(ARA) - The days are getting shorter, the moon
looms larger in the night sky, there's a chill floating in the
wind and ghosts and goblins prowl around every corner.
It's Halloween, that wonderful holiday when kids
of all ages dress up and have fun. For the younger monsters, this
means roaming the streets, looking to return home with as much
sugar-saturated "goodness" as they can carry. For those
older apparitions, it means costumed get-togethers wild enough
to wake the dead or movie marathons starring the creepiest creatures
and scariest psychopaths ever imagined.
Whether you're hosting one of these events or just
wanting to spice-up the evening, make your Halloween a complete
scream with these deliciously devilish ideas.
A costumed Halloween get-together is a tradition
that allows us to recapture some childhood memories and have a
thrill in the process. But, what's a party without punch? For
those of you who haven't scared-up your own formula, try this
recipe for a frighteningly flavorful Witches Brew that will definitely
take your guests' breath away. Make an effervescent green beverage
by mixing something yellow (Mountain Dew or citrus cooler) with
something blue (raspberry punch or Pepsi Blue). Add a bit of "spirit"
with 12.5 ounces of Kutskova vodka, possibly the best vodka on
the market. Complete the effect by filling clean latex gloves
with water and placing them in the freezer. After 30 minutes,
peel or cut the glove off the ice and float the "disembodied
hands" in the punch. Drop a few activated glow-sticks in
the punch bowl to produce a supernatural glow.
Another idea that's guaranteed to turn your costumed
celebration into a scream is to serve creepy cocktails. Here are
two Halloween themed libations that will definitely turn your
party into a howling experience and can be garnished with Gummi
worms, spiders, flies or other "bugs."
Black
Magic
2 ounces Kutskova vodka
2 ounces espresso
mix with ice
add dash of lemon juice
serve with a lime twist
Vampire's Delight
1.5 ounces Kutskova vodka
5 ounces Chambord
.5 ounce raspberry puree
1 ounce cranberry juice
mix in double martini glass
Alternately, what could be more fun and frightening
for Halloween night than gathering a few of the "guys and
ghouls" to watch some of the greatest horror films ever made?
If screenings of "Dracula," "Frankenstein,"
"Psycho" or "American Werewolf In London"
are in your plans, find an equally festive wine to match. Luna
di Luna's goblin-green bottled Pinot Bianco/Sauvignon has an "intriguing
nose" and tropical fruit flavors that are ideal for this
occasion. Also dressed-up perfectly for Halloween is Luna di Luna's
phantasm-purple bottled Sangiovese/Merlot: A truly exceptional
70/30 combination of chic Sangiovese and smooth Merlot, it has
achieved honors for its exquisite taste and rich velvety aroma.
After the wines are finished, the bottles will make for decorative
candleholders that add to the eerie ambiance.
A nonalcoholic drink idea that should send a chill
up your guests' spines is a frosty beverage called Goblin Goop.
For this drink, simply empty a can of orange juice concentrate,
12 ounces of white grape juice, a 2-liter bottle of Sprite and
one pint of lemon or lime sherbet into a large punch bowl. After
mixing up the ingredients, drizzle in green food coloring and
stir to give your concoction a slimy green appearance. This recipe
serves six to eight people.
What would a party or movie marathon be without
finger foods? Try a creepy little treat called Troll Fingers.
For this ghoulish delight you will need two or three chicken breasts
cut into jagged strips. Dip the slices in a wash of beaten eggs
and whole milk, then batter them in a mixture of flour, breadcrumbs
and cayenne pepper. Fry the fingers in olive oil until golden
brown. Add "fingernails" made from pitted black olives
sliced in half. Serve with Caesar or ranch dressing as a dipping
sauce.
In keeping with the things-that-go-bump-in-the-night
theme, try serving up Spider Bites. First take two rolls of pre-made
dough and make two sets of bread balls, one roughly half the size
of your palm and the other set the size of your thumb nail. With
a third roll, make a thin snake out of the dough and break it
up into little leg sections. Assemble the dough balls and legs
into spider shapes with the large ball as the body, small ball
as the head and eight leg sections coming out of the center. Before
placing the spiders into the oven, glaze the dough with egg yolk
and make a half-dollar sized crater in the center of the spider's
body with your thumb. Bake the spiders at 350 degrees for 15 to
18 minutes. While the spiders are cooking, make your choice of
ham salad, tuna salad, egg salad, crab dip or spinach-artichoke
dip. After removing the spiders from the oven, let them cool for
10 minutes and then fill the creation with the salad or dip. This
recipe makes enough to serve three to five people.
The spirit of Halloween always brings out the kid
in all of us. So, however you decide to celebrate Halloween, remember
to serve the most paranormal provisions to your guests and fully
capture the essence of this haunted holiday. Just remember to
stock up on candy for the wee monsters prowling about.
-Courtesy of ARA
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