Dress Up Your Food for Halloween - Lots of Eyeball Recipes

DISGUSTING DEVILED EYEBALLS

12 eggs
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon mustard powder
red food dye
green food dye
black olives

1. Place eggs in a pot of salted water. Bring the water to a boil, cover the pot, turn off the heat, and let the eggs sit at least 20 minutes.

2. Remove eggs from water and cool enough to handle them. Crack the shells but leave them on the egg. Put the eggs back into the hot water with a tablespoon or so of vinegar and lots of red food dye. Let the eggs sit for half an hour. Rinse, drain and cool. When you peel the eggs, you'll have some great "veins."

2. Cut eggs in half, lengthwise. Remove the egg yolks and mash them together in a small mixing bowl.

3. Mix in the paprika, mayonnaise, green food dye and dry mustard. Spoon mixture into the egg whites.

4. Cut black olives in half and shove an olive half into the middle of the deviled egg. Creepy and tasty.

NOTE: You might notice that this is not the traditional way to hard-boil eggs. I don't even know where I found this method to cook eggs, but I love it. If you're not right there at the twenty minutes, the eggs will wait for you without overcooking.

ANOTHER NOTE: I like to add other things to my deviled eggs, like pickle relish, chopped onion, and capers. Use your favorite recipe.

Photo by SuziJane

EASY CHEESY EYEBALLS

1/2 stick butter or margarine, softened
1/2 pound grated cheddar or Monterey jack cheese
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
24 small stuffed olives

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Combine softened butter with cheese in a mixing bowl until well blended.

3. In a different bowl, mix the flour, paprika, and salt.

4. Add flour mix to cheese and combine well.

4. Form eyeballs around olives with teaspoon size bits of dough.

5. Place them on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

These can also be made ahead. Freeze unbaked eyeballs. When ready to use, thaw eyeballs on cookie sheet for about one-half hour before baking.

LYCHEE EYEBALLS

1 can lychees, drained
1/4 tsp cherry, strawberry or raspberry preserves
1 blueberry

Dry lychee and fill with preserves
Place blueberry, blossom end facing out, into the cavity.

You can also use dates instead of blueberries.

Great for drink garnishes.

Photo by Photos o' Randomness

SWEET N' SOUR CHICKEN EYEBALLS

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 large carrots, chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
1/4 cup ketchup
1 slice white bread
2 tablespoons milk
3/4 pound ground chicken
1/2 zucchini, shredded
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Several pimiento-stuffed green olives, sliced

1. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion, green pepper, and carrot. Cook for 5 minutes, until onion is softened.

2. Stir in broth, tomato sauce, brown sugar, white vinegar, pineapple with juice, and ketchup. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

3. Meanwhile, soak bread in milk in a large bowl until milk is absorbed. Mix together with ground chicken, shredded zucchini, egg, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Shape into 12 meatballs, about 2 tablespoons each.

4. Drop meatballs into simmering sauce. Cook 15 minutes, or until cooked through, turn over once during cooking.

5. When ready to serve, place meatballs and sauce in large, shallow serving bowl. Top each meatball with a slice of green olive. Serve over rice as main dish, or thicken with a little cornstarch to serve as an appetizer.

Photo by Bee O'Brien

MOZZARELLA EYEBALLS

1 pound cherry-sized fresh mozzarella balls
12 pimiento-stuffed green olives, cut in half
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
A couple splashes of balsamic vinegar, if desired.

Using the small end of a melon scooper, scoop out a small hole in each mozzarella ball. Place 1/2 green olive in each hole, with flat side facing out.

Mix together olive oil, garlic powder, black pepper and salt. Drizzle over mozzarella balls, splash with vinegar and serve.

RADISH EYEBALL SALAD


These are perfect to plop on top of any salad or into a cocktail (don't use them for sweet drinks; the lychee eyeballs are perfect for that). Use a potato peeler to take most of the red skin off of the radish, leaving just enough to look veiny. Scoop out a little divot on one end and insert half of a green olive. You can put the olive in the radish either way; experiment to see what you like better. You might also leave the radish root attached to look like an optic nerve.


Photo by TangoPango

This is my basic truffle recipe all dressed up. You can flavor the truffles however you like, rather than using orange liqueur and zest. Kahlua is good, coffee's nice. Use your imagination.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE EYEBALLS

1/4 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons heavy cream
4 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons orange liqueur
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
4 (1 ounce) squares white chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Orange marmelade
a few chocolate chips

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine butter and cream. Bring to a boil, and remove from heat. Stir in 4 ounces chopped chocolate, orange liqueur, and orange zest; continue stirring until smooth.

2. Pour truffle mixture into a shallow bowl or a 9X5 in loaf pan. Chill until firm, at least 2 hours.

3. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Shape chilled truffle mixture by rounded teaspoons into small balls (a melon baller also works well for this part). Place on prepared baking sheet. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

4. In the top of a double boiler over lightly simmering water, melt white chocolate with the oil, stirring until smooth. Cool to lukewarm.

5. Drop truffles, one at a time, into melted white chocolate mixture. Using 2 forks, lift truffles out of the chocolate, allowing any excess chocolate to drip back into the pan before transferring back onto baking sheet.

6. Carefully place a small dab of marmelade on top of the dipped truffle, then plant a chocolate chip upside in the middle of each marmelade dab. Put it in a bit. Chill until set.

7. You can use a toothpick and red food dye to add veins if you like.

EYEBALL SUGAR COOKIES

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
frosting of your choice, in at least 3 colors

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

4. Frost with white frosting. Decorate to be spooky or silly.

Photo by StarMama

BUTTERFINGER EYEBALLS

1 cup creamy peanut butter (not all-natural)
2 tbls. butter or margarine
2 cups powdered sugar
1 NESTLÉ BUTTERFINGER Candy Bar, chopped
2 cups NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Premier White Morsels
3 tbls. vegetable shortening
2 pkgs. NESTLÉ BUTTERFINGER BB'S Candies
1 small tube red decorator icing
Wooden pick or skewer for dipping

Line 2 baking sheets with wax paper.

Beat peanut butter and butter in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in powdered sugar until mixture holds together and is moistened. Stir in chopped Butterfinger. Shape into 1-inch "eyeballs." Place on prepared baking sheets. Freeze for 1 hour.

Melt morsels and shortening in large, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) power for 1 minute 30 seconds; Stir. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until melted. Remove one baking sheet of frozen "eyeballs" from freezer (keep other sheet in freezer until ready to use).

Dip one "eyeball" into melted morsel mixture using a wooden pick or skewer. Shake off excess and return to baking sheet. Gently press 1 Butterfinger BB on top of "eyeball" to make a "pupil." Repeat procedure with remaining "eyeballs" on baking sheet. Refigerate until coating is set. Repeat with remaining sheet of "eyeballs" and coating. You may find it necessary to reheat morsel mixture before dipping second batch. Before serving, pipe decorator icing around eyeballs to create bloodshot markings. Store in covered container in refrigerator. Best served cold.

EYEBALL CUPCAKES

Decorating cupcakes is a lot like making a gingerbread house. You can look around in the candy and baking aisles at the grocery store to find lots of fun items to make your cupcakes scary.

Try M & M's, gummy worms, round swirly mints, Red Hots, chocolate chips, or sliced gelatin candies.

Lots of fruits could be used to help you make your eyeball cupcakes. Slice a strawberry across so you get a round slice. Place that on top of the frosted cupcake, and put a blueberry in the middle.



Photo by megpi

Hilarious Halloween Ghost Women's Dark T-Shirt



"I was so scared I booed my pants"

from Island Vintage. 100% cotton women's tee is preshrunk, durable and guaranteed. Available in black, red, Caribbean blue and violet. Also available on a number of other products, including infant clothing, mugs and sweatshirts.

I Have Flying Monkeys Sweatshirt



"I Have Flying Monkeys...Don't Make Me Use Them"

Warm up in this stylin' Hanes Heavyweight 90/10 cotton/polyester sweatshirt. Thick (but not bulky), for maximum comfort and durability whether you're working out or hanging out.Available in white or ash gray, as well as other shirt styles, on mugs, tote bags, coasters, postcards, mousepads and other products.

Skeletons Rock! Women's Pink T-Shirt



"Skeletons Rock"

100% cotton Women's tee is preshrunk, durable and guaranteed. Available in many colors and styles, and the image is available on many other products.

I Love Pirates Long Sleeve T-Shirt



"I Heart Pirates"

The most comfortable t-shirt ever! 100% cotton, Hanes Beefy-T is preshrunk, durable and guaranteed. Available in many colors and styles, and the image is available on many other products.

BOOGERS ON A STICK

8 ounce Jar cheez whiz
3 or 4 drops Green food coloring
3 dozen pretzel sticks or small breadsticks

Melt cheeze whiz in the microwave according to jar directions. Allow the cheese to cool slightly in the jar. Carefully stir in food coloring using just enough to turn the cheese a pale snot green. To form boogers: Dip and twist the tip of each pretzel stick into the cheese, lift out, wait twenty seconds, then dip again. When cheese lumps reach a boogerish size, set pretzels boogers on wax paper to cool. Really gross Halloween food.

This can be pretty salty. The breadsticks help that a little. You might also try to find unsalted pretzel sticks.