Bat Chips

1 large flour tortilla per person
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt

Preheat your broiler. Using Halloween cookie cutters, cut each tortilla into bat and ghost shapes. Lightly brush both sides of each creature with oil. Arrange on a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Broil, flipping once when they begin to brown. When brown on both sides, lightly sprinkle with salt.

Creepy Crow Claws

Each recipe makes 8 Claws

1 egg
1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix
1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rounds
32 whole cashews



1.Heat oven to 375°F. In small bowl, mix egg and taco seasoning mix with fork until well blended; set aside.


2.Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray. Separate crescent dough into 8 rounds; unroll into strips. Fold each strip in half; starting at folded end, twist 2 to 3 times, leaving 1 inch untwisted on other end. Place on cookie sheet.

3.Using a paring knife or kitchen scissors, cut each untwisted end to make 4 claws. Cut a small slit in each claw. Place 1 cashew in each slit; press to seal cashew in place to make nail. Brush entire claw with egg mixture. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

4.Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet.

Cheese Puffs / Gougéres

I got these from the Barefoot Contessa, and they rock!

1 cup milk
1/4-pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
1 cup flour
4 extra-large eggs
1/2 cup grated Gruyere, plus extra for sprinkling
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a saucepan, heat the milk, butter, salt, pepper, and nutmeg over medium heat, until scalded(heat just below the boiling point). Add the flour all at once and beat it vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat for 2 minutes. The flour will begin to coat the bottom of the pan. Dump the hot mixture into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Immediately add the eggs, Gruyere, and Parmesan and pulse until the eggs are incorporated and the dough is smooth and thick.

Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip. Pipe in mounds 1 1/4 inches wide and 3/4-inch high onto the baking sheets. With a wet finger, lightly press down the swirl at the top of each puff. (You can also use 2 spoons to scoop out the mixture and shape the puffs with damp fingers.) Brush the top of each puff lightly with egg wash and sprinkle with a pinch of Gruyere. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown outside but still soft inside.

To freeze: Bake, allow to cool, and put in a sealed plastic bag. When ready to use, reheat at 425°F for 5 minutes.

Easy Bruschetta

12 slices Italian bread, 1/2 inch thick
1/4 cup olive
2 medium tomatoes, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 Tbs chopped fresh basil leaves
2 Tbs small capers, drained (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Heat oven to 375ºF.
Place bread slices on ungreased cookie sheet. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of oil on each slice of bread. Bake about 8 minutes or until golden brown.
While bread is toasting, mix remaining ingredients. Spoon tomato mixture onto bread slices. Serve at room temperature.
For smaller appetizers after slicing bread cut each in half then toast.

Peanut Butter Haystacks

1 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup salted peanuts
2 cups chow mein noodles

Melt butterscotch chips and peanut butter on top of a double boiler, or in a microwave. Blend together.

Stir peanuts and noodles gently into the melted peanut butter mixture.

Drop dough by forkfuls onto waxed paper. Cool until set.