Page 22 - Florida Sentinel 10-28-16 Online Edition

Recipes
Halloween Pasta
"This pasta can be eaten any time but is best for Halloween. Very tasty and no need for sauce."
2 cups Halloween-shaped pasta
2 cups wagon wheel-shaped pasta
2 1/2 cups peeled chopped pumpkin
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon chopped onion
1 teaspoon chili powder
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 (4 ounce) can sliced black olives
1 (8 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained 1/4 cup chopped garlic
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons dried oregano
Directions: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook Halloween-shaped and wagon wheel-shaped pasta in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain and transfer pasta to a large bowl.
Place pumpkin in a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and return pumpkin to pot. Add nut- meg, allspice, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon garlic, onion, chili powder, and 3 tablespoons olive oil; stir to coat.
Toss olives and garbanzo beans into cooked pasta. Add 1/4 cup garlic, Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup olive oil, and oregano. Toss to coat; top with pumpkin mixture.
Halloween Bloody Baked Rats
This is a fun, inexpensive, creepy Halloween entree that will gross out and impress your dinner guests. It is mini meatloaves baked in tomato sauce that are shaped like rats with cheese in the middle. Garnished with a spaghetti noodle tail and carrot ears.
2 pounds ground beef or chicken 1/2 onion, chopped
1 egg, beaten
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1 (1.25 ounce) packet meatloaf sea- soning mix
1 cup cubed Cheddar cheese
3 (10 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 ounce uncooked spaghetti, bro- ken into fourths
1/2 carrot, cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
1 tablespoon frozen green peas
Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, onion, egg, bread crumbs, and meatloaf seasoning. Use your hands to mix until well blended. Measure out 1/3 cupfuls of the meat mixture and mold around a cube of cheese like a meatball. Shape into a point at one end and lengthen the body a bit by rolling between your hands. Place your ''rat'' into a shallow baking dish, and continue with the re- maining meat. Insert pieces of uncooked spaghetti into the rounded
end of the rats to make tails.
In a medium bowl, stir together the tomato sauce, sugar and
Worcestershire sauce. Pour over the rats in the dish and cover the dish with a lid or aluminum foil.
Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven. Uncover the dish and continue to bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, basting occasionally with the sauce to glaze the rats.
While the rats finish baking, heat the peas and carrots in a small bowl in the microwave for about 15 seconds.
Carefully transfer the rats to a serving platter so that their deli- cate tails don't fall off. Press peas into the pointy end to make eyes, and insert carrot slices to make ears. Spoon some of the tomato sauce around them and serve.
Bat Cupcakes
1 (18.25 ounce) package chocolate cake mix
1 (16 ounce) container prepared chocolate frost- ing
1 (11.5 ounce) package fudge stripe cookies
1 (6 ounce) bag milk chocolate candy kisses, unwrapped
1 tablespoon red gel icing
Directions: Prepare the cake mix according to pack- age directions for cupcakes. Cool. Frost cupcakes with chocolate frosting.
Break the cookies in half, and press two halves into the top of each cupcake for wings, stripes facing the frosting. Place a chocolate kiss in front of the cookies with the point facing forward for the body. Make two beady little eyes with the red gel icing towards the point of the kiss. Let the fun begin!
Black Halloween Punch
"Delicious! As it is with any Halloween punch, a frozen 'hand' adds just the right spooky touch! The combined colors make a delightfully scary look!"
1 (.13 ounce) envelope unsweetened grape soft drink mix
1 (.13 ounce) envelope unsweetened orange soft drink mix
2 cups white sugar 3 quarts cold water 1 liter ginger ale
Directions: To make a frozen hand, wash a dispos- able glove, fill with water, seal with a rubber band and freeze until hard.
Stir together grape soft drink mix, orange soft drink mix, sugar and water until solids are dissolved. Combine with chilled ginger ale just be- fore serving. Dip the frozen hand briefly in warm water, then peel off the glove. Float the prepared hand in the punch bowl for a ghastly ef- fect.
Cake POPS
1 (18.25 ounce) package choco- late cake mix
1 (16 ounce) container pre- pared chocolate frosting
1 (3 ounce) bar chocolate fla- vored confectioners coating
Directions: Prepare the cake mix according to package direc- tions using any of the recommended pan sizes. When cake is done, crumble while warm into a large bowl, and stir in the frosting until well blended.
Melt chocolate coating in a glass bowl in the microwave, or in a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.
Use a melon baller or small scoop to form balls of the chocolate cake mixture. Dip the balls in chocolate using a toothpick or fork to hold them. Place on waxed paper to set.
PAGE 10-B FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2016