Halloween Appetizers - Spicy Shrimp Appetizers

If you think Halloween treats are just sugary-sweet candy for kids, then read on for some fun but sophisticated adult Halloween appetizers for your 'big kid' Halloween parties.

Halloween parties are fun for young and old alike, but with adult parties, your Halloween appetizers selections can make-or-break the party. Our spicy shrimp appetizer is designed to appeal to all age groups. This selection from our tortilla wrap recipes is a sure winner. Baby shrimp are rolled up in tortillas with shrimp cocktail and cream cheese and sliced into bite-sized rounds for the easiest finger appetizers.

Spicy Shrimp Appetizer

Makes 24 rounds
Ingredients
1 cup (250 mL) fresh or frozen cooked baby salad shrimp
1 orange (optional)
1/2 (8 oz) (250-g) block cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tbsp (30 mL) seafood cocktail sauce, preferably spicy
1 green onion, thinly sliced
4 small flour tortillas

1) If using frozen shrimp, place in a sieve and rinse under cold running water until ice crystals melt. Then drain well and pat dry. Finely grate 2 tsp (10 mL) peel from orange. Place cream cheese in a medium-size bowl. Stir until smooth, then stir in orange peel, cocktail sauce and onion.
2) Lay tortillas on counter. Evenly spread each with cheese mixture right to edge. Arrange shrimp along bottom of each tortilla. Roll tightly into logs. Wrap each log in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. Just before serving, slice into thick rounds and arrange on a large platter. Top with fresh basil leaves, if you wish.

Recipe Courtesy Chatelaine Magazine

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Halloween Appetizers - Devilish Deviled Eggs

Here is a devilish twist on the classic deviled eggs recipe, and just in time for your Halloween appetizers offerings for the gruesome party day!!

Deviled eggs are a party favorite at any time of year, but with a little bit of imagination, you can transform any deviled eggs recipe from everyday appetizers to scary appetizers, perfect for all the little and big ghosts and goblins at your party! The 'devilish' part of these deviled eggs is created by forming an evil face with the garnishes.

These spicy deviled eggs are brought to you, courtesy of Martha Stewart Living.

Halloween Appetizers - Devilish Deviled Eggs

Ingredients for Deviled Eggs:
12 large eggs
3 jarred roasted red peppers, finely chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp hot sauce (such as Tabasco) - optional
1 small red bell pepper, cut into triangles, for garnish
2 scallions, dark green parts only, cut into small triangles, for garnish
Fresh chives, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, for garnish

How to make Deviled Eggs:
1. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Put eggs into a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Cover; let stand 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer eggs to ice-water bath.
2. When eggs are cool, peel and cut in half lengthwise. Carefully remove yolks, keeping whites intact and transferring whites and yolks to separate bowls. Refrigerate whites.
3. Add roasted peppers, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne and hot sauce (if desired) to yolks. Mash with a fork until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until stiff, about 30 minutes.
4. Mound yolk mixture in each egg-white half. Garnish with bell pepper, scallions, and chives to make devilish faces.

Enjoy!!

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Halloween Appetizers - Guacamoldy with Creature Chips

At Appetizers Unlimited, we know that good guacamole recipes are hard to come by, but after taste-testing this wonderful Halloween party appetizers guacamole recipe, we are sure you will agree that as a party or Halloween appetizers recipe, this is definately a keeper!!

And just to 'sweeten' the pot, this great 'Guacamoldy with Creature Chips' appetizer recipe also qualifies as one of our top star-rated make ahead appetizers recipes as a valuable time saver come party day!!

From Martha Stewart Living Ominimedia, we present:

Guacamoldy with Creature Chips

The chips can actually be made up to one day ahead. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature.

Plain or butter-flavored vegetable-oil cooking spray
24 assorted large flour tortillas, such as plain, whole wheat, and sun-dried tomato
Coarse salt
3 pound(s) (about 7) ripe Hass avocados, pitted, peeled, and cut into chunks.
1/4 cup(s) (about 3 limes) freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper
1 fresh jalapeño chile, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup(s) chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Using a few Halloween-inspired cookie cutters, cut shapes from tortillas. Arrange as many shapes as can fit in a single layer on oiled sheet. Coat tortillas with cooking spray and season with salt. Bake until slightly darkened and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining tortilla shapes, using a clean, cooled baking sheet.
Put avocados, lime juice, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper, jalapeño, and cilantro in a large bowl. Mash with a fork until chunky. Serve with chips.

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Halloween Appetizers - Black Magic Bruschetta Recipe

Halloween is always hectic, and no one has much time to spend in the kitchen preparing appetizers for a party, so this inventive Halloween Appetizers recipe is the perfect party appetizers solution. This creative Black Magic Bruschetta Recipe is a great twist on the traditonal easy Italian bruschetta recipe, and arrives just in time for your last minute Halloween appetizers - guaranteed to be a party-saver favorite!!

Black Magic Bruschetta Recipe, courtesy of Chatelaine Magazine uses black olive tapenade, a store-bought thick olive paste, spread on crunchy toasted bruschetta, which contrasts strikingly with a vibrant orange pepper salsa.

Black Magic Bruschette Recipe

Ingredients:
2 orange peppers, finely chopped
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup (75 mL) shredded fresh basil
1 tbsp (15 mL) each white wine vinegar and olive oil
1/2 baguette, sliced into thin rounds
1/2 8-oz (227-g) container tapenade

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Place peppers, onions and basil in a medium bowl. Drizzle with vinegar and oil. Toss to evenly coat. Place baguette rounds on a baking sheet. Toast in oven until edges are golden, 4 minutes per side. If making ahead, cool, then store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days. To serve, spread rounds with tapenade, then spoon salsa overtop.

Enjoy!

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Halloween Appetizers - Spooky Bites

Courtesy of the Canadian Living Test Kitchen comes this Halloween party appetizers recipe for Spooky Bites - these terrifying tidbits are the perfect formula for some frighteningly good mouthfuls of Halloween appetizers for your Halloween cocktail party.

But before you serve your spooky appetizers, set the scene for an eerie Halloween party with some creative staging - arrange flowers and groupings of colorful liquids (such as Kool-Aid) in test tubes. Write scientific formulas in chalk on a chalkboard. Replace regular lightbulbs with red or green colored ones, or use black lights for an eerie setting. Tape colored cellophane gel to a lamp and direct the light towards a spooky object to highlight.

To serve your spooky appetizers, use metal medical trays, thin tongs and long tweezers for serving. Place food in specimen jars instead of bowls and label with their Latin names, for example: Caseoli (cheese, for bocconcini balls), luglandis (walnuts), Oleae (olives), Betae et ovi (beets and eggs).

Dressing the part of a mad scientist is the best part - Wear a tattered lab coat, chunky glasses with lenses removed (or goggles), a wild wig (think Albert Einstein) and a pocker protector filled with as many pens, pencils and gadgets as can be crammed in.

Now for the crowning glory of the night, your spooky Halloween Appetizers:

Ribs with Blackberry Sauce

3 lb (1.5 kg) pork back ribs, centre cut removed

Spice Rub:
2 tbsp (25 mL)chili powder
1 tbsp (15 mL) dry mustard
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp (4 mL) each salt and cinnamon

Sauce:
1/2 cup (125 mL) blackberry jam
1/2 cup (50 mL) ketchup
1 tbsp (15 mL) balsamic vinegar
2 tsp (10 mL) minced gingerroot
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper

Preparation:
Pour enough water into shallow roasting pan to come scant 1/2 inch (1 cm) up side. Add ribs, meaty side up. Cover and cook in 325°F (160°C) oven for 80 to 90 minutes or until meat is tender. Drain; transfer ribs to cutting board. Let stand for 10 minutes. Cut into 1-rib portions.

Spice Rub: In large glass baking dish, combine chili powder, mustard, garlic, salt and cinnamon; rub all over ribs. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 24 hours.)

Sauce: In small saucepan, combine blackberry jam, ketchup, vinegar, ginger and pepper; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Strain through fine sieve into bowl, pressing on solids. Set aside. (Make-ahead: Let cool; refrigerate in airtight container for up to 1 week.)Place ribs, meaty side down, on rack on foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Broil for 5 minutes. Brush ribs with half of the sauce; broil until bubbling, about 2 minutes. Turn and brush with remaining sauce; broil until sauce forms bubbling glaze, about 2 minutes.

Enjoy!

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Halloween Appetizers

Some people love Christmas, others live for Valentine's Day, but I absolutely love Halloween and everything the season brings - creepy decorations, spooky costumes and scary Halloween appetizers!!

But don't let the thought of creating unique Halloween appetizers scare you - with a little bit of imagination you can 'Halloween-ize' your traditional appetizers to suit the day:

Add a sliced black olive to the middle of deviled eggs to transform them into monster eyeballs Halloween appetizers.

Hollow out a squash then decorate the outside with magic marker to look like a monster (use traditional pumpkin decorating templates found on the internet), then add your favorite guacamole or dip to look like its brains. Serve with tortilla chips or crudités for another great Halloween appetizers transformation.

Press slivered almonds into an apple wedge to look like a monster or pumpkin smile.

Make individual Mummy Pizzas, using English muffins, add olives for the eyes, and your favorite toppings. Place long strips of mozzarella cheese across the top to look like mummy bandages. These Halloween appetizers can do double duty as a kid-friendly dinner before heading out for trick-or-treating.

As you can see, even everyday appetizers can dress up and 'trick-or-treat' as Halloween appetizers!!

Enjoy the day!!

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Halloween Appetizers - Mummy Fingers for the Easiest Finger Appetizers

When we say that these Mummy Fingers are the easiest finger appetizers in our library of Halloween appetizers recipes, we really mean that - not only are Mummy Fingers frighteningly easy to make appetizers, but they give the term 'finger foods' a whole new meaning.

These fun and easy to make appetizers that make your food look like fingers are the perfect kid-friendly appetizers for all your little ghosts and ghouls for their fright-night festivities, or for the older 'kids' for a Halloween masquarede ball.

Mummy Fingers

Ingredients:
Cocktail wieners
Ketchup
Flour tortillas or refrigerated crescent rolls

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut a wedge into the end of each cocktail wiener to make a fingernail.
2. Cut the tortillas or crescent rolls into strips about 3/4 inch wide and about 4 inches long for tortillas or 2 inches long for crescent rolls. If using tortillas, soften the strips in the microwave between damp paper towels for 15 seconds.
3. Roll each wiener in a tortilla or roll strip to look like mummy bandages and place seam-side down on a baking sheet.
4. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from oven and fill the fingernail with ketchup.

Recipe compliments Viva Diva Cafe.

Enjoy!

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Trick or Tr-eating with Halloween Appetizers

With the devilishly fun day quickly creeping up now is the time to plan some frightfully quick and easy Halloween party appetizers for the big day.

Halloween appetizers are fun to create and can be very easy to make simply by converting your regular party offerings into scary appetizers with a few everyday ingredients. A baked brie appetizer can be made to look like a scarecrow by adding black olives as eyes, a thin slice of orange or red pepper as a nose and sliced almonds as a mouth. Pour ¼ to ½ cup of maple syrup on top and bake at 350F for 15 to 20 minutes or until warm. Garnish with shredded wheat around the top and bottom as hair and a beard and serve.

Transform everyday meatballs into delightful Halloween appetizers by topping with marinara sauce, adding a small round of cream cheese and dotting with olive pieces for the eyeballs and serve on wooden toothpicks.

As you can see, it is easy to transform everyday party appetizers into spooky Halloween appetizers with a few everyday ingredients and a little bit of imagination, so put on your witch’s hat and mix up your own brew of unique easy appetizers this Halloween.

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Halloween Appetizers - Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

Halloween party appetizers don't need to be complicated or time consuming to make. In fact some of our best tasting Halloween appetizers take very little time and effort to prepare.

That is certainly the case with this easy to make appetizer idea for Spicy Pumpkin Seeds and as far as Halloween appetizers go, there is nothing more typical of Halloween than pumpkins.

And while you are busy making these spicy pumpkin seeds for your Halloween party appetizers, double up the recipe and put some aside to 'dress up' your All Saints Day salad or vegetables.

Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

4 dried chiles de arbol, stemmed or 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup unsalted shelled raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Finely grind chilies in small spice mill or mortar with pestle. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add pumpkin seeds and stir until evenly toasted (seeds will pop), about 5 minutes. Sprinkle evenly with sugar, salt, and 1/2 tsp chile de arbol powder or cayenne pepper. Toss to coat. Transfer pumpkin seeds to bowl and cool. Can be made 2 days ahead. Store seeds in airtight container at room temperature.

Tip: Chiles de arbol are thin, red, very hot three-inch-long chilies; available at some supermarkets or at specialty food stores and Latin markets.

Recipe courtesy Bon Appetit magazine.

Enjoy!

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Halloween Appetizers - Spooky Scallops

We all know that Halloween is one of the highlights of the year for little kids, but big kids can enjoy it too with adult costume parties, themed drinks and Halloween appetizers.

And appetizers are our specialty! These Spooky Scallops are sophisticated and fun, playing up the orange and black theme of Halloween, yet are one of the easiest finger appetizers to make, using pre-made dip and bottled bread dippers to save on time and effort. But even after the ghosts and goblins have been laid to rest for another year, these Halloween appetizers can be resurrected for any social occasion.

Spooky Scallops

1 baguette, sliced
3 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
1 8 oz tub (227 g) fresh spicy black bean dip (purchased from your local grocery store)
1 tsp grated lime rind
1 tblsp lime juice
1 lb bag (454 g) frozen large sea scallops, thawed
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 carrot, grated
2 tblsp roasted garlic & parmesan bread dipper sauce (purchased from your local grocery or gourmet food store)

1) Brush baguete with oil, place on baking sheet and toast in 400F oven for about 10 minutes or until lightly golden; set aside.
2) In bowl, stir together bean dip, half of the lime rind and lime juice; set aside.
3) Place scallops in bowl and toss with remaining oil, remaining lime rind and chili powder. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and brown scallops on both sides for about 5 minutes or until opaque and firm. Set aside.
4) Spread bean dip mixture onto baguette slices. Slice scallops in half horizontally and place on top of spread. Toss carrot with bread dipper sauce and place a small amount on top of each scallop before serving.

Makes about 32 pieces.

Recipe courtesy Longo's Experience.

Enjoy!

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Halloween Appetizers - Bones-and-Body-Parts Party Mix

If the thought of making Halloween Party appetizers frightens the daylights out of you, leaves you shaking in your monster boots and sends goosebumps shivering down your spine then you have come to the right place. With this Bones-and-Body-Parts Party Mix we will show you that great tasting Halloween appetizers can be fun and easy to make appetizers that require simple preparation and a little bit of creativity.

And if the end result isn't 'picture perfect', just improvise and say that you have invented a brand new scary appetizer for the occasion.

So get out your witches' cauldron, roll up your sleeves and let's get busy mixing up a brew of:

Bones-and-Body-Parts Party Mix

4 cups tiny pretzels
2 1/2 cups round toasted oat cereal
2 1/2 cups bite-size rce or corn-square cereal
1 cup salted peanuts
1 cup round cereal (such as Kix)
2 cups white chocolate baking pieces (12 ounces)
1 tblsp shortening

In a large bowl, combine first five ingredients; set aside. In a microwaveable bowl, microwave white chocolate baking pieces and shortening on high for 1 to 2 minutes or until baking pieces are melted, stirring after every minute until smooth. (Chocolate should be warm to the touch but ot hot.) Pour over cereal mixture; mix well.
Spread onto a waxed-paper-lined 15X10X1-inch baking pan. Cool completely; break apart. Store in an airtight container. Makes 3 1/2 quarts.

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Halloween Appetizers - Jack-o'-Lantern Cheese Ball

Halloween is the best time of year to break from tradition and express your batty personality and ghoulish side with some spookily spectacular Halloween party appetizers. There is no limit to the number of scary appetizers you can whip up by simply 'dressing up' your standard party fare.

This Halloween appetizer recipe idea turns an ordinary cheese ball into a spooktacular party hit with just a little bit of imagination.

So don't hold back, let your creative juices flow, and have fun creating your own Halloween party appetizers.

Jack-o'-Lantern Cheese Ball

Make your favorite cheese ball recipe, shape the mixture into one large and one small ball. Roll each ball in crushed nacho cheese flavored chips. Place cheese balls on kale or parsley on a platter. Cut pitted ripe olives into triangle shaped pieces and press into the cheese ball to make eyes and a mouth (you may need to remove chips from those areas to make the olives stick). Place 1/2 of a dill pickle on the top of each ball for the stem of the jack-o-latern.
Recipe compliments of Better Homes and Gardens

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