Halloween Party! #SundaySupper - Marinated Eyeballs

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays.  I always wanted to have an all-out party with all the spooky decorations and lots of spooky food.  Well - the party is here today!  I always dress up as a witch every year.  The kids are always surprised to see someone dressed up when I open the door.  One year I had a sign on the front door from the Wizard of Oz.  The sign in the forest that said "I'd turn back if I were you"!
One of the little boys came up to the door - read the sign - and walked away!  I'll never forget it!

Our host this week is Leslie at La Cocina de Leslie.  She has conjured up the #SundaySupper group to make this the best Halloween Party ever!

Marinated Mozzarella Eyeballs

• Big firm olives (black and green).  Try the olive bar at your local grocery
• Mozzarella balls
• Drinking straw
• Olive oil, oregano, red pepper flakes

Slice off the end of the green olive and punch a hole in the center with the straw.  Punch a hole with the straw in the black olive, remove circle and insert into hole of the green olive.  Place on top of mozzarella balls.  You may want to cut a small sliver off the bottom of the mozzarella ball to keep it upright.  Place in a shallow dish and drizzle with olive oil, oregano and red pepper flakes.

Stab each eyeball with a toothpick for an additional "ewwwww".  Makes it easy for serving as well.

These can also be served in a "bloody" marinara sauce.

Into the streets little witches flew,

Ringing doorbells begging candy of you.

As the moon rose high and the winds blew,

Turn the light out when the kids became few.

You're thinking this year's tricks are through,

But tonight it's Marinated Eyeballs for you!

Sunday Supper has more goodies too,

Click through the posts and try a few!

Eyeball anyone?

Bewitching Brews:

• Shrunken Heads in Cider - Girlichef
• Candy Corn Martini - The Messy Baker Blog
• Trick-or-Treat Wine Pairings for Halloween - ENOFYLZ

Ghoulish Gruel:

• Steak Bites with Bloody Mary Dipping Sauce - I Run for Wine
• Eggs in Purgatory - My Catholic Kitchen
• Mini Jack-o’-Lantern Sloppy Joe Pies - Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Baked Mummy Cheese Dogs - In the Kitchen with KP
• Meat Head - Ruffles & Truffles
• Goblin Eggs - Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
• Mummy Hot Dogs - Damn Delicious
• Spooky Kid Pizzas - Sustainable Dad
• Pumpkin Chili, Pumpkin Dip, & Wicken Witch’s Brew - Daddy Knows Less
• Monster Mash - Cindy’s Recipes & Writings
• Sloppy Worm Sandwiches - La Cocina de Leslie

Haunted Snacks:

• Gory Green Monster Eyeball Dip - Shockingly Delicious
• Marinated Mozzarella Eyeballs - Comfy Cuisine
• Eyeball Pinwheels - Home Cooking Memories

Spooky Sweets:

• Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Biscoff Cream - The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Spooky Ogre Eye Cookies - The Realistic Nutritionist
• Jack O’ Lantern Cookies - Magnolia Days
• Spooky Good Popcorn Snack Mix - The Weekend Gourment
• White Chocolate & Coconut Dipped Strawberry Ghosts - Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Monster Bites - Cravings of a Lunatic
• Vegan Halloween Sugar Cookies - Hezzi-D’s Books & Cooks
• Monster Cookies - Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
• Tunnel of Doom Cake - That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Candy-Stuffed Rice Crispy Treat Pumpkins - Chocolate Moosey 

• Crispy Graham Bones - The Meltaways
• Crispy Graham Bones - The Meltaways
• Dulce de Leche Bat Cookies - Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
• Witch’s Fingers - Noshing with The Nolands
• Sweet Intestines with Broken Glass - The Little Ferraro Kitchen 
• Graveyard Brownies - The Wimpy Vegetarian 
• Boo Candy Corn & Chocolate Chip Cookies - Hip Foodie Mom
• Bleeding Devil Cakes - Momma’s Meals
• Pumpkin Halloween Munch - Big Bear’s Wife
• Halloween Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Cake Pops - Juanita’s Cocina
• Jack-O-Lantern Carrot Cake - Galactosemia in PDX
• Ghostly Chocolate Orange Tarts - Happy Baking Days
• Messy Monster Cookies - MarocMama
• Bewitchingly Delicious Butterscotch Broomstick Cake Pops - Mama.Mommy.Mom.
• Halloween Popcorn Cake - Pippis in the Kitchen Again
• Witches Morning Gruel - In the Kitchen with Audrey
• White Chocolate & Dulce de Leche Ghosts - Vintage Kitchen Notes 
• Peanut Butter Candy Bar Cookies - The Cookie A Day Challenge
• Monster Cookie Revel Bars - Baker Street 
• Halloween Cereal Bars - Basic N Delicious
• Ossi di Morti (Bones of the Dead Cookies) - Webicurean
• Pumpkin Pie Pinwheels - Midlife Road Trip

Please be sure you join us on Twitter throughout the day, this Sunday (October 28th) during #SundaySupper.  We’ll be meeting up at 7:00 pm (Eastern) for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat where we’ll talk about all things Halloween.  All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, or you can follow us through TweetChat.

We’d also love to feature your favorite Halloween recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers, too.

~Dabbled.org

~Poem courtesy of Lynn @Happier than a Pig in Mud

Orange Marmalade Ricotta Cheesecake

Vodka-marmalade glaze turns this "creamsicle" cheesecake into a grown-up dessert.

For the crust:

• 1-1/4 cups shortbread cookies crumbs (about 15 cookies)
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

• 2 pounds good-quality whole milk ricotta cheese, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup orange marmalade (plus 1/2 cup for glaze)
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. salt

For the topping:

• 1/2 cup orange marmalade
• 1/3 cup vodka

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place the cookie crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl and mix until combined.  Press crumb mixture into a 9-inch springform pan evenly into the bottom.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.  Cool completely.

Place ricotta in bowl of stand mixer (this can also be done in a food processor) and blend until smooth.  Add the sugar, orange marmalade and flour and mix until well incorporated.  With mixer running, add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time until well blended.  Add the vanilla an salt and blend until just incorporated.  Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.

Bake until the center of the cheesecake is set and the edges are golden brown, about 1 hour.  Let cool.

For the glaze:

Place the marmalade and vodka in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low, simmer and reduce the sauce by half, about 10 minutes.  Cool slightly and pour over the cooled cake.  Let set before cutting, about 15 minutes.

~Adapted from Chow.com

Maple Spiced Nuts

These sweet and spicy toasted nuts are great for gift-giving, cocktails or parties.  Make sure you have plenty on hand - they will go quick!

Maple Spiced Nuts

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 pound nuts - one variety or a mixture

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. maple syrup

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter and add the nuts.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes, until the nuts are fragrant and beginning to toast.

Add the remaining ingredients, stirring until the sugar begins to melt.  

Lower the heat to medium and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the nuts are nicely caramelized around the outside.

Watch carefully as they can easily burn.

Transfer nuts to a parchment-lined baking sheet to cool; stirring periodically so they don't clump.

Sprinkle with additional salt while still warm (optional).

~King Arthur Flour
Sharing with Sunflower Supper Club - Weekend Potluck

Spiderweb Eggs - Halloween Fun

I think Halloween is my favorite holiday.  I think working with kids all these years kept me keeping up with Halloween Fun.  Decorate your table Arachnophobia style with simple spider web and shrouds from the Dollar Store!

These are such fun to make!  The kids will get a kick out of seeing the "spiderwebs" appear like magic when you peel the eggs!

You will need:

• 1 dozen large eggs
• Equal parts blue, red and yellow food coloring (to make black)
• Salt and Pepper
• Blood Red Horseradish and Beets (optional)

Place eggs in a large saucepan and cover with water.  Add food coloring to obtain a black color.  Bring eggs to a boil, remove from heat.  Cover and let set for 10 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, remove eggs one at a time and place in a folded paper towel.  Lightly crack egg on one side with the handle of a wooden spoon.  Just hit the egg once in the middle of one side.

Transfer the eggs to a medium bowl and cover with the "black" cooking water.  Let eggs cool completely in the cooking water in the refrigerator.

Carefully peel shells from eggs.  Watch the web appear!  Serve with salt and pepper and red beets if desired.

For Spider Deviled eggs, cut black olives in half.

Use one half for the body and slice the remainder for the legs.

~Adapted from Martha Stewart
Sharing with Gooseberry Patch Halloween Party!

Coney Island Hot Dog Sauce

 Back in the day, there used to be a small Hot Dog drive-in called George's that was just around the corner from the Elementary School I used to go to.  It was a small place with tables outside.  The buns were warm, the hot dogs were crispy and they had the best chili sauce!  Walking home from school we would pass buy and smell the hot dogs and chili in the air.  What a treat it was to go to George's!  I remember the chili had no meat.  It was more like a spicy sauce - but I do remember the taste.  George's is long gone and I've been trying a few different recipes from the web to try and duplicate it and this one has finally hit the spot.  This does contain meat but the spices make it taste just like George's.  Happiness!!!

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 medium onion chopped

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. allspice

2 dashes Worcestershire sauce

6 oz. tomato paste

3 cups water

Brown the ground beef and drain.  Run it through a food processor for a finer texture.  Mince the onions in the food processor as well.  In a medium heavy pot, combine all ingredients and simmer until thickened, 45 minutes to l hour.

Some don't like the taste of the cinnamon in this, so simple omit it.  It's the taste that I remember.

Place hot dog on a warm toasted bun.  Spread about a heaping Tablespoon of sauce.  Add yellow mustard and chopped onion. 

#BakeforACure - Upside Down Apple Pie - #SundaySupper

Besides the pink ribbon, there are other ways to raise awareness of cancer.  One of them is as "easy as pie" - literally. Chantal would like to encourage us all to Bake for a Cure!

  We have the opportunity to work with Chantal Cookware for this fun #SundaySupper event.  The newest product from Chantal is their Easy as Pie-Dish.   This new pie dish simplifies the art of pie baking and it is pretty enough to display in your kitchen. 

Scalloped edges to help make the perfect crust!

Oven, microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe.

 Chantal will be running an on-line promotion during the #BakeforACure event.  The promotion includes a discount coupon code > BAKE4CURE.  The discount will be 20% off all Chantal pie dishes.  The code must be entered at checkout to receive the discount.  The coupon discount code is active October 16, 2012 through October 30, 2012 - so ladies and gentlemen...start your ovens!

Baking is good for the soul, as anyone who loves to bake - or loves to eat freshly baked cookies warm from the oven, can surely tell you.

All the baked goods we are making for this event will be taken to a medical cancer treatment professional or someone who has been affected by cancer.   Count your blessings and bake a pie!

This pie is everyone's favorite.  It looks and tastes like a giant apple cinnamon-sticky bun.

Upside-down Apple Pie

Crust:

·         2 cups all-purpose flour

·         1/2 tsp. salt

·         6 Tbsp. shortening

·         2 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter

·         5 to 7 Tbsp. orange juice

Filling:

·         6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, divided

·         1/2 cup packed brown sugar

·         1/2 cup chopped pecans

·         1 cup sugar

·         1/3 cup all-purpose flour

·         3/4 tsp. cinnamon

·         1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

·         8 cups thinly sliced peeled, tart apples

Glaze:

·         1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

·         2 to 3 tsp. orange juice

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening and butter until crumbly.  Gradually add orange juice, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball.  Divide dough into two balls.  Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Line your deep-dish pie plate with heavy-duty foil, leaving 1-1/2 inches beyond the edge.  Coat foil with cooking spray.  Combine 4 Tbsp. butter, brown sugar and pecans; spoon into prepared pie plate.

In a bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, apples and remaining butter; toss gently.

Roll out one ball of pastry to fit pie plate.  Place pastry over nut mixture, pressing firmly against mixture and sides of plate.  Trim to 1 inch beyond plate filling.  Fill with apple mixture.

Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pie; place over filling.  Trim to 1/4 inch beyond plate edge.  Fold bottom pastry over top pastry; seal and flute edges.  Cut for 1 inch slits in top pastry.

Bake at 375 degrees F. for 50 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown.  Cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack. 

Invert onto a serving platter; carefully remove foil.  Combine the glaze ingredients and drizzle over pie.

These #SundaySupper Contributors, were provided with a beautiful Easy As Pie Dish by Chantal Cookware.  They will be sharing their recipes with you this Sunday and also their thoughts on this Beautiful Pie Dish.   Many are giving away their dish along with their pie to brighten someone’s day.

• Pecan Pie by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Nana’s 3LB Deep Dish Apple Pie by I Run For Wine
• Upside-down Apple Pie by Comfy Cuisine
• Coconut Pie by Basic N Delicious
• Italian Chicken Pie by Momma’s Meals
• German Apple Pie by Mrs. Mama Hen
• Funny Cake by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Sweet Potato Pie with Gingersnap Crust by Webicurean
• Crustless Pumpkin Pie with Maple Whipped Cream by The Meltaways
• Lemon Meringue Pie by The Messy Baker Blog
• Ham and Spinach Quiche by Magnolia Days
• Pink Salmon Quiche by My Catholic Kitchen
• Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Streusel Topping by Juanita’s Cocina
• Grilled Eggplant Moussaka With Greek Yogurt White Sauce by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie by Big Bears Wife
• Pumpkin Maple Pie by Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Spiced Pumpkin Pie with a Cinnamon Roll Crust by Daily Dish Recipes
• Pasteis de Nata ~ Portuguese Custard Tart by Family Foodie
• Chocolate Pie by Diabetic Foodie
• Fancified Shepard’s Pie by Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
• Pink Lady Pie by From Fast Food to Fresh Food

As you may have noticed, when the #SundaySupper Team does something, we come together and do it with a bang.   Check out these additional recipes, perfect to take to someone who you want to make feel special this month.

• Butterscotch Pudding Triple Chip Cookies by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
• Hazelnut Milk Chocolate Pie by Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Flatbread with Grapes, Gruyere, Rosemary and Red Onions by Shockingly Delicious
• Salted Caramel Filled Chocolate Chip Cookie by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Candy Bar Pie by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Mini Quiches by In the Kitchen with Audrey
• Apple Cranberry Slab Pie by Generation Y Foodie
• Gratin of Potatoes, Onions & Leeks by An Appealing Plan
• Garlic rosemary yeast rolls by Gotta Get Baked
• Italian Tomato Tart by She likes ruffles, he likes truffles
• Impossible cheeseburger pie by In the Kitchen with KP
• 10 Grain Muffins by Mangiamo!
• Deep Dish Caramel Apple Pie by Mama Mommy Mom
• Date Crumb Pie by girlichef
• Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Doughnuts by What Smells So Good?

The Sunday Supper Team and Chantal Cookware, would be honored to have you join us for this special #BakeForACure event Around the Family Table this week.

Join us on Twitter throughout the day during #SundaySupper.  We’ll be meeting up at 7:00 pm(Eastern) for our weekly #SundaySupper  live chat.

All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag or you can follow us through TweetChat.

We’d also love to feature your easy go to recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers, too.

Keep up with the latest from Chantal on their website, twitter, facebook, and Pinterest !

~Adapted from Taste of Home

Disclaimers: I received a pie dish from Chantal for this event. I was under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions on this blog are my own unless specified or contained within a guest post. 

Oven-Braised Pork Chops with Pears

Don't buy the super-expensive balsamic vinegar to make a reduction.  A little of the reduction goes a long way.

• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 4 center-cut pork rib chops about 1" thick
• 1 large red onion, cut through the core into about 8 wedges
• 2 ripe, firm Bosc pears, peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. honey

In a small saucepan, bring the balsamic vinegar to a boil.  Adjust the heat to a gentle boil and boil until the vinegar is syrupy and reduced to about 1/4 cup.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium high heat.  Whack the garlic cloves and scatter them over the oil.  Cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.  Remove to a small plate. Lay the pork chops in and cook until browned, about 6 minutes.  Turn the chops, tuck the onion wedges into the pan, and continue cooking until the second side of the chops are browned.  Season with salt and pepper.  Halfway through browning the second side, tuck the pear wedges in between the chops.

Stir the red wine vinegar and honey together in a small bowl, until the honey is dissolved.  Pour the vinegar honey mixture into the skillet and bring to a full boil.  Return garlic cloves to the skillet.  Roast until the onions and pears are tender and caramelized, about 30 minutes.

Drizzle with balsamic-vinegar reduction.

~Lidia's Club