 13-inch pan of hot water on lower rack in oven.
Set aside 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar.
In food processor, combine remaining sugar with cream cheese. Process 20 seconds. Add pumpkin, eggs, flour, spice and vanilla extract. Process 10 seconds, scraping sides once.
To bake: Pour into an 8-inch springform pan coated with vegetable cooking spray. Bake 50 minutes without opening door. Turn off oven. Let cake stand in oven for one hour.
To cool: Remove cake from oven. Immediately run knife around sides of pan. Cool; refrigerate 3 hours. Drain pineapple; reserving syrup. Dice 1 pineapple slice. Cook reserved syrup, reserved sugar and diced pineapple over medium-high heat 8 minutes or until thick, without stirring. Just before serving, arrange pineapple on cake. Top with glaze. Makes 8 servings.
Notes: Cracking is common in cheesecake. If food processor is not available, prepare in large bowl, using a wooden spoon to mix ingredients. You may substitute the pumpkin pie spice with 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice.
Pumpkin Pie Dessert
From Land O'LakesHeat oven to 350 degrees F. Reserve 1 cup spice cake mix for topping; set aside.
18-1/4 ounce package spice cake mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg
For the filling:
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2/3 cup milk
15-ounce can solid pack pumpkin
2 eggs
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 cup reserved cake mix
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Whipped creamIn large mixer bowl combine remaining cake mix, butter and 1 egg. Beat at low speed until well-mixed, 1 to 2 minutes. Spread in bottom of greased 13- by 9-inch baking pan. Set aside.
In same bowl combine all filling ingredients. Beat at low speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes; pour filling over crust.
Combine all topping ingredients except pecans; stir until crumbly. Stir in pecans. Sprinkle topping over filling. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes. Serve warm or cool with whipped cream. Cover; store refrigerated. Makes 15 servings.
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