With last week’s roundtable on fall flavors and one coming out Friday about Life’s favorite Halloween candy, our section has published its fair share of discussion on seasonal food offerings. Why, pray tell, have I not indulged my own thoughts on the matters? The short answer: I love them all. I’ve had a special place in my heart for comforting holiday fare and the flavors that crop up around this time of year. As for our favorite Halloween (trick or) treats, only in the past few years did I start enjoying a larger selection of candies and chocolate; as a child, I always traded off my initial haul for a pile of solely Kit Kats, Hershey’s dark chocolates and Crunch. Nowadays, Snickers, Twix and Milky Ways top my list – and I’ve even seen the merit of sour candies.
I know Halloween is usually prime for spooky celebrations, however it’s important to stay safe if you plan on gathering with others. Luckily, you can still don a costume and compile a respectable snack table for a safe, socially distanced gathering. Without further ado, let’s talk about festive fall foods and sweet treats you can create for such an occasion or for yourself and your housemates this Halloweekend.
These cute candies are deceptively simple to make but have the perfect presentation for a spooky scene. Just cut each side of an Oreo in half, dab peanut butter on them and press them onto mini Reese’s cups to create wings. Dab on some more peanut butter to stick on candy eyes and you’ve got some fabulous bats.
Dips are a must at any celebration or gathering and hummus is both delicious and versatile. With the addition of smoky chipotle and a pumpkin flavor that adds some sweetness yet still keeps it savory, you’ll be glad to know another delectable and unique rendition of our favorite chickpea dish. Check out the recipe from The Healthy Family and Home to see how to make it.
Here’s a sweeter dip to complement the equally sweet Halloween candy you’ll no doubt be downing over the next few days. This recipe from Delish calls for ghost marshmallows or Peeps but honestly, any bag of marshmallows will do. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees, pour about two cups of chocolate chips and a ¼ cup of heavy whipping cream over the bottom of a 9-inch baking dish and lay the marshmallows in a single layer over the top. Place mini chocolate chips on the marshmallows for eyes and a ghoulish mouth and bake them until golden (about eight to ten minutes). Serve with graham crackers!
This treat is so easy to conjure up you would have thought a spell summoned them. Just cut a stick of string cheese into thirds, spread out the strands so it looks like the end of a broomstick and poke a pretzel rod into the other end. The recipe (if you could call it that) also calls for thin chives to tie around them, but as a college kid, you probably don’t have those lying around and it’s just a finishing touch.
Glazed Brown Sugar Maple Cookies
Think you want something to test your baking skills more? The cookie base gets a richer, sweet tang with dark brown sugar, maple syrup and pecans and is perfectly complemented by Half-Baked Harvest’s Brown Butter Glaze in this recipe. You don’t need to go crazy decorating the cookies as the recipe photos show, but if you have time, go for it!
