It’s almost that time of year again! Halloween: when all things black and gold around campus suddenly turn black and orange. Every collegiette™ knows that Halloween festivities are divided into two categories: candy and costumes! Check out poll for costume ideas, and keep on reading to learn how to make the very best homemade Halloween goodies. This year, October 31 falls on a Monday, and I have no doubt that it’ll be preceded by a very, um, eventful weekend.
In the spirit of all things sugary, here a few ideas of how to satisfy your sweet tooth in a glamorous, grown-up way. Though I don’t think anyone of us wants to dress up as Martha Stewart for Halloween, I think it’d be super fun to gather a few friends and pretend to be her for an hour or two!
At Wake, the free time we have is sacred, which is why I’m providing some recipes that are fast and simple, yet still super yummy. They don’t even require any baking, just some imagination and lots of junk food. (That way you don’t have to worry about you and your girls chatting over the oven when it goes “BEEP!”)
REESE’S Peanut Butter Pumpkin Spider
REESE’S are my absolute favorite candy. You can’t mess with the classic combination of peanut butter and chocolate! These spiders are so cute that they make me feel less guilty about not being able to resist eating them.
Ingredients:
REESE’S Peanut Butter Pumpkins (1.2 oz. ea.)
Large pretzel twists (2-1/2 to 3 in.)
1/4 cup HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate Chips
White YORK PIECES Candies
Directions:
Line tray or cookie sheet with waxed paper. Remove wrappers from desired number of peanut butter pumpkins. For each spider, cut 8 matching curved sections from pretzels which will form the legs. Set aside remaining pretzels pieces.
Place milk chocolate chips in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at medium for 30 seconds; stir. If necessary, microwave at medium an additional 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chips are melted and smooth when stirred. Transfer to small heavy duty plastic food storage bag. Cut off one corner of bag about 1/4 inch from the tip.
For each spider, place peanut butter pumpkin on prepared tray. Attach pretzel legs and white candy “eyes” to spider with melted chocolate; place dot of melted chocolate on each eye. Allow chocolate to set before moving spiders.
* This amount of chocolate will make about 8 spiders.
Quick Pumpkin Pudding
Nothing screams Halloween, or fall in general, more than pumpkin. I think eating a bowl of creamy pumpkin pudding may be the best way to enjoy the seasonal fruit. Even better: this pudding only has 120 calories per serving.
Ingredients:
1 pkg. (5 1/10 oz.)vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
1 can (12 fl. oz.)NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Lowfat 2% Milk
1 can (15 oz)LIBBY’S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Fat free whipped topping (optional)
Directions:
Beat pudding mix and evaporated milk according to package directions in large bowl; refrigerate for 5 minutes.
Add pumpkin and cinnamon; mix well.
Spoon into dessert dishes. Refrigerate for 10 minutes or until ready to serve.
Top with whipped topping, if desired.
Servings: 7 servings (1/2 cup each)
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Ghastly Black Halloween Punch
No weekend at Wake would be complete without a few cups of punch. This deep purple “ghastly black Halloween Punch” is the perfect thing to mix up while enjoying your REESE’S spiders or pumpkin pudding.
Ingredients:
1 envelope orange Kool-Aid mix
1 envelope grape Kool-Aid mix
2 cups white sugar
3 quarts cold water
1 liter ginger ale (well chilled)
A handful of gummy worms (optional)
Directions:
Stir together the grape and orange Kool-Aid mixes, sugar and water until solids are dissolved.
Combine with chilled ginger ale just before serving.
Garnish with gummy worms.
To further set the tone while munching on your treats, how about listening to some eerie music? I never realized how many popular songs have “Halloween-esque” undertones. Here is your ultimate Halloween Goodie-Making Playlist:
“Disturbia” by Rihanna
“E.T” by Katy Perry
“Devil in a New Dress” by Kanye West
“Candyman” by Christina Aguilera
“I Want Candy” by Aaron Carter
“Monster Mash” by Bobby Pickett
“Superstition” by Stevie Wonder
And of course …“Thriller” by Michael Jackson!
Enjoy these recipes for an super sugar rush before a long night out, and have a happy Halloween!