Grown Up Halloween

Because Halloween isn't only about the kids...

"Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and caldron bubble. Fillet of a fenny snake, In the caldron boil and bake; Eye of newt and toe of frog, Wool of bat and tongue of dog, Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting; Lizard's leg and owlet's wing, For a charm of powerful trouble, Like a hell-broth boil and bubble. Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn and caldron bubble. Cool it with a baboon's blood, Then the charm is firm and good."

Yep, it's time for witches and ghosts and things that go bump in the night. The kids are planning their costumes and anticipating their Trick or Treat hauls. But why let the kids have all the fun? Halloween is the perfect time to throw an over 21 holiday bash. Pick a horror movie theme and screen it during the gathering or choose something more sophisticated with a nod to literary horror; Dracula, The Raven, The Turn of the Screw, The Tale Tell Heart, even Shakespeare. Yeah, "double, double toil and trouble" is from Macbeth. Of course, like all really great parties, its all about the food and drink; well, and the company. But mostly the food and the drink.

Here are some grown-up recipe suggestions and some most definitely grown up drinks to serve at your All Hallow's Eve gathering. Recipes via delish.com and allrecipes.com.

Mummy Brie

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Sheet puff pastry, thawed
• 1 round brie
• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp. milk
• 2 mini pepperoni
• 2 sliced black olives

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400°. On a floured work surface, unroll puff pastry and cut into 1” strips. Wrap strips around brie like a mummy. Whisk together egg and milk and brush over pastry. Transfer brie to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until brie is warmed through and gooey and puff pastry is deeply golden, 20 minutes. For eyes, place two mini pepperonis into two sliced olives. Serve with crackers.

Roasted Pumpkin Seed Hummus

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 c. raw pepitas
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 t smoked paprika, divided
• 1 t chili powder, divided
• 1 t salt
• 1/2 t pepper
• 1 1/2 c cooked cannellini or great northern beans (1 can drained and rinsed)
• 1/2 c. olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced
• salt and pepper to taste
• pita or naan bread

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease baking sheet or line with foil. On the pan, add the pepitas, 1 T oil, 1/2 t smoked paprika, 1/2 t chili powder, salt and pepper. Toss well with    your hands. Add the garlic cloves to one side of the pan (leave in skin). Roast for 15-25 mins. until seeds      begin to turn light brown. Check every 10 minutes to prevent over-cooking. Let cool 5 mins and then peel garlic. Add seeds to food processor and process until smooth past forms; add     beans, lemon juice, garlic. Pulse and blend until beans begin to puree, 2-3 mins. Stream in olive oil, scrape down sides if needed. Add remaining chili powder and paprika. Blend until combined, salt and pepper to taste. Serve with pita or naan bread.

Dead Velvet Cake 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 box Red Velvet cake, plus ingredients called for on box
• 2 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 2 1/4 c. powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 c. cold water
• 2 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1/2 c. light corn syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• red food coloring

DIRECTIONS       

Preheat oven to 350º and butter and flour two 9" cake pans. Prepare red velvet cake batter according to box directions. Divide between two cake pans and bake according to instructions. Make cream cheese frosting: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, then add powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until combined.Make “blood”: in a small saucepan, stir together water and cornstarch until fully combined. Turn on heat to medium and pour in corn syrup. Let simmer and stir frequently for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and red food coloring. Place bottom cake on a cake plate and trim the dome of the cake. Add “blood” to the top layer, just enough to dampen the cake. Cut the dome off the second cake and place upside down on the bottom layer of cake. Frost the entire outside of the cake with cream cheese frosting, making sure to make an extra smooth layer on top. Pour “blood” on the top and allow some to drip down the sides. Serve.

Candy corn Jello Shots

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 C boiling water, divided
• 1 3 oz pkg lemon flavored jello
• 2 c vodka
• 2 T warm water
• 1 .25 oz unflavored gelatin envelope
• 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 1.2 c light rum
• ice cubes
• 1 3 oz pkg orange flavored jello

DIRECTIONS

Pour 3/4 c boiling water into a small bowl. Add lemon gelatin mix; stir until dissolved. Pour 1 c. vodka into a glass measuring cup; add enough ice to make 1 1/4 c. Stir into lemon gelatin until slightly thickened; remove unmelted ice. Fill tall shot glasses 1/3 of the way with lemon gelatin mixture. Refrigerate until lemon gelatin layer is set, at least 90 mins. Pour remaining 3/4 c boiling water into the small bowl. Add orange gelatin mix; stir until dissolved. Pour remaining 1 c. vodka into a glass measuring cup; add enough ice to make 1 1/4. Stir into orange gelatin until slightly thickened; remove any unmelted ice. Pour over lemon gelatin layer. Refrigerate until orange gelatin layer is set, at least 90 mins. Pour 2 T warm water into a bowl. Add unflavored gelatin; stir until dissolved. Stir in condensed milk and rum. Pour over orange gelatin layer. Refrigerate until top layer is set, at least 30 minutes.

No party is complete without a killer playlist. Check this out (courtesy of popsugar.com) or visit Spotify for other Halloween playlist suggestions. 

• "Love Potion #9," The Searchers
• "I Put a Spell on You," Screamin' Jay Hawkins
• "Howlin' For You," The Black Keys
• "Witchcraft," Frank Sinatra
• "Black No. 1," Type O Negative
• "Castin' My Spell," Johnny Otis
• "What's a Girl to Do?" Bat For Lashes
• "My Body's a Zombie For You," Dead Man's Bones
• "Witch," The Bird and the Bee
• "Monster," Lady
• "Black Magic Woman," Fleetwood Mac
• "Howl," Florence + the Machine
• "Bad Things," Jace Everett
• "She Wolf," Shakira
• "Vampire," John & Jehn
• "Witchy Woman," Eagles
• "Gloomy Sunday," Billie Holiday
• "Skeleton Song," Kate Nash
• "She Blinded Me With Science," Thomas Dolby
• "Lil' Devil," The Cult
• "Love Song For a Vampire," Annie Lennox
• "Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me," Susan Sarandon
• "Zombie Dance," The Cramps
• "E.T.,"Katy Perry"
• "Strange Brew," Cream
• "I'm Your Boogie Man," KC & the Sunshine Band
• "Abracadabra," Steve Miller Band
• "Little Ghost," White Stripes
• "Sally's Song," Catherine O'Hara and Chris Boardman
• "Disturbia,"Rihanna"
• "Strange and Beautiful (I'll Put a Spell on You)," Aqualung