Temperatures are dropping, leaves are changing colours, and that means that Halloween is just around the corner! Do you have a less-than-spooky selection of goodies lined up for family, friends or trick-or-treaters? Never fear! Toronto caterers Feast Your Eyes have some great ideas for adding a little scare to your All Hallows’ Eve celebrations. They’re easy and quick to make, meaning that you’ll spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying getting dressed up and chomping down on that Halloween candy.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
This recipe makes 16 servings.
Ingredients:
Four Honeycrisp apples, cored and quartered
1 package of slivered almonds (2.25 ounces/64 grams)
1 teaspoon of lemon juice (optional)
Instructions:
- Cut a lengthwise wedge from each quarter of the apple on the side with the skin using a paring knife. Leave the peel around the edge of the quarter for lips.
- Poke small holes into the now-open wedge with the paring knife.
- Place an almond sliver into each hole to create the appearance of crooked looking teeth.
- If you would like to prevent the apple from browning, rub the lemon juice into the cut-out parts of the apple.
(Bonus)
A great blog called Egg Free Bakery has their own version of Apple Teeth Snacks.
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
This recipe makes 60 cookies.
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup whole almonds
1 tube red food decorating gel
Instructions:
- Combine the butter, sugar, egg, almond extract and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl.
- Beat with an electric mixer, then gradually add the flour, baking powder and salt. Continue to beat the dough.
- Refrigerate the dough for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius).
- Lightly grease a baking pan.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Begin scooping one heaping teaspoon of dough at a time onto a piece of waxed paper.
- Roll the dough into the shape of a finger using the waxed paper.
- Press one almond into each cookie. The narrow end of the almond should be at the end of the cookie to create the appearance of a fingernail.
- Squeeze each cookie below the almond “fingernail” and towards the center to create the appearance of knuckles. Lightly pressing down on those points with the tip of a knife will also help the cookies look more like fingers.
- Arrange the cookies on the baking sheet.
- Bake the cookies for 20 to 30 minutes until they are golden in colour.
- After taking the cookies out of the oven, carefully remove each almond from the cookie. Squeeze a small amount of red food decoration gel into the cavity, then replace the almond. The red gel will resemble blood oozing out from the fingernail.
Jack-o’-lantern Stuffed Bell Peppers
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
This recipe makes six servings.
Ingredients:
6 yellow or orange bell peppers
1 pound (0.45 kilograms) ground beef
1 egg
4 slices whole wheat bread, cubed
1 small onion, chopped
1 small tomato, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
½ cup chili sauce
¼ cup yellow mustard
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
¼ tablespoon salt
¼ tablespoon pepper
Instructions:
- Grease an 8X8 inch baking dish.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).
- Mix the ground beef, egg, bread cubes, onion, tomato, garlic, chili sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper in a bowl.
- Wash the peppers.
- Slice off the tops and remove the seeds and core.
- Carve jack-o’-lantern faces into the peppers with a paring knife, creating triangular noses and eyes. The smiles should have pointy, crooked teeth.
- Stuff the peppers with the beef mixture.
- Place them in the greased baking dish so that they are leaning against each other.
- Bake the peppers for approximately one hour, until the peppers are tender, and the beef mixture is cooked through and juicy.
(Bonus)
Another great version of this is black bean and quinoa stuffed jack o peppers by Karis’ Kitchen
About the author: Rachel Levy Sarfin is a contributing author to the Toronto catering company Feast Your Eyes. She enjoys easy yet tasty recipes.
