Plan a party that will wake the dead

If you are planning to throw a Halloween party, pull out all the scary stops by turning your home into a delightfully haunted place where anything can, and will, happen. The environment doesn’t have to be very formal. Just transform your castle into a place where spooky fun tops the menu. Here are a few tips:
• Cut a coffin shape from a piece on plywood to use as a serving table top. Saw horses covered by a tablecloth can be used as the base.
• Use Halloween cookie cutters such as bats, cats and witches to cut out sandwiches in fun shapes.
• Freeze fake bugs in ice cubes to use for a punch bowl or in party drinks.
• Keep the lights as low as possible and invest in a CD of eerie Halloween sounds.
• Drape white sheets over the furniture.
• Plan a Halloween scavenger hunt that is within walking distance. Just make sure to have a clear set of rules with boundaries and a timetable. It’s also a good idea to try a dry run to see how long it takes. If items need to be planted in advance, and then get your neighbors involved in the fun. Make sure and keep the weather in mind in case the scavenger hunt has to move indoors.
Here are a few scavenger hunt items to choose from: Acorn, orange sock, today’s newspaper, whistle, AAA battery, broom, miniature pumpkin, piece of thread and a Tootsie Roll.
• If your frightful get-together includes children and adults, plan an inexpensive Halloween craft for your younger guests.
Now that you’re ready, here are a couple of dishes that would be a great addition to any spook-tacular Halloween boo-fet.
Jenny Harper’s Halloween Cookie Cups are so easy to make that it’s scary.
Jack-o’-Lantern Sloppy Joe Pie, by Pillsbury, is a kid’s friendly main course that’s fun to make. If you want to raise the heat level, use a hotter salsa flavor. Both recipes can be found below.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PILLSBURY.COM

For a simple main course, try a Halloween pot pie made with tasty turkey sausage and topped with an easy Pillsbury pie crust.

Jenny Harper’s Halloween Cookie Cups are so easy to make that it’s scary.

Jack-o’-Lantern Sloppy Joe Pie

Ingredients
1 box Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts (softened as directed on box)
1 1/2 pound bulk turkey sausage
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 cup Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers Niblets frozen corn
1 cup Old El Paso Thick 'n Chunky salsa
1/2 cup chili sauce
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 (4.5 ounce) can Old El Paso chopped green chiles
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, if desired

Directions
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

• Remove pie crust from pouch; place on ungreased cookie sheet, unroll crust. With sharp knife, cut jack-o’-lantern face from crust. If desired, place cut outs on crust to decorate, securing each with small amount of water. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until crust is light golden brown.
• Meanwhile, in 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook sausage and onion over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until sausage is no longer pink. Stir in remaining ingredients except cilantro. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until corn is cooked and sauce is desired consistency.
• Stir cilantro into sausage mixture. Carefully place warm baked pie crust over turkey mixture in skillet.

Easy Halloween Cookie Cups
Ingredients
1 package (16.5-ounce) Nestle Toll House Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Dough
1 cup (6 ounces) Nestle Toll House Swirled Milk Chocolate & Peanut Butter Morsels

Directions
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 24 mini-muffin cups.
• Place squares of dough into prepared muffin cups; press down to make a deep well.
• Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until edges are set. Remove from oven to wire rack(s). While still warm, fill cookie cups with morsels. Morsels should soften up, but retain their shape. Cool completely. With tip of knife, remove cookie cups from muffin pan(s).
NOTE: 1 (6-ounce) cup of any Nestle Toll House morsels can be substituted for the swirled milk chocolate & peanut butter morsels.