Ghoulish Delights: Recipes for Your Happy Haunt

So I like to eat. Who doesn't?? Eating good food is a right of life, the crystalization of happiness and all the good things in the world.

So in honor of the holiday, I've gone about to find some nifty recipes we can all try (except the last one if you're under 21). I've linked in a couple nice recipes I've found through the years. I haven't tried them yet, but that's what makes kitchen discovery DISCO VERY.

OK. First up is a special treat that's very special and near and dear to my heart: Candy Corn. From Food Network's Alton Brown, this recipe makes for (as I've been told) rich, butter, salty and sweet candy bits that, once tried, will make you never go back to the store bought variety ever again. Caveats! Make sure you follow the recipe closely, for deviations may cause your dough to not properly form or stick.

Also, what is pictures is not what you will get, rather, yours will be uniquely shaped with flakey goodness, and a frosted appearance.

Besides, who cares what it looks like when you're devouring them by the handful? XD

Next up is a recipe for a more traditional sweet: the Soul Cake. In olden times, these cakes were given to "soulers" (children or the poor) whom would go house to house like carolers. These soulers would pray for the family, and prayers for the dead. This practice eventually became the predecessor to Trick or Treating.

These round cakes have currants or like fruits in them, and are a little like spice cakes. If you're looking for a new Halloween tradition, making a batch of soul cakes is a good place to start.

A recipe I found on Etsy, this one makes delicious pumpkin butter milk scones. If you're looking for something lightly pumpkin-y without going the Thanksgiving route, try these with friends.

The tip here, as the article and recipe suggest, is to try for a butternut squash instead of straight pumpkin, since they're sweeter (which is true; I've had the luxury of having a butternut squash mac and cheese, which, by virtue of the squash, is devoid of actual cheese.

This recipe I'll provide here since its a BRILLIANT IDEA (and funnily enough someone sent me through Facebook).

Though the pictures pretty much are self explanatory, slice your apples in half and core out the middles substantially, but no so much you core out all the apple.

Place in a muffin tin to keep them upright. Melt caramel and pour it in the cavities and let harden. Try popping into the fridge for a bit to set, then slice and have at it!

Perfect for those who have trouble eating the whole apples on a stick (don't deny it, its like the sharks trying to eat James' giant peach in the book of the same name--there's just no perfect angle of attack), and easier than slicing a whole apple into pieces (and risk pulling a Frodo the 9 Fingered Hobbit).

Last but not least, here's a nice recipe for your alchies out there, the Candied Apple Martini. If you prefer your apples and caramels drinkable (like Alestor). I've had a few in my life, and there are neat variations like a poisioned variety, so if you're feeling rather Snow White-ish, you can ask your bartender for one.

Also, in keeping with candy themed, I do recommend lemon drops, but that's cuz I love my girlie drinks. :3

Eat, Drink, and Be Ghoulish.

Dio (10/6/13)

Photo of Soul Cakes from Dinner Night. Photo of scones by Kimberly Hasselbrink on Etsy. Martini photo provided by Allrecipes.com. Inside out caramel apples belong to someone on FB.