Cooking Goblins

So in about 24 hours we will have strange looking young and old walking around ghoulish and full of tricks and treats. I have a pretty good feeling that downtown is really in for a fright!  Ah, so what kind of treats can we make to keep those goblins away? Hmm, well in my world, on my street, I believe we will have a variety of all things not good to eat, full of sugar and preservatives; after all what else should we feed monsters?

Once a year, okay three times a year, we seem to want to eat that stuff in massive quantities. I enjoy a nice soft crunchy Babe Ruth every once in awhile and I give myself permission for sure to eat it when I think that a monster may be at my door any minute. What else would be better to eat for my last meal?  Oh, you say there are other things that I could find for my taste buds besides massive amounts of sugar? 

Well, I did find a recipe for you. First though, I have to say that one thing that just jumps out at me is pumpkins. They are here now from Halloween until Christmas. So, of course we can find some fun eats with them.  I found a little history for you on pumpkins, of course online, below. I received an email too from my friend Lew that directed me to a site about pumpkins you might be interested in: www.tinyurl.com/HPRpumpkins.

I also found a very fun and funny Halloween party appetizer made by Paula Dean, information below. I suggest you go to the site and see the picture. It is very fun and oh so scary, Click on Halloween Recipes.
 
So I also wanted to mention the Day of the Dead Buffet at the Plains. Andrea and Peter would love to scare up a meal just for you. Information about this is also below.
Day of the Dead Buffet Dinner
Plains Art Museum
Nov. 2nd. 6-9 p.m.
call 701.232.3821 ext. 118 for reservations
$25 per person (students 20% off with HPR ad)
http://www.greenmarketcater.com

Pumpkin History

References to pumpkins date back many centuries. The name pumpkin originated from the Greek word for “large melon” which is “pepon.” “Pepon” was nasalized by the French into “pompon.” The English changed “pompon” to “Pumpion.” Shakespeare referred to the “pumpion” in his Merry Wives of Windsor. American colonists changed “pumpion” into “pumpkin.” The “pumpkin” is referred to in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow; Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater; and Cinderella.
Native Americans dried strips of pumpkin and wove them into mats. They also roasted long strips of pumpkin on an open fire and ate them. The origin of pumpkin pie occurred when the colonists sliced off the pumpkin top, removed the seeds, and filled the insides with milk, spices and honey. The pumpkin was then baked in hot ashes. Pumpkin is also loaded with an important antioxidant, beta-carotene.
Ok here is a fun recipe:

Cheese Ball Goblin

Credit Paula Dean, http://www.foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature, plus 2 (8-ounce) packages whipped cream cheese
- 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 2 cups shredded mixed cheeses, such as cheeses for tacos
- Green food coloring
- 2 large tortilla chips
- 1 whole pepperoncini pepper
- 2 pimiento-stuffed olives
- 1 bell pepper, cut 2 thin strips and 6 small triangles
- 6 pitted green olives
- 20 small carrot sticks
- 3 cups shredded red cabbage
- Toothpicks
- Assorted crackers
- Assorted vegetables

Directions:

Place 2 packages of cream cheese, butter and milk in a mixing bowl, scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and combined. Add the shredded cheese and mix until well combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or up to 24 hours.

Remove the chilled cheese mixture from the refrigerator. Place the mixture on a piece of waxed paper and form the cheese ball into a head-like shape. Place 3 pieces of waxed paper around the edges of a serving plate, leaving open space in the center. Place the cheese in the center of the platter so some of it is right on the platter, but the edges are on the waxed paper. This will ensure that the platter does not get dirty while you make your goblin.

In a medium bowl, stir the remaining softened cream cheese until totally smooth. With a spatula, spread the whipped cream cheese over the head. It’s O.K. if it’s not totally smooth—this will give your goblin spooky skin.

Place a few drops of green food coloring in a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of water and mix well. With a pastry brush, paint the tortilla chips with the food coloring until they are the desired color. Set aside to dry for a few minutes.

Once the chips are dry, press them into the sides of the cheese ball to form ears. Skewer the pepperoncini with a toothpick and then attach it to the center of the head to make a nose. Press the pimiento-stuffed olives into the head to form eyes. Use the 2 red bell pepper strips to make eyebrows. Take the pepper triangles and insert them into the holes in the pitted green olives. The green olives will serve as toes, and the red pepper strips will be scary toenails. Once the olives are assembled, press them into the bottom of the head to form the toes.

Press the carrot sticks into the head to form teeth. Leave them sticking out a bit to make scary teeth. It’s O.K. if your carrot sticks are different lengths and thicknesses. Hold the head onto the platter with a spatula and gently pull away the waxed paper. Finally, press the cabbage into the top of the head to make hair. Serve with kers and assorted vegetables.
Until next week, be safe and smart trick or treating. Take care of your friends with your tricks.

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