Halloween
Party Planner
Celebrate fall with a simple, low-stress – but
super high-fun – Halloween party! Here’s how:
Choose a few of these recipes for
yummy October fun! Be sure to
display a menu on the food table.
Decorate in early October – Enjoy all autumn long!
Choose an October party date – consider a
Pre-Halloween weekend
Decide on a theme (see page 3) – Include any
theme-related costume requests or items to bring
with the invitation
Send invitations – 2 to 4 weeks ahead
Get your FREE Halloween Party Evite at
RecipeForTogetherness.com
Plan activities – Check out page 3 for ideas
Select a menu – Our Creep-A-Licious Menu has
fun ideas
Shop –
• Game & craft supplies – anytime
• Food – a few days or up to a week ahead
Set up & prep food – 1 to 2 days ahead
Enjoy the party!
Spooky Homemade Marshmallows & Cocoa – Fun-to-make,
ghost-or other-shaped Halloween marshmallows (p. 7)
Creepy Mini Pizzas – Let your guests top and design their
own creation (p. 5)
Ghoulishly Good Pizza Snacking Muffins – Pizza-flavored
muffins with warm marinara for dipping (p. 7)
Monster Cookies – Scary-good peanut butter and chocolate
treats (p. 6)
Boo-Licious Caramel Apples – Fall’s finest covered in an
easy-to-make caramel, then dipped in nuts or candy (p. 4)
Other Menu Ideas
Mummy Juice – Wrap strips of
white cloth around juice boxes;
paint or glue on eyes
Scary Scotcheroo Treats – Peanut buttery, crispy cereal
bars or balls, covered in butterscotch and chocolate, and
decorated for the holiday (p. 6)
Pumpkin-Face Veggie Plate – Mini
carrots on a round platter with small
round or square bowls of dip for
eyes and nose; add a cucumber or
celery mouth
Spooky Snack Mix – Let your guests crunch on this oh-sotasty, sweet ’n’ salty snack (p. 3)
Fresh or Frozen Eyeballs – Remove
stems from grapes and freeze
ahead or serve fresh
Page 2 | Halloween 2013
Party Themes
& Activities
Ingredients
• 5 cups crispy corn cereal squares
• 2 cups cinnamon-flavored
bear-shaped graham crackers
• 2 cups salted peanuts
• 2 cups tiny twist pretzels
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup Karo® Light Corn Syrup
• 1/2 cup butter OR margarine
• 2 teaspoons Spice Islands®
Pure Vanilla Extract
• 3/8 teaspoon yellow food
coloring plus 1/8 teaspoon red
food coloring, OR 1/2 teaspoon
orange paste food coloring
• 3 cups mini marshmallows
• 2 cups small candies such
as candy corn, candy coated
chocolate pieces, etc.
• 1/2 cup white OR semi-sweet
chocolate chips
• 2 teaspoons Mazola® Corn Oil
All About Kids
• Lots of Tricks AND Treats – Create a stage show with
kids performing simple tricks; have a list of ideas ready
… lots of prizes awarded to all!
• Orange & Black Party – Paint nails, faces and pumpkins;
frost and decorate cookies; dress up and decorate the
house – all in orange and black!
Cool for Teens
• Flick Fun – Create your own short films using iMovie or
other software; divide into groups if needed and set a
time limit; pull out random household items for spooky
props and … action! Later, view your creations and
show a favorite audience-appropriate fall movie
For the Family
•Treats for a Cause – Invite neighbors and friends to bake
a difference by bringing their favorite treats to support
ending childhood hunger in America … hold a Bake Sale
for No Kid Hungry by auctioning off the bake sale
goodies at your party; all the information for planning
and executing is at www.nokidhungry.org/BakeSale
• Fall Cookout – Enjoy the cooler weather, grill a favorite
main dish and start a bonfire; ask guests to bring a side
dish to share with different autumn ingredients … think
apples, squash, pumpkin, cranberries, etc.
Directions
Mix together cereal, crackers, peanuts and pretzels in a large bowl that
has been sprayed with cooking spray.
Combine sugar, corn syrup and butter in saucepan over medium-high
heat. Stirring frequently, bring to boil and cook for 1 minute. Remove
from heat and add vanilla and food colorings (mixture will bubble).
Drizzle glaze over snack mix and toss to coat. Gently stir in marshmallows
and candy; immediately spread on baking sheet that has been sprayed
with cooking spray.
Just for Adults
• Photo Scavenger Hunt – Divide costumed guests into
teams, giving them a list of items to photograph with
cell phones or digital cameras; ask them to capture
landmarks, funny signs or anything with a fall twist!
First team back wins! As teams return, create a simple
slide show for viewing and inspiring memorable stories
• Progressive Dinner Party – Ask other ghoul-lovin’
friends to host a course of the meal; make your way
from house to house … dressed up, of course!
Melt 1/2 cup chocolate chips and oil until smooth. Drizzle over snack
mix and refrigerate for 30 minutes to set the chocolate.
Store in airtight container.
Page 3 | Halloween 2013
Decorating Ideas
Create a Halloween Tree – Arrange black spray-painted sticks,
branches or a small tree in a Halloween-themed vase or pot, and
hang festive spooky decorations: bats, skeletons, ghosts, spiders
and mini pumpkins. Drape on orange lights, cobwebs, streamers
or garland, and fill the pot with candy corn to give it that extra
holiday edge!
Hang it Up – Create visual interest with lift and light: use clear
fishing line to hang paper lanterns, bats, ghosts and moons from
ceilings, lights and banisters; make casual chandeliers from
clumped strands of orange lights … hang them inside and out
Adorn Your Front Door – You’ll enjoy seeing it every time you
come home, and it’s your guests’ first impression
Make it Last for Fall – Definitely put up specific Halloween
decorations, but include leaves, corn, gourds and general
autumn-related decorations that you can leave up
until Thanksgiving
Autumn Planters – Remove tired summer plants from outdoor
pots and fill them with cold-hardy mums and other plants, dried
weeds, branches and a variety of gourds
Festive Serving Platters/Plates – Use
Karo Light Corn Syrup and colored
sugar sprinkles to creatively trim the
edges of plates and platters: cut a very
tiny corner off of a small plastic food
bag, add Karo and pipe decorative dots
& designs, webs or words; sprinkle
with decorating sugar; carefully shake
off excess sugar
Ingredients
• 6 medium apples (Tip: for best results use
cold apples)
• 6 wooden sticks
• 1 package (14 ounces) caramel candies,
unwrapped
• 1/4 cup Karo® Light OR Dark Corn Syrup
• Seasonal candy such as candy corn, candy
coated chocolate pieces, candy coated peanut
butter candies, etc.
Directions
Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or line with
parchment paper; set aside. Wash and dry apples; insert
stick into stem end.
Microwave caramels and corn syrup on HIGH (100%) in a
small, deep microwave-safe bowl for 2 to 3 minutes or until
caramels are melted, stirring once during cooking time.
Dip apples in hot caramel mixture, turning to coat well. Allow caramel
to drip from apples for a few seconds, then scrape excess caramel from
bottoms of apples. Dip bottoms of apples into desired candies, turning to coat.
Place dipped apples in prepared pan.
Chill apples for 10 minutes or until caramel is set.
Wrap apples individually if desired; store in refrigerator.
Page 4 | Halloween 2013
Ingredients
Crust:
Toppings:
• 3-1/4 to 3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 to 2 cups pizza sauce
• 1 envelope Fleischmann’s Pizza Crust
Yeast OR RapidRise Yeast
• Suggested toppings: green, red and
yellow bell peppers, mushrooms, black
olives, pepperoni slices, hard salami
slices, curly leaf parsley, etc.
®
• 1-1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1-1/3 cups very warm water
(120° to 130°F)*
• 1 pound (total) shredded white and
yellow cheeses such as mozzarella
and cheddar
• 1/3 cup Mazola® Corn Oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine 2 cups flour, undissolved yeast, sugar and salt in
a large bowl. Add very warm water and oil; mix until well blended, about 1 minute.
Gradually add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Dough should
form a ball and will be slightly sticky. Knead** on a floured surface, adding
additional flour if necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes. Divide
dough into 8 portions; cover. (If using RapidRise Yeast, let dough rest at this point
for 10 minutes.)
Pat each portion of dough with floured hands into an 8-inch circle on a greased
baking sheet. Form a rim by pinching the edge of the dough. Add a second crust
to the same baking sheet.
Bake for 6 to 7 minutes, dough will be just set and only lightly browned on the
bottom. Remove crusts to a wire rack to cool. Continue with remaining pizza
dough. (Works best to use several baking sheets.) May use crusts immediately
or place in freezer bags and freeze for up to 1 month.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 475°F. Spread each crust with pizza sauce.
Top with desired toppings to make Halloween designs! Repeat with remaining
pizzas. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until cheese is melted
and lightly browned and bottom of crust is browned.
*If you don’t have a thermometer, water should feel very warm to the touch.
**To knead the dough, add just enough flour to the dough and your hands to keep the dough from sticking. Flatten dough and fold it toward you.
Using the heels of your hands, push the dough away with a rolling motion. Rotate dough a quarter turn and repeat the “fold, push and turn” steps. Keep
kneading dough until it is smooth and elastic. Use a little more flour if dough becomes too sticky, always working the flour into the ball of dough.
Page 5 | Halloween 2013
Cool Cats: Cut circles using
a 2 to 3-inch biscuit cutter.
Attach candies with a dab of
melted white chocolate or
frosting to make eyes, nose
and ears. Pipe on whiskers
with frosting.
Ingredients
• 1 cup Karo® Light OR Dark Corn Syrup
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 6 cups crispy rice cereal
• 1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions
Cook corn syrup and sugar
together in a large pan over
medium heat, stirring to dissolve
sugar. Bring mixture to a boil. Remove
from heat. Stir in peanut butter; mix well.
Add cereal; stir until evenly coated.
• 1-1/2 cups butterscotch chips
Pour into greased 15x10-inch pan and pat into place.
• Candies for decorating
Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips together in saucepan
over low heat, stirring constantly. Spread over cereal.
• Frosting OR melted white chocolate
for decorating
• Food coloring
Cool at least 45 minutes, or until firm. Cut into bars or fun
shapes for Halloween. If desired, pipe frosting to form
Halloween shapes or words.
Creepy Webs: Cut circles as
above. Tint frosting orange.
Starting at the center, pipe
continuous spiral circles to edge.
Drag the tip of a wooden pick from
the center to the edge of the bar to
create a spider web design.
Mummies: Cut circles as above. Drizzle or pipe
white frosting back and forth horizontally and finish
with two candy eyes.
Tombstones: Cut into bars, cutting off upper corners
diagonally. Pipe frosting to make shapes or words
on each “tombstone.” Tombstones will easily stand
upright if the bottom of each is coated with frosting.
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Ingredients
• 3 cups quick oats
(not instant)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon Spice Islands Ground
Saigon Cinnamon
®
• 1 cup butter OR margarine,
softened
• 1/4 cup Karo® Light OR
Dark Corn Syrup
• 2 teaspoons Spice Islands®
Pure Vanilla Extract
• 2 cups semi-sweet OR white
chocolate chips
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup candy coated chocolate
OR peanut butter pieces
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup raisins, optional
• 1-1/3 cups creamy peanut butter
Combine quick oats, flour, baking
soda and cinnamon in a medium bowl;
set aside.
Cream butter and sugars in a large
mixing bowl. Add peanut butter and
mix well. Mix in eggs, corn syrup and
vanilla until well blended. Stir in oat
mixture. Fold in chocolate chips,
candies and raisins.
Drop 1-1/2 inch dough balls onto
ungreased cookie sheet and bake
for 12 to 15 minutes until cookies
are just set. Cool on wire rack
for 5 minutes and then remove
from pans.
Page 6 | Halloween 2013
Ingredients
• 1 cup water, room
temperature, divided
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 envelopes unflavored gelatin
• 2-1/4 cups sugar
• 1 cup Karo® Light Corn Syrup
• 2 teaspoons Spice Islands®
Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Argo®
Corn Starch
Directions
Combine 1/2 cup water, salt and gelatin in large bowl of a
stand mixer. Stir and set aside.
Combine remaining 1/2 cup water, sugar and corn syrup in
a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring
frequently. Using a candy thermometer, cook until mixture
reaches 240°F or soft ball stage.
Gradually pour the hot syrup over the gelatin mixture
with the mixer on low. Turn the mixer on its highest speed
and beat for 8 minutes. Add vanilla and beat an additional
2 minutes. The mixing bowl will get very full. The
marshmallows will become very thick, white and shiny.
Spread mixture onto greased baking sheet with sides.
Cool marshmallows at least 4 hours or overnight. Combine
powdered sugar and corn starch in a shallow pan. Cut the
marshmallows into bite-size pieces with a sharp knife or
scissors, dropping one at a time into the powdered sugar.
Toss to coat well. Store marshmallows in an airtight
container in a cool place. Best used within 1 month.
For spooky shapes, grease a small ghost or other Halloween
cookie cutter. Press straight down through marshmallow.
Remove marshmallow and lightly dust with the powdered
sugar corn starch mixture.
Ingredients
• 2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 envelope Fleischmann’s® RapidRise Yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Spice Islands® Oregano
• 1-1/4 cups very warm water (120º to 130ºF)
• 1 tablespoon Mazola® Corn Oil
• 3/4 cup finely chopped pepperoni OR
mini pepperoni
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 cup 1/2-inch cubed mozzarella cheese OR
shredded if making minis
• Pizza sauce for dipping
Directions
COMBINE 1-1/2 cups flour, undissolved yeast, sugar, salt and oregano in
large mixer bowl. Add water and oil; beat 2 minutes on medium speed.
Gradually add remaining 1-1/4 cups flour to make a stiff, yet sticky
dough. Stir in pepperoni, green bell pepper, onion and cheese. Cover
bowl and let rest 10 minutes.
PORTION dough into 12 (2-1/2 inch) greased muffin cups OR 36
mini muffin cups (do not use paper liners). Cover and let rise 35 to
45 minutes. Dough will rise but not double in size.
BAKE in preheated 375ºF oven for 20 to 25 minutes (17 to 20 minutes
for minis) until well browned. Let cool on wire rack for 2 minutes. Run
a knife around each roll to remove from pan. Serve warm with pizza
sauce for dipping. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Page 7 | Halloween 2013
Gobbledygook – Every kid will want their own bowl of this everchanging wet, smooth, shiny, dull, rubbery, hard concoction; for
the 3-ingredient recipe go to http://is.gd/SWVq7X
Goblin Relays – Armed with toilet paper, see which team is fastest
at wrapping and unwrapping each other – mummy-style; balance
mini pumpkins on serving spoons or on heads and have teams race
back and forth
Bowling, Bocce & Croquet – Play with various sizes of pumpkins
for the ball
Apple Bobbing – Always a favorite, regardless of age or how many
times attempted
Family Games
& Crafts
Include a few of these ideas
at your next fall party!
Pumpkin Hunt – Use minis and hide them inside or out … think
back to Easter egg hunts for the best hiding places
Trick-or-Treat Bag Designs – Turn pails, buckets and plain-colored
bags into creative candy carriers; use colored duct tape,
permanent markers, fabric and glue to apply webs, ghosts,
bats, candy corn stripes and other creative decorations
Face Painting – Invite a talented friend or teen to help paint kids’
faces like jack-o’-lanterns; play “Pin the Face on the Pumpkin”
with kids while they wait their turn
Pumpkin & Gourd Decorating – Based on the crowd, gather a
variety of items: your best glitter and bling, hats galore (baseball,
stocking, dress-up, fishing), outdoor treasures (acorns, dried
weeds, leaves, pine cones, sticks); then, put the glue guns to work
Page 8 | Halloween 2013