Mac-O-Lanterns and Cheese

Since its been so long since the last Foodie Friday, I tried to find something really unique to get things started back up. I think I found what I was looking for...

This visually interesting dish is an orange bell pepper, carved into a Jack-o-Lantern and used as a bowl to serve macaroni. The recipe comes from The Food Network Kitchen, and although it seems pretty easy to make, I personally would probably just dump some boxed Kraft macaroni and cheese into a raw pepper and call it a day. But, don't be like me---if you're interested in serving this up as a unique Halloween side dish, follow the recipe over at Food Network. There's even a video and complete ingredient list.

I think this would make an adorable part of any family dinner, but since the macaroni spilling out the top DOES kinda look like brains, I'm sure it can be spookified up for a more mature audience!

Photo by Teri Lyn Fisher

Spooky Halloween Chili

Okay, so I don't actually eat chili. However, I know plenty of people who love it, especially on a cold, wet, rainy fall day. Today IS a slightly cold, and super wet and rainy day here in the tri-state, making a spooky chili dish perfect for today's Foodie Friday post!

Ya'll know how much I love REALLY simple ideas for giving food a creepy Halloween feel, and you can't really get much simpler than this. Make a pot of chili like you normally would (or find one of thousands of recipes online), and cut out fun, Halloween shapes from slices of cheese. A variety of Halloween cookie cutters are available this time of year at just about any store for only a few dollars. The photo and recipe for this variation comes from Parents.Com and is included in a slideshow feature 'last-minute' Halloween dinners!

Terrifying Tacos!

Halloween may fall on a Monday this year, but that doesn't mean you can't serve up some spooky tacos for a Taco Tuesday Halloween dinner! In my home, the Halloween celebrations last throughout the month of October, so some version of these will definitely be making their way into our lives in the weeks leading up to the big day. 

Food.com brings us this quite basic example of a basic crunchy shell taco. To achieve the spooky eyes, a few dollops of sour cream garnished with sliced black olives are strategically placed. Even though I personally can't stand sour cream, I think this version is the most likely one I'll try! 

Betty Crocker also has created a spin on the monster taco idea. Instead of the classic shredded cheese, an artfully cut slice of American cheese serves as a the teeth, and a tomato slice acts as the tongue. Cute!

I've seen this next example a few different places on the web, including the site, Adventures of a Gluten Free Mom. Just make your favorite taco, and add a spider made of olives as a garnish for an instant Halloween vibe. Hehehe, I think using the whole olive in this position makes the spider look a little more like an octopus, so I'd probably tweak that a bit myself if choosing to recreate this dish! But how cute is that little spider? He could be added to several different dinners for an instant transition into Halloween dining!

And, that does it for spooky tacos. However, if you a big fan of Mexican food like I am, don't fear! I have several more ideas coming up for you in the coming months!

Halloween Dinner: Italian Style

Pasta is definitely our go-to for quick, easy, and delicious dinners. There's a lot you can do with the different types of pasta and sauces, and the ingredients usually tend to run pretty cheap. In its Halloween section of its website, Kraft Foods explains how to kick up the spooky factor a notch with these gruesome meatball eyes! This is another great dinner idea for all ages. Serve it before a night of trick-or-treating...or present this dish at a fancy Halloween dinner party with a twist. I think I'll be trying this one myself, but I may be toning down the size of those monstrous meatballs just a bit, lol.

Get the recipe at Kraft:

What's for Dinner?

Welcome to Foodie Friday!  I love finding little ways to keep Halloween in our lives year 'round and these adorable jack-o-lantern cheeseburgers are a perfect way to do just that. They're the perfect Halloween food...that's not an actual Halloween food.  (I'm gonna let you in on a little secret--I actually am not a fan of pumpkin-flavored ANYTHING.)  But, if you're a little more on the traditional side, these would be great for a Halloween party, a quick dinner before trick-or-treat, or as a showpiece in a Halloween-themed cookout.

From Red Ted Art

Serve 'em up with a side of ghost and jack-o-lantern sweet potato fries and you've got the perfect family friendly meal!  Recipe and instructions from Guava Rose.