Out come the ghouls, witches, goblins and zombies for their annual spook fest! Costume shopping and anticipating the season’s parties to celebrate autumn is on the minds of many, especially our little trick or treaters. Halloween can be seen as the kickoff to the year-end gatherings, cooking, baking and making memories.
Whether you are planning a kids’ Halloween party or just making treats, the holiday’s iconic characters and symbols naturally lends itself to some of the most creative and fun to make goodies. This can be a perfect opportunity for the family to gather in the kitchen and spend some quality time.
Parents try to focus on healthy eating for their kids for most of the year, but Halloween tends to throw the rule book out the window. Kids will accumulate many of the unhealthiest fares in their treat bags, but it is possible to sneak healthy elements into Halloween treats that look too tempting to pass up.
I like to explore tasty, fun and creative options for holiday goodies. Eating for your health includes enjoying the taste of it and its presentation. Here are a couple of delectable delights to try for this Halloween:
Peanut Butter Acorns
The idea here is to make a small peanut butter cookie and combine it with a chocolate kiss to make an acorn.
Ingredients
• ¾ c. smooth natural peanut butter
• ¾ c. sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 large Egg
• 1 tbsp. flour
• ½ c. Mini chocolate chips
• 48 chocolate kisses
Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat first 5 ingredients in a bowl using an electric mixer until well combined.
2. Spoon dough by rounded 1/4 teaspoonfuls onto an unlined baking sheet. Flatten each piece into a dome shape.
3. Bake about 10 minutes or until golden around edges, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Let cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets.
4. Microwave 1/4 cup mini chips in a small heat-proof bowl on high for 30 seconds, stirring at 10-second intervals. Dip the bottom of each chocolate kiss in melted chocolate, and place on the flat side of each cookie. Use the same method to affix a mini chip "stem" to the top of each cookie, completing the acorn.
Candy apples are a classic Halloween treat that “sneaks” nutrition into the fun. But this idea wavers from the usual image of a shiny red apple coated in caramel and nuts!
"Poison" Candy Apples
Ingredients
• 12 baby Granny Smith apples
• 12 wooden candy apple sticks or dowels
• 1½ c. sugar
• ½ c. light corn syrup
• 1 tsp. black gel paste food coloring
Directions
1. Wash and dry apples thoroughly. Place on a baking sheet and poke firmly with dowels. Line a second baking sheet with buttered parchment paper, and set aside.
2. Place a candy thermometer in a medium saucepan and add sugar, 3/4 cups water, and corn syrup. Place over medium heat; whisk until sugar is dissolved. Let the temperature rise without stirring until it reaches the hard-crack mark at 310 degrees F. Remove pan from heat. Carefully remove thermometer, and add food coloring.
3. Swirl pan to mix in the color completely. Swipe and twirl the apple through the candy, shake off excess, and place on buttered baking sheet. Repeat with remaining apples.
