Little ones love the idea of Halloween and trick-or-treatin’ so get on your so step up your Halloween game this Spooktober! And guess what, we’ve got just the trick on how to make Halloween a night to remember for your little ones. Get your little ones in the Halloween mood with this spooky selection of delicious snacks!

Mac & Cheese Jack-O-Lanterns 

An orange bell pepper carved and ready for Halloween, it also works as an edible bowl for creamy mac and cheese.

 

Ingredients 

• Salt
• 6 medium orange bell peppers
• 8 ounces elbow macaroni
• 1/2 a cup of heavy cream 
• 1/2 a cup of whole milk 
• 1 cup of cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups mild cheddar, shredded 

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water.
2. Cut the tops off the peppers and reserve. Remove the seeds and membranes. Put the peppers and the tops in the boiling water and cook until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Plunge the peppers into the ice bath. Once cool, remove them and use a sharp knife to carve a jack-o-lantern face into one side of each pepper.
3. Return the water to a boil, add the macaroni and cook until al dente, about 6 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain (don’t rinse the pasta). 
4. Heat the half-and-half in a large saucepan over medium heat until it just comes to a simmer. Continue simmering until reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Add the cream cheese and stir until melted. Whisk in the Cheddar until all the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
5. Turn off the heat, add the macaroni to the saucepan and stir to combine. Stir in some of the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce if needed. Season with salt if needed. Let sit for 10 minutes, then divide the mac and cheese among the peppers and cap each with a pepper top.

Spider Web Infested Guacamole 

This web infested guacamole is a super-easy way to make a themed appetizer for your little ones on Halloween.

 

Ingredients 

• 4 cups guacamole
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• Lime juice
• 2 pitted black olives
• Blue corn tortilla chips, for serving
• 1 firm avocado, skin-on

Directions

1. For the web: Put a large round shallow bowl on a larger round platter. Fill the bowl with the guacamole and smooth the top with a spoon or offset spatula. Fill a squeeze bottle or pastry bag with Mexican crema or sour cream (thin it out with some lime juice if needed). Pipe 4 concentric circles of crema onto the guacamole. Using the tip of a knife or skewer, pull lines from the centre circle out, creating a spider web pattern.
2. For the spider: Slice 1 olive in half lengthwise and use one of the halves for the spider body. Slice 8 long spider legs from the remaining 1 1/2 olives. Arrange the spider on the web. Surround the bowl of guacamole with the tortilla chips.
3. For the skull: Using a paring knife, make 2 eyes on the wide end of the avocado, cutting through the skin and flesh down to the pit; discard the skin and flesh. Cut an upside-down heart shape just through the skin for the nose, then remove the skin, leaving the flesh showing. For the mouth, cut a long rectangle just through the skin and remove it. Use a skewer or the tip of a knife to draw lines on the flesh for teeth.

Blueberry Eyeball Punch 

A spooky thirst-quenching drink that will definitely put your little ones in the mood for Halloween.

 

Ingredients 

• 12 to 24 fresh blueberries
• 12 canned lychees in syrup, drained, plus 5 to 6 tablespoons syrup from the can
• 3 cups blueberry juice cocktail
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 4 limes)
• 2 cups sparkling water or soda
• Ice

Directions

1. Stick 1 to 2 blueberries, depending on their size, into the cavity of each lychee. 
2. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and freeze, about 1 hour. (Wait until the “eyeballs” thaw a bit before eating to prevent choking hazards.) 
3. Stir together 5 tablespoons of the lychee syrup, the blueberry juice and lime juice in a bowl or pitcher until combined. 
4. Stir in the sparkling water or soda and add the lychee eyeballs. 
5. If it is a bit tart for your taste, add the remaining tablespoon syrup. 
6. Serve in tall glasses over ice, spooning the lychee eyeballs into the glasses as you pour

Worms In A Bun 

Kids will love the “yuck” factor of eating worms!

 

Ingredients 

• 6 strips bacon, chopped
• One 14-ounce package foot-long hotdogs (8 hotdogs), each cut into 6 strips lengthwise
• 3 medium red and/or yellow bell peppers, cut into 1/4-inch-wide slices (about 3 cups)
• 1 large red onion, halved and cut into 1/4-inch-wide slices (about 3 cups)
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
• 6 Hotdog Buns
• 12 slices provolone (about 6 ounces)

Directions

1. Cook the bacon in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until crisp, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
2. Cook the hot dogs in the same skillet in 2 batches over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until curled and golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Preheat the oven broiler.
3. Cook the peppers and onions in the same skillet, stirring frequently, until soft, 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Stir in the barbecue sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar, mustard and hot pepper sauce. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce begins to thicken, about 1 minute. Add the hot dogs and continue to cook, stirring, until coated, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
5. Toast the hoagie rolls in the broiler if desired. Arrange the provolone slices in the rolls and broil 30 seconds to melt. Top with the hot dog mixture and sprinkle with bacon.