Holiday treats for the whole family

Posted: October 28, 2012 at 6 a.m.

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Peanut Butter Eyeballs

1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup softened butter

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tbsp. vanilla

12 ozs. white chocolate, chopped

2 tbsp. shortening

2 drops blue food coloring

1/2 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

Red food coloring

Beat the peanut butter and butter with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in the sugar and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll chilled dough into small, eyeball-sized balls and place on 2 baking sheets lined with wax paper. Refrigerate for another 30 minutes.

Melt the white chocolate and shortening in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring after each melting, for 1-3 minutes (depending on your microwave). Do not overheat or chocolate will scorch. Dip each eyeball into the white chocolate and transfer to the waxed paper. Chill in the refrigerator until the chocolate has set.

Stir a few drops of blue food coloring into the remaining melted white chocolate. Make a round “iris” on the top of the cooled eyeball and press a mini chocolate chip in the center for a “pupil.” For extra-spooky bloodshot eyeballs, take a toothpick dipped in red food coloring and make squiggly lines on the eye.

B.C. Ghost Cookies

12-oz bag vanilla chips

1 pkg. Nutter Butter cookies

64 miniature chocolate chips

Place a piece of wax paper on a cookie sheet. In the microwave or on the stove, melt the vanilla chips. Once melted, keep them over a hot pan of water to keep them soft.

Using tongs, dip each cookie into the softened vanilla chips, making sure they are fully coated. Hold until all the excess drips off. Lay on the cookie sheet and place two chocolate chips in the top for eyes. Let cool at least 10 minutes.

Popcorn Cake

1 gal. popped corn

12-oz. jar of roasted peanuts

11-oz. bag plain M&M’s

11-oz. bag of peanut M&M’s

1 stick margarine or butter

1 large bag of marshmallows

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix popped corn, peanuts and M&M’s in a large bowl.

Melt margarine and marshmallows, add vanilla. Pour over popcorn goodies and mix thoroughly. Pour and press into well-buttered bundt cake pan. Let harden in pan about 1 hour. Empty onto cake platter and serve.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnappy Crust

CRUST

1 box gingersnaps (about 16 oz.)

1 stick butter, melted

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup pecans, chopped fine

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

FILLING

3 pkg. (8 ozs. each) cream cheese, room temperature (may

use low-fat but not fat-free)

2 cans (15 ozs. each) solid-pack pumpkin (not pumpkin

pie filling)

4 large eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

3 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

2 tsp. ground allspice

1/2 tsp. salt

SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

1 cup dark-brown sugar, packed

1 cup sugar

1 stick butter

2/3 cup water

1/2 cup heavy cream (can use milk or half-and-half)

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For crust: Crush the gingersnaps in a food processor or by placing them in a zippered storage bag and crush with a rolling pin. Reserve 1/4 cup for garnish. Combine all crust ingredients in bowl. Press into bottom and up sides of 10-inch or 11-inch springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes or until pecans are just slightly toasty. Cool a bit before filling.

For filling: In a bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add spices, beat until light in texture. Add more spices to taste if desired. Add pumpkin puree and mix until just blended. Stir in eggs one at a time, scraping sides of bowl after each addition. Stir in cream.

Pour batter into springform pan over cooled crust. Bake in center of oven until cheesecake is firm to touch and not jiggly in middle, about 50-60 minutes. Let cheesecake cool on a wire rack for about 45 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (overnight is better). The cheesecake will fall slightly in the middle as it chills, giving it that classic cheesecake shape with a ridge around the edge.

For caramel sauce: Put sugars and water in small heavy saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat until thickened.

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