Serve up spooky, yet tasty treats

Throw a spook-tacular party this Halloween with fun and easy-to-make recipes from Taste of Home.

Try these ooey gooey chocolaty Marshmallow Witches, a sweet treat and perfect for kids to make with a quick assembly line of marshmallows, milk chocolate kisses and mini peanut butter cups.

For a gasp of delight make these sweet and cute Strawberry Ghosts, strawberries dipped in white chocolate seasoned with almond extract and decorated with chocolate chips, a definite party hit!

Impress guests of all ages with the Cheesenstien, whipped cream cheese and cheddar cheese, Worcestershire sauce, hot peppers and onions, decorated with vegetables, olives and black decorating gel for the final touch.

For more of Taste of Home's Halloween recipes, log on to www.tasteofhome.com/halloween.

Marshmallow

Witches

12 Servings

Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients

1/2 cup vanilla frosting, divided

36 miniature semisweet chocolate chips

12 large marshmallows

1 drop each green, red and yellow food coloring, optional

cup flaked coconut

12 chocolate wafers

12 miniature peanut butter cups

12 milk chocolate kisses

For the face of each witch, place a dab of frosting on the bottom of three chocolate chips; press two for eyes and one for nose onto each marshmallow.

For hair, combine green food coloring and a drop of water in a small resealable plastic bag; add coconut and shake well. Spread a small amount of frosting on sides of marshmallows; press coconut hair into frosting. Place 3 tablespoons of frosting in a small heavy-duty resealable plastic bag; tint orange with red and yellow food coloring. Set aside.

For hats, spread some of the remaining frosting in the center of chocolate wafers; press peanut butter cups upside down into frosting. Lightly spread bottoms of chocolate kisses with frosting; place on peanut butter cups. Cut a small hole in the corner of pastry or plastic bag; insert a small star tip. Fill the bag with frosting and pipe stars around the base of each peanut butter cup. Secure a hat to each witch with a dab of frosting. Yield: 1 dozen.

Strawberry

Ghosts

30 Servings

Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients

30 fresh strawberries

8 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped

1 teaspoon shortening

teaspoon almond extract

cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Wash strawberries and gently pat with paper towels until completely dry. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt white chocolate and shortening at 50 percent power; stir until smooth. Stir in extract.

Dip strawberries in chocolate mixture; place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet, allowing excess chocolate to form the ghosts' tails. Immediately press chocolate chips into coating for eyes. Freeze for 5 minutes.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt remaining chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Dip a toothpick into melted chocolate and draw a mouth on each face. Yield: 2-1/2 dozen.

Cheesenstein

12 Servings

Prep: 45 min. + chilling

Ingredients

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

3 green onions, thinly sliced

2 cartons (4 ounces each) whipped cream cheese

Moss-green paste food coloring

1 can (4- ounces) chopped ripe olives, drained

2 pepperoncinis

3 colossal ripe olives

2 slices peeled parsnip

Black decorating gel

1 pretzel rod

1 small cucumber

Assorted fresh vegetables

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and pepper sauce until smooth. Stir in the cheddar cheese, bacon and onions. Shape into a 5-inch by 4-inch by 3-inch rectangle; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled.

Unwrap rectangle; place on a serving platter with a 3-inch side on top. Tint whipped cream cheese green; spread over top and sides of rectangle.

Add chopped ripe olives for hair and pepperoncinis for ears. Cut one colossal olive in half; add parsnip slices and olive halves for eyes. With black decorating gel, pipe the brow, mouth and stitches.

Break pretzel rod in half; add a colossal olive to each end. Press into sides of head for bolts. Cut a small piece from end of cucumber for a nose (save remaining cucumber for another use). Serve with vegetables. Yield: 3 cups.