Candy Corn Concrete - Halloween treats trapped in white chocolate

Too bad all the orange cones we’ve put up with this past summer couldn’t have been candy corn! But everything in this ‘resurfaced’ bed of white chocolate is delicious. It’s almost too bad you have to break up this festive orange ‘n black snack to enjoy it. Easy to package in takeout containers for gifts...



Many variations of this Halloween treat have been passed back and forth over the years. Like most of you, I like to adjust ingredients to suit my family’s preferences - so this version is slightly different than the standard.



I enjoy mailing a little Halloween care package of treats to my college kids & grandkids each year, but - alas - this is the ‘triple wedding year’ and I’ll have to spoil them later. But if I HAD been able to squeeze one more project in among the quilts and bridesmaid dresses - this is what I would have sent them.

I’m amazed by the variety of goodies that are available to pass out for Trick or Treaters this year. (I’m personally passing out blue “Monsters - vs - Aliens” cupcakes and Twinkies - just so they don’t tempt me at ALL) I found mini-packs of Mini Oreos this year, and decided I would add them to my “Concrete” - no cutting or breaking them into bite-size pieces!

For step-by-step photos & directions - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("empty nest" tab)

Panko-Crusted Chicken Bites - great Fall appetizer...

Panko is (ONE of) my favorite coatings for anything I want to be crispy - but not overly so. With no flavor to speak of, it allows whatever you coat to shine through and be the star of the recipe. Such is the case with these tasty little chicken bites. Great as an appetizer, or even a main dish to dip in sauce.



I found this handy little idea for what I think is perfect fall fare on Martha Stewart’s website.



You may wonder why anyone would want to mess up a crispy coating with olive oil. Adding it to the coating beforehand seemed to help it “clump” enough to make an interesting texture in the final product. The recipe below includes instructions for an apricot mustard sauce. Since I was exceptionally tired and hungry that night - I opted for three family-proven sauces that work for us (ranch dressing, marinara sauce, and Bullseye BBQ - always a hit with my family) Since there were only two of us at home that night - I halved the recipe and it was just enough four our main dish with a crispy green salad to share.

For this recipe, step-by-step photos, and instructions - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("empty nest" tab)

Goblin Gorp... all your fall favorites drenched in white chocolate

Smooth, creamy, sweet, salty, crunchy - this autumn snack is delicious and pleases a crowd. White chocolate popcorn is everyone’s favorite, but you’ll love it even more with pretzels and a few sweets mixed in for good measure. Prepare to hide it so you can have some too...



When sitting out in a bowl, this literally CALLS to you. The pretzels add a little salt - which makes it even tastier. Peanut butter candies are an added surprise - most of us expect M & M’s. And who doesn’t like candy corn?!



Prepare a large baking sheet by lining it with plastic wrap. Allow enough time for this snack to properly harden (preferably at least an hour) before you turn everyone loose to enjoy it.



Make these fun little mummy heads to keep watch over your bowl of addictive snack mix. Instructions and photos are included in the link below...



For the Goblin Gorp recipe, detailed photos, and instructions - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("full house" tab)

A Toast to the Friendly Ghost - add a ghostly feel to your table...

The witching hour is upon us - just one week left... Looking for a new way to set your Halloween table? Share the table with Casper - he won’t mind if you spill.



Spook your guests with a friendly ghost rising up from the center of your table. His wispy white body doubles as a table cloth. Give him a “toast” during dinner with the “There’s a BUG in my Mug” drink.



Every good ghost has a crew of apprentices.



Check out the “floaties” - they'll catch your attention.



Hope your weekend is full of ghostly fun...

For directions, photos, and recipe - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("full house" tab)

Cinnamon Toffee Dip w/Chips - this truly makes a GREAT pumpkin...

This caramel flavor dip (and many variations of it) has made it’s way through the blog world and back again - and it’s still everyone's favorite. (Where it began is still a mystery) The super-simple cinnamon toasted “chips” are always a hit. Everyone who tries them has a puzzled look on their face when they find out they began as soft flour tortillas.



This Halloween/Fall appetizer is so fast to put together, and the crunchy toffee bits make it extra special. I've yet to find anyone who doesn’t love it



It takes center stage when you pair it with fresh apples as well as the easy-to-make cinnamon chips. (The other items shown in the lazy-susan are in prior posts - be sure to check them out. Kids AND adults love them...)



I hollow out a small sugar pumpkin, stuff it with a damp paper towel, and keep it in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. This is my container, and a chilled one at that... I use a small glass dish to hold the dip, then lower it into the center cavity of the pumpkin so it doesn’t mingle flavors. When I’m finished each time I use it - I remove it the dish of dip, rinse out the pumpkin again, and return it to the refrigerator. This way I can use the same pumpkin throughout the two weeks before Halloween.



For instructions with photos, and the full recipe - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("full house" tab)

Spiderweb Pumpkin Cheesecake - (Spiderweb OPTIONAL, but you'll love it...)

This delicious cheesecake can be used for TWO holidays... but the Halloween version (garnished with a spun sugar spiderweb) is my favorite. The pumpkin makes it a little less heavy than standard cheesecake, and the smooth sour cream topping makes a delicious base to build your spiderweb...



I enjoyed a Halloween lunch a week ago, and asked my friend to make this recipe I found in the Taste of Home Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook Annual from 2003. She did a fantastic job recreating it - and you should have TASTED it...

The spiderweb garnish was not as tricky as she anticipated. But the chocolate spider was another matter. As you can see - she opted for the dollar store plastic spider (with the ring cut off) - good choice! I don’t know if I would have enjoyed a chocolate spider anyway... that would have killed my taste for chocolate (temporarily).



The cheesecake was creamy, rich, and memorable... She used chocolate graham crackers instead of the Oreo cookie crumbs that it called for - and it didn’t diminish it at all. (You won't miss the tedious step of removing the Oreo filling from the cookies first...)

Go to www.changeabletable.com ("full house" tab) for the complete recipe.

"Trix"ster Treaters - SORT (& eat), SORT (& eat), you get the idea!

I couldn’t resist this really fun way to use Trix cereal. Although I think packaged cold cereal is evil - I enjoy a bowl occasionally. These little characters hypnotized me into giving this Halloween treat a try. This would be a great activity to have young children “help” you with - especially the sorting (and snacking along the way!)



I stumbled upon this at bakedperfection.com - and fell in love with these little monsters. I wasn’t sure how much cereal a box would yield - but I measured it for you (so you don’t have to wonder!)



A 13-oz box of Trix yields 3 cups EACH of the following colors: green & blue, yellow & orange, and red & purple. I still haven’t found a (cute) way to use up the red and purple cereal - but I’m working on it!



The recipe calls for 6 cups of cereal - so I used the green & blue, and the yellow and orange - saving the red & blue for a burst of creativity later on.



For step-by-step photos and instructions, where to get the 'embellishments', (and the recipe, of course!) - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("full house" tab)

Pumpkin Face Stew - pumpkin flavor "hidden" in a robust gravy...

Puff pastry makes just about anything extra interesting - especially when cut in the shape of a jack-o-lantern... This stew is extra hearty also because one of the ingredients is pumpkin. The rich orange/gold gravy bubbling beneath the flaky pastry makes you reach for your fork.



This is a mouthwatering stew perfect for fall - and especially for Halloween. Easy to make ahead and freeze for meals for one. Cut any shape into the puff pastry - autumn leaves, a ghost, etc... with fall cookie cutters. The pastry hangs on tightly to the edge of the ramekin by brushing lightly with an egg wash before topping it.



The stew is a favorite I shared a few weeks ago (Hunter's Stew) - with a few extra ingredients to add that vivid pumpkin color. Keep in a warm oven so others can serve themselves on a busy evening.



It smells as good as it looks...



For this recipe, links, and step-by-step photos - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("empty nest" tab)

"Ghostly" Fingers - tasty little digits for kids (big OR small)

Here’s another spooky idea for a Halloween appetizer buffet... This couldn’t be simpler to throw together at the last minute for a cheese tray for the office, but especially fun for young children and grandchildren. Watch ‘em squirm when they see these on a plate...



It’s hard to find anyone who doesn’t like string cheese, so everyone loves these. Serve with a number of dips - veggie, marinara sauce, etc... (Of course those in a Halloween mood would like the bloody red color)



When served with Slimy Sliders on Pumpkin Patch Buns and Toothy Apple Heads, most kids would think this is more than adequate for dinner on Halloween night.



For the simple instructions for these tasty little digits - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("full house" tab)

Toothy Apple Heads - make your apple dip "smile"...

You can’t help but smile when you see the goofy faces you can come up with for a simple piece of fruit. Easy ingredients combine with a few quick strokes of a knife - and a monster is born... Fun for Halloween, or to bribe any young-at-heart person (large or small) to eat their dinner.

These are all over the internet - but I’m not very skilled at making realistic looking eyes from frosting. I found these little googly-eyes at a restaurant supply company in Salt Lake City (Orson H. Gygi & Company) - and I picked up a package in three different sizes. These are the medium size, but the tiny ones would be fun to put on strawberries, grapes, or melon balls.

You can toast the almonds for a yellow-toothed “hillbilly” look - but I didn’t take the time. Everyone who sees these falls in love with the little guys, and can hardly bring themselves to take a bite.

Fun to serve with an apple dip for a Halloween Appetizer Party - (see the plate of random appetizers) I’ll post each one of them in the next week.

For instructions on making your grinning Apple Heads - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("full house" tab)

Beef 'n Black Bean Zucchini Cups - yikes... we're infested with (zucchini) BATS...

My summer garden looks like a war zone... With a recent wedding, I haven’t had time to tear it out yet - but I’d better get on it! While everything else is blackened and dead from several recent episodes of frost, one half of one hardy plant is thriving still. It’s growth has slowed down, but it’s still cranking out an occasional baseball bat.

It just won’t give up... (my zucchini plant that is!) Rather than give it a toss, I decided to use it at the last minute as a “container” for the All Purpose Beef ‘n Black Bean Filling I stored in my freezer last summer. So fast to put together, I even had time to work on a little project before dinner - unheard of!

I saw this idea on kalynskitchen.blogspot.com and thought it looked like a great way to use up larger squash. I always feel guilty throwing them away - so this made me feel thrifty. I’m being honest with you... my son wasn’t crazy about this (he has been patiently consuming all my experiments with zucchini this summer) - but he did like the filling, and tolerated the “container”... I thought it was delicious, but that’s because (I like to think) I’m in charge.

For this recipe, step-by-step photos, links, and instructions - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("empty nest" tab)

DIE (you stubborn zucchini plant) - just give it UP!

My favorite season is Fall - and yet it does have it's drawbacks... I'm so happy to have had a successful garden, but once the frost arrives - I'm through! It's fun to go outside after the first really frosty night and see all the surprise produce standing outside like you caught them in their underwear... I had no idea I had so many cantaloupe living a secret life nestled in my woolly thyme ground cover. The jungle of leaves kept them well hidden.

I am looking forward to using all these banana squash - but the zucchini? I've had enough and I'm not afraid to admit it. I decided to make one more recipe to use up the baseball bats. (I'll post it tomorrow, then I'm so DONE...) Notice my die-hard zucchini plant that is half-frozen, but hanging on for dear life while snuggled up to the brick wall on the warm south side of my garage? You have to admit, it's a lesson in perseverance.

Notice my beautiful Autumn Blaze Maple tree... a gift from friends of my husband when he passed away. Every fall it literally catches on fire overnight - a beautiful reminder of how fast our lives can change.

Pumpkin Patch Knot Buns - for spookier sandwiches...

Easy and fun for Halloween, these rolls are made from a family favorite roll dough that freezes well. Easy to color with a tinted egg wash, these fat little rolls make the perfect bun size for Slimy Sliders on A Bun (from yesterday’s post). Even after a few days, these rolls get more moist and tender with time.

If I were a trained chef, I would know just the right trick to “tint” a yeast dough. I’ve only done egg washes - and that gives you just a pastel shade of whatever color you’ve added. I’ve never liked adding food coloring to a dough before baking - it just seems wrong.

So... even if these don’t have the bright orange color you are accustomed to in anything “pumpkin” - it’s still possible to use your imagination. The golden brown sheen on the rolls can almost convince you that it resembles a pumpkin...

For these instructions & step-by-step photos, along with a link to the roll recipe - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("full house" tab)

"Slimy Sliders" on a Bun... for an active kid's imagination

I wish I had found this idea when I was raising my family... it would have been so much easier to get them to at least LOOK at their dinner before Trick-or-Treating on Halloween night. Incredibly simple to make - and easy to prep to keep in the refrigerator until minutes before the witching hour...

Between the ages of about five and twelve, my kids entered the “gross out” stage. Anything “gross” was desirable at that age, and especially if they had friends in the range of hearing at the time. Sooo... Halloween and the days preceding it were prime time for enjoying a double dose of GROSS.

These sandwiches are great to throw together FAST for a pre-trick-or-treat snack. Once you get past the first glance, you’ll be surprised at how well hot dogs & barbecue sauce go together. These slippery little things are good sandwiched in a hamburger bun, or in these easy little Pumpkin Knots (shown in the photo above) that I’ll post soon. (For an extra sensory experience - some kids will even eat them with their hands)

For this simple recipe & instructions with photos - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("full house" tab)

Domestic Goddesses (in training...)

I love weddings - a great chance to see each of your children dressed to perfection enjoying each other and all those close to you. These are my beautiful daughters & daughters-in-law - and we womenfolk share a love of new recipes. This is a banner year for my family - we just celebrated our second wedding, and we now have one more. (My fifth became engaged the night of this reception - December is now even busier!)

Our photographer did a fantastic job - he is great at capturing the subtle things going on at a wedding... (Too bad I can't show you the fun shots he caught of my darling grandchildren - I don't like to expose them to the wolves on the internet...) Check him out at mattmcfarlandphoto.com.

Let them (US) eat cake...

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If there is one thing we do well as a family - I would have to say it's enjoying a meal together. At my son's wedding reception, we opted to actually USE their wedding cake as part of the buffet. Usually, cutting the cake comes at the end of a Utah wedding reception - right as the crowd is dispersing. The families then dutifully take the leftovers home and suffer through a few weeks of "what's for dessert? - not CAKE again!" The cake top goes in the freezer for the next year (getting crushed/relocated/and inadvertently thawed - then refrozen a few times till their first anniversary)

We decided to have our cake person (Steph's Cake Creations) make just a top layer, then these beautifully decorated cupcakes with marshmallow fondant for the guests to take as they walked by at the end of the buffet. It was nice to have every guest be able to share their wedding cake that day. And yes - we had plenty of leftover cake - but it was delicious to the very last cupcake!!