It's that spooky time of year again... and this year Halloween lands on a friday! How convenient? After a night of trick o' treating with the kiddies, and probably mouths full of candy and chocolate triggering a long hyper night, at least we don't have to drag ourselves out of bed to face the morning rush the next day!
I am late with a post on Halloween ideas but in case you are extending the fun into the weekend here are some fun things I gathered for your viewing pleasure. To start, a neat cookie recipe... Monster fingers was something I toted to a kid's Halloween party last year! It was a huge hit! Not only did they look good, they tasted great with a tender texture that was not too delicate to handle! And the adults loved them too!
Monster Fingers
Makes 30 cookies
30 blanched almonds
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup icing sugar
5 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 pinch salt
7 to 8 drops green food colouring
1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
Heat oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Place red food colouring in a bowl. Toss with almonds and stir until the colour is evenly distributed. Allow the colour to sit until it is as dark as you like, stirring a few times.
Separate one egg. Set aside the white. In a small bowl, whisk together yolk, remaining egg, and vanilla. Set aside. Beat butter, both sugars, and salt on medium speed until well combined. Add egg mixture, and beat until smooth, about two minutes. Stir in green food colouring. Add the flour, and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic, and chill until firm about 30 minutes.
Divide the dough in half. Work with one piece at a time, keeping remaining dough covered with plastic wrap and chilled. Divide the first half into fifteen pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece back and forth with palms into finger shapes, 3 to 4 inches long. Pinch dough in two places to form knuckles. Score each knuckle lightly with the back of a small knife. Transfer fingers to prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough.
When all fingers are formed, brush lightly with reserved egg white. Position almond nails; push into dough to secure. Bake until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Cool completely.
Cook's NOTE: To make the knuckles more creepy, shape them unevenly. Roll the fingers thinner than you would want it to look as it puffs out when it bakes.
Heat oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Place red food colouring in a bowl. Toss with almonds and stir until the colour is evenly distributed. Allow the colour to sit until it is as dark as you like, stirring a few times.
Separate one egg. Set aside the white. In a small bowl, whisk together yolk, remaining egg, and vanilla. Set aside. Beat butter, both sugars, and salt on medium speed until well combined. Add egg mixture, and beat until smooth, about two minutes. Stir in green food colouring. Add the flour, and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic, and chill until firm about 30 minutes.
Divide the dough in half. Work with one piece at a time, keeping remaining dough covered with plastic wrap and chilled. Divide the first half into fifteen pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece back and forth with palms into finger shapes, 3 to 4 inches long. Pinch dough in two places to form knuckles. Score each knuckle lightly with the back of a small knife. Transfer fingers to prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough.
When all fingers are formed, brush lightly with reserved egg white. Position almond nails; push into dough to secure. Bake until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Cool completely.
Cook's NOTE: To make the knuckles more creepy, shape them unevenly. Roll the fingers thinner than you would want it to look as it puffs out when it bakes.
Halloween doesn't have to mean junk food! Other fun but nutritious treats and food ideas featured by my fellow Jamie Oliver Food Revolution Ambassadors... we have been sharing Halloween and "scary" food ideas on our community forum and I thought wouldn't it be cool to showcase them here on Susan's Savour-It! Here are some of my favourites...
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| Real Foods Scout |
Margaret Moneys from North Lincolnshire, UK did a post with a slew of fish delights as a theme for "scary" food. She's on a mission to get more families to eat more fish, and wants to educate children that fish doesn't have to be scary! I think these food ideas are yummy as they are creative! Making food fun can definitely help take out the hesitancy of trying something new! Great job!! Check out her blog at Feeding Blue and Pink.
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| Salmon and Veggie Pumpkin Tarts |
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| Mackerel Monster Hands |
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| Fish and Sweet Corn Eye Balls |
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| Salmon and Pesto Phyllo Mummies |
And of course Halloween wouldn't be complete without some spooky decorations and jack o' lanterns!
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| My artist brother's train carving. |
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| Anpanman Japanese cartoon carving by my brother. |
And my quick before kids-go-to-bed carving tonight...
HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!!
Everything is looking wonderful here at the party. I am also planning my Halloween party at DC venues as my son is asking me to do this. I never really planned any special party for him. So, I think this time I should plan for him.
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