Keeping it simple for a Halloween spread at home

Fall Trail Mix, Octopus, Mummies, Mummy Toes, Dry Caramel Sauce, and Pumpkin chips recipes #halloweenparty #spookybuffet

Hosting Halloween at home is always fun. However, many recipes can be time-consuming. Oh, sure, there are so many cute ideas out there and I want to cook them all. But many times this ghoulish holiday falls on a work and school day. I like fun, festive Halloween recipes that are inexpensive and easy to pull together. Here are a few ideas for a Halloween spread with less than 5 ingredients each.

Trick-or-treaters scouring the neighborhoods in search of candy treasure need fuel for the hike. Try making your own trail mix to munch on before going house to house. Roasted nuts and candy corn are fabulous together. You can also add in popcorn, dried cranberries, sesame sticks, butterscotch morsels, or granola if you like. Simply pick up your goblin’s favorite trail mix items, mix them up, and serve. This also makes a thoughtful fall gift or centerpiece when packed in mason jars with harvest ribbon around the lid.

There are so many ways a hot dog can be transformed into a Halloween themed main dish. Slice half of a jumbo hot dog wiener into eighths lengthwise and boil or bake to watch the slices curl up into octopus legs. Or use strips of canned crescent rolls, pizza dough, or breadsticks to wrap up the wiener or favorite smoked sausage like a mummy before baking. Glaze a hot dog with ketchup or BBQ sauce before baking in the oven. Then wrap the cooked hot dog in strips of flour tortillas secured with a toothpick to create mummy fingers. If you cut the wiener in half before wrapping in tortillas, they become mummy toes.

Watch their eyes light up in awe to see sugar swirled in a hot pan to become a golden amber caramel.

For me, caramel is the Easter egg of Halloween. From apples to popcorn, caramel is a universal hit. It can be used as a dip or as a coating. This is a three-ingredient recipe that can also be a fun chemistry experiment for the kiddos. Watch their eyes light up in awe to see sugar swirled in a hot pan to become a golden amber caramel. Making homemade caramel does require full attention. However, this could become a family tradition that the kids look forward to as much if not more than pumpkin carving. Caramel can be made the day before and reheated over medium heat in a double boiler the next day.

Speaking of pumpkins, why just look at them on the front porch? When carving pumpkins, save and refrigerate the cut out eyes, nose, and mouth. Peel them with a vegetable peeler and slice them thin to make pumpkin chips. To make peeling easier, place the pieces in boiling water for a couple of minutes then allow the pieces to cool before peeling and slicing. You can deep fry them or bake them off. It’s up to you and your crew.

Have fun creating your own festive buffet. Keep it quick, simple, and spooky. You’ll be glad you did.

Fall Trail Mix 1 cup roasted peanuts ½ cup candy corn

Mix together and serve. Add other fall favorite snack foods or cereals as desired.

Octopus 8 bun length hot dogs 4 cups boiling water 1 cup mayonnaise 10 drops blue food coloring

Measure 2 inches from one end of the hot dog. From that point, cut the hot dog in half down the length of the wiener. Rotate wiener ¼ turn and cut in half again reserving the 2 inches. Cut in half t2 more times to create 8 legs. Use a paring knife to cut out eyes in the top 2 inches. Submerge in boiling water for 5 minutes or until the “legs” curl. Mix mayo and food coloring. Spread on the bottom of a serving plate to make waves. Place octopus on top. Garnish with goldfish crackers if desired.

Mummies 8 jumbo hot dogs 1 can refrigerated crescent rolls Mustard

Preheat oven to 375. Unroll crescent rolls. On a floured surface, cut each sheet of crescent roll dough into 8 strips lengthwise. Wrap each wiener with 2 strips of leaving a space for the mummy to have eyes. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until the dough is lightly browned. Make eyes with two dots of mustard.

Mummy Toes 4 taco size four tortilla 16 oz. cocktail wienies ½ cup ketchup or BBQ sauce Toothpicks Honey mustard or ranch for dipping

Preheat oven to 350. Drain cocktail wienies and toss in ketchup or BBQ sauce. Place coated wienies on a rack set in a baking sheet. Place in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes rotating the wienies halfway through bake time. Remove wienie from the oven. Slice tortillas into ½ inch strips. Microwave tortillas covered for 15 seconds. Wrap strips up each wiener to 2/3 of the way. Secure tortilla with a toothpick. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce or additional ketchup and BBQ sauce.

Dry Caramel Sauce 2 cups granulated sugar 1 cup heavy cream ½ tsp. sea salt 1 tsp. vanilla

Heat cream in a microwave-safe cup for one minute. Over medium heat in a medium saucepan or skillet, swirl sugar over the heat in the bottom of the pan. Do not use a spoon to stir at this point. Continue swirling the pan over the heat until you reach the color you want, deep golden amber. Remove skillet from heat and gradually stir in warmed heavy cream. Use caution when first stirring in the cream because the caramel can pop and sizzle. Once the cream is incorporated, stir in vanilla and sea salt. Serve over ice cream, with apple wedges, or drizzle over any dessert or cake.

Pumpkin Chips 1 tbsp. coconut oil 2 lb. pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 375. Toss pumpkin slices in coconut oil until evenly coated. Lay slices in an even layer on a large baking sheet or 2 medium baking sheets. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until crispy. Season with salt or cinnamon sugar.