Halloween Recipes

Here's a clever twist on deviled eggs. My two-year-old loves them.

Yields: 12 mice

• 6 large hard-cooked eggs, chilled
• 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 radishes, thinly sliced
• 24 dried currants
• 1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts
• 1 log (1 ounce) string cheese, shredded into 12 strands

Peel eggs and slice in half lengthwise. Scoop out yolks and place in a medium bowl. Add cheddar cheese, cream cheese, mayonnaise, and salt. Mash with a fork to blend. Spoon the yolk mixture into the whites and level off with the back side of a knife. Set aside remaining yolk mixture.

Place the egg halves on a work surface, yolk side down. Cut small slits in the whites and insert radish slices for ears. With a toothpick, poke holes for eyes and noses. Insert currants for eyes and little pieces of radish for noses. Place the mice on a bed of sprouts. Use string cheese for the tails. Mold remaining yolk mixture into little "cheese balls."

These miniature pudding pies are squeamishly fun to make and eat!

Yields: 12 pudding cups

• 1 package (4-serving size) instant chocolate pudding mix, plus milk called for on package
• 1 package (18 ounces) refrigerated sugar-cookie dough
• 12 chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
• Gummy worms

Prepare pudding according to package directions. Chill.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin, including the space between the cups, with shortening (do not use nonstick cooking spray; it will make the cups stick).

Slice cookie dough into 12 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a 5-inch circle. Fit each circle into a muffin cup, using your fingers to fix any tears. Let the dough extend about 1/4 inch above the rim of the cup and make sure that the cookies do not touch each other.

Bake 12 minutes or until edges are lightly golden and the cups have puffed up. Remove from oven and push down the center of each cup. Bake 2 more minutes or until golden. Let cool completely in the tin on a wire rack. Remove cups from the tin.

Spoon 1/4 cup of the pudding into each cup. Sprinkle with cookie crumbs and top with worms.

Serves: 4

• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tails left on
• 1 cup Bloody Mary mix
• 4 wooden or metal skewers

In a large resealable plastic storage bag, combine the shrimp and Bloody Mary mix. Seal and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 15 to 20 minutes. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Thread the shrimp onto the skewers and grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until the shrimp turn pink. Note: For an even easier way to prepare this, forget about the skewers and place the shrimp directly on a fish-grilling rack or in a hinged grill basket.

Serves: 6 to 8

• 1 can (46 ounces) tomato juice
• 1/2 large cucumber, diced
• 1 small green bell pepper, diced
• 5 scallions, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• Hot pepper sauce to taste

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients; mix well. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

• 2 med potatoes
• 8 ox thin spaghetti
• 14 oz spaghetti sauce

Preheat oven to 400. Wash and cut potatoes in half crosswise. Place the

potatoes cut side up and bake for 40 minutes. Cook spaghetti sauce and

noodles as called for. When potatoes are done, scoop out the insides,

put a scoop of bloody brains into the potatoe "skulls" and serve.

• 1-1/4 cups (300 mL) granulated sugar

• 1 cup (250 mL) Golden Crisco Shortening

• 2 eggs

• 1/4 cup (60 mL) corn syrup or regular pancake syrup

• 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla

• 1 tsp (5 mL) lemon extract

• Grated rind of one lemon

• 3 cups (750 mL) all-purpose flour (plus 4 tablespoons/60mL, divided)

• 3/4 tsp (3 mL) baking powder

• 3/4 tsp (3 mL) baking soda

• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt

• 1 cup (250 mL) jam (strawberry, blueberry or your favourite flavour)

• 1 egg, beaten

1. Combine sugar and shortening in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, syrup, vanilla, lemon extract and lemon rind. Beat until well blended and fluffy.

• 3/4 cup (175 mL) Golden Crisco Shortening

• 1-1/4 cups (300 mL) firmly-packed brown sugar

• 1 egg

• 1/3 cup (75 mL) milk

• 1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) vanilla

• 1 tsp (5 mL) finely-chopped orange rind

• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) orange extract

• 3 cups (750 mL) quick oats, uncooked

• 1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour

• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt

• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) cinnamon

• 1 cup (250 mL) raisins

• 1 cup (250 mL) coarsely-chopped walnuts

• 1 cup (250 mL) orange and brown chocolate-covered candies

• 2/3 cup (150 mL) Golden Crisco Shortening
• 3/4 cup (175 mL) granulated sugar

• 1 tbsp (15 mL) plus 1 tsp (20 mL) milk

• 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla

• 1 egg

• 2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour

• 1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) baking powder

• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt 24-30 flat ice cream sticks
• Assorted decorations (baking chips, raisins, snipped dried fruit, coconut, nuts, coloured sugar etc.)

• 1 cup (250 mL) Golden Crisco Shortening

• 1-1/2 cups (375 mL) granulated sugar

• 2 eggs

• 2 tbsp (30 mL) milk

• 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla

• 2 3/4 cups (675 mL) all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp (10 mL) cream of tartar

• 1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda

• 3/4 tsp (4 mL) salt

• 1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar

• 2 tsp (10 mL) cinnamon