Tag: Halloween

The Worms Go In – Dirt Cake That Is

You may have heard the old song “The worms go in, the worms go out, in your stomach and out your mouth.” Fortunately, these worms will go in your mouth because they are gummy worms. Your children will enjoy helping to decorate this cake, but they will enjoy eating it even more!

Dirt Cake

Before you can make a really good dirt cake, you have to have the right dish to hold it. Since this cake doesn’t have to go into the oven, why not use a new plastic cauldron that has been washed and dried? It will be a novel way to serve your guests for a Halloween party.

You will need the following ingredients:

* 1 1/2 to 2 pounds chocolate crème filled cookies such as Oreo
* 1 – 8 ounce tub of cream cheese
* 1 cup powdered, or confectioner’s, sugar
* 1/2 stick softened butter
* 3 1/2 cups milk – You can use whatever type you like
* 2 small packages of instant vanilla pudding
* 1 – 12 ounce container whipped cream topping such as Cool Whip

Begin by creaming together the cream cheese, softened butter and powdered sugar in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix together the milk and instant pudding for at least two minutes. Then add the whipped topping and mix thoroughly.

Combine the two mixtures together with a spoon ensuring the two are combined well.

In a large plastic zip-top bag, place part of the cookies and crush them until they reach the desired “dirt” consistency. This is easily accomplished by adding pressure with a rolling pin. By having the cookies in the bag, you’re assured to reduce cleaning time. Put the remainder of the cookies in another plastic bag and repeat.

Line the bottom and sides of the cauldron with aluminum foil. This will help make clean-up much easier. Place one and one-half inches of the cookies crumbs in the bottom of the cauldron followed by the pudding mixture. Continue alternating the layers so you end up with pudding on the top. Cover the cauldron with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least two hours.

Before serving, add an inch of cookie crumbs to the top. Decorate the ‘cake’ with gummy worms, spiders and whatever other creepy candies you can find. Use a spoon to serve. Your guests will love it once they can get past the idea of eating worms and insects.

The Eye is on Scary Eyeballs

Nearly everyone has had bloodshot eyes at one point in their life, especially if you’re a parent. Children may squirm when they see these treats and realize they are supposed to eat them. Be prepared, however, there is quite a bit of sugar in these eyeballs, so your children may not be able to close theirs for a while after enjoying them.

Scary Eyeball Treats

* 1 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter – If you are preparing these for your child’s school party, be sure to ask the teacher if any of the students have peanut allergies. It would be a nice idea if you can have something special for them so they won’t feel left out.
* 1/2 cup softened butter or margarine
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 3 3/4 cups powdered or confectioner’s sugar
* 12 ounce white candy coating – Chopped to make it easier to melt
* 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
* 20 blue chocolate coated candies
* 20 brown chocolate coated candies
* Red decorating gel

Cream the peanut butter, vanilla and butter in a medium sized mixing bowl. When it is thoroughly creamed, start adding a little bit of the confectioner’s sugar and mix it well before adding more. When all the sugar is incorporated, roll the dough into 1 inch balls. Place them on a baking sheet or plates and refrigerate them for at least one-half hour.

Melt the candy coating and shortening in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat it for 30 seconds and then remove the bowl to stir. Continue doing this until the candy coating and shortening are completely melted and combined. Stir until it is smooth. Allow the mixture to cool slightly before you begin dipping the peanut butter balls into the coating. Place the balls on waxed paper which is on the table.

Complete the treat by adding one chocolate coated candy on each peanut butter ball. Be sure any writing is not visible. Allow the balls to cool until the coating has set. Make the eyeballs look “bloodshot” by squeezing a thin line of red gel on them. Start in the center and go to the sides.

As you hand each child their treats, tell them you always wanted to “keep your eye on them” and this is the perfect way to do just that!

Spaghetti and “Oozing Eyeballs”

Does your family love spaghetti? Do you want to offer your family a twist on their favorite meal around Halloween to keep with the holiday theme? This recipe for Spaghetti and “Oozing Eyeballs” may be just what you’re looking for.

Spaghetti and “Oozing Eyeballs” – A spooky twist on Spaghetti and Meatball

* 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 – Enough for each eyeball to have one slice
* 1 – 1 pound package spaghetti

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

As the oven is heating, mix together the meat, stuffing mix, water, eggs and 1/4 cup spaghetti sauce. Be sure the mixture is well-combined. Pinch off some of the meat mixture and create 16 two-inch meatballs. Push one piece of string cheese into the top of the meatball. Don’t push the cheese entirely into the meatball; you want some of the cheese to show at the top. Place the meatballs onto the baking sheet and place one slice of olive onto the cheese. This will create 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 spaghetti and heat the rest of the spaghetti sauce.

Drain the spaghetti. Place a serving of spaghetti on a plate. Top the spaghetti 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 Spaghetti and “Oozing Eyeballs” meal can be a fun alternative to your normal spaghetti and meatball meal. Enjoy!

Rest in Peace with Dirt Nap Pudding

Dinner for Halloween night may include Stuffed Intestines (sautéd vegetables wrapped in chickpea dough), bat wings and wormy hot dogs. You know the children will want to go out to trick-or-treat, but you may still want to give them a delicious Halloween dessert so they will be less likely to dig through their bags before they get home.

For this recipe, you will need:

* 1 box of pudding and pie filling (Chocolate is recommended for the color but any flavor will do)
* 2 chocolate sandwich cookies
* 4 vanilla wafer cookies
* 1 tube of black cake decorating gel (You may have to get this at a cake store or near the bakery department of the grocery store)
* 4 serving cups or one large bowl
* 4 candy flowers or fun Halloween candy

Begin with the pudding. Place a sauce pan on the stove and turn the burner on medium heat. Add the pudding mix and the milk into the pan. Stir constantly. Allow the mixture to come to a full boil. Follow the remaining instructions on the box. Pour the pudding into four serving cups or one large container.

To create the “dirt,” open the chocolate sandwich cookie and remove the filling. Place the cookies in a plastic sandwich bag and crust the cookies to a medium size. This can be accomplished by rolling a cup or drinking glass over the cookies. Sprinkle these crumbs over the top of the pudding before it sets.

To create the “headstone,” lay a vanilla wafer on the table and write RIP on the wafer. Leave enough room at the bottom so the “headstone” can be planted in the dirt and you will still be able to read it.

Add a candy flower or rosette in front of the tombstone. You can find candy flowers and rosettes in the cake baking aisle or the bakery of the store. Let your children help decorate the dessert by adding candy worms or pumpkins to the pudding. Place the cups in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve them with your Halloween meal.

If you are eating dinner as a family before taking the kids out to scour the neighborhood for candy, you may want to give them something sweet before they leave. This may curb their sweet tooth and keep them from sampling their goodies while on their way. When you offer this dessert, you can tell their sweet tooth to rest in peace with this Dirt Nap Pudding.

Here’s looking at you! Spooky Eyeball Tacos

Can you think of anything more unnerving than having someone stare at you? If you’ve ever eaten fish with the head still on it, you know that feeling. At Halloween, you can create Spooky Eyeball Tacos for dinner.

Tacos are great for dinner at any time of the year. However, when you make this recipe for Spooky Eyeball Tacos, your family will be surprised to see their dinner looking back up at them from the plate. Here’s what you’ll need:

Spooky Eyeball Tacos

* 1 pound ground beef – Ground turkey can also be used if you want to reduce fat in your diet
* 1 package taco seasoning mix – You can also use your own seasonings that your family enjoys
* 12 pre-shaped corn taco shells
* 3/4 cup thick and chunky salsa
* 3/4 cup sour cream – Low-fat sour cream can also be used
* 1 can sliced black olives – 2.25 ounce can, drained

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Combine the ground meat and seasoning in a medium bowl. Go ahead and use your hands to mix these ingredients. When the mixture is thoroughly incorporated, pinch off a little bit of meat and roll it in your hands. You want to make about 36 one-inch taco meatballs. Place these in a 15 inch by 10 inch by 1 inch baking or casserole dish. Try to keep the meatballs from touching as much as possible.

Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for about 15 to 20 minutes. You may also want to use a meat thermometer to verify the meat has reached 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

While the meat is baking, prepare the vegetables for your tacos. Some suggestions are lettuce, tomatoes, avocados and onions.

Put the vegetables into the taco shell but don’t fill them entirely. Leave enough room to place two meatballs. Then pour a small amount of salsa over the meatballs followed by a small dollop of sour cream on each meatball. Top the sour cream with one olive slice on each meatball to make them look like eyeballs.

While this might not be the traditional way to put together a taco, it’s a great option for Halloween week. Give it a try and see if your family doesn’t think having their tacos looking at them isn’t spooky.

Surprise Your Family This Halloween by Serving Weiner Worms

It 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?

This is such an easy meal you can fix with ingredients you probably already have around your home. And, by using a little ingenuity, you can really make this a truly gruesome meal. Here are the items you’ll need:

* Enough hot dogs (100% beef seem to work best) for each person
* Enough large hamburger buns for each person
* A sharp knife
* A cutting board
* Softened butter or margarine to toast the buns
* Your favorite condiments – Ketchup, Mustard, Mayonnaise and/or Pickle Relish

Place the hot dogs on the cutting board and cut each one down the middle creating two halves. Next, depending upon the size of the hot dogs, you will want to either cut each half in either half again or in thirds. Set the hot dogs aside as you finish each one.

Some people score the hot dogs to encourage them to curl more. You can do this by carefully scoring one edge of the hot dog; however, you don’t want to go all the way through the hot dog.

You can cook your Weiner Worms by microwaving, boiling or grilling them. Some people love grilled hot dogs but remember, the hot dogs are very thin and may fall through the grill unless they are placed perpendicular on the grill. As the hot dogs cook, no matter which method you use, they will begin to curl and look like worms.

Set your oven to broil as you spread a small bit of butter on each half of the hamburger bun. Place them on a baking sheet and then under the broiler. Keep an eye on the hamburger buns as they may burn easily. Remove the hamburger buns from the oven and allow them to cool a few minutes.

You can serve the “worms” on the toasted hamburger buns with some of the “worms” hanging out of the bun. Use whatever condiments you like. You can also serve them as finger foods by placing them in a bowl with ketchup drizzled all over them.

Imagine walking through a spooky forest and then hearing the “slosh” made when you step in muddy water. Try as you might, it is hard to pull your foot from the mud as it sucks your foot deeper and deeper making it hard for you to get away. Well, you won’t have to worry about that happening if you make this Halloween Swamp Dip.

The ingredients you’ll need for Halloween Swamp Dip are as follows:

* 1/4 cup butter or margarine
* 1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
* 1 small red bell pepper, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
* 1 tablespoon of finely chopped garlic, the fresher the better
* 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup chicken broth (canned or homemade)
* 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
* 1/2 cup feta cheese with herbs and garlic or 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/4 cup plain yogurt
* 1 – 10 ounce package of fresh spinach leaves. Remove the stems and cut them into thin strips
* 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
* Salt and pepper to taste

Begin by melting the butter in a 10-inch skillet until it sizzles. Add the onion, garlic and red bell pepper. Stir constantly and cook this over medium heat. You want the onions to soften which will take between 5 and 6 minutes. Add the flour and continue to stir. Cook this new mixture for about 1 minute. Next add the chicken broth and heavy whipping cream. Stir with a wire whisk and continue cooking the mixture until it begins to thicken. This takes approximately 2 to 3 minutes.

Once the mixture has thickened sufficiently, stir in the cheese, yogurt, spinach and hot pepper sauce. Allow this to cook until the spinach wilts and it is hot all the way through. Remove the mixture from the heat and add salt and pepper to taste.

Find a Halloween themed bowl to serve the dip in or use a bread bowl. This can be created by getting a good sized round loaf of bread. Slice the top off and remove the center leaving about an inch of bread on the sides and bottom. You could also use a small hallowed out pumpkin to serve the dip in. Spoon the dip into the container and serve it while it is warm. You can use bread slices, crackers or sliced vegetables to eat it.

Halloween Bat Wings Dinner for the Not-So-Squeamish

Surprise your family this Halloween. 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 speaking, as you like or you can ramp it up and make it spookier, too.

You will need the following ingredients:

* 1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons, of oyster sauce
* 1/4 cup of light brown sugar
* 1/4 cup of black bean sauce
* 1 cup of soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon of black paste food coloring
* 20 whole chicken wings with the tips intact

Start the sauce for the Bat Wings by combining all of the ingredients except the chicken wings in a medium bowl. Whisk these together until they are well-combined. Separate 1/3 of the sauce mixture and set it aside.

Put all of the chicken wings into a large (at least gallon size or larger) plastic zip top bag. Pour in the remaining soy sauce mixture and then ensure the bag is properly sealed. Massage the wings, turning the bag over and over, until the wings are thoroughly coated. Place the bag in the refrigerator and allow the meat to marinate for at least 2 hours. Overnight would also be good. While you’re awake, turn the massage the chicken wings every 30 minutes to ensure the sauce coats the wings.

When you are ready to prepare the wings, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place either parchment paper or aluminum foil on the baking sheet. This will make clean-up a breeze.

Take the wings out of the marinade and shake off any excess liquid. Throw the marinade away; this is NOT the time to reuse and recycle. Lay the chicken wings on the lined baking sheet. Try to lay the wings on the baking sheet so the wings are extended somewhat.

Bake the wings for 20 to 25 minutes or until the juices run clear when pricked with a fork. Use the soy sauce mixture you reserved to brush on the wings every 10 minutes. Take the wings out of the oven and use the remaining mixture to give the wings a final brush. Move them from the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool slightly before you serve them.

This Gravedigger’s Cake is the perfect treat for parties or youngsters who are seeking sweets during Halloween. Rather than let them dig into the candy they brought home, let them dig into the Gravedigger’s Cake instead. When they’re otherwise occupied eating the cake, you can remove any candy you do not want your children to have. This is also a good time to put the candy up where your children can’t find it so you can control how much sugar they get at once.

For this cake, you will need the following ingredients:

* 4 ounce box of instant chocolate pudding
* 2 cups of milk, any type
* 6 ounce package of whipped topping, thawed
* 1 box cake mix, any flavor your family likes

You will also want to have the following items for decorations: gummy skeletons, candy corn, ghost, spider and bat Peeps, jelly pumpkins and Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies.

Prepare the cake using the instructions provided. Pour the batter into one 9 by 13 inch pan. Bake for the recommended time. When the cake is baked, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for a minimum of two hours.

While the cake is baking, put the pudding mix, milk and whipped topping in a medium size bowl. Beat this mixture for about two minutes or until it is completely incorporated. Set this in the refrigerator to cool until the cake is ready.

Using a spatula, carefully spread pudding on the side of the cake. Use the remainder of the pudding mixture on the top of the cake. It doesn’t have to be perfectly level; in fact it may look more like a graveyard if there are peaks and hills.

Before you push the cookies into the cake, write “RIP” on the cookie using black-tinted decorating gel. Gently push the cookie into the cake but allow the writing to be seen. Place any of the other candy items you chose for decorations onto the cake. Better yet, let your children decorate the cake.

You can tell the children that the cake will be waiting for them when they get home from trick-or-treating so they should leave their candy in the bag. You will want to have control over how much candy and sweets they’ll eat. Having the cake at home may help them control their sweet tooth and it will certainly be something they will dig.

Who says only children get to have all the fun at Halloween? There’s no reason you can’t plan a Halloween party for your adult family and friends. If you do, you may wonder what types of foods to serve. Children will be happy with chips and dips but your adult guests may want something a little more sophisticated. Bat Bites might be the perfect solution.

When you were a child you may have hesitated going out Trick-or-Treating because you knew bats came out at night. You may have been afraid a bat was going to bite you and you would turn into a vampire. Even though this wasn’t possible, you didn’t want to take any chances.

By preparing these Bat Bites, you have the opportunity to turn the tables on those bats that kept you scared. Rather than your being bitten, you get to put the bite on the bat!

Before we get into the recipe, here’s a bit about Bat Bites. They often contain goat cheese, which may not be a normal ingredient you use in cooking for your family. Another ingredient you may not have on hand is poppy seeds. Even though these ingredients aren’t common, these appetizers simply won’t be the same without them.

Ingredients include:

* 1 small (4 ounce) package of cream cheese, at room temperature
* 8 ounces soft, mild goat cheese, at room temperature
* 1/4 cup pesto
* 2 tablespoons ground pepper, coarsely ground
* 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
* 8 pitted olives, sliced
* 32 peppercorns
* 32 triangular chips, blue corn chips are good or you can use any type your family prefers

Begin these wonderful Bat Bites by combining the cream cheese, goat cheese and pesto. Be sure the ingredients are well-combined. Place the cheese mixture into the refrigerator and allow it to cool for at least 40 minutes.

After the cheese has cooled long enough, you can use a spoon to separate the cheese mixture into 16 equally-sized amounts. Roll these into 16 2-inch balls. Roll each cheese ball in black pepper and poppy seeds to cover the white cheese. This will give it a black appearance.

Press two olive slices into the cheese to indicate the eyes. Then press two peppercorns into the center of the olives. The peppercorns will be the bat’s pupils.

Carefully press two complete chips into the sides of each cheese ball. These will be the wings. Place the Bat Bites on a platter and chill until ready to serve.

Perhaps you or a loved one has gluten intolerance or celiac disease. You can still have something sweet for Halloween. These treats may take a little while to prepare, but they are yummy treats anyone with celiac disease can enjoy.

Candied Pecans

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups pecan halves, one tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons yacon syrup and 1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt. Mix these together until the pecan halves are thoroughly covered.

Place them in a single layer in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish and bake them at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. Remove them from the oven and then allow them to cool.

Chocolate Cookies

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mix together 1/4 cup of carob powder, 1/4 cup of rice flour, 1/4 cup potato flour and 1/2 cup white sugar. Beat 3/8 cup of butter or margarine with one large whole egg. Add the egg mixture a little at a time to the dry ingredients. Beat these together until the mixture is smooth.

Pinch out a small amount of dough, and using your hands, roll the dough into small balls. These will be placed on a greased cookie sheet. Press a fork in a criss-cross shape using the tines. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool before serving.

Meringue Bones

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Place brown paper bags or parchment paper on cookie sheets to line it.

Separate three large eggs and put the yolks aside. Using a medium bowl beat the egg whites, 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar and 1/8 teaspoon of salt at high speed until the mixture is fluffy. Add 2/3 cup of sugar slowly and then add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla to the mixture and beat for another minute to incorporate it.

Place the mixture in a piping bag or large plastic bag. Add a plain piping tip to the bag or simply snip off a tiny corner. Pipe out as many three inch bone shapes onto paper as you can. Bake these ‘bones’ for one hour. Turn off the oven and allow the ‘bones’ to continue drying in the oven for an additional hour. When they have finished drying, place them in an airtight container to keep them from becoming soggy. This will make about four to five dozen ‘bones.’

These three gluten-free treats will allow anyone with gluten intolerance, or celiac disease, enjoy sweet treats for Halloween. Of course, they taste delicious so you may have others asking to share.

Don’t Squish This Spider – Devil’s Food Spider Cupcakes

It is not uncommon for people to have arachnophobia – the fear of spiders. But it’s a pretty good bet your Halloween guests won’t mind having these spiders on their plate. These Devil’s Food Spider Cupcakes are delicious and will even be a hit with those who don’t like spiders.

Devil’s Food Spider Cupcakes – This recipe will make 24 cupcakes

* 1 2/3 cups scalded whole milk
* 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 2 cups sugar
* 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 sticks unsalted butter
* 2 cups sugar
* 6 large eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 12 chocolate, cream filled, sandwich cookies – separated
* 48 yellow jellybeans
* 48 black pipe cleaners, or chenille stems, cut in four pieces

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add cupcake liners or muffin cups to two 12-cup muffin pans. Set these aside as you prepare the cupcake batter.

Place the milk in a sauce pan and heat it just to the point of boiling to scald it. Add the cocoa and 1/2 cup sugar to the scalded milk and mix well. Set this aside to cool.

Begin the batter by sifting together the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Set this aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and the remaining sugar. Slowly add the eggs, one at a time, until the mixture is glossy and yellow. Stir in the vanilla. Then add the chocolate mixture to the creamed sugar and butter.

Add the flour, in two batches, into the previous batter ingredients. Mix well to ensure all of the flour is incorporated into the batter. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Filling the cups about 2/3 full is best.

Bake the cupcakes for 20 to 24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely.

After they are cool, you may frost the cupcake and place one-half of the cookie onto the center of each cupcake. Put frosting on the ends of two jellybeans and place them on the cookie for eyes. Place eight pieces of pipe cleaner – four on each side – into the cupcake for legs.

Even people who hate spiders will set aside their fears for these scrumptious devil’s food spider cupcakes. If you serve them to small children, you will want to use black licorice for the legs to make them safer.

Chocolate Spider Clusters – A Halloween Treat

It 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.

There are only three ingredients for this recipe. You will need:

* 1 – 6 ounce package of semi-sweet chocolate chips
* 2 cups of chow mein noodles
* 1/4 cup red mini M&Ms or Red Hots

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 make clean-up easy because the baking sheet won’t get dirty.

Pour the chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat the chocolate in the microwave on high, 60 seconds at a time. Remove the bowl carefully, so you don’t burn yourself, and then stir it well. If you’re not satisfied with how smooth the chocolate is, you can heat it again for 10-second bursts. Stir the chocolate between bursts. If you would rather not use the microwave, you should be able to melt the chocolate by placing it in a double boiler. Remember to stir frequently so the chocolate doesn’t burn. Don’t overheat the chocolate or it could seize up into a stiff mass.

Carefully hold onto the side of the bowl while you pour the chow mein noodles into the melted chocolate. Stir the two ingredients together. Using a tablespoon, drop the mixture onto the prepared baking sheets.

Create the eyes by pressing two red candies onto the cluster. Lift up eight chow mein noodles to make it appear like the spider has legs. Place the baking sheets in the refrigerator to allow the clusters to harden. This will take about 20 minutes.

These are best served chilled. They can be placed in an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator. They will remain edible for up to a week, but it’s likely your family won’t let them stick around that long.

The Chocolate Spider Clusters may not cure someone of being afraid but it may help. Why not give these little treats a try this Halloween?