Halloween Goblin Head

 

Halloween Goblin Head

Ingredients

• 1 8 oz. pkg. low-fat cream cheese

• 4 oz. shredded taco-flavored cheese

• 2 T. butter

• 1 T. milk

• 1 8 oz. pkg. low-fat cream cheese

• 1 pepperocini pepper

• 9 pimento-stuffed olives

• 1 carrot

• 1/4 green pepper

• 1 can whole beets

• Tortilla chips

• 8 arbol chiles

Instructions

1. Bring 1 package of cream cheese and butter to room temperature. Place 1 package of cream cheese, shredded cheese and butter in a mixing bowl. Add the milk to the bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined, stopping occasionally to scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula. Cover the bowl and chill from 4 to 24 hours. Bring the second package of cream cheese to room temperature. Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Form the refrigerated cheese mixture into a ball and place on a serving platter. Cover the ball with the softened cream cheese. Press in tortilla chips for ears. Drain the pepperocini, olives and 1 beet on paper towels. Place the pepperocini pepper in the middle of the cheese ball for a nose. Cut 1 pimento-stuffed olive and use for the eyes. Remove the pimentos from 8 of the olives and insert arbol Chile’s for the toes. Cut zigzag pieces of green pepper for eyebrows. Shred the beet to use for hair. Cut small pieces of carrot sticks to use for teeth. Serve with crackers.

Halloween Bat Bites

 

Halloween Bat Bites

Ingredients

• 1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese

• 4 oz. soft goat cheese

• 1/4 c. pesto

• 3 T. coarsely ground black pepper

• 3 T. poppy seeds

• 12 pitted black olives

• 48 pink peppercorns

• 48 triangular blue corn chips

Instructions

1. Soften the cream cheese and goat cheese to room temperature. Use an electric mixer to blend together the cream cheese, goat cheese and pesto. Chill the mixture for an hour. Shape the mixture into 24 balls, about 1 teaspoon each. Combine the poppy seeds and ground black pepper on a small plate. Roll each ball into the poppy seed and pepper mixture to cover. Cut the black olives in half. Press 2 olive slices into the balls for eyes and place a pink peppercorn in the center of the olive slice for the pupils. Insert a corn chip on either side of the ball for wings. Serve.

Halloween 7-layer Dip

 Halloween 7-layer Dip

1 can (15 oz.) refried beans

1 packet taco seasoning mix

1 c. sour cream

1 c. mild or medium chunky salsa

1 c. grated cheddar or Mexican-blend cheese

1/2 can (15 oz.) black olives, drained

1 c. prepared guacamole

1 T. milk

In a small bowl, mix the taco seasoning with the refried beans.  Spread this mixture on the bottom of a 10 inch pie plate.  Spread 3/4 cup of the sour cream on top of the beans.

Add the salsa on top of the sour cream and spread.  Spread the guacamole in the center of the dip.  Sprinkle the grated cheese around the edge of the plate.  

Thin the remaining sour cream with the milk.  Put it into a plastic bag and cut off one corner.  Squeeze the sour cream into a spider web pattern over the guacamole.

Make olive spiders by cutting a few of the olives lengthwise and then cut a few olives into small strips for the legs.  Place the halved olives on the spider web using the strips to make the spider legs.

Slice the remaining olives and spread around the outside of the plate.

Serve immediately with tortilla chips.  

                                                                                  

Corn and Poblanos

 

Corn and Poblanos

Ingredients

• 4 ears corn on the cob husks and silk removed

• 2 T. olive oil

• 2 poblano peppers seeded and diced

• 1 onion chopped

• 2 T. butter

Instructions

1. Cut the corn kernels from the cobs. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; add the corn and cook until slightly charred. Reduce the heat to medium then add the poblano peppers and onion and continue to cook until tender, stirring occasionally. Add the butter to the skillet and simmer for a few minutes to let the flavors combine.

   
   

   If fresh corn is not available, you can use frozen corn.