October is a great time of year to have fun and be creative in the kitchen! Get the whole family involved with these simple ways to add some spooky Halloween fun to staple family dinners.
Monster Spaghetti
Ingredients:
- 1 box whole grain spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon black food coloring
- Stuffed olives, or olives of your choice
- Your favorite spaghetti sauce
Begin cooking whole grain spaghetti as instructed on the box. As soon as you add the pasta to the boiling water, add one tablespoon of black food coloring into the boiling water. The spaghetti should absorb the food coloring and turn black.
Prepare the spaghetti sauce, but do not mix it in with the pasta just yet! If you do not already have a spaghetti sauce recipe in mind, try this vegetarian sauce from the USDA Mixing Bowl.
Next, monsterize your meal! This step is the most fun because the whole family gets involved. Put a serving of spaghetti on a plate and top with sauce. Place olives on top of the sauce to give your spooky spaghetti some eerie eyes. Serve and enjoy this frightfully fun and easy recipe!
Stuffed Jack-o-Lantern Peppers
Ingredients:
- Your favorite stuffed pepper recipe
- Orange bell peppers
Put a Halloween twist on your go-to stuffed pepper recipe. Cut the top off the orange bell peppers and scoop out the seeds. Carve jack-o-lantern faces into each of the peppers. Fill the jack-o-lantern peppers with the stuffing and bake according to your recipe. If you don't have a stuffed pepper recipe, this simple dish is an excellent one to start with.
Spooky Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients:
- Your favorite chicken noodle soup recipe
- 3 carrots
- 1 package bow tie pasta
- 1 tablespoon black food coloring
Wash and peel the carrots and cut into discs. Turn the discs into pumpkins by cutting out little stems and rounding the top edges. Start the soup. This easy chicken noodle soup recipe can get you started.
Cook the pasta separately from the rest of the soup. Begin by following directions on the pasta package. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta and food coloring. Once cooked to your liking, drain the pasta and add to the soup. Serve the soup in a festive witch's cauldron (or a bowl) to hungry ghouls and ghosts.
