Halloween Recipes

FIENDISHLY DELICIOUS HALLOWEEN RECIPES FOR YOUR SPOOKY GATHERING

Be afraid, be very afraid…but only in a good way.  Halloween is here and if you and your little ones are planning a spooky gathering then we’ve got some fiendishly delicious foods that we make every Halloween party go with a ‘spook’!

Mummified Saucy Meatballs

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

For the tomato sauce

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ red onion, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 x 400 g tins chopped tomatoes

For the meatballs

• 60g (2 ½oz) breadcrumbs
• 50ml (2fl oz) milk
• 1 handful parsley, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 750g (1lb 8oz) mince (beef, pork, chicken or Quorn is fine)
• ½ red onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 125g (4oz) fresh tagliatelle
• American style mustard (to decorate)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 200c, fan 180c.  For the tomato sauce, heat the oil in a large pan over a low heat.  Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, until softened.  Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
2. Increase the heat and add the tomatoes and a pinch of sugar.  Simmer gently for 15 minutes, until thickened. Set aside until needed.
3. Meanwhile, make the meatballs.  Put the breadcrumbs in a bowl with the milk.  Stir in the parsley and garlic, and then set aside to soak for 10 minutes.
4. Put the mince in a bowl and work in the wet breadcrumb mixture and onion, season and shape into 12 evenly sized meatballs.
5. Put the olive oil in an ovenproof dish large enough to fit all the meatballs snugly.  Bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes, until firm and cooked through.
6. Meanwhile, cook the tagliatelle in a pan of salted, boiling water following the packet instructions.  Drain and refresh under a cold running tap.
7. To assemble the mummified meatballs, wrap a few strands of tagliatelle around at meatball, leaving a small gap for the yes.  Using the mustard, dot a par of eyes on each meatball.  Serve the meatballs with the warm tomato sauce and any leftover tagliatelle ‘bandages’ on the side.

Dragon Eyeballs

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 2 x 250g packs mozzarella pearls, drained
• 6 green olives stuffed with red pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Slice each olive widthways into four to make two neat rings.  Discard the uneven top and bottom pieces (you can save these to top a pizza or just snack on later)
2. Arrange the mozzarella pearls on a serving place and top each one with an olive ring to make an eyeball.
3. Serve alongside other party snacks and dips.

Spooky Blueberry Cupcakes with Marshmallow Skulls

Makes 24 mini cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

For the cupcakes

• 11 blueberries
• 100g (3 ½ oz) caster sugar
• 100g (3 ½ oz) butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla paste or vanilla extract
• 100g (3 ½ oz) self-raising flour, sifted
• 20ml (½ fl oz) milk

For the frosting

• 75g (3oz) pink marshmallows
• 75g (3oz) butter, softened
• 150g (5oz) icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla paste or vanilla extract
• Purple food colouring gel

To decorate

• 24 white marshmallows
• 50g (2oz) dark chocolate

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 170c, fan 150c.  Line two mini cupcake tins with 24 mini paper cupcake cases.  Set aside 3 blueberries and cut the remaining 8 into thirds; divide one third among the base of each cupcake case.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar and butter.  Beat, with an electric whisk for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
3. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla.  Fold in the flour and milk, and then divide the mixture between the paper cases.  Bake for 9-10 minutes, until risen, golden and springy to the touch.  Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
4. For the frosting, heat the pink marshmallows in a microwave-proof bowl for 30-50 seconds, until just melted.  Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, roughly mash the reserved blueberries.
5. In a separate mixing bowl, beat the butter and icing sugar for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.  Add the melted marshmallows, vanilla, food colouring and crushed blueberries and continue beating to form a thick and shiny icing.  Chill for 10 minutes.
6. To make the marshmallow skulls, cut out a mouth at the thin end of each white marshmallow using scissors.
7. Using a clean paintbrush, dab the melted chocolate on to each marshmallow skull to make eyes and a nose.
8. Using a sharp knife, cut out a shallow disc from each cooled cupcake.  Spread half a tsp of icing over each cake, filling the dent and covering the surrounding surface.  Nestle a marshmallow skull in the dent of each iced cake and leave to set.  Serve and enjoy!

(recipe and image credit to Tesco UK)