Frightful food, part 1

'Twas the week before Halloween and all through the house,

Creatures were stirring, especially the mouse.

Cobwebs were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that the ghosts soon would be there.

Here are tips and recipes from the Taste team; give them a try.

KITTY LITTER CAKE

Makes 20 to 24 servings.

1 (18 1/2-oz.) pkg. spice cake mix

1 (18 1/2-oz.) pkg. white cake mix

2 (4-serving size) pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix

1 (12-oz.) box vanilla wafer cookies, crushed

6 to 10 Tootsie Rolls

Powdered sugar

1 brand new cat litter pan

1 brand new plastic pooper scooper

Green food coloring

Plastic flies (very optional)

Directions

Prepare the cakes and pudding according to package directions.

Crumble the baked cakes into the kitty litter pan, then add the pudding and mix. Add a few drops of green food coloring to 1 cup of the cookie crumbs and set aside; mix the rest into the pan.

Soften the Tootsie Rolls by placing in the microwave for 10 seconds on high and shape to resemble cat droppings. Arrange the Tootsie Rolls on top of the cookie-pudding cake mixture, sprinkle all with green cookie crumbs, then with a bit of powdered sugar.

Decorate with plastic flies, if desired. Serve with pooper scooper.

UGLY EYES

You can never have too many eyeballs at a Halloween party. Freeze individual grapes in ice cubes for floating "eyes." Or peel grapes or cherry tomatoes for just the right gross texture. (To make it easier to peel either, make a cut in them and drop them into boiling water for a few seconds, then into cold water; the peels will come right off). Pimento-filled olives and hard-cooked or deviled eggs also have that Halloween look.

Or make your own eyeballs by baking a batch of brownies, then crumbling them while still warm into a bowl and squishing them into 1-inch balls. Dip the balls in melted white candy-coating, refrigerate to set, then dip again. Use gel, raisins or small candies for decoration.

GELATIN HAND

Prepare the gelatin with less water than usual so that it is very firm (1 1/4 cups water for a 6-oz. pkg. will fill an average glove). Cool slightly. Using a clean rubber glove (inside out if there's a cloth interior), fill with prepared gelatin and refrigerate until set. Carefully peel off the glove and serve.

BOOGERS ON A STICK

Pasteurized process cheese spread, such as Cheez Whiz

Green food coloring

Thick pretzel sticks

Directions

Melt cheese spread and cool slightly. Add enough food coloring to tint the spread green. Dip end of pretzel sticks into cheese spread and let set for a moment, then dip again, repeating until there is a lump on the end of the pretzel. Let set on wax paper to cool.

SIMPLE PIMPLES

Note: The tub type of cream cheese is easier to spread, especially the whipped variety. If you have the solid cream cheese, just add a bit of milk and beat it till it's easier to work with.

Cherry tomatoes

Cream cheese in a tub

Directions

Core tomatoes. Place cream cheese in a pastry bag (or in a plastic sandwich bag with one corner cut off). Squeeze the cream cheese in each tomato and make a slight mound on the outside.

TONGUES ON TOAST

Bread slices

Butter

Bologna slices

Directions

Cut each slice of bread into the shape of a mouth, making an opening between the upper and lower "lip." Lightly butter the bread. Cut the bologna into the shape of a tongue and place between the lips. Heat in a toaster oven or under a broiler under lightly brown. Serve immediately.

HAIRY PITS

3 large shredded wheat bundles

3 tbsp. honey

1 tbsp. light brown sugar

1 c. milk chocolate chips

2 tbsp. butter

Directions

Carefully cut the shredded wheat bundles in half along the long edge and open like a book. Spread out the wheat strands. Set aside.

Place the honey, brown sugar, chocolate chips and butter in a saucepan and heat over a low flame to melt. Stir constantly. Mixture should be smooth and glossy.

Remove from heat and gently stir in the shredded wheat. When coated, scoop the shredded wheat onto waxed paper in small equal portions. Use a fork to gently rake "hairs" in one direction. Refrigerate to set.

EYEBALLS FOR A CROWD

Makes about 20.

A variation on the eyeball theme, in this case with peanut butter and powdered sugar as the base. Or coat these in chocolate and you'll have homemade peanut butter cups for another occasion.

1/2 c. peanut butter

3 tbsp. butter, softened

1 c. sifted powdered sugar

4 oz. vanilla-flavored candy coating

Dab of vegetable shortening, if needed

20 candy-coated milk chocolate pieces (M&Ms), if desired

Red and black decorator gel icing

Directions

In a mixing bowl, stir together peanut butter and butter. Gradually add powdered sugar, stirring until combined. Shape into 1-inch balls; place on waxed paper. Let stand about 20 minutes or until dry.

Carefully melt the candy coating. If the coating is too thick, add a tiny bit of shortening to the coating (start with a 1/4 teaspoon of shortening). If you make the melted coating too thin with the shortening, add some more candy coating to thicken it up.

The coating needs to be thick enough so you can't see through the coating on the "eyeball." Drop the ball into the coating and roll around to cover it. Place on waxed paper and refrigerate 1 hour or until coating is firm.

For the best effect, repeat with a second coat of candy coating. Immediately press a piece of candy onto the center of each peanut butter ball. Let stand until coating is firm. Add a dot of black gel to the center of the candy pieces (for the pupils). Drizzle red gel onto balls for veins.

GHOULISH FINGERNAILS

Makes 2 cups.

2 c. pumpkin seeds

2 tbsp. vegetable oil or melted butter

2 tsp. salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Clean the seeds by rubbing off any fibers. Do not wash. Combine seeds with vegetable oil and spread on a baking sheet or on the bottom of a baking dish. Sprinkle with salt. Roast, stirring or shaking the pan frequently, for 30 to 40 minutes or until the seeds are crisp and evenly browned. Cool and store seeds in an airtight container.

FAKE BLOOD

Note: The dish soap makes the "blood" run better, but makes it inedible.

2/3 c. white corn syrup

1 tsp. red food coloring

1 squirt dish soap

Directions

Mix together corn syrup, food coloring and dish soap. Apply as desired. .

FINGER FOOD

The "fingernails" can be either pepperoni pieces or whole almonds.

Refrigerated breadstick dough

Pepperoni sticks or blanched whole almonds

Fresh rosemary

Directions

Place the individual breadstick dough on a greased cookie sheet. Cut the ends of pepperoni sticks into the shape of a fingernail and nudge it into the breadstick "finger." Or use a whole almond as a fingernail.

Make small marks at the "knuckles." Sprinkle with rosemary for a hairy look. Bake according to the directions on the breadstick package.

QUICK IDEAS:

Dig those worms: Hot dogs become wiggly worms when you cut them into thin slices, score the edges and boil or microwave them until they curl like wiggly worms. Serve on a bun.

Sweep dreams: Make mini witches' brooms with pretzel thins and fruit roll-ups. Cut a 2-inch length from a fruit roll-up. With the shorter ends on the side, fringe the bottom (but leave an uncut border at the top) to create broom bristles. Moisten the upper edge and tightly wrap around the pretzel.

Boo, who? Banana is the base of this tasty treat. Cut a banana in half, push a popsicle stick into each of the cut ends. Cover each pop with plastic wrap and freeze until firm (about 3 hours). Next, melt a piece of white chocolate candy in the microwave, and spread melted chocolate on the frozen banana halves. Set the pops on a dish covered with waxed paper. Press on candies or raisins for eyes and mouths and return to the freezer until ready to serve.

You little devil: Ditch the paprika on top of deviled eggs and use a black olive instead. You'll have instant eyes.

Finger lickin' good: A bowl of dip is a bowl of dip, but it becomes downright scary when there's a carrot hand sticking out of it. Peel four thin carrots for fingers and a medium carrot for the thumb. Cut a diagonal slice along the top of each carrot, where you can "glue" on an almond slice for fingernails with cream cheese. Stick the fingers in the tip and give yourself a hand.

A ghostly snack: Cereal and marshmallow treats take on a spooky look when formed into ghost shapes and dipped into melted candy coating. Use pieces of licorice, chocolate sprinkles or chocolate pieces for facial features. Scary (and easy)!

Pumpkin patch: For party favors or table decorations, slice the curved ends off two orange-slice jelly candies and press together. Slice the bottom off of a green gumdrop and place the top part on top of the pumpkin.