Happy Halloween Party Food

My Precious Sweet Granddaughter Harlow

Watermelon Brain

Cut watermelon in half lengthwise, shave green off, 

cut slits down to red to make a brain

Artichoke Habanero Mummy Dip

shaped by hand with cream cheese piped on top

(see recipe at bottom of post)

Tombstone Pudding Cups

Chocolate pudding topped with chocolate cookie crumbs,

add a sugar cookie cut to shape of tombstone, gel frosting to write

and top with a gummy worm

Mummy Juice Boxes

remove straw from back, wrap in crepe paper, add wiggly eyes

re-glue straw on back, write flavor of juice box on bottom

Healthy Clementine Pumpkins

Mandarin Oranges

Too Much Fun!

Gourde works just as well as a pumpkin

Add water with dry ice and a glow stick inside

Pumpkin Cheesecake Shots

(recipe at bottom of post)

Intestines

Puff pastry filled with taco meat, decorated 

with red food coloring, bake at 350 degrees until

golden brown.  Sprinkle remaining taco meat

around "intestines".  Serve with tortillas, lettuce, tomato,

shredded cheese and salsa for intestine tacos.

Sweet Halloween friends

Sonya's crazy endless decorations, Moi, and Helen's beautiful home

Zackary aka Ninja Wolf and 

Count Dracula Gavin

(Sonya's amazing trailer decorations

complete with hay for comfy seating)

Artichoke Habanero Dip

The Chef In My Head

12 oz  cream cheese

2/3 C. mayonnaise

2 habanero peppers, finely diced

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

3 green onions, finely diced

1-1/2 C drained marinated artichoke hearts, diced

Combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, habanero peppers, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, pepper and cayenne to bowl of food processor, process until smooth.

Transfer to bowl and fold in green onions and artichoke hearts.

Makes about 2-1/2 Cups.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Shots

adapted from Skinnytaste

Check out her recipe and directions!  

The only change I made was using ground ginger snap cookies.

Delicious!  

Happy Halloween!

Hehe!

Go Texans!!

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Grilled Stuffed Jalapeno & Anaheim Chilis

Grilled Jalapenos and Anaheim Chilis

Last year a drought, and this year it won't seem to stop raining.  I'm not complaining.  I am happy to see green hillsides and fireworks without the stress.  Everything is growing out of control, including my tiny garden.  I planted jalapenos, Anaheims, Orange Bell Peppers, Poblanos, Serranos, Tomatillos and several varieties of Tomatoes, Tarragon, Cilantro, Parsley and Basil.  If you remember last year when the drought finally broke, I had Poblanos coming out of my ears so we had Augustine's Stuffed Poblanos with Perfect Rice.  And with more rain this year, my basil is going nuts.  I will probably be making a ton of Pesto and freezing it to have during the winter(you can only eat pesto so many times per week).

I have one small predicament, and maybe you know the answer.  My jalapenos are not very hot.  Actually, to my disappointment these weren't hot at all.  They do seem to gradually be getting hotter as the season progresses as I found in our Tortilla Soup we had for dinner last night. If you know the secret to hotter peppers, please share!!!

During Claire's visit to Texas, she suggested this recipe she found.  The flavor of the filling was wonderful even if the peppers were missing some heat.  I had a few Anaheims so we threw them into there too!  The parental units were here as well,  and this was our snack while waiting for my husband to get home from work.  Yes, we saved him some, but just barely.

I made this on my griddle in my cooktop inside since I forgot to get the propane tank refilled again.  I know, I know, propane in Texas???  I am not building a fire every time I want to grill something like an appetizer.  I guarantee if you had to stand in temperatures pushing 100+ degrees you wouldn't either.  Well maybe with a couple of margaritas on hand you might......sounds like a plan.

Grilled Stuffed Jalapeno & Anaheim Chilis, adapted from Bobby Flay

4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

2 oz. soft goat cheese
1 1/4 cups shredded white cheddar cheese
2 green onions (green and pale-green part), thinly sliced
Salt and black pepper
12 large jalapeño chilis, halved lengthwise, stemmed and seeded
1 heaping Tbsp ancho chili powder


1. Heat grill to medium.


2. Whisk together the cream cheese and goat cheese in a medium bowl until smooth. Fold in the cheddar and green onions; season with salt and pepper. Fill each jalapeño half with about 2 Tbsp of the mixture; sprinkle the top with ancho powder.


3. Place chilis on the grill, filling-side-up, and cook until slightly charred and tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Spoon the Grilled Red Pepper–Tomato Sauce (recipe below) onto a platter and top with the jalapeños.

I didn't know about the sauce recipe at the time, but this sounds really good!  I love sauces and these peppers would be beautiful served on top of a puddle of this!

Grilled Red Pepper–Tomato Sauce


1 large red pepper, grilled, peeled, and chopped
4 plum tomatoes, grilled and charred on all sides, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp red-wine vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper


Combine the red pepper, tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, honey, and cilantro in a food processor; process until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add oil and season with salt and pepper.

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Cream Cheese, Goat Cheese and Pesto Stuffed Chicken Breast

Making a pocket in the chicken breast to hold the stuffing is easy! Browning the chicken before baking gives it a beautiful golden color. Finishing it in the oven ensures that it cooks evenly throughout. You will not need to use a baking dish if you have a skillet that can go from the stove to the oven. This was delicious with grilled asparagus and a salad! I would make this for company anytime. 4 boneless chicken breast 1 egg white ½ C breadcrumbs (I love Panko) 2 tsp olive oil 4 T. cream cheese 4 T. goat cheese 2 T. pesto Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray. Combine cream cheese, goat cheese, pesto and salt & pepper in a small bowl. Cut a horizontal slit along the thin side of each of the chicken breasts, forming a pocket. Place one-fourth of the filling in the center of each pocket. Close the breasts over the filling and secure with a toothpick. Lightly beat egg white in a medium bowl. Place breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Hold each chicken breast closed and dip in the egg white, then dredge in the breadcrumbs. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add chicken breast; cook until browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Place the chicken, browned side up in prepared baking dish. Bake uncovered until the chicken is no longer pink in the center or until an instant read thermometer registers 165 degrees, about 20 minutes.

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Claire's Hot Spinach Artichoke and Jalapeno Dip - 15th Annual Christmas Party 2009 Menu

Thank Goodness for my amaaazing sister Claire!!  No, seriously. She flew down here and arrived the same day we got back in town to help me.  This year, the plan was to try to cut back some after Thanksgiving, all the traveling, wedding, Christmas lighting, etc.  It really didn't work out that way, but we had a blast, probably one of the best ever.  I think all but a very few attended, over 80 people in the house that evening.  Usually, I have my menu planned by the end of October.  Not so this year.  We got back from Hawaii on Wednesday (in a jet lag coma), planned menu and shopped on Thursday, cooked all day Friday and most of Saturday, for the party Saturday night.  Mom was an angel and did her "usual".  Beautiful sweets and treats that after this many years people head for that table looking for their favorites.  I will get her recipes for a later blog.  Delicious!

Here was the appetizer menu:

Claire's Hot Artichoke and Jalapeno Dip, served with crackers
Fabulous, the only dip like this I have ever had that wasn't swimming in oil
Vernell's Apricots stuffed with Almonds and wrapped in Bacon, served with Plum/Cherry Sauce
I never seem to make enough of these, they disappear fast!
Mushroom stuffed Phyllo Cups
My favorite, mushrooms should be their own food group
Mom's Olive, Pecan and Jalapeno Cheese Ball, served with crackers
Sounds like a strange combination, but out of this world!
Risotto Balls with Mushrooms, Pancetta and Parmesan with Marinara Sauce
Lotta work in a large quantity but scrumptious
Meatballs with Cranberry Chili Sauce
So easy, it almost makes up for the Risotto Balls
Prosciutto Wrapped Mozzarella
Many requests for this recipe, super easy

Parmesan Twist

These vanished quickly and were lots of fun to make

Chicken and Jalapeno Sausage Gumbo with Okra, served over rice

15 year long tradition and always a hit

Candied Jalapenos over cream cheese, served with crackers

My one and only make ahead item, disappeared before my eyes

Keg of Shiner Bock, Red Wine, White Wine and Coffee

So I don't overwhelm everyone, I'll give you these recipes is separate posts.  I hope you all are enjoying a wonderful and fun filled holiday season.

Claire's Hot Artichoke and Jalapeno Dip, served with crackers

4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 Cup mayonnaise
2 (4.5 ounce) cans chopped green chiles, drained (I use equivalent amount of Hatch chiles if I have them on hand)
2 Cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 (12 ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained very well and chopped
1/2 Cup jarred chopped jalepano peppers, drained
2 (10 ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained very well (I use my potato ricer to squeeze the moisture out)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix together the cream cheese and mayonnaise in a bowl until smooth.  Stir in the green chiles, Parmesan cheese, artichokes peppers, jalapenos, and spinach.  Spoon the mixture into a baking dish.
bake uncovered until slightly browned, about 30 minutes.  Recipe can easily be halved, but why?

Merry Christmas - LeslieMichele

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