...  Halloween is all about having fun. No one cares about pagan beginnings, superstitions, or enacting rituals—we’re just having fun pretending for one night to be something we aren’t.  And, with a bit of pre-planning, you can throw the best Halloween party ever! These tips will serve you well whether the party is for children or adults. For instance, you’ll want to serve some sort refreshments, but a child’s menu will be different from that of an adult. The first item up for discussion is where the party will take place. Depending on the amount of people expected, it can be held in your home, a community center, a barn, the back yard or a rented “haunted” house. The location must be checked for possible hazards that could ...

...  your family this Halloween with this Bat Wing recipe. While preparing dinner, take a cue from the witches in William Shakespeare’s MacBeth by repeating, “Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.” Continue by saying something like “Eye of newt, and wing of bat . . .” as you place your Bat Wings on the table. Obviously you don’t want to feed your family Bat Wings. However, you can make a pretty good fake Bat Wing by using chicken wings. This appetizer can be as tame, creepy ...

...  your family love pasta? Do you want to offer your family a twist on their favorite meal around Halloween to keep with the holiday theme? This recipe for Kraft pasta and “Oozing Eyeballs” may be just what you’re looking for. Ingredients Needed: 2 pounds ground beef – You could also use ground turkey or pork if you prefer, or a combination of meats 1 – 6 ounce box packaged stuffing mix for chicken 1 cup water 2 eggs 1 jar spaghetti sauce, divided into 1/4 cup for meat and the remainder for the noodles 4 sticks string cheese cut into quarters Sliced large black olives – ...  your “oozing eyeball.” Bake the meatballs for up to 25 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit. While the meatballs are cooking, cook the pasta according to the package directions and heat the rest of the spaghetti sauce. Drain the pasta. Place a serving of pasta on a plate. Top the pasta with the heated sauce. Finish the plate off by putting two meatballs in the center of the noodles. Your family may realize you are preparing spaghetti for dinner during Halloween week, but they most likely won’t be expecting their meatballs to be looking at them. This Pasta and “Oozing Eyeballs” meal can be a fun alternative to your normal spaghetti and meatball meal. ...

...  is hard to imagine anyone wanting to eat a spider but there are cultures that do just that. When Halloween rolls around, you won’t mind biting into this Chocolate Spider Cluster recipe. It is truly a Halloween treat your children may squirm and scream about, but you’ll see them gleefully eating these spiders. Ingredients Needed: ¾ cup chocolate chips 2 cups crispy chow mein noodles 1/4 cup red candies for eyes (M&M or your preferred candies) Directions: With so few ingredients, you would expect the instructions to be easy, too. And you would be right. Here is how you make these Chocolate Spider Clusters. Begin by lining two baking sheets with parchment or wax paper. This will ...

...  of the things that kids and adults like about Halloween foods are the creepy crawlies and the ghoulish items. The problem is that ghoulish or icky, isn’t always appropriate. And to be honest, even I don’t want to attend a party where everything attacks my senses and imagination. Sometimes I just want to eat that I can eye-dentify, if you know what I mean. The most versatile snack I’ve found that fits this bill is popcorn balls. You add all sorts of flavors and you can “dress” them up with gross creepy crawlies for older people or fun items appropriate for the younger children. These Halloween Popcorn Balls fit perfectly with any crowd and here is how you can make them for your celebration too.   Ingredients Needed: 3 cups brown sugar 3 cups corn syrup 3 sticks butter (1 ½ cups) 3 teaspoon salt 3 cups popcorn kernels, popped Directions: In a large pot over medium heat, add a small amount of oil. Add 1 cup and about 1 cup unpopped popcorn kernels. As popping begins, listen to the speed of the kernel pops. When the speed slows to about 2-3 seconds between pops, ...

...  isn’t uncommon for families to eat hot dogs, or wieners, from time to time throughout the year. They’re quick and easy to prepare especially when you’re rushed for time. This Halloween, why not surprise your family by serving Weiner Worms instead of traditional hot dogs? You can serve these in a bun or just pop them on a plate as an appetizer with condiments for dipping. Ingredients Needed: Enough hot dogs (100% beef seem to work best) for each person A sharp knife A cutting board Ketchup  Mustard Mayonnaise Pickle Relish  Directions: Place the hot dogs on the cutting board and cut each one down the middle creating two halves. Next, depending upon the size of ...