Only 23 days left until Halloween and I have a confession to make. I was done with my Halloween recipes for this year. In fact, I'd already moved the recipes that I didn't get to this year, to my list of ideas for next year. I even went so far as to take down my dining room decorations (eek!) so I could begin planning my Thanksgiving table and decorations. So when I found myself home last week and made these little monsters, I was surprised that they came together so easily and that they turned out so creepy-cute and yummy! So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I may still have a few more Halloween recipes in me to share before the big day, Oct 31st!
The beauty of this idea is that these peppers can be stuffed with basically anything. Go traditional with ground beef and rice, or make breakfast with scrambled eggs and ham, or even add taco meat, beans, cheese, and salsa for a delicious taco salad over a bed cabbage. How about Indian spiced lentils and tandoori chicken...Yum! Change up the green pepper to orange peppers and carve out somejack-o-lanternslike these. The possibilities are endlessly delicious and fun!
Bell peppers are one of my favorite ingredients and I use them in many of my recipes. But, I know not everyone likes bell peppers, including my kiddos. Not to worry. The best part about this dish and all it's variations, is that it'll save you from having to pick these little buggers out of your kid's food. Just eat the filling and leave the pepper behind! At least that's how I'll sell this dish to my kids. All kiddo-ing aside, thesewill make agreat addition to a festive Halloween dinner as the perfect side dish or as a stunning main dish. Personally, I like the idea of these delicious potatoes getting so much attention with such a fun presentation because, side dishes are often better than the main course. Happy Halloween!
Franken-peppers (Stuffed Peppers with Potatoes, Chorizo and Onions)
Serves 4 2 T canola oil 6 medium potatoes, peeled, medium dice 1 medium yellow onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 T smoked paprika 1 t. cumin salt and pepper (to taste) 8 oz. Chorizo (I used Soy Chorizo) green onions, chopped cilantro leaves Spicy Tomato Sauce, or substitute with prepared Enchilada Sauce 4 Green Bell Peppers, carved Pepper Jack Cheese, shredded
Spicy Tomato Sauce 1/2 cup vegetable broth 3 T tomato paste 1/2 T apple cider vinegar 1 T honey 1 t. cumin 1 t. smoked paprika salt and pepper (to taste) red chili flakes (to taste)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet, add canola oil, potatoes, onions and garlic, cumin and smoked paprika and cook over medium heat until potatoes are mostly done, about 10 minutes. It's okay if they are not completely cooked as they will finish cooking in the oven. Add chorizo and heat until hot. Remove from heat. Salt and pepper to taste. Add green onions and cilantro. Set aside. An a small saucepan, add all ingredients for the Spicy Tomato Sauce and heat over medium heat until hot, about 5 minutes. Taste and add additional spices as needed to taste.
Cut Bell Peppers tops off with a paring knife in a zig-zag pattern to make Frankenstein's hairline. Carefully remove top and remove remaining ribs from inside the bell pepper with your fingers or scrape witha spoon. Cut off seeds from the top and set aside.
Using a large diameter straw, push straw through the fleshy inside of the pepper to create Frankenstein's eyes, using your fingeron the shiny outside as resistance, to help cut through the exterior.
Cut out eyebrows, nose and mouth with the paring knife and add scars with the tip of the blade.
Assembly: Baste the inside of bell peppersgenerously with the spicy tomato sauce. Fill each bell pepper with potato chorizo mixture and replace the tops. Place stuffed peppers in a shallow casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray. Cook peppers for 30-35 minutes.
Remove peppers from oven and add shredded Pepper Jack Cheese to tops of peppers and return to the oven. Bake an additional 10 minutes or place under the broiler to melt cheese. Remove from oven and serve.
I know I say this every year but... I LOVE HALLOWEEN! I plan all year for Halloween and spend countless hours creating delicious Halloween food and festive decorating ideas. My Halloween recipes don't just look creepy for the sake of creepiness, they have to pass the taste test! Every recipe has tobe food that I'd eat even without all the ghoulish stage presence. Taste reigns supreme for any meal, but fun Halloween food also has to have a proper stage when you entertain. So let's set the stage shall we...and start in the heart of my home, the dining room.
I went with a laboratory theme this year with lots of glassware, bottles, flasks, test tubes, books and skulls. Many of these itemsare meaningful to me because they remind me of my dad. My dad was a voracious reader. He literally had thousands of books...andI'm not exaggerating! In fact, I still have a few boxes of his books left in my garage and I pulled out some to use for my decorating this year. :) I used all black and white books for the sideboard but used red books on the dining room table as contrast and to tie in my red salad plates. I love the way it turned out, don't you? With a table this pretty, we need a menu!
In this picture above, the very thick 1942 Websters Dictionary underneath thelarge red book is mine from when I was a young girl of about 8. I bought that dictionary for 25 cents at a used book sale with my dad.
My dad loved to spend weekends going to used book stores and library
sales and often dragged us kids along. Most times, I was bored to death, but this trip, I found something I wanted. I remember his face so clearly. He was grinning ear to ear watching melug that hulking book up to him. The thing weighs probably 15 pounds.I said, "Look at this huge dictionary for only 25 cents! Can I get it Daddy?" ...Nearly 40 years later and I still have it.
Sideboard
The sideboardwas really fun to decorate. From my dad's old chemical bottles and glass lantern, to my test tubes, graduated cylinder and Erlenmeyer flasks; All my dad's beautiful old books and my candles and silver trays, together looks amazing! It took me two days of moving, rearranging, and swapping items until I got the layout just right.
Cocktail Area
I re-purposed my old skull topiary from two years ago to set the stage for the small cocktail area. I pulled out my old silver, aluminum and stainless trays and layered them in my plate rack to create a cool backdrop for the bar area that adds to the antiquated feel of the room. I added decanters and flasks that will later be filled with potions and elixirson Halloween night. Cheers!
Lighting
I purchased these plastic skulls from Michael's and cut holes in the top and bottom of them and slipped them over my dining room chandelier for a way cool look. (Don't worry, they are made with a pretty hard plastic so they don't melt when near the hot bulbs...I was worried too!) I ended up using the natural skulls in my dining room because I thought they went better with the overall look of the table and sideboards. But my original plan was to use the gray skulls with draping, gauzy, creepy cloth hanging down from the light fixture like this.
I love how these came out, however, they just didn't go as well as the natural skulls with my table and sideboard. The natural skulls glow and add a eerie light to the room. But not to fear, I already have a great idea on my theme for next year and I'll definitely use the gray skulls next year. :)
Crafting Ideas
Raven Wreath
I like to make a new wreath each year and I was inspired by these black and white leaves from Michael's. They went perfect with my black and white theme. The wreath itself is very camouflaged and you may not be able to seevery well, but if you look closely, you will spot 5 ravens and many spiders hidden within the black foliage. See if you can spot them.
Halloween Angel Topiaries
I started these beauties last year when Iborrowed the idea from AntiCrafton Pinterest. Luckily, I never got around to finishing them last year, because they completely work with my theme of black and white and skulls of this year. These little angels of death are made from old Christmas angels that were spray painted black and turned into skeletons. I painted their faces and the bones of their hands and necks and gave them spots of color and silver wash to give them texture. Rather than leaving them free standing, I decided to give them their own little vignettes by making them into topiaries. I designed each based on the angels themselves and then made up little stories about each. Ithink they turned out great and I may even host a give-away when I open my Etsy Shop for some of my Halloween creations. I'll keep you all posted when that happens. :)
Mother Nature stands the tallest and is the most powerful as she presides over life and death. In this case, death with a bonfire of skulls at her feet. I included battery operated orange lights to really light the bonfire.
Battle Rose stands among swirling rose bushes that echoes the movement of her gown and her hair;All while the casualties of love lie at her feet.
Pushing Daisystands alone in a cemetery over the body of her beloved, who even in death, cultivates love in the flowers that grow around his grave.
Freyja stands alone among skeletal trees and thorny bushes, as she looks with no luck, for her one true love.
And that is all for this year. I hope it was inspiring! HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!
