Jack O' Lantern Cookies

Ingredients:

2/3 cup Margarine
?? cup sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 Egg
4 teaspoons Milk
2 cups All-purpose flour
1-?? teaspoons Baking powder
?? teaspoon Salt

Method:

Thoroughly cream margarine. Add sugar and blend until light. Add vanilla. Add egg then beat until fluffy. Stir in milk.

In another bowl put flour, baking powder and salt. Blend with a whisk or a spoon until thoroughly mixed.

Gradually add flour mixture to creamed mixture. Blend well. Scoop dough out onto plastic wrap, cover with wrap and press down to make a thick, flat round. Chill in refrigerator overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut batch of dough in half; keep one half in refrigerator while working with the other half. On a well-floured surface, using a floured rolling pin, roll dough to between 1/8-inch and 1/4-inch thickness.

Use a 2-inch biscuit cutter or round cookie cutter to make cookies. Place on cookie sheet greased with butter-flavored shortening (preferred) or regular flavor shortening. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Cool on wire rack. Repeat with remaining dough.

Store in airtight container until you are ready to spread them with frosting and decorate.

Spread frosting on cookies; then make Jack O' Lantern faces using colorful small candies or icing gel in a tube.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Prep: 20 minutes
Bake: about 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 box (18.5 oz) golden butter recipe cake mix
2/3 cup applesauce (unsweetened, natural)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
24 Kraft caramels, unwrapped

Method:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 muffin cups with paper or foil liners.

2. Prepare cake mix as box directs, substituting the applesauce for water and beating in the cinnamon. Spoon into lined cups. Gently press a caramel on top middle of each cup (the caramel will sink to the bottom during baking).

3. Bake 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of cupcakes comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes before removing cupcakes from pan to wire rack to cool completely.

Fun & tasty!

Makes 24

Pumpkin and Cheese Bake

Ingredients:

450g new potatoes halved
450g pumpkin peeled and thinly sliced
1 large onion about
175g finely sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
125g thinly sliced smoked ham
225g buttery cheese eg taleggio gruyere or fontina thinly sliced
300ml creme fraiche
baguette and green salad to serve (optional)

Method:

Boil the potatoes pumpkin and onion together in a little salted water in a shallow flameproof casserole on the boiling plate for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain off all the liquid and roughly mix in the ham and cheese.

Beat a little cold water into the creme fraiche to give a thick pouring consistency.
Season with pepper then pour over vegetables. Place the casserole on the simmering plate and bring to the boil.

Transfer to the roasting oven and cook uncovered on the grid shelf on the second runners for 40 minutes or until bubbling and golden.

Two or three times during the cooking time stir the crust that forms on top into the dish to add to the flavour. To check the dish is cooked press the tip of a knife into the centre of a potato which should be tender. Serve with a baguette and green salad if wished.

This recipe con be adapted to make a great vegetarian dish. Omit the ham and use an extra 125g of potatoes or pumpkin. Sweet potatoes and celeriac are delicious too simply peel and slice the sweet potato thinly and the celeriac a little thicker and boil with the potatoes and pumpkin. Few will be able to resist this dish of potatoes pumpkin and cheese baked in deliciously rich creme fraiche. With its crisp golden edges and melting sauce its perfect for halloween.

Halloween Crafts

Tin Can Jack o' Lantern

Materials:

Empty tin can (any size) with small hole drilled on either side at the top
primer
acrylic paint in the following colors: orange( 2 shades), white, black
sharpie marker
sponge type paint brush
artist brush about a #5
small piece of sponge
wire (about 18" of 18 gauge wire)
needle nosed pliers
A few strands of raffia (optional)

How To:

Paint cans with primer on outside. Let dry. (This may be done before cans are given to girls).
Paint cans with darkest shade of orange paint.
When dry, turn can so that open side is up and paint two white circles on what will be the front in the place where the eyes will normally be. Allow to dry.
Paint two black pupils within the white circles.
With the black, paint the smile, frown, etc. below the eyes.
With the lighter orange, sponge randomly over the remaining orange paint.
With sharpie marker, outline the eyes.
When all paint is dry, it may have an optional coat of varnish applied to seal and preserve it.
With wire and pliers attach one end to the hole in the side of the can and twist to secure.
With pliers add some twists to the wire to give it an old look.
Attach the other end to the other hole in the can.
A raffia bow may be added for a rustic look.

Craft Project Courtesy: I Love to Craft.
View more Halloween Craft Projects at iLovetoCraft.com
 

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