Halloween goodies: It's not hard to make gross food on purpose

Most of these Halloween recipes are geared for children -- a little gross and scary -- but could be fun for an adult party, too. It's not hard to make gross food on purpose -- and it can be lots of fun this time of year. (Some of these recipes are for adults only!)

PECAN CARAMEL SPIDERS

(Tested by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

The original recipe includes homemade caramel. I shortened the recipe and prep time by using Kraft Caramel Bits.

1-1/2 cups toasted pecans

11-ounce package Caramel Bits

5 ounces thin black licorice strands, cut into 2-inch pieces

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped

Chocolate curls or jimmies, optional

Line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper and lightly spray with nonstick spray. Mound 30 small clusters of pecans (about 3 or 4 pecans) each spaced a couple inches apart on the pan.

Ladle a couple tablespoons of warm caramel over some of the nut clusters, to make the spider bodies. Then press 6 pieces of licorice into the warm caramel to make the legs. Repeat with the remaining caramel and licorice. (It's helpful to have an extra hand here, since the caramel can set quickly. If caramel hardens, warm over very low heat.) Let spiders cool 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the chocolates in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water. Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth. Or put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Melt at 50 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 1 minute. Stir, and continue to heat until completely melted, 2 to 3 minutes more.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon of melted chocolate on top of each spider. Sprinkle with jimmies or chocolate curls, if desired. Let cool until firm.

Makes 30 spiders.

-- FoodNetwork.com

MUMMY BREAD

(Tested by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

I make pepperoni bread for my family. It's easy when you use frozen bread dough. I found a lot of recipes for mummy bread online, which inspired this idea.

1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed

3 to 4 ounces sliced pepperoni

4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

1 egg white

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough into a 13-inch-wide-by-16-inch-long rectangle. Place the pepperoni slices down the middle of the dough, lengthwise. Sprinkle cheese over the pepperoni.

Slice 1/2- to 1-inch strips about 5-1/2 inches long on each side of the dough. This will become the mummy's body. Fold the strips of dough alternately over the filling, tucking the ends of the strips underneath the bread.

Form a head at one end of the dough. Use pieces of pepperoni or small slices of green olives with pimentos for eyes.

Brush with egg white and bake for about 25 minutes or until bread turns light brown.

Serve hot or at room temperature.

GIVE-'EM-THE-EYEBALL CANDIES

(Tested by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

These eyeballs are just scary enough, and they're good. Consider placing two chocolate wafers on a plate, then placing the eyeballs over those and use red licorice to make a mouth and black licorice for eyebrows.

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1-1/2 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted

6 ounces white chocolate coating, finely chopped

20 round brown candy-coated chocolate candies (such as M&Ms)

Red paste or gel food coloring

Line a jellyroll pan with aluminum foil, smoothing out wrinkles. Coat foil with nonstick cooking spray.

With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat peanut butter, butter and confectioner's sugar until creamy and smooth.

Roll into 1-inch balls and place in prepared pan.

Freeze for 30 minutes.

Melt chocolate coating in a double boiler or microwave and stir until smooth.

Dip balls into chocolate one at a time until completely coated, using your fingers, two forks or chocolate dipping tools. Remove balls and let excess chocolate drip back into pot; place balls back on pan. Press one candy into each ball; these are the eyeball's irises.

Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

Tint the remaining chocolate coating with red food coloring. Scrape into a zipper plastic bag. Snip a small opening in a bottom corner of the bag and pipe bloody squiggles onto each eyeball. Chill until red chocolate is firm, about 15 minutes.

-- Adapted from "Holiday & Candy Confections" by Dede Wilson

BLOODY WORM SANDWICH

(Tested by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Children, especially boys, will love these sandwiches. The hot dogs curl into wiggly worms while cooking.

1 package hot dogs

1 package hamburger buns

1 tablespoon butter

Ketchup (I added a teaspoon of yellow mustard and 1/2 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce)

Slice each hot dog in half lengthwise. Cut each half into thirds. Melt about 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet. Add the hot-dog slices and cook over medium heat until the hot dogs are hot and curled. Add 3/4 to 1 cup ketchup. Stir to combine.

Place the worms on a bun and serve.

Makes 8 worm sandwiches.

-- Adapted from Recipezaar.com

LADIES' FINGERS

(Tested by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

The painted almonds make these so lifelike.

2 tablespoons red food coloring

30 blanched almonds

2 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

5 tablespoons granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with Silpats or parchment paper and set aside.

Place food coloring in a shallow bowl. Using a small paintbrush, color one rounded half of each almond. Set aside to dry.

Separate 1 egg. Set aside the white. In a small bowl, whisk together yolk, remaining egg and vanilla. Set aside.

In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter, confectioner's sugar, granulated sugar and salt. Beat on medium speed until well combined. Add egg mixture and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the flour and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill until firm, 20 to 30 minutes.

Divide the dough in half. Work with one piece at a time, keeping remaining dough covered with plastic wrap and chilled. Divide the first half into 15 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece back and forth with palms into finger shapes, 3 to 4 inches long. Pinch dough in two places to form knuckles. Score each knuckle lightly with the back of a small knife. Transfer fingers to prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough.

When all fingers are formed, brush lightly with egg white. Position almond nails; push into dough to attach.

Bake until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Cool completely.

Makes 30 fingers.

-- Marthastewart.com

For adults only ...

HAUNTED BLEEDING HEART

(Tested by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

If you want gross, here it is, adapted from the 1972 book "How to Play With Your Food," by Penn and Teller. The recipe uses a 6-1/2-cup Valentine heart gelatin mold. I made changes in the ingredients to fit my 2-1/2-cup mold.

I couldn't wait to invert the mold. The heart slid out easier than I expected (don't forget to coat the mold with cooking spray). What I saw was a glistening, dark red heart -- veins included. And the reactions from friends were better than I expected, especially when the blood oozed out!

2 cups boiling water

2 (3-ounce) boxes of cherry, raspberry or peach gelatin (I used cherry)

2 packages unflavored gelatin

6 ounces evaporated milk

Spray the mold with cooking spray.

Boil the water. Add the gelatins and stir until gelatins are completely dissolved. Add evaporated milk and stir until combined. Cool to room temperature. Pour enough gelatin into the mold until it reaches 1- to 1-1/2 inches deep. Place the mold in the refrigerator until the gelatin is almost set (about 2-3 hours). Make the blood bag.

For the blood bag

1/4 cup grenadine or other red liqueur

1/2 cup light corn syrup

6 drops red food coloring

3 drops blue food coloring

1 food-storage plastic bag (1 gallon)

Cut the zipper closure from the bag. Mix all ingredients in the bag. Twist the bag, making sure most of the air is removed, and tie in a knot. Snip off most of the end. Place the bag inside the mold, over the gelatin. Pour the remaining gelatin over the plastic bag. Refrigerate until solid (overnight is best).

Remove the mold and invert on a platter. Return to the refrigerator until ready to serve.

-- Adapted from "How to Play With Your Food," by Penn and Teller

BULL'S-EYE FINOTINI

(Tested by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

1 ounce Osborne Fino Sherry

4 ounces gin or vodka

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with bloody eyeballs and revel in the grotesqueness.

With a small knife (I used a zester), peel radishes, leaving thin streaks of red skin on to represent blood vessels. Scoop a small hole in each radish and stuff in a green olive, pimento side out. Optional: Place a radish eyeball in each section of an ice-cube tray, fill the tray with water and freeze overnight.

-- Freixenet USA

HPNOTIQ'S MAD EYE

(Tested by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Here's looking at you!

These Halloween cocktails will add a few laughs to an adult Halloween party.

1/2 ounce Hpnotiq vodka

1 ounce super-premium vodka

2 ounces lychee juice

Shake with ice; strain into a martini glass.

Garnish with a lychee eyeball:

1 canned grade AA lychee in syrup, drained

1/4 teaspoon cherry, strawberry or raspberry preserves

1 blueberry (you can use frozen)

Dry lychee and fill with preserves. Place blueberry, blossomed end facing out, into cavity and skewer.

-- Hpnotiq vodka

(Arlene Burnett can be reached at aburnett(at)post-gazette.com.)

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.shns.com.)