#MenuMonday: A Halloween Menu

Having trouble deciding what to serve at your Halloween celebration? We’re here to help! We’ve compiled a great Halloween menu for you and your guests to enjoy at your event. You’ll have a spooktacular time trying out these creepy yet tasty items!

Beverage: Mr. Hyde Potion Cocktail

Ingredients

8 ounces vodka
4 ounces parfait amour liqueur
1 ounce blackberry liqueur
2 ounces tarragon simple syrup (recipe follows)
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
1 ounce lavender syrup, available at most liquor stores
4 lavender sprigs
8 blackberries
dry ice (optional) Note: Always observe dry ice safety measures: Never touch dry ice with bare skin and do not swallow.
purple sanding sugar for rim (optional)

Directions

Prepare the tarragon simple syrup by placing 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan.
Heat over medium-low heat until it reaches a low boil. Add two sprigs of fresh tarragon and reduce heat to low. Heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove tarragon and allow syrup to cool.
Place 2 blackberries on each lavender sprig and set aside.Tip:For best results, insert a toothpick through blackberry first to make a small hole for the lavender stem.
Cut and juice lemon. Strain to remove pulp, if desired. Add spirits, syrups and juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake until very cold (about 20 seconds).
Pour drink into beakers, add a small piece of dry ice (optional) and a lavender-blackberry skewer.Note:Drink is safe to consume only after dry ice has completely dissolved.

Tip: Alternatively, moisten the rim of a cocktail glass and dip in purple sanding sugar. Add cocktail and small piece of dry ice. Lay lavender-blackberry skewer across the top of the glass and serve.

Yield: 4 cocktails

Original Recipe: http://www.hgtv.com/design/make-and-celebrate/entertaining/halloween-cocktail-mr-hyde-potion

Appetizer: Pumpkin Dip

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon frozen orange juice concentrate

Directions

In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Gradually mix in the pumpkin. Stir in the cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and orange juice until smooth and well blended. Chill until serving.

Total Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 32 Servings

Original Recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/26498/pumpkin-dip/?internalSource=hub%20recipe&referringId=16674&referringContentType=recipe%20hub&clickId=cardslot%2014

Entrée: Spooky Calzone Snake

Ingredients

Dough:

1 teaspoon white sugar
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided

Filling:

1 cup ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste
1 (4 ounce) package sliced pepperoni
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 cup sliced black olives (optional)
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into strips (optional)
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (optional)
1 egg
1 tablespoon water

Directions

Dissolve the sugar in the warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Sprinkle the yeast over the water, and let stand for 5 minutes until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam. Stir in the oil, salt, and 2 cups of flour, and mix on Low until the mixture forms a wet dough. With the machine running, add 1 cup of flour, 1/4 cup at a time, and knead until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl into a ball. Knead for 3 to 5 more minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Lightly oil a large bowl, then place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a light cloth and let rise in a warm place (80 to 95 degrees F (27 to 35 degrees C)) until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Combine the ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses, pepperoni, parsley, Italian seasoning, olives, green pepper, and mushrooms in a large bowl, and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Punch down the dough, and roll it out into a long, flat strip about 9 inches wide by 30 inches long. Spoon the filling mixture down the center of the dough strip, leaving about 1 inch on all sides for sealing. Pull edges of the dough together; pinch to seal and form a long, filled roll. Place the roll, seam side down, onto the parchment paper in a snakey “S” shape, and tuck the ends underneath to seal. Beat the egg in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of water, and brush the egg wash over the calzone.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the calzone is golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before cutting into individual slices.

Total Time: 2 hours, 5 minutes

Yield: 14 Servings

Original Recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/130268/spooky-calzone-snake/?internalSource=staff%20pick&referringId=17275&referringContentType=recipe%20hub&clickId=cardslot%204

Side Dish: Stuffed Jack-O-Lantern Bell Peppers

Ingredients

6 bell peppers, any color
1 pound ground beef
1 egg
4 slices whole wheat bread, cubed
1 small onion, chopped
1 small tomato, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup prepared yellow mustard
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8×8 inch baking dish.
Lightly mix together the ground beef, egg, bread cubes, onion, tomato, garlic, chili sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
Wash the peppers, and cut jack-o’-lantern faces into the peppers with a sharp paring knife, making triangle eyes and noses, and pointy-teeth smiles. Slice off the tops of the peppers, and scoop out the seeds and cores. Stuff the peppers lightly with the beef stuffing, and place them into the prepared baking dish so they lean against each other.
Bake in the preheated oven until the peppers are tender and the stuffing is cooked through and juicy, about 1 hour.

Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Yield: 6 Servings

Original Recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/180596/stuffed-jack-o-lantern-bell-peppers/?internalSource=rotd&referringId=17275&referringContentType=recipe%20hub&clickId=cardslot%201

Dessert: Cauldron Cake

Ingredients

1 regular-size latex balloon
2 bags dark cocoa candy melts
1 (6 inch) round white cake, cubed
3 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 fun-size Snickers candy bars, chopped up
Gummy worms, candy corn and gumballs for decoration
About 2 cups buttercream frosting
Red and orange food coloring
Pastry bag
Pastry tip #79
Gold disco dust
Small paintbrush

Directions

Dip balloon in chocolate

Blow up the balloon. Rinse under water and dry completely. Melt candy melts in a large bowl in the microwave in 30 second intervals until completely smooth. Dip balloon in melted chocolate, turning to make sure about 2/3 of the balloon is well coated. Set the coated balloon on parchment paper. The excess chocolate that forms on the bottom will help form a nice base. Refrigerate 30-60 minutes till set.

2. Pop balloon

Pop the balloon carefully and peel out of chocolate shell. Place cauldron on a foil-covered cake cardboard or platter.

3. Fill cauldron

In an electric mixer with whisk attachment, whip heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract to make whipped cream. Spoon about 1/3 of the whipped cream into a small bowl and reserve. Fold chopped up Snickers into the larger amount of whipped cream. Start filling the cauldron by layering cubed cake topped with Snickers whipped cream. Repeat until full, ending with a layer of cake. Dollop reserved whipped cream on top.

4. Fill pastry bag

Divide the buttercream into two bowls. Color one bowl orange and one bowl red. In a pastry bag with tip #79 (u-shaped tip), fill one side of the piping bag with orange buttercream using an offset spatula, then carefully fill the other side with red.

5. Pipe flames around cauldron

Pipe a ring of buttercream around the base of the cauldron. Pipe flames all around the cauldron coming up from the base.

6. Fill cauldron with creepy goodies

Fill cauldron with candy corn, gummy worms and assorted candy. If desired, lightly dab water around the edges of the cauldron and brush with gold disco dust.

Original Recipe: http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1020481/chocolate-cauldron-cake-recipe

Make sure to let us know if you enjoyed this spooky Halloween menu!

Check back on www.bctent.com/blog every Monday for a #MenuMonday party food or beverage recipe!