Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
placeholder article
placeholder article

Quick and Easy Halloween Recipes for Parties or Small Gatherings

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Kean chapter.

Halloween is approaching fast! Before you know it, mummies, vampires, zombies and witches will be ringing your doorbell. If you’re living on campus, then you’ll probably see them walk around in the hallways or on the sidewalk looking for their next victim…to hand them candies. Gotcha!

For those of you who are planning to host a Halloween party or who expect a small group of friends come over and watch horror films with you—whether in your dorm room, in your apartment or at home—it’s not too early to start thinking about what type of food or drinks you want to offer your guests. Chances are that partying will make them hungry and horror films will make them wish they had something to munch on when the suspenseful scenes arrive.

To make it easier for you, I have created a list of quick and easy Halloween recipes from Taste of Home magazine that are perfect for any event (well…most of them are quick and easy!). I even divided them in categories. You just have to pick and choose!

[pagebreak]

Appetizers

Goblins with Pumpkin Dip — Although I’ve never tried pumpkin dip before, it sounds delicious! If you haven’t either, it’s never too late to try it or even make it. Who knows? Maybe you and your guests will fall in love with the taste. But if you or a guest is allergic or simply in a hate relationship with anything made out of pumpkin, then just substitute the pumpkin dip with another dip that you or your guests would prefer more. No matter which dip you choose, those goblins will taste so good! Recipe


Mummies on a Stick — Aren’t these mummy dogs adorable? You and your guests will want to eat them all up! After wrapping the hot dogs in some Halloween fun and after cooking them, present them in a serving dish and I’ll bet that they will disappear quickly. Who said that mummies are scary? Recipe


[pagebreak]

Drinks

Boo Beverage — This drink is quick and easy. Just blend orange sherbet, orange juice and bananas together, and you’ll get cups filled with orange madness. Not only is this beverage healthy, but it also blends perfectly with the Halloween theme. Don’t forget to add a spooky ghost figure with whipped cream on the drinks’ surface to complete that theme. Recipe



Ogre Eyes Hot Cocoa — Did you ever feel like someone was watching you? Well…if you do serve this hot cocoa, its ogre eyes will be all over you and your guests. But don’t worry! These big, dark chocolate eyes are completely sweet and harmless. You and your guests will be glad they’re floating in the hot cocoa. Recipe
 



[pagebreak]

Main Course

Worm Salad — This salad can be served either hot or cold…it’s up to you and your guests! It isn’t really part of a main course, but it can become a main dish by simply adding chicken, shrimp or tofu. This dish’s slightly sweet flavor will conquer your guests’ taste buds and it will also catch everyone’s eye with its mix of colors. Don’t let its “wormy” appearance fool you! Recipe



Beef Stew with Ghoulish Mashed Potatoes — This is one of those dishes that takes a long time to cook. However, its warmth and mixture of beef, peas, carrots, mushrooms and parsnips will be worth the wait—especially in a chilly Halloween night. Besides, who can resist the ghoulish-shaped mashed potatoes that pop out from the bowl? Recipe
 



[pagebreak]

Dessert

Marshmallow Witches — If you’re looking for a dessert that is both cute and fun to make, then the marshmallow witches are a great choice. Your guests will have a good time picking chocolate kisses, mini peanut butter cups and chocolate wafers from the witch’s hat and eating them. Just make sure to close your windows and doors…you wouldn’t want the marshmallow witches to fly away! Recipe

 

Strawberry Ghosts — Who doesn’t love chocolate covered strawberries? These strawberries, however, are a little bit different than usual. Not only are they dipped in white chocolate with a sprinkle of almond flavor, but they also resemble howling ghosts with their opened chocolate mouths. Can your guests say “Boo”? Recipe
 



[pagebreak]

Whichever dish you choose to serve to your guests—whether it’s an appetizer, a drink, a main course or dessert—just remember to have fun preparing it. Good luck and happy Halloween!

(Photo Credits: Taste of Home)

Francesca was born and raised in Sicily, and speaks Italian fluently. She migrated to the United States with her family when she was 11-years-old. Francesca did not speak English when she arrived in the U.S., but that did not stop her from continuing to be a good student. She always enjoyed learning and opening her mind to new ideas and concepts. Francesca's favorite quote is "Veni, Vidi, Vici" (I came, I saw, I conquered) by Julius Caesar. That quote doesn't only relate to Francesca migrating to the U.S., learning a new language and adapting to a new culture, but it also relates to her battle against cancer. She was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma in 2005 and completed all of her treatments in 2006. She has been a cancer survivor since then. Francesca continues to live her life to the fullest and to achieve success. She is currently a Communications/Journalism student at Kean University, NJ. Prior attending Kean, she attended Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg, NJ, where she earned her Associate's Degree in both Communications and English. Francesca is passionate about writing and editing. She has written several news and feature articles for The Tower, Kean's student newspaper, and she is currently the Head Online Editor for The Tower. Francesca is also an intern at www.thealternativepress.com, where she covers events and meetings in Westfield, NJ. Her career goals include writing feature stories for The New York Times and eventually, launching her own magazine company. When she's not busy, Francesca loves to spend time with her family and her friends. She enjoys cooking and creating new recipes, watching movies with her boyfriend and simply relaxing. After the fall semester is over, she plans to launch her own blog about her two favorite topics: fashion and food. A little advice from Francesca: "You can do anything you set your mind to."