Scare up a monstrous bash

The countdown is on to spooking and assorted revelry. The signs of that festive day are all around us as those ghouls, witches and wizards — along with princesses, pirates, etc. — look forward to Oct. 31.

So, throw on a costume and act like a kid — with or without the kids. Transform your house into Frankenstein’s lab with a few party tricks and Halloween goodies. Set the scene with a mad scientist-themed sweets table, and carry it home with a crazy good menu featuring frightfully yummy appetizers, some mocktails for the kids (and non-drinkers in your crowd) and, of course, treats.

Melted Witch Punch

Play mixologist with a perfect potion recipe featuring a few easy ingredients.

•  6 cups water
•  1 cup white sugar
•  1 (6 ounce) package lime-flavored gelatin mix
•  1 (46 fluid ounce) can pineapple juice
•  2 quarts orange juice
•  1/2 cup lemon juice
•  2 (2 liter) bottles chilled lemon-lime soda

Mix water, sugar, and gelatin mix in a large saucepan and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and cook at a boil, whisking frequently, until gelatin and sugar have dissolved, about 3 minutes. Stir pineapple juice, orange juice, and lemon juice into gelatin mixture and transfer into resealable plastic bags. Place in freezer until slushy, about 4 hours.

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Bring Frankenstein to life

It’s not a mad scientist Halloween party without Frankenstein. This easy Frankenstein cake makes a big statement, a fantastic centerpiece for your sweets table and will make others green with envy over your decorating skills.

• 6 cups favorite cake recipe or mix
• 4 cups white ready-to-use decorator icing
• Green food coloring
• Black icing (in pouch with tips)
• Large candy eyeballs
  
  

Tools needed:

• 6-by-3-inch round pan
• 10-by-16-inch cooling grid
• Cake plate
• Cake leveler
• 13-inch angled spatula
• 12-inch disposable decorating bags

Prepare cake according to instructions and make two layers using 6-inch round pans. Bake and cool on cooling grid.

Prepare green icing. Stack layers on cake plate for a two-layer cake, using leveler as needed. Ice cake sides smooth.

Use black pouch icing without tip to cover top of cake. Use tip of spatula to create spiral effect. Use black pouch icing with star tip to pipe pull-out bangs around top edge and two hair strands on cake top.
Prepare a disposable decorating bag with more green icing; cut a hole in point of bag (the size of tip 3)SO. Attach candy eyeballs with dots of green icing. Pipe green eyelids.

Use black pouch icing with round tip to pipe dot nose and neck bolts, outline mouth and stitches.

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Spooky Graveyard Pie

Eventually the monster’s lair will lead out to the “graveyard.” Set the mood with this treat.

• 3 cups (about 32) finely ground chocolate sandwich cookies, divided
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 can (12 fluid ounces) evaporated milk
• 1 3/4 cups (11.5-ounce package) milk chocolate morsels
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 8 chocolate filled vanilla wafer cookies
• Black and purple decorator writing gels
• Assorted Halloween candies

Combine 1-1/2 cups cookie crumbs and butter in 9-inch pie plate. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and upsides of pie plate. Set aside remaining 1 1/2 cups crumbs for dirt topping.

Whisk together evaporated milk, egg yolks and cornstarch in medium saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is very hot and thickens slightly; do not boil. Remove from heat; stir in morsels until completely melted and mixture is smooth.

Pour into crust. Sprinkle with remaining 1-1/2 cups cookie crumbs. Press crumbs down gently. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until set.

Decorate cookie tombstones with writing gels as desired; let set. Insert tombstones around edge of pie. With spoon, mound cookie crumbs to form “fresh graves.” Decorate graveyard with candy to make the pie as spooky as you want it to be!

Makes 8 servings.