Happy Friday lovebugs, here are some Halloween inspired recipes for this weekend.
Dark and Stormy Death Punch
c/o Food and Wine
Ingredients
- One 20-ounce can lychees in heavy syrup
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced peeled fresh ginger
- 16 brandied cherries
- 1/4 cup superfine sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 12 ounces dark rum
- Three 12-ounce bottles ginger beer
- Ice cubes
Directions
- In a small saucepan, bring the lychee syrup and ginger to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and let steep for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, stuff 16 lychees with brandied cherries. Set each lychee in the cup of a mini muffin pan or in an ice cube tray. Strain the lychee-ginger syrup and pour it over the lychees. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.
- Meanwhile, in a pitcher, stir the sugar into the lime juice until dissolved. Add the rum and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
- Unmold the lychee ice cubes into a small punch bowl. Pour in the lime-rum mixture. Add the ginger beer, stir gently and serve in ice-filled glasses.
Ratatouille Stuffed Jack-o-Peppers
Ingredients
- About 1/2 cup EVOO
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup homemade breadcrumbs or panko
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
- 7 medium red and orange bell peppers
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 firm, medium eggplant, peel half the skin, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- Olive oil spray
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
- 1 small fresh red chile, finely chopped or 1/2 teaspoon dried flakes
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 medium zucchini, 1/2-inch dice
- 3 ripe plum or small vine tomatoes, chopped
- 2 cups tomato sauce
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Heat about 1/4 cup EVOO in a small skillet with the butter. When the butter foams, add the garlic and stir 1 minute. Add the breadcrumbs and stir to soak in the oil and butter. Toast until light golden, then remove from the heat and cool. Mix the cooled breadcrumbs with the cheese and parsley.
Trim the tops off 6 peppers and reserve, then scoop out the seeds. Using a small, sharp paring knife, cut out a jack-o'-lantern face in each pepper. Set the peppers upright, and if a pepper is very unstable, trim the bottom to make the pepper stable. Season the peppers on the inside with salt and pepper, invert the peppers and place on a baking sheet, tops alongside. Seed and chop the remaining bell pepper and reserve.
Salt the eggplant and drain 15 minutes in a strainer or on a towel.
Spray the peppers with a little cooking spray and roast to char the peppers at the edges and tender-crisp doneness, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool to handle.
Heat the remaining EVOO in a large, deep skillet. Add the reserved peppers, thyme, chile, eggplant, onions and zucchini, and some salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes, stir another minute, and remove from the heat.
Combine the breadcrumbs with the vegetables and taste to check seasoning. Pour the tomato sauce into a casserole dish. Stuff the peppers, overstuffing the cavity a bit, and set the tops in place to complete the Jack-o-Peppers. Place the peppers into the dish as you fill them. Cool and store for a make-ahead meal.
To serve, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and roast until the peppers are hot through, 30 to 35 minutes.
Skinny Mummy Cake Balls
Ingredients
- 16.5 oz package yellow cake mix
- 6 oz plain fat-free Greek yogurt (Chobani)
- 1 cup water
- 2 large egg whites
- baking spray
- 48 oz Baker's white chocolate (20 oz calculated in n.i)*
- mini chocolate chips for the eyes
- 1 wooden skewer
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a the cake pop pan with baking spray.
Combine the cake mix, yogurt, 1 cup water and egg whites in a large mixing bowl and beat until combined. Place the batter into a pastry bag or large ziplock bag with the tip cut off.
Pipe the batter into the prepared cake pop pan and bake about 18 minutes (I rotated the pan after 10 minutes to be sure they baked evenly). Let it rest 5 minutes before opening the pan.
Place the cake balls on a wire rack and repeat with remaining batter. Using a scissor, cut the seam off the balls.
Refrigerate the cake balls for about 45 minutes, this helps the chocolate stick to the cake.
Melt some of the chocolate in the microwave according to package directions, careful not to over heat the chocolate. If it's too thick add a drop of oil to thin out. Use the wooden skewer and insert into the cake ball, then dip in melted chocolate. Let the excess drip off then place each ball on parchment or wax paper.
Place remaining chocolate into a piping bag and drizzle onto the tops of the balls to make a criss-cross effect to resemble a mummy wrap. Place the mini chocolate chips over the chocolate for eyes and set aside to dry.
