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5 Easy Halloween Appetizers

Ningthoujam Sandhyarani
Coming up with spooky Halloween appetizers is easy with a little imagination and creativity. Based on the party theme, you decide weird, but delicious appetizers for Halloween. Read on to find some interesting Halloween appetizers that you can serve in your party ...

For appetizing appetizers ...

... concentrate on making them look appetizing and scary at the same time.
Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
Double, double, toil and trouble;
Something wicked this way comes!
Whether it is Shakespeare's Macbethan witches or J.K. Rowling's Hogwarts choir―every time the verse here is chanted, one can easily associate the spook, anticipation, and thrill that comes with a bubbling cauldron.
And the occasion of Halloween offers everyone an annual real-life opportunity to experience and enjoy a day filled with such creepy surprises lurking in every corner. Spook takes on a fun avatar, and everybody is happy to let chilly shivers run down their spines.
Since food is an integral part of every celebration, one has to come up with innovative ways to present eatables with a skittery twist. Here are our recommendations for appetizers that you can serve on Halloween in keeping with all the symbolic elements commonly associated with the day. Pumpkins, cauldrons, bats, and stray bandaged fingers―find it all here.

Cheesy Pumpkins

Ingredients
  • 16 fresh parsley leaves
  • 4 butter-flavored pretzel spindles halved
  • 8 tablespoons smoked, chilled Cheddar cold pack cheese
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped peanuts
Directions for Preparation
  • Cover a tray with wax paper and make 8 small balls with each tablespoon of cheese.
  • Line the balls up on the wax paper and place the tray in the fridge for a good 15 minutes.
  • Once the cheese balls are firm enough, use a toothpick to make pumpkin-like ridges on them.
  • Next, press the bottom-side of each ball on chopped peanuts.
  • Insert the halved pretzels on top of each cheese pumpkin to give them stems.
  • Garnish with parsley bits. Ready in 30 minutes and good for 8 servings!

Mushroom Cauldrons
Ingredients
  • 16 ounces fresh mushrooms (cleaned and stems removed)
  • 2 cups cooked ground Italian sausage
  • ½ cup bread crumbs
  • ½ cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
  • ½ teaspoon basil
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Directions for Preparation
  • Combine the ingredients (barring the mushrooms) well. Stuff the mushrooms with this filling.
  • The stuffing should bulge out of the mushroom rim.
  • Now, coat a baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray and line the mushrooms on it.
  • There should be a gap of at least an inch between each mushroom. Bake for 15 minutes at 350°F.
  • With 60 calories per serving, this appetizer can be made in all of 40 minutes. Quick and delectable!

Bandaged Fingers

Ingredients
  • 36 cocktail wieners
  • 6 large flour tortillas
  • Tomato ketchup
Directions for Preparation
  • For this recipe, preheat oven to 350°F and make thin strips of the flour tortillas.
  • Trim the wieners to make the shape of fingers.
  • Wrap each of the pieces with tortilla, making sure that the fingertips are exposed.
  • Then, place them in a baking sheet and make red fingernails with tomato ketchup.
  • Bake for 9-10 minutes and serve.

Baked Bat Wings
Ingredients
  • 20 chicken wings
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 ounces sour cream
  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons coarse ground mustard
  • 1 teaspoon five spice powder
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • Salt to taste
  • Chives for garnish
Directions for Preparation
  • Clean the chicken wings, drain as much water as possible, and put in a plastic bag.
  • Take a medium-sized bowl and combine the ingredients - garlic, ginger, red pepper, spice powder, soy sauce, and salt.
  • Stir the mixture well for even mixing and pour over the wings.
  • Close the plastic bag and toss to coat the wings with the marinade. Keep in the refrigerator overnight.
  • Next day, arrange the wings in a baking pan lined with foil (preserve the marinade).
  • Set oven temperature to 450°F and bake for 10 minutes.
  • Brush lightly with the marinade and bake again for 15-18 minutes.
  • These starters are served best with a spicy dip.

Monster Eyeballs

Ingredients
  • 2 cans olives, drained
  • 1 cup cream cheese
  • 4 tablespoons of Italian dressing
  • 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • Crackers
  • Seasonings as per taste
Directions for Preparation
  • Begin with mixing the seasoning with the cream cheese as per taste.
  • Now, arrange the crackers on a serving platter.
  • Smear the upper side of each cracker with the cheese mixture evenly.
  • Place one olive on each cracker.
  • When you are done with arranging the olives, drizzle Italian dressing over the stuffed olives.
  • Garnish with chopped parsley over the eyeballs and serve.
It is best to keep all the appetizers you serve simple and easy-to-eat. Finger food of all kinds make the list of great appetizers. You can also make spider webs, spiders, snakes with sauces or ketchup on all the serving platters, to add that extra dollop of style in keeping with the theme of the occasion!