Earth Worms (New and Improved)

I know what you are thinking. How on earth can you improve on the original blood worms? Just wait and see! Since we have done these quite a few times now, and we have discovered a few tricks of the trade we would like to share all of you!

What you will need:
100 flexible plastic straws-The straws with a bendable neck make the ridges for the most realistic worms.
Container- empty & clean to hold the straws. Tall and skinny is the best. We used a vase the first time and it was difficult to pull them out. The taller the container, the longer your worms.
Wax Paper- for lining the cookie sheets
Cookie sheets- for setting the worms

Ingredients:
1 big package (6 ounces) raspberry flavored gelatin
3 envelopes unflavored gelatin
3 cups boiling water
3/4 cup whipping cream
12 to 15 drops green food coloring
Crushed Oreo cookies


Directions:
1. Combine raspberry and unflavored gelatin in a bowl and add boiling water; stir until gelatin completely dissolves. Its important to note: add the water to gelatin... not the other way around... it is more difficult to dissolve.

2. Chill until mixture is lukewarm. About 20-30 minutes in the fridge.

3. Pull straws to extend to full length; place in tall container, bendy neck side down. You can wrap together with a loose rubber band to hold straws together if you so desire.

4. Blend cream and food coloring together and mix with the lukewarm gelatin mixture.

5. Carefully pour into container, filling straws. It doesn't really matter where you pour, they will all equal out in the end.

6. Chill in the fridge until gelatin is firm, at least 8 hours or overnight and up to 2 days.

7. Separate straws. We have found the cardboard cartons are the best. Its so much easier to cut away the box than to pull the straws out of the jello. As you can see, the space between the straws fills with jello too. All the straws equal out to about the same length, despite where I ended up pouring it.

8. Run hot tap water for about 2 seconds over 3 to 4 straws at a time. This partially melts the jello allowing the worm to slide out of the straw. Practice with one or two first. Too long and they melt too much and make a liquid mess, too short and they don't come out. Starting at the empty ends, push worms from straws.
It is difficult to hold onto the wet straws and succeed in squeezing hard enough for the worm to come out. It results in some tired and sore fingers when you think about the 100 worms... but, my husband is innovative and realized that holding the empty end with a set of pliers makes this part of the process a breeze! These are not even that time consuming anymore!

9. Lay worms on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Cover and chill until ready to use, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

10. When ready to serve, toss worms gently in a light coating of crushed Oreos and serve on a bed of Oreo "dirt" for the finishing touches. (tossing them really added the level of grossness that I can't get over...)

Worms will hold at room temperature for about 2 hours.

Then sit back and watch the reactions!

Halloween Dinner 2014

Here it is folks! This year's family Halloween feast. I don't know what is better. That this is a family tradition, that Mom's entire goal is to find something to gross out my husband (as bad as the bat wings a few years ago), that the baby ate everything we put in front of her tonight, or that the conversation at the table is terrifying if taken out of context.

"Will you pass me the brain please? This looks like a good one!"
"Are we allowed to eat the worms or are those more of a dessert?"
"Are worms vegetarian-approved?"
"More bones please!" (That came from the three year old who also asked for more brain...)

Why not have a little fun right? I post because I know you all are sad you didn't get to eat with us!

The feast

The main course this evening was a scary twist on a traditional meal. Spaghetti and meatballs with bone bread sticks on the side. Purple-black noodles gave an eerie snake-like feel to dinner tonight.

Brains and worms make excellent sides. The worms have been perfected this year with the addition of dirt.

We had to keep an eye on our goblets...

And dessert watched us from the other room.

We also treated our guest of honor to a repeat recipe of "Rotten Apple Worm Bars." I just got too excited about eating it and forgot to snap a picture first.

PS. My man ate it all. Mom is a little disappointed there were no gross outs this year...