Happy Halloween

Halloween & Samhain Blessings to all of our Mystical Kitchen readers.

Halloween Poem by Cartoon Cottage

Pumpkin Waffles

Posted on Mystic Ramblings, visit here.

Absolutely Yummy!

Ingredients:
• 2 large eggs
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 cup half and half
• 4 Tbsp. butter, melted, cooled
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1/2 Granny Smith apple, pared, cored, cut into small dice
• 1/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Directions:
Whisk eggs and brown sugar together in mixing bowl. Add half-and-half and butter and whisk until blended.
Mix flour, baking powder, salt, and pie spice in another bowl. Add to egg mixture and stir just until blended. Stir in pumpkin, then fold in apple and walnuts.
Heat waffle iron as directed and make waffles, using generous 3/4 cup batter for large iron.

Pumpkin Chili

2 pounds ground beef
1 large onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans, drained
1 (46 fluid ounce) can tomato juice
1 (28 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 cup sugar

In a large pot over medium heat, cook beef until brown; drain. Stir in onion and bell pepper and cook 5 minutes. Stir in beans, tomato juice, diced tomatoes and pumpkin puree. Season with pumpkin pie spice,
chili powder and sugar. Simmer 1 hour.

Halloween Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk or water
2 tablespoons shortening
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 egg
1 tub Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy vanilla or butter cream ready-to-spread frosting
8 fudge-dipped flat-bottom ice-cream cones
Betty Crocker® Fruit Roll-Ups® strawberry chewy fruit snack rolls
Shredded whole wheat cereal biscuits, crushed
Assorted candies, such as candy corn, red string licorice and small gumdrops
32 candy eyes
1 tub Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy chocolate ready-to-spread frosting
48 large black gumdrops
Black shoestring licorice, cut into 4-inch pieces



1. Heat oven to 375ºF. Place paper baking cup in each of 16 regular-size muffin cups, or grease and flour muffin cups.
2. Beat Bisquick mix, sugar, milk, shortening, vanilla and egg in large bowl on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed 4 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Fill muffin cups about half full.
3. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediantly remove from pan; cool completely. Frost and decorate cupcakes as directed below for Scarecrows and Hairy Spiders.

Scarecrows: Frost 8 cupcakes with vanilla frosting. Decorate each ice-cream cone with bow made with fruit rolls. Place ice-cream cone upside down on each cupcake for hat. Arrange crushed cereal on cupcakes for hair. Use candy corn for nose, red licorice and small gumdrops for mouth and candy eyes for eyes.

Hairy Spiders: Frost 8 cupcakes with chocolate frosting. Squeeze large black gumdrops, one at a time, through garlic press to form hair; arrange on cupcakes. Insert black licorice pieces into cupcakes for legs. Place candy eyes on large black gumdrops for eyes.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft) Use paper baking cups. Increase milk to 2/3 cup. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.

Roasted Root Vegetables

Thank you Paula Deen! This side dish is a perfect match for you Halloween, Harvest or Thanksgiving celebrations!

INGREDIENTS:

4 shallots, halved
3 parsnips, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 turnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

INSTRUCTIONS:
1.Preheat oven to 425˚. Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil.

2.In a large bowl combine shallots, parsnips, turnips, and rutabaga.

3.In a small bowl, combine honey, oil, thyme, and salt. Pour over shallot mixture, tossing gently to coat. Spoon onto prepared baking sheet.

4.Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.