.Plump Pumpkin Cake.

.Ingredients.
2 (18.25 oz.) pkgs. cake mix, any flavor
2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. (1 stick) butter, softened
8 C. powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch salt
Red, yellow, and green food coloring
Black paste food coloring (optional)
1 flat-bottomed ice-cream cone
2 bunt cake pans


.Instructions.
1. Prepare cake batters according to package directions and bake each as directed in a prepared (greased and floured) non-stick bundt pan. If you only have one bundt pan, simply make your cake mixes in two seperate batches.

2. Let cool completely.

3. To prepare frosting: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, vanilla, salt, and butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add powdered sugar in four stages, beating well with the electric mixer after each addition. (Feeling lazy? Simply use 2 tubs of packaged prepared frosting-- it's almost as good!)

4. Seperate out about one cup of frosting. Add green food coloring to reach you desired shade of green.

5. Seperate out another 1/4 cup of frosting. Add black paste food coloring to make black frosting. (This is for a Jack o Lantern face, and is optional.)

6. To the remaining frosting, add red and yellow food coloring (or simply buy orange), until you get your desired shade of orange.

7. The first thing you'll want to frost is your ice cream cone "stem." Smoothly frost entire outside of cone with green frosting. Place in the refrigerator or freezer until chilled. The harder the frosting, the easier it will be to manipulate later without smudging.

8. Meanwhile, place one inverted bundt cake on your serving platter. Frost "top" (what should be the bottom) of bundt cake with orange frosting.

9. Place remaining prepared bundt cake right-side-up on top of inverted cake. The frosting should help them stick together.

10. Frost entire outside of cake with orange frosting.

11. Using black-tinted frosting and a cake decorator's bag (or a plastic bag with a tiny hole in it), paint on a Jack o' Lantern face (optional).

12. Insert green-frosted ice cream cone into the hole in the middle of your bundt cake.

13. With remaining green frosting in a cake decorator's bag (or a plastic bag with a tiny hole in it), create lines, leaves, and/or vines, as desired.


.Alternate Version - Jack o' Lantern.




.Tips.
* You can change the stem color to brown if you'd prefer.
* You can pipe a jack o' lantern face with either black or yellow icing.


(Source: Divine Dinner Party)


Enjoy!

.Sewer Water Punch.

.Ingredients.
7 C. fresh orange juice with pulp
1.5 liters (3/4 of a 2 liter bottle) Dr. Pepper
Ice


.Instructions.
1. In a large, clear punch bowl combine the orange juice, and Dr. Pepper.

2. Fill a separate container or ice bucket with ice.

3. Fill each punch glass with ice before serving.


.Tips.
* Adults Only: Add one bottle (700mL) vodka or vanilla vodka if your party is for older spooks. Serve with a lemon wedge if desired.
* To be sure your guests get the full effect of this gross drink, serve it in a clear punch bowl.
* For a super easy and disgusting presentation, you can melt Tootsie Rolls in the microwave and strategically drape them around the punch bowl before preparing the punch.


(Source: Divine Dinner Party)


Enjoy!

.Bubbling Witches' Brew Punch.

It's sweet, it's creamy, it's bubbly, it's tangy... and it's really rather creepy looking. The vanilla ice cream floating on top of the orange-red punch mixture makes it look like something pretty evil is brewing. This recipe serves about 10 people, double or triple the recipe as needed.


.Ingredients.
1 (2 liter) bottle orange-flavored soda, chilled
24 oz. fruit punch, chilled
1/4 gallon (half of a 1/2 gallon carton) vanilla ice cream


.Instructions.
1. In a punch bowl, stir together the fruit punch and the soda.

2. Scoop out the ice cream and place all over the top of the punch. Stir gently for a moment to get the right look.

3. Garnish this Halloween party punch with creepy crawlies, if desired.


.Tips.
* Adults Only: Add half of a 700 mL bottle of chilled vanilla vodka to turn this into an adult version punch.
* You can garnish it with things like plastic frogs, plastic eyeballs, plastic teeth, plastic bugs or severed fingers.


(Source: Divine Dinner Party)


Enjoy!

.Bath Water Punch.

The rainbow sherbert in this melts to a gross-looking day-old-bathwater grey color. It looks scummy and unappetizing... but it tastes great!


.Ingredients.
1 can (12 oz.) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed, prepared according to directions
1 bottle (2 liters) lemon-lime soda (I use Sprite), well chilled
1/2 gallon rainbow sherbert (a must-- don't substitute!)


.Instructions.
1. Remove 1/2 gallon (generally half of a package) sherbert from the freezer, scoop it into a bowl, and let thaw about 15-20 minutes. With a wooden spoon, stir the half-thawed sherbert around until brown-grey and ugly. Return to the freezer to re-freeze.

2. Place prepared lemonade and lemon-lime soda in a punch bowl.

3. Scoop out small spoonfuls of the brownish sherbert. Float them on top.



.Tips.
* Adults Only: Add a bottle or so of vodka to transform this into a tasty alcoholic Halloween punch recipe. Or try lemon or orange flavored or even berry vodka.


(Source: Divine Dinner Party)


Enjoy!

.Roasted Alien Fingers.

Recipe makes 20 "fingers", enough to serve about 10 people.


.Ingredients.
20 spears of asparagus
5 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
1 lemon, juice of
1/2 lemon, zest of
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
sea salt, to taste
1/4 C. Italian flat-leaf parsley, minced
20 very thin slices Spanish Jamon or Italian Prosciutto


.Instructions.
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Thoroughly wash and break off the tough ends of the asparagus. Dry thoroughly.

3. Toss asparagus in a baking dish with garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, parsley, salt and pepper. Watch out with the salt, as the Prosciutto is salty, as well.

4. Roast until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Poke with a fork to assure they've reached the desired level of doneness. They'll cook a bit more on the grill, so don't overdo it.

5. Let cool slightly.

6. Wrap the bottom part of each asparagus spear (be sure to scoop up a bit of your garlic/parsley/oil mixture with each one) in one slice of jamon or Prosciutto, letting the top of the asparagus protrude from the meat.

7. Heat a grill to high heat and grill, turning occasionally, until Prosciutto or jamon is crisp.

8. Serve hot.


.Tips.
* Try to get medium-sized asparagus spears-- not too thick and not too thin.
* Cook the asparagus and assemble this with the jamon or Prosciutto ahead of time, and then crisp the meat on an electric grill right before serving.


(Source: Divine Dinner Party)


Enjoy!

.Boo Cups.

Makes 15 servings.


.Ingredients.
2 pkg. (3.9 oz. each) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding
3-1/4 cups cold milk
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
20 OREO Cookies, crushed (about 2 cups), divided
30 miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips


.Instructions.
1. BEAT pudding mixes and milk in large bowl with whisk 2 min. Stir in half each of the COOL WHIP and cookie crumbs.

2. SPOON 1 Tbsp. of the remaining crumbs into each of 15 (6-oz.) plastic cups. Cover with layers of pudding mixture and remaining crumbs.

3. DROP remaining COOL WHIP by spoonfuls onto desserts to resemble ghosts. Add chocolate chips for the eyes.


.Tips.
* Instead of dropping spoonfuls of COOL WHIP, use a resealable plastic bag to make the ghosts. Fill bag with remaining COOL WHIP; seal bag. Use scissors to diagonally cut off corner from bottom of bag. Squeeze COOL WHIP from bag to resemble the ghosts.



.Light Boo Cups.




.Ingredients.
3 1/4 cups cold fat-free milk
2 packages (4-serving size each) JELL-O Chocolate Flavor Fat Free
Sugar Free Instant Reduced Calorie Pudding & Pie Filling
1 tub (8 ounces) COOL WHIP FREE Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
1 package (6 1/2 ounces) SNACKWELL'S
Reduced Fat Chocolate Sandwich
Cookies, crushed, divided
30 miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips


.Instructions.
1. POUR milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. Gently stir in half each of the whipped topping and cookie crumbs.

2. SPOON 1 tablespoon of the remaining cookie crumbs into each of 15 individual cups; top evenly with layers of the pudding mixture and remaining cookie crumbs.

3. DROP remaining whipped topping by spoonfuls onto desserts to resemble ghosts. Add chocolate chips for the eyes. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Watch the ghosts disappear! Store leftover desserts in refrigerator.


(Source: Both are from Kraft Foods)


Enjoy!

.Spooky Eyeball Tacos.

Makes 6 servings, 2 tacos each.


.Ingredients.
1 lb. ground beef
1 pkg. (1-1/4 oz.) TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Taco Seasoning Mix
12 TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Taco Shells
3/4 cup TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa
3/4 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
1 can (2-1/4 oz.) sliced pitted ripe olives
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1 head of lettuce


.Instructions.
1. Mix meat and seasoning mix. Shape into 36 (1-inch) balls; place in 15x10x1-inch baking pan.

2. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked through.

3. Place 1 meatball in the center of each taco shell; add lettuce, cheese and drizzle with salsa.

4. Top with 2 meatballs dipped in sour cream.

5. Garnish with olives to make "eyeballs."

6. Serve and Enjoy!


.Tips.
* This is pretty versatile, add or subtract whatever ingredients you prefer.

(Source: Adapted from a Kraft Foods recipe)


Enjoy!

.Rotting Swamp Punch.

.Ingredients.
2 cans (12 oz. each) frozen lemonade concentrate, partly thawed
2 cans (12 oz. each) frozen limeade concentrate, partly thawed
2 bottles (2 liters each) lemon-lime soda (like Sprite or 7-Up)
2 quarts of lime sherbert


.Instructions.
1. In a large punch bowl, stir together the lemon and limeade concentrates. Add the soda.

2. Pour in optional rum. Stir.

3. Float scoops of lime sherbert on top. For an even grosser, grey-tinged look, you can use rainbow sherbert (this gives your punch a dirty, swampy look, and is popular with lots of Halloween punch recipes.)


.Tips.
* Adults Only: To kick it up a notch for an older crowd, add 1 bottle (750 mL) of light rum.
* No need for fancy Halloween punch bowls with this punch, a simple brand new bucket will serve the effect your going for, much better.



(Source: Divine Dinner Party)


Enjoy!