Spiders, monster hands and strained eyeballs aren’t just for
witches’ cauldrons. In fact, they’d make a nice addition to your
dining table.
Spiders, monster hands and strained eyeballs aren’t just for witches’ cauldrons. In fact, they’d make a nice addition to your dining table.
Halloween is the one day of the year that it’s considered perfectly acceptable to cook, bake and consume foods that are a little out of the ordinary. Cupcakes – airbrushed in orange and black and decorated with pumpkins, spiders and cats – are among the most popular items at the bakery at Nob Hill Foods in Gilroy.
“We can hardly keep them on the table,” said manger Donna Orsetti. “The pumpkin-shaped cookies with Halloween sprinkles have been pretty popular, too.”
At the Morgan Hill Bakery, pumpkin-, bat- and leaf-shaped cookies also have sold well, said bakery owner Debbie Hernandez. Pumpkin bread has been another hot seller, she said.
Along with the bakery’s pumpkin bread recipe, here are some delights to keep your Halloween menu festive. But we’re warning you: Some of the recipes are not for the faint of heart.
Morgan Hill Bakery Pumpkin Bread
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup and 1 Tbs. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Step 1: In one bowl, mix together the pumpkin, sugar, eggs and vegetable oil.
Step 2: In a second bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and gloves.
Step 3: Combine the two bowls and mix well.
Step 4: Add walnuts and mix slightly.
Step 5: Pour in greased 9×5-inch loaf pan and bake at 325 for about an hour. Done when toothpick or knife comes out clean.
– Source: Debbie Hernandez, owner of Morgan Hill Bakery
Ritz Spiders
12 Ritz Crackers
1/4 cup peanut butter (to be divided)
36 small pretzel sticks
12 raisins
Step 1: Spread each of six crackers with 1 1/2 tsp. peanut butter. Cover with a second cracker to form the spider’s body.
Step 2: Insert six pretzel sticks into the peanut butter (three on each side) for the legs.
Step 3: Spread 1/2 tsp. of peanut butter on the top of the spiders. Press two raisins in the peanut butter on top of each spider to form the eyes.
– Source: www.cooksrecipes.com.
Monster Hands
Brand new rubber gloves (make sure they aren’t powdered)
Two large packages of Jell-O
Step 1: Make Jell-O according to directions.
Step 2: Pour the mixture into the new, clean rubber glove. Tie tightly with a rubber band at the open end, and place in a bowl before placing in the refrigerator to set. If desired, use masking tape to form the fingers in a particular position.
Step 3: Carefully cut a few slits in the glove and then peel it off once the Jell-O is set.
– Source: www.brownielocks.com
Sulfuric Acid Swig Punch
One 6-ounce can lemonade concentrate, partially defrosted
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 cup cold grapefruit juice
2 quarts lemon sherbet
1 quart cold club soda
Step 1: In a large pitcher, mix together lemonade concentrate, lemon juice and grapefruit juice. Add to this the amount of water required on the lemonade can.
Step 2: Pour the liquid into tall glasses, filling them halfway and add a scoop of lemon sherbet to each glass.
Step 3: Fill the glasses the rest of the way with club soda and serve immediately.
– Source: “Creepy Cuisine: Revolting Recipes That Look Disgusting but Taste Divine” by Lucy Monroe
Spaghetti and Eyeballs
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 Tbs. ketchup
1 egg
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. oregano
One 7-ounce jar pimiento-stuffed olives
One 14-ounce jar spaghetti sauce
1 tsp. salt
One 8-ounce package spaghetti
2 Tbs. butter or margarine
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Step 2: Mix ground beef, bread crumbs, ketchup, egg, pepper and oregano in a large bowl. Form the meat mixture into about 18 to 24 eyeball-sized balls.
Step 3: Press an olive into each eyeball, pimiento side out. Place the eyeballs in a baking dish, cover them with the spaghetti sauce and bake for 45 minutes.
Step 4: About 15 minutes before eyeballs are done, fill a large pot with water, add salt and follow package directions to cook spaghetti.
Step 5: After the spaghetti is cooked, transfer it to a large bowl and toss with the butter or margarine.
Step 6: When the eyeballs are done, carefully spoon them onto the spaghetti, irises (pimientos) up. Spoon sauce from the pan around them.
– Source: “Creepy Cuisine: Revolting Recipes That Look Disgusting but Taste Divine” by Lucy Monroe
Strained Eyeballs
6 large eggs
3 Tbs. mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. mustard
1 tsp. vinegar
One 7-ounce jar of green olives with pimientos
Salt and pepper to taste
Red food coloring
Step 1: Boil eggs by placing eggs in enough cold water to cover completely. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a lower, medium boil and cook an additional 12 minutes.
Step 2: Remove shells from eggs, and cut them in half width-wise, not length-wise.
Step 3: Carefully remove the yolks, and place in a medium bowl.
Step 4: Mash yolks with a fork, and add remaining ingredients.
Step 5: Carefully spoon mixture back into the egg white halves.
Step 6: Press green olive into the center of the yolk mixture, pimiento side up.
Step 7: Dip a toothpick into red food coloring and draw blood vessels in the yolk mixture.
– Source: “Creepy Cuisine: Revolting Recipes That Look Disgusting but Taste Divine” by Lucy Monroe, and www.goodegg.com
Witch’s Fingers
1 package of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
Almond halves
Red or green food coloring
Step 1: Stretch and roll the crescent rolls into finger-shaped lengths.
Step 2: Press almond half into one tip of the finger, pointed side out.
Step 3: Bake according to package directions.
Step 4: When cooled, paint the almond nail with food coloring of your choice.
– Source: Christine Tognetti,
Staff Writer
