Search Results for “label/halloween food” – Dabbled

Halloween Wrap-up – Party Food

Dot — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:58:00 +0000

Row 1: Mozzarella Eyeballs. Instead of last year‘s idea of just using sliced olives with pimentos, I used the technique by the Evil Mad Scientists to create more rounded eyes. The mozzarella balls were marinated ones from Trader Joes.
Row 2: Flayed Skin Cheeseball makes a reappearance. An art store face mold, covered in shreds of proscuito. Cheese ball mixture was 4 or so cups of shredded cheese, 16 oz cream cheese, cajun spices, and some extra finely chopped proscuitto.

Row 3:
1) Final Cheeseball
2) Ingredients for Salmon Brain. 8 oz cream cheese, 1 small piece of fresh salmon, broiled or baked, skinned. 2 heaping tablespoons of sour cream. spices.
3) Hand Shaped Brain, ready for chilling. To form brain, mix all of the ingredients well. Form two balls, one for each half of brain, and press together. Use wet hands to smooth the surface. Use a chopstick to etch out the lines of the brain using a picture for reference. Use wet hands to smooth.

Row 4:
1) Final Brain
2) Completed Creep Fingers and Peanut Butter Truffle Eyeballs.
3) Sushi Samples for this year (directions here). Dried fruits top row: Peach Nigiri, Turkish Apricot Nigiri (split in half so that inside fruit shows), Papaya Nigiri, Papaya/Apricot Maki. Bottom Row: Papaya/Apricot Maki, Sugared Mango Nigiri, Peach (skin side up, split down middle, seam covered by ‘nori’), low sugar Mango Nigiri

Row 5:
1) Sushi Spread
2 & 3) Creepy Bubble Cocktails (instructions here) – Kalhua Grasshopper Shooters*, Orange Fish Eye Shooters**, Extra Pearls for adding to drinks. (Green=Creme de Menthe, Blue=Blue Raspberry drink mixer, Red=Grenadine with added red food coloring).

*Kalhua, Cream, poured over Creme de Menthe balls
** Orange liquer over Red (or Blue) balls

Halloween Food Posts
Halloween Costumes

Edit: Thanks to Craftzine for linking!

See All Halloween Posts

Halloween Cocktails – Creepy Bubble Fun!

Dot — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:34:00 +0000

Last week I was sitting around trying to think of something different to do for halloween, and the idea came to me. Something that would look particularly creepy, and be unusual… Can you guess the secret ingredient? Ever had Bubble Tea? It’s made with large tapioca pearls, and has a really interesting look. I figured there’s no reason we couldn’t make some fun halloween drinks/shots/cocktails with the tapioca pearls. A trip to the local Whole Foods yeilded a bag of large pearls. So I tried some experiments (Note, the amount shown here is what I got from maybe 1/4 cup of uncooked pearls). First I made a test batch — following this recipe to cook the tapioca. You’re supposed to soak them in a sugar syrup, and I had on had some really bright blue drink mixer, which I figured would be perfect. Voila, bright blue translucent drink pearls with a slightly sweet flavor. Next I tried several other ‘soakers’ to see what I would get. I figured a red flavor would be nice, so I soaked some in grenadine. I also mixed some of the grenadine and the blue syrup to get a black/purple color. Someone suggested soaking in alcohol, so I tried green creme de menthe, black rum, jagermeister, and orange liqueur. (Click through to see them labeled on the flickr pic) Removed from the soaking liquids this morning… Note that (with the exception of the creme de menthe, the alcohol soaked pearls became smaller, harder, and opaque. The others are more transparent and jelly like. Interesting effects, you could obviously work with either result. Click through on the picture for a better view. The best thing about these is they can basically be added to any drink or shot where the flavors will work. They also don’t have a ton of taste, so they won’t mess up a drink. Add to a basic martini or cosmopolitan, for example. (I called this one my Caviar martini). Shooter ideas: #Frog Egg Shooter – Whitish opaque pearls (these were the orange liqueur ones) in a Midori shot #Fish Egg Shooter – Your favorite clear pink shooter with a mix of pink and white balls. #Or how about Grasshopper Eye Shooter (basic Grasshopper recipe with Green Creme de Menthe balls) #Blue berry-flavored balls in a Grand Marnier shot. The blue is my favorite — I think these would also be fabulous in a vodka tonic… Note: You could easily just make colored sugar syrups with food coloring and get any look you wanted. You could leave out the alcohol entirely for fun kids drinks too. I also love the idea of just making dishes of different colors of these and setting them out by the drink station, so people can add their own! Anyway, hope you enjoy this little addition to your halloween festivities. Tell your friends! More Halloween Cocktails More Halloween Food PS – I’ve written this up as an Instructable!

Fabulous Reverse Applique Eye T-shirts

Dot — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 01:08:00 +0000

Creative Kismet (who we featured earlier with her Monster Towel), has another fabulous design! She used a reverse applique technique to create these incredibly creative and fun “Eye” T-shirts. And they even have a requisite Eye on the back, too! She has full instructions on her blog, so check it out!

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Here’s lookin’ at you kid, originally uploaded by Creative Kismet.

PS: Another thing I’ve been meaning to link to – Samae at A Milf For All Seasons is one of the funniest mommy-blog true life writers I know… this one on basement renovation is particular fun!

All Halloween Here

More Halloween Features

Don’t forget…
a Dabbled Halloween Contest ends next Wednesday! Just a few more days…
All crafts, art, food Halloween related is eligible… And bloggers, if the winner finds us from your blog, you’ll win a prize too! Enter the contest or see the current entries HERE:

And Thanks to Tip Junkie for featuring some of my Halloween Food (Flayed Skin Cheeseball & Creepy Eyeball Apps and Desserts)

Creepy Houseplants, and H'ween Roundup

Dot — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:57:00 +0000

It’s so cold and icky and rainy here today, I’m having trouble getting motivated! I twitted this fabulous houseplant idea (from Bitter Betty) the other day, but now I’m finally getting around to posting it. So fabulous! Click through, because she also has a great “Rest in Peace Lily” with an eyeball. Instructions on making are over there too.

Other Recent Halloween related you might have missed:
– A fabulous house makeover for Halloween – some great ideas you might incorporate into your own displays.
– Monster Wreath tutorials
– Halloween Costume Ideas
– Make your own creepy Head in a Jar
– Halloween Cocktail Ideas
– Halloween Food: Flayed Skin Cheeseball, Rice Krispy Treat Sushi, Delicious Eyeballs of all sorts, Creepy Cakes
-Inspirations: All the Halloween Links posts

Finally, for you Facebookers out there – Become a Fan of Dabbled!* The blog has it’s own Wall and everything :)

*PS: I only friend people on my personal Facebook that I know, or have at least had conversations with, so this is a way to connect with all of you Facebooking Dabblers.

Halloween: Vintage-inspired Ornaments, skull tea cozies, and more!

Dot — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 19:22:00 +0000

Been lazy today, at least as far as blogging goes (but I am on my 3rd day of Wii Fit!), so here are some links to the Halloween Stuff on the web, and also a roundup of Dabbled Halloween thus far.

Linky Goodness:
SwellDesigner has some really cool vintage inspired Halloween Ornaments, with tutorial. Neato! And lots of other cool halloween links over there too — check out her Terrorific Tuesday…

Superpunch has a great roundup of Halloween Related Food (includes some you’ve seen here, actually, but even more. Including these adorable monster cupcakes by My Little Mochi

Check out these skull knitted tea-cosies on Whip Up.

Stollaween has some very cool looking papier mache pumpkins, incredible looking, and they have instructions to make your own.. (via craft)

Parenthacks has their Best of Halloween hacks. good stuff.

Oh, and One Pretty Thing has 2 new Halloween Roundups!

And the Evil Mad Scientists have a roundup of projects from halloweens past. check out the bat costume from an umbrella and the many cool geeky pumpkins.

A Dabbled Halloween, Thus Far

The Halloween Contest:

Go check out the items entered thus far in the comments. Great Stuff! Think you can do better? Get to work, just 2 more weeks! Have you been featured, or are you entering the contest? Or do you just want to get the word out? Get your Halloween button here!

Oh, and check out our cool sponsors and the prizes they are offering…

Dabbled Tutorial: Making a Monster Wreath

All Halloween Food, including:
Halloween Eyeballs
Halloween Flayed Skin Cheeseball
and more!

Check out the very creative Halloween Features.

I might have missed something, including inspirational links like these above, so for All Halloween Posts: Click Here

Halloween Food – Sweet Sushi

Dot — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:17:00 +0000

This is not inherently creepy (though with some creative labeling, it can be), like the other Halloween Food we’ve featured this month, but it is unusual and fun, and always a hit at the halloween party. I’ve posted about this before, but I’m finally writing real instructions. [Note, no fish were harmed in the making of this, it’s all nicely vegetarian sweets!]

Dessert Sushi:

This is really simple to make, and has tons of creative opportunities.

You’ll need:
“Rice” The base is your basic rice krispy treat recipe.
“Fish” – various dried fruits (mango, papaya, & candied ginger all work well, but just go wild in the dried fruit bins)
“Nori”- green or purple fruit leather (fruit rollups–or the natural stuff looks even better). If you can find nicely colored strips (like Yogos Rollers or Fruit by the Foot) that makes it even easier. For ours, we cut green fruit rollups into strips for the nigiri and used green Yogos for some of the maki. The Yogos doesn’t look as nice, but it worked in a pinch.
– Condiments: Wasabi Peas, Sliced Candied Ginger

1. Make the rice krispie treat mixture. You’ll need to work quickly, so make it right before you start.

2. Form the rice bases.
Nigiri:
While the rice krispie treats are still warm and workable, form little rectangular pillows with your hands, about 2-3 in long. We tried making a pan the right thickness and cutting out little bars, but I think this worked a little better (more realistic) — but you can do that and then just round them out with your hands.

Maki: Spread a 3/4 in thick slab (or whatever you want the height of your maki to be, should match the width of your nori strips), and use a small round cookie cutter (I think we used a tomato paste can) to cut circles for your faux maki.

3. Decorate
Nigiri:
Mango or Ginger can be used as is, just place on top and wrap with a strip of ‘Nori’.
Papaya looks great if you slice it, exposing it’s lovely orange-red center.
Maki:
Wrap the sides of the circle with a “nori” strip.
Press small chunks of various colors of fruit or candy into the center of the circle, to give the illusion of a roll.
Halloween option: If you have extra fruit leather in various colors, you can make these into eyes by cutting out a small circle (pupil) and a larger circle (iris), and placing them in the center, instead of the true sushi look.

4. Serve with wasabi peas and sliced candied ginger.

If you have any leftover rice krispie mixture, you can make these fun monster balls, using gummy body parts!

Some of my inspirations:
Evil Mad Scientist’s Dessert Sushi
not martha’s Snack Cake Sushi
Brownie Points super gorgeous Sweet Sushi

and a really cool sushi cake I ran across today from Bitter Betty – love it!

Halloween – Even Creepier Cakes

Dot — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 13:35:00 +0000

The lovely ladies at They’re Coming to Get You, Barbara have some of the creepiest cakes ever. This Thorax Cavity Cake really ‘takes the cake’! The rib cage is white chocolate, and each of the organs is a goo filled yummy cake–all different gourmet flavors. Full instructions on how to make this ultimate in “gross your dinner guests out” halloween cakes can be found on their site. Also, even if you’re not into “gruesome” as a theme, their techniques can be used on various sorts of cakes. I found several useful tips.

I actually think i like it better without the blood:

Also, check out the Zombie Cake (the second page has some great white chocolate covered cherry eyeballs with instructions, on our previous eyeball theme); and for the less cooking inclined, check out some nice pumpkin carving ideas!

Thanks to:
Inspired by yesterday’s Eyeball Soup cake, Heather recommended a link to this site!

Get your halloween buttons here, including I WAS FEATURED if you’re featured as part of the halloween series.

Related: All Halloween Topics

Enter the Halloween Contest:

Halloween Food – Delicious Eyeballs

Dot — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:49:00 +0000

As part of the Halloween Food series, we have delicious eyeballs for you here, the sweet and the savory, so read on…

Mozzerella Eyeballs

Note: this recipe has been updated and is EVEN BETTER NOW!

Always looking for yummy Halloween edibles, I created these last year as a easy to prepare and yummy party food. They are simply fresh mozzarella balls, that I bought pre-marinated. Pupil/iris is whole pimento stuffed green olives, sliced and stuck on with a toothpick (Ow! My Eye!).

The Evil Mad Scientists have a more refined version, that I love, and I may modify mine to use some of their tips. All the steps to make these are here. I love how they use two different olives to make the more rounded iris/pupil.

Now on to sweet:
Brown Eye’d Truffles:

These are extremely popular and yummy, we’ve done them the past few years. The inside is a peanut butter truffle, dipped not quite to the top in white chocolate (or white candy bark). The pupil is an upside down mini chocolate chip. You can also add red veins with decorator gel, but I like the simplicity of it without. For a creepier touch, add green paste food coloring to the truffle mix.

I didn’t originate the recipe, but I have no idea of the source – I’ve seen it around the internet in several places. Since there’s no point in retyping what can be easily googled, here’s a good recipe and write up of how to make them. You can either dip them and place on parchment paper to dry, or directly into mini muffin cups.

Hope you enjoy these inspirations for your Halloween gatherings!

Here’s some other eyeball related yummys via flickr:

From flickr user schmish: Eyeball Soup Cake. Just Wow!

From flickr user overduebook, “they are really simple to make. Start with a lychee fruit in a can. After they are well drained fill them with strawberry jam/jelly and top with a blueberry. ”

Reader Halloween Project Links from Contest

Dot — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 14:26:00 +0000

This is the official post for your entries. Links to entries should be submitted via comment in this thread, or via email.

Here’s the official rules for the Halloween Extravaganza Contest:

The Rules: Your entry can be art, craft, or food. For Halloween, this includes Costume and Decoration ideas as well.

Post a link to your entry preferably IN THIS THREAD (or you can email it to me). Entry should include a link to the item. You can link to a blog, website or etsy, or flickr pictures. Post pictures, and extra credit for instructions or recipes

Judges are still in the works, i’ll update this post with the info. If you’re a past winner, and are not participating this time, you’re eligible to be a Judge – email me. Also Sponsors are eligible.

Deadline: WED OCT 29!

Prizes: Fame! Fortune! Well, a tad of fame, anyway! There will be prizes, including a link over to your blog for the coolest submissions. Prizes will include several donated prizes by our Sponsors, plus custom artwork. Also you’ll receive a nifty “I Won” button for your site!

Other details:
– you can enter as many items as you want, but you can only win with one entry.
– post each entry in a different comment, please.
– If you’re featured during the Halloween Features, you’ll still need to enter on this post with whichever items you are entering.
– I’ll update this more later with the Sponsor info.
– If you use flickr, please add your item to the Dabbled flickr pool too! (The pool is http://www.flickr.com/groups/dabbled/ , but still link it here if you want it counted.)

Happy Halloweening!

PS: Check out here for all the other ways to participate in the Halloween Extravaganza.
– ~~Be a Sponsor by donating a prize!~~ Thanks to our sponsors: Some Art Fabric, Erin K Creations, & Chica and Jo. Read all about them here!
– Link over to the contest on your blog and if the winner found us through your site, you’ll win a prize too!
– Be a Halloween Featured guest! Like these Dabblers!

Get your Halloween button here!

Halloween Extravaganza Starts today!

Dot — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:18:00 +0000

The contest is over, but here’s some more recent halloween fun:

[getmyposts tag =”halloween” posts =”6″]

Time to start planning for the bestest holiday of the year! HALLOWEEN! The little Halloween Bot* is here to announce that over the next few weeks we’ll be featuring halloween crafts, costumes, decorations, art, food.. all the good stuff you’ll need to get in the spirit! Leading up to the Halloween contest to cap it off of course.

And I know you’re desparately wondering “How can I get involved in this fabulous extravaganza!?” Well…

1) Enter the Contest! – Full Rules here (they are easy!), but per the usual, any type of arts/crafts/food, halloween related is eligible — extra credit for tutorials. There will be prizes of course, but the best part is of course sharing your creations with the world!

2) Sponsor the Contest! – Contact me if you’d like to provide a prize for the contest, and possibly be eligible to be a judge. You’ll receive a nifty little halloween bot for your site and link back over with kudos for spreading the halloween love. Some Art Fabric has already provided us with some nifty halloween fabric swatches!

3) Submit your cool halloween posts to be included in the halloween series! You’ll get a nifty ‘I was featured’ button, and of course, internet fame and glory :) Thanks to those of you who’ve emailed me links to your stuff thus far… We’ll have at least 2 Halloween Features from the readers this week!

4) Spread the word! “Spread the word – tell a friend..Tell them the tale..Get a pic – do a blog”** New this contest: Nifty little spread the word buttons are available, and if the winning entry finds us via you/your blog, you’ll win a special little prize! (Great for you non-creative types out there with creative friends!***)

*Isn’t he cute? He needs a name – any ideas?
**OK, I couldn’t resist a Dr Horrible reference..
***Could Dot use any more exclamation points in a single post?, I don’t think so…

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Here’s one of the buttons, but you can get more here…