ST. PATRICKS DAY PISTACHIO CAKE

1 white cake mix
1 c. oil
1 c. water
3 eggs
1 pkg. instant pistachio pudding mix

Mix well. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes in 9 x 13-inchpan.

FROSTING:

8 oz. Cool Whip
1 pkg. pistachio pudding mix
1 c. milk

Mix well. Spread over cooled cake.

RED VELVET CAKE AND ICING

This is my favorite recipe. I do this in small and large heart shaped pans and top with white icing and am going to use fondant this time.

1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter flavored cooking oil (I use butter flavored Crisco)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine
1 1ounce bottle red food coloring plus 1 bottle buttermilk or water
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
1 cup buttermilk

Cream sugar and eggs together. Add cooking oil and margarine. Mix. Add red food coloring and fill bottle with buttermilk or water and add to above mixture with vanilla. Mix well. Sift flour,cocoa,salt, and soda together. Add alternately with 1 cup buttermilk to above mixture. Pour into 3 square cans which have been greased and dusted with flour. Bake at 350 * for 25 to 30 minutes.

ICING:

1 box confectioners' sugar
1 8oz cream cheese
1 stick butter
1/2 cups walnuts or pecans, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream together and ice cake after it has cooled. Refrigerate after first day.

(I personally haven't tried the icing. I like to use different icing.)

CHOCOLATE ICE BOX PIE

This one sounds delicious!!

1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1/4 cup water
1/2 pint whipping cream
Graham cracker crust

Melt chocolate in top of double broiler. Add condensed milk and cook until very thick. Take from fire and slowly stir in water. Pour into shell and cover with whipped cream.Chill several hours before serving.

IOWA COOL

Another delicious recipe tht I am going to be doing every year...often. Also known as Pistachio or Watergate Salad.

1 pkg instant pistachio pudding
1 large can crushed pineapple
1 cup mini marshmellows
1 small carton Cool Whip

Place dry pudding in bowl. Add pineapple and juice. Stir in marshmellows. Mix well. Fold in Cool Whip. Chill and serve.

I like to use the colored marshmellows to add more effects to it. You could also add a few pecans or walnuts if you like alot of nuts in it.

PUMPKIN DIP

DELICIOUS!!!

1 can (15 oz) Libby's pumpkin
1 8oz cream cheese
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. pumpkin spice

Mix all ingredients. Serve on graham crackers or ginger snaps.

GINGERBREAD PEOPLE

Gingerbread cookies are a fun family activity during the holiday season. All you need to get started are some gingerbread people cookie cutters and your imagination. You can make your own frosting. Use a variety of candies to decorate, like raisins, s, gum drops, etc.

Recipe Ingredients
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. shortening
1 egg
1/2 c. light molasses
2 1/4 c. flour
4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. all spice

Cream sugar and shortening. Add egg and molasses; blend. Mix in dry ingredients. Chill dough for 1 hour. Roll out dough to 1/8 in. thickness. Cut into desired shapes. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 9 minutes.

GRANNY'S SWEET POTATO PUDDING

Grannie's Sweet Potato Pudding

Serves/Makes:6
Ready In: 1-2 hrs

Ingredients:
4 cups raw, sweet potatoes, grated
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup white granulated sugar
1 small can coconut
1 stick butter
2 cups milk
4 eggs

Directions:In a bowl toss together grated sweet potatoes, coconuut, cornmeal, and sugars. Heat butter and milk until the butter has melted, then cool it. Beat eggs and stir into the milk. Add milk mixture to potato mixture and place in a buttered casserole Bake at 350 degrees F for an hour or until set.

STRAINED EYEBALLS

6 eggs, hardcooked, cooled and peeled
6 oz whipped cream cheese
12 green olives stuffed with pimientos
red food coloring or ketchup

Half eggs widthwise. Remove yolks and fill the hole with cream cheese,
smoothing surface as much as possible. Press an olive into each cream cheese eyeball, pimiento up, for an eerie green iris and red pupil. Dip a toothpick into ketchup and draw broken blood vessels in the cream cheese.

BRAIN DIP

1 whole cauliflower
Your favorite spinach or dill dip
Radishes
Assorted raw vegetables
Crackers for dipping

Cut florets from the top of the cauliflower until you have a
cauliflower "bowl." Remove greens from bottom.
Cut stems from radishes, leave the root and remove skin.
Using wooden picks and food coloring, draw an eyeball on the flat part
of the radish (where the top was). The root will look like the optic
nerve.
Fill cauliflower with dip, garnish with radish "eyes," and serve with
veggies and crackers.

SWEET "N" SPICY HALLOWEEN TREAT

1 pound spiced gumdrops
1 pound candy corn
1 can (16 ounces) salted peanuts

In a bowl, combine the gumdrops, candy corn and peanuts. Store
in an airtight container. Yield: 2 quarts.

Snack Mix Serving Suggestion: Instead of simply setting out
bowls of Halloween snack mixes or candy, place individual
servings in edible containers like waffle cones and set them in
a bowl filled with candy corn. This way guests will be able to
munch as they mingle. Or make paper cones from heavy-duty paper.
Roll it to make a cone shape, secure it with tape and fill with
snack mix.

ANTI- VAMPIRE GARLIC DIP

1/2 cup milk
1 cup cottage cheese
2 small garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon onion salt

Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth.
Makes 1 1/2 cups dip.

COUNT DRACULA'S ROASTED CARROT DIP

2 pounds peeled carrots, cut into chunks
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon line or lemon juice

Roast carrots, garlic, cumin seeds, 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt
for 35 minutes, then allow to cool.
Place carrots in food processor until almost smooth. Then add extra
oil, tahini and lime juice. Blend briefly. Adjust seasoning.
Serve as a dip with crackers, breadsticks or pita chips.

MONSTER MASH SPREAD

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey jack
cheese with jalapeño peppers
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
Green Onion Curls (recipe follows, optional)
Assorted crackers
Line 8- or 9-inch round cake pan with aluminum foil. Spray with
nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
Combine cream cheese, Monterey jack cheese, bell pepper and chopped
green onions in medium bowl; mix well. Spoon into prepared pan; press
mixture evenly into pan. Cover; refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or overnight.
When ready to serve, invert pan onto large platter or serving tray;
remove pan. Discard foil. Garnish with Green Onion Curls, if desired.
Serve with crackers.
Tip: Substitute shredded Cheddar cheese for Monterey jack cheese with
jalapeno peppers. Drain 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles and stir
into cheese mixture before spreading into prepared pan.

Green Onion Curls

Makes several curls.
3 to 4 green onions (tops only)
Using scissors or small knife, cut each green onion lengthwise into
long, narrow strips; place in bowl of ice water. Refrigerate until
strips are curled, about 2 hours or overnight.

HALLOWEEN LAYERED FUDGE

1 tsp butter
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk, divided
8 ounces white candy coating
1/4 tsp orange extract
2 to 4 drops orange paste food coloring

Line an 8 inch square pan with foil. Butter foil and set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips and 1 cup of milk on high for 30 seconds. Stir. Repeat until the mixture is smooth. Pour into the prepared pan. Chill for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe bowl, melt the candy coating with the remaining milk. Stir in the extract and the food coloring. Spread over the chocolate layer. Chill for 1 hour or until firm. Using the foil, remove the fudge from the pan. Cut into 1 inch squares.Makes about 2 pounds

HALLOWEEN MUMMY DOGS

2 tubes refrigerator roll of pizza dough
1 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan (part-skim) cheese
Non-stick spray
4 tbsp. pizza sauce or pasta sauce
8 hot dogs
Optional pizza toppings: onions, green peppers, olives, etc.
1 tbsp Italian herb seasoning mix (or your own mix of oregano, thyme,parsley, etc.)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.Open package of pizza dough, gather ingredients, grate cheese, and dicevegetables.Spray cookie sheet with non-stick spray.Place pizza dough on sheet and cut into 8 squares; press dough thin withfingers.Add pizza sauce to each square.Add hot dogs and other pizza toppings and pizza herbs to taste."Mummify" the hot dogs by wrapping them completely in the dough and pinchingthe ends.Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until crust begins to brown.Serve with warm pizza sauce for dip