Halloween 2011

Here's our Halloween dinner this year. Everyone actually ate what we cooked this year.

Maggot Sliders

ground turkey or beef

favorite seasoning (we like montreal steak seasoning)

cooked white rice

small, slider sized buns

Mix the ground beef and seasonings and form into small patties. Roll the edges of the patties in a plate full of rice. Carefully cook so all of the rice doesn't fall off. (Some of it will) Cook to your liking. Serve on buns with ketchup for that bloody look!

Deviled Eyeballs

check out this post

and for dessert . . . .

Worm Covered Rotten Apple Bars

CRUST:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp cinnamon

FILLING:

8 apples, peeled, cored and sliced (we used 5 and thought it was plenty)
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 TBSP ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp nutmeg

TOPPING:

1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 box (15 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts

Heat oven to 425°F (400°F for dark or nonstick pan).
In large bowl, beat flour, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. It will be crumbly.
Press mixture in the bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan.

Combine the dry ingredients for the filling in a bowl. Toss the apples with the dry stuff--coat them well. Carefully spread the filling over the crust.
Bake 10 minutes.

While that bakes, in large bowl, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon.
Cut 1 cold unrolled crust lengthwise in half (keep remaining crust refrigerated).
Cut into 1/4-inch slices. Repeat with remaining crust.
Separate pieces, and toss with sugar mixture.
After the 10 minutes, sprinkle cut-up crust mixture evenly over filling.
Bake 18 to 22 minutes more, or until crust is golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Slow Cooker Italian Beef

This recipe came from one of my favorite cooking blogs, My Kitchen Cafe. It is one of my favorite crockpot recipes and I love it on sandwiches.

1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon onion salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 bay leaf
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix (such as Good Seasons brand)
1 (5 pound) chuck roast

Combine water and beef broth with salt, ground black pepper, oregano, basil, onion salt, parsley, garlic powder, bay leaf, and salad dressing mix. Whisk to combine.

Place roast in slow cooker, and pour salad dressing mixture over the meat. Cover, and cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours, or on High for 4 to 5 hours. About 45 minutes before eating, remove bay leaf, and shred meat with a fork and return to the juices. Serve on crusty rolls with cheese, if desired.

BBQ Ranch Sandwiches

This recipe was presented by the director of the cooking classes I attend. My husband and son really liked this recipe. At least 3 times while we were eating, my husband said, "This is a keeper". This recipe could feed four but the men wanted a little more than their one sandwich, so they split the last one.

Servings: 4 sandwiches

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 7 minutes

Ingredients:

1 10-oz. (12-inch) Italian bread shell (thin crust Boboli)Nonstick cooking spray
1 1/2 cups shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheese (6 oz.)
1 cup cooked shredded chicken
2 Tbsp. barbecue sauce

6 slices packaged ready-to-serve cooked bacon
1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce
2 Tbsp. finely chopped sweet onion
1 Tbsp. bottled ranch salad dressing
1 medium tomato, sliced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 F. Place bread shell on baking sheet, bottom side up. Spray bread shell with nonstick cooking spray. With pizza cutter, cut bread in half. Sprinkle cheese over both halves of bread. Combine chicken and barbeque sauce. Top one bread half with chicken mixture and bacon slices.

Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until cheese is melted and bacon is crisp. Cool on baking sheet 2 minutes. Meanwhile, in small bowl combine lettuce, onion,

and ranch salad dressing.

To serve, cut each half into quarters to make 8 wedges. Spoon lettuce mixture on top each wedge with chicken. Top with tomato slice. Invert remaining wedges over toppings.

Hint: I used chicken that I had cooked another day, so it came out of my fridge. When I cooked it in the oven, the chicken side had not warmed up as much as I would have liked, but the cheese was melted and getting toasty, so it had to come out. Next time I will put the chicken mixture in the microwave for a minute to "warm" it before putting it on the bread and baking it.