Halloween Decorations and recipes

Halloween Decorations

Making your own Halloween decorations is a great way to save money, entertain the kids and give your home that festive look!   Here are several do-it-yourself Halloween decoration ideas for inside and out.

- Create a Pumpkin Vase

The pumpkin vase is a creative twist on the traditional jack-o-lanterns, which commonly decorate doorsteps.  Simply cut a hole around the stem on the top of a pumpkin and scoop out the inside.  Then fill the pumpkin with water and add freshly cut autumn flowers; make sure to cut the flower stems so the blooms sit just above the pumpkin opening.  Pumpkin vases make a great addition to the jack-o-lantern display on the front porch, or create several and use them instead of jack-o-lanterns.  They also make great centerpieces!

- The Blood Red Carnation Wreath

Buy an Oasis wreath ring  and soak in water for 30-60 minutes, depending on size. Trim red carnation stems to about 1-2 inches.  Begin inserting the trimmed carnations around the outer edge of the ring, making sure to insert each bud all the way to the bottom of the bloom. Once you have finished lining the outside of the wreath, use that as your starting point for the second row.  Continue to add rows of carnations until the Oasis foam is no longer visible.  Then loop a long piece of black satin ribbon through the center of the wreath and tie the ends in a bow.  Your wreath is now ready to hang and enjoy.

-Halloween Garland

Instead of tacky spider webs, make a Halloween floral garland for your railings, door frames, mantle or mailbox post.  Purchase an autumn leaf garland from your local craft store.  Then attach fall flowers, such as orange roses, orange lilies, red or yellow carnations, even wheat using a gold ribbon to hold the flowers in place. Adding mini pumpkin picks and plastic spiders will also add a festive touch.

-Spooky Potion Jars

Fill a specimen jar with water and add enough food coloring to give the water an ominous yellow or red hue.  Then arrange poppy pods, cornflower heads, lotus pods or black eyed susans within the jar.  Put the lid on the jar and reveal your supernatural solution to all.

Halloween recipes

Leave your boring black and white sprinkles and ol' chocolate frosting behind and create these little pumpkins (like the one shown above), ghosts and eyeballs instead! For the base of all three Halloween cupcakes, I used this recipe for red velvet cupcakes. Omit the red food coloring if you prefer just chocolate!

Red velvet cupcakes

Yields about 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 12 tablespoons unsweetened dark chocolate powder
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups of white sugar
• 1-1/3 cups skim milk
• 1-1/3 cups butter or margarine, softened
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons red food coloring

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place Halloween cupcake liners in a muffin tin, set aside.
2. Mix sugar, eggs, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, milk and butter in a bowl. Beat with an electric mixture until creamed. Gradually add in flour and chocolate, mix until no lumps and mixture is creamy. Mix in red food coloring. Fill each liner with about 2/3 cup of batter and bake for about 25 minutes.
3. Place on a wire cooling rack and cool completely before frosting.

 

Happy pumpkins

Recipe makes 2 cups of frosting.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup of margarine or butter
• 1 jar (about 7-8 ounces) of marshmallow creme (NOT topping!)
• 1 teaspoon of almond extract
• 16 ounces (about one package) of confectioners' sugar
• 1-1/2 tablespoons of skim milk
• Red and yellow food coloring
• Mini chocolate chips, regular size chocolate chips, black jelly beans and almonds

Directions:

1. To make the frosting: Mix butter, marshmallow cream and sugar together until mixed. Add in almond extract. Slowly add milk. Add in 50 drops of yellow food coloring and about 8 drops of red to create a deep orange color. Frosting will be thick and will easily form peaks.
2. To decorate: Once the cupcakes have cooled, frost them with a butter knife. Using the back of a knife, make light indents that curve slightly to the right (to mimic a pumpkin). Add two black jelly beans as eyes, one regular size chocolate chip for a nose and create a smile (or whatever) with the mini chocolate chips. Make a stem by sticking an almond out of the top of the cupcake.