Spooky-licious scary food recipes: ghoulishly gruesome Halloween party foods

Hosting a Halloween party? Want to scare up ghoulishly gruesome (but spooky-licious) snacks your little hob-goblins? These spooky snack recipes guaranteed will gross out the bravest guest. Set up DIY make-your-own snacks and get double duty of party foods and crafts. Or do triple duty with a game thrown in. Organize them by Halloween creature. Play a blindfold touch and feel game. Have guests guess what foods are. Set out labels so guests know what creepy confections they ate.

Ghosts

--flesh: marshmallows

--guts: marshmallow fluff or vanilla frosting

--ghost guts cookies: pinwheel cookies

--blood: milk

--brains dipped in ghost blood: raw cauliflower dipped in ranch dressing

Vampires

--teeth: red apple wedges dipped in Hershey's Strawberry Syrup (blood)

--bloody fingers : hot dogs with ketchup

Haunted Jack-o-Lantern

--pumpkin blood: orange juice

Bats

--teeth: black and orange candy corn

--wings: grape fruit leather or prunes

Mummies

--brains: popcorn (being dried out, mummy brains are shrively and crumbled.

--people mummies brains: make popcorn balls with marshmallows and red M&Ms.

--cat mummy brains: popcorn and red M&Ms (Egyptians loved their cats and mummified them).

--zombie Barbie brains: whole walnuts

--wrappings: cotton candy

--guts: assorted dried fruit

--hearts and ears: pretzels

Skeletons

--fingers: mozzarella cheese sticks or pretzel rods

--faces: yogurt-covered pretzels

Witches

--brains: broccoli

--blood: milk and green food coloring, limeade

--guts: pistachio pudding or guacamole (serve with tortilla chips called dragon scales)

--eyes: green grapes or sliced kiwi

--Witches' brew: mulled spiced apple cider. Have children watch as you describe and prepare. Heat monster blood (apple cide) with eye of newt (whole cloves), dragon claws (cinnamon bark), Slenderman eyes (lemon slices), toad eyes (raisins), dash of skeleton paste (butter) and ground scorpion (nutmeg).

--Witch blood slushies: frozen honey dew melon or kiwi, blended with Greek yogurt and lemonade.

Miscellaneous

--Frankenstein --Nuts and Bolts: Chex Mix or Cheerios Trail Mix

--zombie sandwiches (as in for, not made of): Sliced lunchmeat (brain cross-section) sandwiches with guts and blood (mustard and ketchup).

--eye slices: sliced kiwi or cucumber

--werewolf gut and blood sandwiches: PBJ sandwiches

--toasted spider legs: chow mien noodles
For tons more Halloween activities visit Halloween Harvest & October and for recipes come to Great Food 4u. Need educational printables try Free Printable Lesson Plans and for holiday cards try Free Printable Cards 4U

Patriotic drinks recipes: bomb pops, RWB cocktails, beer and wine: American-themed adult beverages

Who says food can't be art? Certainly not Pinterest! And Labor Day is just the time to get creative with the patriotic drinks recipes. "Crafts" some red white and blue cocktails and American themed shots and recipes. Use these festive American holiday-themed alcoholic beverages for 4th of July, Flag Day and Memorial Day too. 

RWB Bomb Pop: Slush (partially freeze) separately: Dekuyper's Raspberry Pucker, cherry liqueur or Bacardi Razz, blue Curacao and Smirnoff ice (or lemonade, vodka or gin). Add slush in layers with red on bottom, clear in middle and blue on top.

Red, White and Brew: Are your party-goers a beer crowd? Then why not spike those beers with a shot of red or blue food coloring for a fun Fourth of July look? Hey, bars dye beer green for St. Patrick's Day--why not blue beer or red beer for America's birthday? Amber beers are already reddish in color. Hopheads will love Founders Red's Rye IPA. Lagunitas Imperial Red is a maltier beer. Or Redd's Apple Ale is getting quite a following.

Red Wine and Blue: Serve your wine loving guests an assortment of wines. Select a rich, dry red like Malbec or Shiraz and a sweet red Lambrusco. Moscato or Reisling are nice sweet whites wines and chardonnay is a delicious dry white. For blue white, add a little grape juice to a sweet white. Or bust out good old Boone's Farm Blue Hawaiian just for fun!

Red Hot White Lightning Blues: Put a kick in your patriotic punch bowl. Blend cranberry juice, grapefruit soda, Dekuyper's Raspberry Pucker, vodka (one shot of liqueur and alcohol to each 8 ounce serving of juice). Freeze blue gelatin or clear soda in star-shaped ice cube trays.

Rum White and Beach Cooler: This is a 4th of July spin on a traditional New Orleans Hurricane recipe. Blend blue Hi-C fruit punch, limeade, Dekuyper's Blue Curacao and Malibu coconut rum. Garnish with strawberry and apple slices cut in star shapes.

Star-Spangled Sangria: In a pitcher, blend one bottle dry red wine (Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon) one 2 liters grapefruit soda, one 12-ounce can lemonade and a fifth of Dekuyper's Peach Schnapps. Freeze Dekuyer's Blue Curacao in star-shaped ice cubes. Slice oranges, lemons and limes and cut in star shapes with cookie cutter.

Ruby White and Blue Solitaire shot (slush or regular): My then-boyfriend was a bartender. He gave me a ruby solitaire as a promise ring. This drink is named for that ring. 100% Cranberry Juice cocktail (Ocean Spray is a good brand.) DeKuyper Peachtree Schnapps.

lemon twist, strawberry and blueberry bowtie for garnish. Freeze the cranberry juice until it slushes. Place in a covered ice bucket or cooler. Mix one shot of Schnapps with four oz. of cranberry juice.

American Woman (aka Bahama Mama, a drink from my conga line days). In a shaker, blend, shots of Malibu Coconut Rum, Suntory Midori (melon liquor) and 4-6 ounces Dole Orange-Peach-Mango or Dole Pine-Orange-Banana). Garnish with pale green honeydew melon chunk, strawberry, blueberry for RWB bowtie.

Blue Motorcycle: My now-husband used to ride a Union Jack blue 1970 Triumph Daytona; this drink is a tribute to that bike.Mix one ounce each of vodka, rum and Blue Curacao liquor. Add four ounces Vernor's (the original American soda) or Squirt grapefruit soda.

Star-Spangled Brain: This novelty was an early shot. It looks like a squirrels' brain (hence the name) but tastes delicious. Fill a Collins glass half full of Dekuyper Strawberry or Pucker Raspberry Schnapps. Slowly dribble in one-two ounces of Bailey's Irish Cream to make "brain."

Stripy Stars Slammer: Another early shot, you slam the glass on the table and drink in one gulp. Slamming releases CO2 and makes froth. It isn't necessary to literally slam the glass. Just pick it up with one hand, cover it with the other hand and set down firmly on the table. 1 oz tequila, 1 ounce pink champagne, 4 ounces Vernor's.

Ein Prosit! L'Chaim! Sainte! Salud! Nastrovya! Skol! Opah and all that. But if you drink this Memorial Day, don't drive.

Silly Putty, Lint Dough, Moon Sand and Cool Science Craft Recipes

My kids loved to make stuff in the kitchen; preferable messy stuff! And explosives with noxious smells was also a plus (lol). Summertime is great for backyard or kitchen chemistry crafts. Here are my best recipes for messy, sticky, bouncy, glittery goo! Read on for silly putty, farting putty (makes disgusting sounds boys--and girls--don't tell--love!) flubber, play dough, melting goop, Ectoplasm (slime like from that ancient cartoon Slimer and the Real Ghostbusters--I'm dating myself), oobleck and moon sand recipes. I'll even throw in a few surprise recipes because you're all so nice! I advise you make outside where it won't goo up your kitchen.  Silly Putty, Lint Dough, Moon Sand and Other Science Recipes

Memorial Day Party Planner--Games, Crafts, Printables, Recipes, Activities

Holiday party planning is easy when you're dealing with one age group. Planning for young and old is more challenging. Easily-bored kids want to romp while grandparents want to sit (quietly!) and visit. Here's a patriotic Memorial Day party--RWB crafts, all-American food and recipes, kiddie parade, educational activities--everyone from toddlers to seniors, yes even parents, will love!  Cheap Homemade Memorial Day Party Fun for Toddler to Grandparent

Preschool Animal Alphabet Snacks From A-Z Homemade, Healthy

Teachers, want to make ABCs fun? Here are healthy animal alphabet-themed snacks from A-Z. Use Alpha-Bits cereal, letter pretzels, cookies for letter shape. Make character sandwiches using any spread and leave open face. Use pretzels or matchstick carrots for whiskers. For eyes, use Cheerios, spray cheese, raisins, olives, banana or kiwi slices. Make ears, nose and mouth from apple bits, pimentos, pepper pieces, triangle chips or crackers. Use pretzel sticks for legs. For cookie creations, use candy or fruit to make faces.  Preschool Animal Alphabet Themed Snacks From A-Z

Preschool Valentine Math Craft: Edible Flashcard Cookies

 My friend wrote an article showing adorable Valentine cookies she made. And friend wrote about that Valentine staple, Necco Sweethearts conversation candy hearts. From those sprang this cute Valentine math snack craft game Easy Preschool Valentine Math Craft Snack: Edible Flashcard Cookies 

Homemade non-toxic kids clay recipes

Have you considered making homemade non-toxic clay for your kids? Children love molding and shaping clay into their own sculpture creations. Children's fingers tend to end up in their mouths. Making your own homemade non-toxic modeling play clay insures kid's safety while they create. All these clays can be stored in Tupperware or baggies in the fridge for several days. I always read "Bartholmew and the Oobleck" when making clay. Recipes come courtesy of my friend Jaipi). How to make homemade non-toxic kids clay 

Graduation Hat Cookies and Favors Recipes

Sheet cakes for graduation open house parties are very expensive. And pretty though the cake may be, they usually taste like cardboard and sweetened shortening. How about cookies shaped like mortarboard graduation hats instead. Here's the recipe. We recently celebrated our son's graduation open house. I made graduation hat cookies instead of buying a cake. I saved about 75% of what I would have paid for a nice cake and there was no wasted cake. These yummy cookies went over big with young and old alike. Alas, I forgot to take pictures, so you'll have to use your imagination. But the concept is easy to follow. Since writing this, I saw these made with chocolate cupcakes instead of peanut butter cups (use mini muffins or larger packaged ones).Graduation Party Mortarboard Hat Cookies and Favors Recipes

Cheap, Homemade, Safe Easter Egg Dyeing, Recycled Decorations

Waited till the last minute to buy Easter egg dyeing kits for the kids? Now you have to pull a rabbit out of a hat (pun intended) and come up with your own egg decorations. Take it from this mom of four--been there, done that. Never fear--super DIY mom is here! Here are homemade Easter egg decorations using recycled and on-hand materials. And best of all--they're cheaper and safer than store-bought egg coloring kits! Cheap, Homemade, Safe Easter Egg Dyeing, Recycled Decorations 

Free Printable Diwali Activities, Rangoli Crafts

Diwali, also called Deepavali and Divali, is a five-day festival celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs. Diwali 2012 is celebrated from November 13-17 in the western calendar. Here are free printable Diwali crafts and activities. Diwali means 'row' or 'garland of lights' in Sanskrit and is referred to as the 'festival of lights'. In the Indian calendar, Diwali is celebrated in late Ashwin (September-October) and ends in early Kartika (October-November)  Free Printable Diwali and Rangoli Crafts and Activities 

Green Recycled Halloween Pumpkin Crafts, Fall Harvest Craft Ideas

Planning your annual Halloween party or harvest festival? Or maybe you're planning a fall themed party for school or church? Here are easy recycled fall themed crafts that focus on autumn harvest and non-spooky Halloween fun. Easy, inexpensive crafts using materials from your recycle bin.  Eco Friendly Recycled Halloween and Autumn Harvest Craft Ideas 

Free Printable Science Activities, Recipes from PBS ZOOM

ZOOM is a television show from PBS with a long and celebrated tradition in excellence in children's programming. The first ZOOM episodes were shot 1972 and ran until 1978. PBS brought ZOOM back for another six years in starting in 1999. Public Television and the Children's Television Workshop were truly pioneers in creating healthy, safe television shows. PBS and CTW have long been advocates for children. Children featured on the show ZOOM were introduced only by first name and last initial, making ZOOM into a show for kids like you and me.

The purpose of ZOOM as with all of PBS children's programming was to make learning fun. ZOOM featured lots of safe, kid friendly hands on science projects using common household objects.   Free Printable Science Activities and Recipes from PBS ZOOM

Free Printable Pilgrim Crafts for Thanksgiving

Free Printable Pilgrim Crafts for Thanksgiving Thanksgiving in the US celebrates the survival of the pilgrims who came on the Mayflower. We remember the difficulties faced by the pilgrims, or more accurately, the Puritans, and the help they received from local native American Indians. Here are free printable pilgrim crafts. Read on

Free Printable American Patriotic Memorial Day Summer Crafts

Free Printable American Patriotic Summer Crafts Just in Time for Memorial Day Family Fun is a well-named magazine. Cover to cover each issue of family fun is loaded with recipes, games, crafts, activities and free printable fun. Here is a list of free printable patriotic and all-American themed craft activities just in time for Memorial Day. Read more

Science Recipes--Oobleck, Goop, Silly Putty and Other Dr. Seuss Crafts

Dr. Seuss celebrates his birthday on March 2. We celebrate Dr. Seuss legacy of literature. Dr. Seuss's charming fable Bartholomew and the Oobleck is pure Seuss fun. Here are recipes to make oobleck with your children, homeschool or students. Read more

Eco Friendly Recycled Harvest Crafts

Eco Friendly Recycled Halloween and Autumn Harvest Craft Ideas
Planning your annual Halloween or harvest party? Here are great fall themed crafts that focus on autumn harvest and non-spooky Halloween fun. Easy, inexpensive fall crafts using recycled materials. Read More

Despicable Me Minions Treats from Twinkies

Make Despicable Me Minions Party Treats and Favors Using Hostess Twinkies
Need ideas for a Despicable Me birthday party theme? How about recipes to make Despicable Me minions from Twinkies? Read More

Graduation Cap Open House Cookies

Graduation Party Mortarboard Hat Cookies and Favors Recipes
Sheet cakes for graduation open house parties are very expensive. And pretty though the cake may be, they usually taste like cardboard and sweetened shortening. How about cookies shaped like mortarboard graduation hats instead. (By the way, plan on making lots--these were ridiculously popular at my son's graduation open house!) Here's the recipe. Read More

Free Printable Disney Fairies Pixie Hollow Craft Activities

Free Printable Disney Fairies Craft Activities Disney Fairies is a cartoon movie featuring Tinkerbell from Peter Pan, and many of her friends. If you like fairies, and in particular Disney Fairies, then you'll love these free printable Disney Fairies craft activities. Read More

Free Printable 'Bartholomew and the Oobleck Activities

Recipes for Oobleck: From Dr. Seuss's Book Bartholomew and the Oobleck
Dr. Seuss celebrates his birthday on March 2. We celebrate Dr. Seuss legacy of literature. Dr. Seuss's charming fable Bartholomew and the Oobleck is pure Seuss fun. Here are recipes to make oobleck with your kids, homeschool or students. I forgot to mention in the recipe to add green food coloring. Read More