Halloweegan Peppers, Stuffed Mini Jack-O'-Lanterns

Stuffed Mini Jack-O'-Lanterns Halloweegan Peppers

You can stuff Acorn Squash or Peppers for this recipe. The filling can also be changed to whatever you want, spaghetti, pasta, noodles, rice, quinoa, I used orzo and followed the recipe below because it's what I had on hand. Kids love these fun little faces!! The husband even laughed when he took a left over one to work because his Tupperware lid is see through and you just say this scary face looking back at you from inside his lunch hehehe. This recipe also works year round, try different faces for different holidays. For example I plan to use red and green pepper to make "elf peppers" this Christmas :)

Stuffed with yummy orzo, recipe below I just substituted Orzo for Quinoa

My kids LOVED these jack o'lantern faces! 

Prepare the squashes:

• 2 gold acorn squashes
• olive oil
• salt
• black pepper

If you're going to bake them in a conventional oven, preheat it to 375ºF.

Slice off the bottom tip of the squashes to create a flat base. Cut off the tops and use a spoon to remove the seeds. Save the tops for later!

Use a pencil to draw the faces on the squashes, and use a small serrated knife to carve out the faces. Luckily, carving a small acorn squash is easier than carving a big pumpkin!

Brush a little olive oil all over the inside of the squashes and lightly sprinkle them with salt and black pepper. At this point you can choose to bake them in a conventional oven for an hour or until soft, or you can cook them in the microwave like I did. Place the squashes in a microwave safe bowl, add about 1/2 cup of water and microwave for 5 to 8 minutes or until soft.

In the meantime, make the quinoa stuffing:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• 1/4 tsp salt
• black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 cup vegetable broth

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for about five minutes or until soft. Stir in the mushrooms and saute two more minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute for just about 30 seconds.

Add the parsley salt, black pepper, quinoa, and vegetable broth. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and the quinoa is soft and fluffy. If the quinoa is still crunchy you can add more broth and simmer it for a few more minutes. 

Spoon the quinoa stuffing into the acorn squashes and cover them with the reserved squash tops. Reheat the finished dish, if necessary, and serve. 

For Tiny Appetites: You can make those mini pumpkins instead of the bigger acorn squashes. You can stuff 6 to 8 mini pumpkins with this recipe, depending on their size.

Halloweegan Peppers:

 You can also stuff a carved orange bell pepper. Carve, stuff, and bake in a covered casserole dish at 350 degrees F. for 25 to 30 minutes.

Recipe from Vegan Wing it, Photos by Laura Spear 

Vegan Coconut Pumpkin Soup

Vegan Coconut Pumpkin Soup

The soup alone costs a total of $2.93 to prepare. 

Ingredients:

• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoon vegetable bullion
• 2-3 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tsp nutmeg 

Directions:

1. Saute the vegetable oil and chopped onion on medium high until the onions are soft and translucent.
2. Add 2 cups water and vegetable bullion (or 2 cups vegetable broth).
3. Add the pumpkin puree and coconut milk, nutmeg and sugar, stir to combine. (I used a food processor to puree the pumpkin, but you could use canned if you wanted). Heat this mixture to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

We enjoyed this soup with a garnish of coconut milk, fresh cilantro, and sweet toasted pumpkin seeds. To make swirls use a spoon to drizzle coconut milk and then use a knife to connect the dots to form lines.

Recipe by Sarah Kaiser, photos by Laura Spear

Harry Potter Cookbook Pumpkin Juice Recipe

Container purchased at Wizarding World of Harry Potter, reusable container. You can get one at Amazon or ebay.

1 small pumpkin, known as sugar pumpkin or pie pumpkin
2 cups apple Juice
1 cup white grape juice
1 cup pineapple juice

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the pumpkin in half pole to pole and scoop out the seeds. Place the pumpkin halves face down on a baking sheet and roast 45 minutes to 1 hour until soft. Remove from the oven.

When the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and discard the skin. Place the cooked pumpkin in a large fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and push the pumpkin through using a rubber spatula. Scrape and mash as you push; it will take several minutes. Discard the pulpy mass left in the sieve. Stir the sieved pumpkin in the bowl to evenly distribute the juices, and then measure out 1 cup.

Place the cup of sieved pumpkin in a pitcher along with the apple juice, white grape juice, and pineapple juice. Stir vigorously until the pumpkin is completely dispersed. Chill the juice until it's very cold.

Before serving, stir the juice well, as the pumpkin will settle to the bottom. Fill crystal goblets with ice cubes and pour the juice over the ice.

To save time: you could use canned pumpkin (not pie filling) instead of an actual pumpkin.

Recipe by Dinah Bucholz, Photo By Laura Spear

Bon Appétit,

Harry Potter Recipe Chocolate Frogs

Frog Mold Available from Amazon.com

Frog Mold Available from Amazon.com

(Makes 12 to 14 frogs) 1 (12-ounce) bag chocolate chips, or 12-ounce bar chocolate, broken into pieces. To make vegan use vegan chocolate chips

1 teaspoon grated chocolate To make vegan use grated vegan chocolate

1 plastic mold for bite-size chocolate frogs 

Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave chocolate on high power for 2 minutes. Stir.

Continue microwaving in 15-second increments until chocolate is almost completely melted. Remove from microwave and grate 1 teaspoon additional chocolate over the melted chocolate; stir until smooth.

Fill mold with melted chocolate, reserving about 1 tablespoon melted chocolate. Refrigerate molds until chocolate is firm, about 2 hours. 

Remove frogs from molds. Store at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Recipe from tikah.com, top two photos by Laura Spear, bottom 2 photos from amazon. 

Bon Appétit,

Savory Pumpkin Ravioli

Ingredients


2-1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour

5 eggs

1 tablespoon olive oil

FILLING:

1 small pie pumpkin (about 2-1/4 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

4 teaspoons chopped shallot

1/3 cup butter, cubed

2 teaspoons minced fresh sage

3/4 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

1 small bay leaf

1 egg, lightly beaten

SAUCE:

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons minced fresh sage

Directions

Place 2-1/2 cups flour in a large bowl; make a well in the center. Beat eggs and oil; pour into well. Stir together, forming a ball. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes, adding remaining flour if necessary to keep dough from sticking. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute pumpkin and shallot in butter until tender. Add the sage, thyme, salt and pepper. Transfer to a food processor; cover and process until blended. Return to the pan; stir in cream and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until thickened. Discard bay leaf.

Divide pasta dough into fourths; roll one portion to 1/16-in. thickness. (Keep remaining dough covered until ready to use.) Working quickly, place rounded teaspoonfuls of filling 1 in. apart over half of pasta sheet. Brush around filling with egg. Fold sheet over; press down to seal. Cut into squares with a pastry wheel. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

Bring a soup kettle of salted water to a boil. Add ravioli. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer; cook for 1-2 minutes or until ravioli float to the top and are tender. Drain and keep warm.

In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil; cook, uncovered, until reduced by half. Stir in butter and sage. Spoon over ravioli. Yield: 6 servings.

Recipe from Taste of Home Magazine, Photos by Laura Spear

Devilish Eggs

My husbands favorite app is deviled eggs. I got this tasty recipe from Martha Stewart and Scott decided to whip it up for me, while I tended to the other dishes. He did a great job on these little devil eggs.

Ingredients

Makes 2 dozen

12 large eggs

3 jarred roasted red peppers, finely chopped

1 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco (optional)

1 small red bell pepper, cut into small triangles, for garnish

2 scallions, dark-green parts only, cut into small triangles, for garnish

Fresh chives, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, for garnish

Directions

1.Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Put eggs into a medium saucepan, and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Cover; let stand 12 minutes.Using a slotted spoon, transfer eggs to ice-water bath.

2.When eggs are cool, peel, and cut in half lengthwise. Carefully remove yolks, keeping whites intact and transferring whites and yolks to separate bowls. Refrigerate whites.

3.Add roasted peppers, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne, and hot sauce (if desired) to yolks. Mash with a fork until smooth. Cover, and refrigerate until stiff, about 30 minutes.

4.Mound yolk mixture in each egg-white half. Garnish with bell pepper, scallions, and chives to make devilish faces.

Recipe by Martha Stewart, Photos by Laura Spear, Cooking done by Scott Spear

Cured Epidermis

This hors d'oeuvre recipe was a HUGE hit with my husband, he wants it served weekly now :) The kids loved the idea that it is creepy crispy skin and gobbled it all up.

Ingredients

Serves 8 to 10 as hors d'oeuvres

24 1/8-inch-thick slices prosciutto

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with paper towels; set aside.

2.Line baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat; lay prosciutto slices flat in an even layer on baking sheet. Transfer to oven and bake until crisp, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack set over baking sheet lined with paper towel to drain off fat; serve.

Recipe by Martha Stewart, Photos by Laura Spear

Wormy Chili Filled Coffin

Ingredients

2 packages (8-1/2 ounces each) corn bread/muffin mix

2/3 cup milk

2 eggs

1/4 teaspoon black paste food coloring

1 medium sweet red pepper, sliced

1 serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1/3 cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 cans (15 ounces each) fat-free vegetarian chili

orange decorating paste

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the corn bread mix, milk, eggs and food coloring just until moistened. Pour into a greased 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pan. Bake at 400° for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cut top fourth off loaf of bread; carefully hollow out bottom, leaving a 1-in. shell (discard removed bread or save for another use).

In a large skillet, saute peppers and onion in oil until tender. Set aside 1/4 cup pepper mixture. Stir chili into remaining pepper mixture; heat through. Spoon 2-1/2 to 3 cups chili mixture into bread coffin; arrange reserved pepper mixture over chili. Replace bread top. Write "RIP" in orange decorating paste Transfer remaining chili to a serving bowl.

Recipe by Taste of Home, Photos by Laura Spear

Witches' Brooms

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

10 pretzel rods, about 8 1/2 inches long, cut crosswise in half

2 teaspoons shortening

2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Butterscotch-flavored chips, melted

Heat oven to 350ºF. Mix brown sugar, butter, water and vanilla in medium bowl. Stir in flour and salt. Shape dough into twenty 1 1/4-inch balls.

2.Place pretzel rod halves on ungreased cookie sheet. Press ball of dough onto cut end of each pretzel rod. Press dough with fork to resemble "bristles" of broom.

3.Bake about 12 minutes or until set but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely on wire rack, about 30 minutes.

4.Cover cookie sheet with waxed paper. Place brooms on waxed paper. Heat shortening and chocolate chips over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth; remove from heat. Spoon melted chocolate over brooms, leaving about 1 inch at top of pretzel handle and bottom halves of cookie bristles uncovered. Drizzle with melted butterscotch chips. Let stand until chocolate is set.

Recipe by Betty Crocker, photos by Laura Spear

Caramel Apple Cake

For this yummy cake recipe I used a heart shaped pan

Ingredients

For the Caramel and Apples:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
3 cups sugar
5 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 cup heavy cream
4 large Golden Delicious apples (1 3/4 to 2 pounds)

For the Batter:

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs

Directions

Butter a 9-by-3-inch round cake pan. Make the caramel: Cook the sugar and corn syrup in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is dark amber, 7 to 10 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium. Carefully add the cream and 4 tablespoons butter (it will splatter) and cook, stirring, until combined, about 3 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat and let sit 1 minute. Pour 1 1/2 cups caramel into a glass measuring cup and set aside. Pour the remaining caramel into the prepared pan and set aside until set, about 30 minutes.

Cut 3 apples into quarters and cut out the cores with a paring knife. Arrange the pieces skin-side down in the pan (overlapping them slightly) to form a ring about 1/2 inch from the edge. Save any pieces that do not fit for later.

Halve the remaining whole apple crosswise. Scoop out the seeds with a melon baller or measuring spoon, leaving the stem on the top half. Chop the bottom and any of the leftover quartered apples into pieces; set aside.

Arrange the apple top, stem-side down, in the center of the pan. If the quartered apples shift, just push them back into place.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Make the batter: Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream, orange juice and vanilla.

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Crack the eggs into a small bowl. Slip them into the mixer bowl, one at a time, and beat until the mixture is pale and creamy, about 5 more minutes. Scrape down the bowl and beater with a rubber spatula.

With the mixer on low speed, add half of the sour cream mixture, then half of the flour mixture. Repeat. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula; finish combining the batter by hand.

Spread the batter over the apples in the pan. Top with the chopped apple. Bake on the middle oven rack until the cake is brown on top and springs back when pressed, 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes (don't worry if the top is dark). Cool in the pan on a rack.

Bring 1 inch of water to a simmer in a skillet wide enough to hold the cake pan. Carefully run a sharp knife around the inside of the pan several times, then rest the pan in the water to soften the caramel, about 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the water and dry.

Invert a plate on top of the cake, then flip over the cake and plate. Using pot holders or a towel, wriggle the pan off. Soften the reserved 1 1/2 cups caramel in the microwave, about 2 minutes. Drizzle the cake with some of the caramel. Slice and serve with the rest.

Recipe by Food Network Magazine, photos by Laura Spear

Spiderweb Cheesecake

Ingredients

Candy Spiders, optional

FOR THE CRUST

Vegetable oil cooking spray

18 ounces chocolate wafers (about 90), finely ground (4 1/2 cups)

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon coarse salt

FOR THE GANACHE

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably 61 percent), finely chopped

1/2 cup heavy cream

FOR THE FILLING

32 ounces cream cheese, softened

11/2 cups sugar

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 cups heavy cream, cold

Directions

1.Make the crust: Coat a 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Mix wafers, sugar, butter, and salt in a medium bowl. Pat mixture into pan, pressing firmly into bottom and all the way up sides. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to fill.

2.Make the ganache: Place chocolate in a food processor. Bring cream to a simmer in a small saucepan, then pour over chocolate. When chocolate begins to melt, process until smooth. Reserve 2 tablespoons ganache for decorating, and spread the remainder evenly on bottom and all the way up sides of crust. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to fill.

3.Make the filling: Beat cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and slowly add sugar and salt. Raise speed to medium-high, and beat until very fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in lemon juice.

4.Whisk cream until medium-stiff peaks form. Whisk 1/4 of the whipped cream into cream cheese mixture, then fold in remaining whipped cream. Pour filling into crust, and spread evenly. Gently tap bottom of pan on counter to release air bubbles.

5.Transfer reserved ganache to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round tip. Starting in the center of the cheesecake, pipe a spiral, spacing lines about 1/2 inch apart. Pull the tip of a paring knife in a gently curved line from the center of the spiral to outer edge. Wipe knife clean, and repeat every inch or so to form a web.

6.Cover, and freeze for at least 1 hour or overnight. Unmold cheesecake, garnish with candy spiders if desired, and serve immediately.

Recipe by Martha Stewart, photo by Laura Spear

Puffy Sausage Mummies

I made this recipe using spicy andouille sausage links for the adults and using all beef franks for the kids both came out great and were a big hit with my family!!!

Top Photo:  Andouille Sausage Mummies

Bottom Photo: Beef Frank Mummies

Ingredients


2 cans of pillsbury crescent rolls

3 tablespoons honey mustard

4 fully cooked spicy andouille sausage links

4 fully cooked all beef franks
1 egg

1-1/2 teaspoons water

Mustard

Directions

Unfold crescent rolls and push the seams together with your fingers, use a rolling pin if needed. Spread the dough with mustard. Cut 1/2 inch strips out of the dough. Wrap strips around the sausages and hot dogs starting at the top, leaving a blank space for the face, then wrapping around again and again until the body of the sausage is covered.
Place the mummies on an ungreased baking sheet. In a bowl, combine the egg and water. Brush over the dough. Bake at 400° for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. Add faces to the mummies with mustard.

Yield: 8 servings.

Recipe adapted from a taste of home recipe, photos by Laura Spear

Yummy Mummy Calzones

Ingredients


2 loaves (1 pound each) frozen bread dough, thawed

1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup pizza sauce

50 slices pepperoni

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 pitted ripe olive, sliced and cut in half

Directions

Roll out each piece of dough into a rounded triangle shape, about 14-in. high x 11-in. wide at the base of the triangle. Place each on a parchment-lined baking sheet with the tip of the triangle toward you. Lightly score 4-in.-wide rectangle in the center of the triangle 2 in. from the top and bottom.

On each long side, cut 1-in.-wide strips at an angle up to the score line, leaving a triangle in the top center of the wide end for the head.

Inside the scored rectangle in the center, layer the cheese, pizza sauce, pepperoni and green pepper. Shape the top center triangle into a head. Starting at the head, fold alternating strips of dough at an angle across filling stopping at the last strip on each side. Fold the bottom dough tip up over the filling, then fold the remaining two strips over the top; press down firmly.

Brush dough with egg. Cover and let rise for 15 minutes. For eyes, press 1 olive slice into each head. Discard or save the remaining slices for another use.

Bake at 350 ° for 25-28 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing. Yield: 8-10 servings.

Recipe by Taste of Home, Photos by Laura Spear

Eyeball Taco Salad

Ingredients


2-1/2 pounds lean ground beef (90% lean)

3/4 cup water

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1 envelope taco seasoning

1 package (12-1/2 ounces) nacho tortilla chips, crushed

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

4 cups torn iceberg lettuce

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

10 slices tomato, halved

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

10 whole pitted ripe olives, halved

Directions

In a Dutch oven, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the water, tomato sauce and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Place tortilla chips in a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan; sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese. Spread meat mixture over top; sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake at 325° for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly.

Top with lettuce and onion. Cut into ten 5-in. x 3-in. pieces. On each piece, arrange two tomato slices for eyes; top each with a dollop of sour cream and an olive half. Yield: 10 servings.

Recipe by Taste of Home, Photo by Laura Spear

Jack-o'-Lantern Sloppy Joe Pie

Ingredients


1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef (90% lean)

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 cup salsa

1/2 cup chili sauce

1 cup frozen corn

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 sheet refrigerated pie pastry

1 egg

Orange paste food coloring

Directions

In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. In a small bowl, combine the flour, salsa and chili sauce until blended; stir into skillet. Add the corn, chilies and brown sugar.

Transfer to a deep-dish 9-in. pie plate. Unroll pastry; place over filling. With a sharp knife, cut out a face to resemble a jack-o'-lantern; flute edges. Beat egg and food coloring; brush over pastry.

Bake at 450° for 9-11 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Yield: 6 servings.

Recipe by taste of home, photo by Laura Spear

Crunchy Monster Claws

Ingredients


1 small sweet yellow pepper

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, divided

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1-1/2 cups cornflake crumbs

2 tablespoons chopped green onion

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut lengthwise into 3/4-inch strips

Barbecue sauce

Directions

Cut yellow pepper into 15 triangles; set aside. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine flour and 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning. Place eggs in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine the cornflake crumbs, green onion and remaining Cajun seasoning.

Place a few pieces of chicken in bag; seal and shake to coat. Dip in eggs, then in crumb mixture. Place on a greased baking sheet. Repeat. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until juices run clear.

Cut a small slit into one end of each chicken strip; insert a pepper triangle into each. Serve with barbecue sauce. Yield: 15 appetizers.

Recipe by Taste of Home, Photos by Laura Spear

Ogre and Pumpkin Sliders

Ingredients

1 egg
1 cup soft bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound ground turkey
5 teaspoons prepared pesto
3 miniature fresh mozzarella cheese balls, halved
3 pimiento-stuffed olives, halved widthwise
5 slices process American cheese
10 hamburger buns, split

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the egg, bread crumbs and salt. Crumble turkey over mixture; mix well. Shape into ten 2-1/2-in. patties. Grill, broil or pan-fry for 5-7 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 165° and juices run clear.

Drop 1 teaspoon pesto onto five burgers; top each with a mozzarella ball half and an olive half.

Cut eyes, nose and mouth from each cheese slice to create a jack-o'-lantern. Place cheese on five burgers; cook until cheese is slightly melted, about 30 seconds. Serve burgers on buns. Yield: 10 sandwiches.

Recipe by Taste of Home, Photos by Laura Spear

Pizza Mummies

1 can buttermilk Grands biscuits (8 biscuits)
8 Tablespoons pizza sauce (1 for each pizza)
4 pepperoni slices for each pizza (32)
8 medium slices round provolone cheese
2 olive slices for each pizza (16)

Grease two cookie sheets. Pop open the can of biscuits and use your fingers or a rolling pin to flatten each biscuit into personal pizzas.

Top each pizza with 1 Tablespoon sauce, then 4 pepperoni slices. Bake at 350 degrees for 17 minutes, or until edges of the pizzas are golden brown.

Take pizzas out of the oven and slice the round provolone slices into strips to decorate the mummies. Start with two strips at the top, leave a space to put the eyes, then use the rest of the strips on the bottom of the pizza. Place two sliced olives in the space you left, for the eyes.

Place back in the warm oven for 1-2 minutes, or until the cheese is slightly melted. You don't want to over-melt the cheese, try to keep an eye on it. The key is to melt it, but keep the strips' shapes.

Recipe by Examiner.com, Photos by Laura Spear

Squeamish Squash with Rice

2 cups water

1 one-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced

1/2 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 cup jasmine rice

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Directions

1.Bring water and ginger to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add squash, rice, butter, and salt. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until liquid is absorbed and squash is tender, about 20 minutes.

Serve this recipe with Cauldron Curry  over the top!

Recipe by Martha Stewart, Photos by Laura Spear

Cauldron Curry

FOR THE CURRY PASTE (MAKES 1 CUP)

1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds, toasted

2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds, toasted

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, toasted

1 teaspoon coarse salt

3 serrano chiles, sliced

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

2 stalks fresh lemongrass, trimmed and chopped (1/2 cup)

8 garlic cloves, minced (1/4 cup)

2 scallions, chopped (1/4 cup)

2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon finely grated lime zest (from 2 limes)

FOR THE STEW

2 ounces spinach (1 cup)

1 can (14 ounces) unsweetened regular coconut milk

1 can (14 ounces) unsweetened light coconut milk

1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced 1 inch thick (21/4 cups)

12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

3/4 cup fresh basil

Serrano chiles, thinly sliced, for garnish

Squeamish Squash with Rice (Recipe in another post called "squeamish squash with rice")

Lime wedges, for serving

Directions

1.Make the curry paste: Grind coriander, cumin, peppercorns, and salt with a mortar and pestle, or with the bottom of a heavy skillet. Add remaining ingredients, and grind until a paste forms. (Curry paste can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 3 months.)

2.Make the stew: Puree 5 tablespoons curry paste, the spinach, and 1 cup regular coconut milk in a blender until smooth. Reserve remaining curry paste for another use.

3.Bring remaining regular coconut milk and the light coconut milk to a boil in a medium Dutch oven or heavy stockpot. Reduce heat, stir in curry-spinach mixture, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add zucchini, and cook until slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Add chicken, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until zucchini is tender and chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add basil, and garnish with serrano chiles. Serve with rice and lime wedges.

Recipe by Martha Stewart, Photos by Laura Spear