Halloween Party Treats

Happy Monday all! I'm ready to talk Halloween...I know all the stores are already talking about Christmas and Hannukah, but I prefer to go month by month. Halloween will be here before you know it and I've got a few fun recipes to make for your big soiree. Enjoy!

Snickers Ice Cream Milk
Christina Tosi

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 ounces Snickers bars, chopped
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 pint vanilla ice cream

Directions
In a blender, combine the Snickers with the milk and puree until smooth. Add the ice cream, blend until smooth and serve.

Halloween Popcorn Treats

Giada De Lauretiis

Ingredients

• Vegetable cooking spray
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup popcorn kernels
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 6 cups (12-ounces) mini marshmallows
• 6 fun-size caramel peanut chocolate bars (such as Snickers), cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 3 (3-inch) chocolate chip cookies, crumbled
• 1/3 cup chopped salted almonds,
• 1/2 cup orange and black chocolate candies (such as M and Ms)

Directions

1. Spray the inside of a large mixing bowl with vegetable cooking spray, and lightly spray a baking sheet. Set aside.
2. In a 3 quart or larger, heavy-bottomed pan, heat the oil and popcorn over medium-high heat. Cover the pan and shake gently. Cook until all the kernels have popped, about 3 minutes. Place the popcorn in the prepared bowl.
3. In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over low heat. Add the vanilla extract and marshmallows. Stir constantly until the marshmallows have melted and the mixture is smooth, about 5 minutes. Pour the melted marshmallow mixture over the popcorn. Using a spatula, sprayed with cooking spray, stir until the popcorn is coated. Spread the mixture over the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with the chocolate bar pieces, cookies, almonds and chocolate candies. Using a spatula, gently press the toppings into the popcorn. Allow the mixture to dry for 1 hour.
4. Break into 2-inch pieces and store airtight in a plastic container.

Serving Suggestion: Place in small plastic bags and seal with colored ribbon.

Caramel-Dipped Apples

Bon Appetit Oct 1999

Ingredients

• 1 1-pound box dark brown sugar
• 16 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 2/3 cup dark corn syrup
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon robust-flavored (dark) molasses
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 chopsticks
• 12 medium Granny Smith apples
• Assorted decorations (such as chopped nuts, dried apricots and dried cranberries, toffee bits, mini M&M's and candy sprinkles)
• Melted dark, milk and/or white chocolates
• Whipping cream (if necessary)

Directions

1. Combine first 8 ingredients in heavy 2 1/2-quart saucepan (about 3 inches deep). Stir with wooden spatula or spoon over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves (no crystals are felt when caramel is rubbed between fingers), occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush, about 15 minutes.
2. Attach clip-on candy thermometer to side of pan. Increase heat to medium-high; cook caramel at rolling boil until thermometer registers 236°F, stirring constantly but slowly with clean wooden spatula and occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush, about 12 minutes. Pour caramel into metal bowl (do not scrape pan). Submerge thermometer bulb in caramel; cool, without stirring, to 200°F, about 20 minutes.
3. While caramel cools, line 2 baking sheets with foil; butter foil. Push 1 chopstick into stem end of each apple. Set up decorations and melted chocolates.
4. Holding chopstick, dip 1 apple into 200°F caramel, submerging all but very top of apple. Lift apple out, allowing excess caramel to drip back into bowl. Turn apple caramel side up and hold for several seconds to help set caramel around apple. Place coated apple on prepared foil. Repeat with remaining apples and caramel, spacing apples apart (caramel will pool on foil). If caramel becomes too thick to dip into, add 1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream and briefly whisk caramel in bowl over low heat to thin.
5. Chill apples on sheets until caramel is partially set, about 15 minutes. Lift 1 apple from foil. Using hand, press pooled caramel around apple; return to foil. Repeat with remaining apples.
6. Firmly press decorations into caramel; return each apple to foil. Or dip caramel-coated apples into melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off, then roll in nuts or candy. Or drizzle melted chocolate over caramel-coated apples and sprinkle with decorations. Chill until decorations are set, about 1 hour. Cover; chill up to 1 week.

Happy baking!