Creative Food and Food Art

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Jack Skellington Cupcakes

Much as he wanted it to be, Christmas did not turn out to be Jack Skellington's forté. Still, with a bow tie that resembles a bat and a pet dog whose nose looks like a glowing Jack-o'-lantern, Jack remains king of Halloween. After all, who else do you know that can remove his own head and put it back on again none the worse for wear? Inspired by this remarkable trick, these cupcakes make a sweet, if nightmarish, Halloween treat.

What you'll need

Batch of chocolate cupcakes

White buttercream frosting

2 toothpicks

Tube of black decorator's icing

How to make it

Frost the cupcakes.

For each cupcake, use the tip of a toothpick to lightly etch the outline of two large Jack Skellington eyes in the frosting.

Slowly pipe black decorator's icing onto the etched lines and then fill in the inner circles. Use another toothpick to spread and smooth the icing.

Pipe on two short lines for a nose. Next, pipe a long line across the bottom of the cupcake for the mouth. For the finishing spooky touch, randomly top the mouth with a bunch of short icing barbs.

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Dead Man's Finger Sandwiches

A simple recipe for spooky, healthy, Halloween finger food by Annabel Karmel

You will need:

Thin sliced white bread, crusts removed

Soft margarine

Cream cheese or peanut butter

Almonds

Strawberry Jam

Gently flatten the slices of bread with a rolling pin to make them more pliable. Spread with a little margarine and some cream cheese or peanut butter. Roll up the sandwiches and make three indentations with a blunt knife to form the finger joints. Trim the ends of the fingers into a 'V' shape and stick an almond on to each tip with a little cream cheese to form the nails. Now for the gruesome bit - add a dollop of strawberry jam over the end of the finger for the blood !

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What a World What a World arrrgghhhh!  Melting Witch Pudding Cups  http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/melting-witch-pudding-cups-recipe/1/ <-- recipe  Ingredients 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1 teaspoon shortening 8 Bugles original snacks 1 box (4-serving size) white chocolate instant pudding and pie filling mix 4 cups cold milk 1 box (4-serving size) chocolate fudge instant pudding and pie filling mix 6 drops green food color 8 creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookies or chocolate covered mint patties 8 pretzel sticks 1 tablespoon Fiber One cereal or chow mein noodles, pieces broken in half 16 gummi worm candies Instructions Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and shortening on High 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until melted; stir until smooth. To make tops of witch hats, dip snacks, one at a time, into melted coating, letting excess drip off. Place point up on cookie sheet. Let stand until coating is set. Prepare white chocolate pudding with 2 cups of the milk as directed on box. Prepare chocolate fudge pudding with remaining 2 cups milk as directed on box. Stir green food color into white chocolate pudding until well blended. For each pudding cup, spoon 2 tablespoons of the green pudding into bottom of 4-ounce clear plastic cup or serving dish; top with 2 tablespoons of the chocolate fudge pudding. Repeat with each flavor to form four layers. With handle of spoon, gently swirl the two top layers. Insert cookie in pudding; top with chocolate-coated Bugle® to resemble witch hat. Insert tip of pretzel stick into pudding with a few pieces of cereal sprinkled at the base to resemble a broom. Insert ends of 2 gummi worm candies into pudding and hang over edge to resemble the witch’s legs.

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Spooky Halloween Bundt Cake

Ingredients 1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist white cake mix Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box 1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist Dark Chocolate cake mix Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box Black food coloring Purple food coloring Orange food coloring 1 (12 oz) can Betty Crocker Whipped Fluffy White Frosting Directions: Heat oven to 325°F. Generously grease a 12-cup tube cake pan. Make cake batters as directed on boxes. Divide the white cake into two separate bowls. Add orange food coloring to one bowl and mix to the desired color. Then, add purple to the other and mix to the desired color.Pour 2/3 of the chocolate cake batter into a bowl and mix with a few drops of the black food coloring. Discard the remainder of the batter or use it for cupcakes. (You only need 2/3 of the chocolate cake batter, because if you use the whole thing in won’t fit in the tube pan). Pour 1/2 of the chocolate cake mix into the bottom of the greased pan. Carefully pour the purple over the chocolate making sure you don’t stir it. Just pour it on top.Then, carefully pour the orange batter over the purple batter and pour in the remainder of the chocolate.Bake as directed on box or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes.Turn pan upside down onto cooling rack that is placed over a cookie sheet. Cool cake completely, about 30 minutes Once cake is cool, equally divide your frosting into 3 bowls. Use the food coloring again to make one bowl orange, one purple and one black. Microwave each bowl of frosting for a few seconds on high until it is smooth enough to drizzle over the cake. With a spoon, drizzle the black frosting back and forth around the whole ring in a striping pattern until you use it all. Then do the same with the purple and then the orange.

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☆★•♥• Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream Recipe! •♥•☆★ http://www.iwashyoudry.com/2012/09/13/pumpkin-cheesecake-ice-cream-eggless/

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No-Bake Strawberry Lemonade Bites Ingredients: For the crust: 4 graham cracker sheets (8 squares) 2 Tablespoons melted butter 1 Tablespoon brown sugar Nonstick cooking spray For the filling: 8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened until very soft* 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk 1/4 cup egg beaters all-whites, or regular egg beaters* 2 teaspoons powdered gelatin 3 Tablespoons boiling water 1 teaspoon lemon zest (from 1 lemon) 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from 3-4 lemons) For garnish: 12-24 small strawberries, sliced Full recipe:  http://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/2013/08/no-bake-strawberry-lemonade-bites.html

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Kiwi, Mango, Strawberry Pops

Hot summer got you feeling sluggish and worn out? Perk up with these delicious, easy to make frozen treats! All natural and delicious, your body will thank you for it! Puree strawberries, mango and kiwi, and layer into paper cups. Insert popsicle stick which can be bought in any craft store, and freeze. Wha la! Delicious frozen treat within hours. Enjoy!

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How To Make Your Own Vanilla Extract 

Making your own vanilla extract is actually very simple. All you need is the following:

Vanilla beans

vodka

glass container

Of course it can be made and stored in a polyethylene plastic container, but the results are much better in a glass container that can be sealed.

Directions:

1. Take the number of vanilla beans you require (1 per 1/3 - 1/2 cup vodka) and slice them lengthwise so the side is split or open. Bisect the beans as needed for fitting into your particular container.

2. Place your beans into the container and fill with the appropriate amount of vodka. Again that's approx. 1 bean per 1/3 to 1/2 cup of vodka.

3. Now seal and place in a cool location out of sunlight for approx. 6-8 weeks. Of course the longer you let is sit, the stronger and more intense the flavor will become.

You can find excellent bulk vanilla beans here for larger batches:

1/4lb: http://amzn.to/14K073x

Hermetic bottles perfect for making extracts can be found here:

1L bottle: http://amzn.to/14neETO

Of course simply purchasing a glass bottle of vodka, large or small, and adding the proper amount of vanilla beans is an excellent and quick way to simply get the process over with. The only hurdle at that point would be the labeling on the bottle, if that matters to you.

Now as you use the extract, simply top off the jar with more vodka as needed. The same bean(s) can be reused for quite some time. As soon as your solution is no longer darkening or it begins to lose flavor, simply replace or add more vanilla bean(s) as required.

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Natural Egg Dye

INSTRUCTIONS:

  "Cold method and Hot method.

For the majority of these eggs use the cold method. Just mix the ingredients in a non-staining bowl (ie: glass is great) and add hard boiled eggs. Let them sit until the desired color is achieved.

For the hot method add the ingredients and raw eggs to a non-aluminum pan, brought the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit until eggs achieve the desired color."

More: http://bit.ly/Y5Kijk

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Frozen Mango, Kiwi, Raspberry Pops.

Summer is on the way, and we must prepare properly … with fresh fruit, of course. What we have here is a cool recipe for the hot summer days. You can get from using fresh fruit all you need and more .. vibrant colors and fresh flavors. You can use any fruit you wish.

Ingredients:

9 tbsp water

2 tbsp sugar

5 oz kiwi, peeled

6 oz mango, peeled

6 oz fresh raspberries

Servings: 4

Make a simple syrup by combining water and sugar in a small pot and bring to a boil; boil for about 4-5 minutes on medium heat. Set aside.

Puree fruit separately in the blender. Set aside in 3 small bowls.

Divide the simple syrup between the fruit purees and mix in.

Equally fill four small 5 oz cups with the kiwi puree and place in the freezer; freeze one hour.

Add mango puree and freeze 20 minutes. Insert sticks and freeze at least 2 hours. Add raspberry puree and freeze overnight.

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TURTLE CHEESECAKE BALL

Ingredients

8 oz softened cream cheese

1/4 cup butter (room temperature)

1/2 tsp of vanilla extract

1-1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/3 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar)

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup mini semisweet choc chips

1/2 pk dry vanilla pudding mix

1/2 cup caramel topping plus little more for drizzling

.

Directions

1.Cream soften cream cheese & butter.

2.Add caramel topping and beat well.

3.Cream in brown sugar & icing sugar.

4.Add vanilla & dry pudding mix.

5.Fold in choc chips & pecans.

6.Pat into a ball and refrigerate for one hour.

7.Place ball on serving platter, drizzle with caramel topping and serve with chocolate wafers, chocolate graham fingers, Nilla wafers or sliced apples.

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Bomb Pop Drink Recipe - for adults. ;) Perfect partner for fireworks on the 4th!!  Recipe:  splash of grenadine 2 shots of Bacardi Razz Rum 2 shots of Blue Curaçao Liquer 2 shots of Lemonade Directions: Fill glass with ice. Put splash of grenadine over ice. Pour Bacardi Razz, slowly over ice. Then lemonade, then Blue Curaçao over ice. Be careful. These go down easy and pack a punch!! Cheers!  Confessions of a Domestic Goddess  Be sure to share on your page for future reference.

Picture from Pinterest via In Katrina's Kitchen.com

Recipe from bartenders everywhere. ;)

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Refreshing Coconut/Pineapple Afternoon Pick Me Up!!!

Super easy to make and take along to have at work or in the car.... Makes 4 Servings 3 Cups Unsweetened Coconut Water (or Water from fresh young coconut to equal 3 cups) 1 Cup Fresh Pineapple (blended)  Ice cubes Fresh Mint In pitcher, stir together blended pineapple puree and coconut water. Pour over ice and mix in fresh mint leaves...ENJOY  For original recipe and photo recognition, check out Better Homes and Garden.. http://www.bhg.com/recipe/pineapple-coconut-cooler

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Apple Sauce Muffins

This is a super easy, super quick recipe that looks like you spent hours in the kitchen!!!

Makes 12 muffins

Preheat 350

1. Any gluten free boxed muffin mix

2. Feel free to use an egg substitute to make this egg free

3. 1 apple, chopped

4. 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce

5. Cinnamon to taste

6. Mix chopped apple, apple sauce and cinnamon together

7. Make muffin mix

8. Line 1-12 cup muffin tin

9. Fill each tin little less than 1/2 full

10. Top with 1 tbsp. apple mixture

11. Then top with another tiny scoop of muffin mix

12. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown

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Barbecue Ribs!!! Found this yummy idea via Foodnetwork.com and converted them to an autoimmune, clean eating friendly fare!!! Enjoy... Ingredients: 2 slabs baby back ribs  Sea salt  Olive oil 2 bacon slices 4 sprigs fresh thyme 1/2 onion 3 smashed garlic cloves 2 cups apple sauce 1 cup blended peaches  1 tablespoon dry mustard 1/4 cup honey 1 teaspoon ground turmeric Directions: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.  Put the ribs on a baking sheet, season with salt and drizzle with olive oil.  Put ribs in the oven, and bake, low and slow for 1 1/2 hours. Wrap the bacon around the middle of the thyme sprigs and tie with kitchen twine so you have a nice bundle. Heat approx.. 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the thyme bundle and cook slowly for 3 to 4 minutes to render the bacon fat and give the sauce a nice smoky taste. Add the onion and garlic and cook slowly, without coloring, for 5 minutes.  Add all of the rest of the sauce ingredients, give the sauce a stir, and turn the heat down to low. Cook slowly for 20 minutes to meld the flavors.  Baste the ribs throughout their cooking time with the sauce and let them continue cooking. When the ribs are cooked, broil 5 minutes so they become crispy remove from oven, and let cool or enjoy hot. Top with any remaining sauce. For the original recipe and photo source check outhttp://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/the-ultimate-barbecued-ribs-recipe/index.html