When the kid's were young and we just moved into a newly built neighborhood of 25 homes, I started the Annual Halloween Party for all the kids and families, and hosted it for a good four years. It was a potluck dinner we started early, before all of us went out trick-or-treating in the neighborhood! Some ten years later, it is still going on to this day, now hosted by another family, now that my kids have grown and are in college.
But, one year I invented a way to get the kids to eat vegetables before they went out and ate candy all night. I made scary Halloween characters from vegetables. It did work; the kids ran all over the house eating them! Every year after that, the kids in the neighborhood like to see who can make the scariest vegetable characters for the potluck table. Then, we all have fun eating them at dinner! The kid's scream – “Off with their heads!” and then, they eat their veggies!
VEGETABLE INGREDIENT HELP
INGREDIENTS – Some examples
1 small red cabbage
1 each dill pickles — small
6 ounce can black olives — large, pitted
4 3/4 ounce can green olives — large stuffed
2 1/4 ounce can black olives — sliced
11 ounce can mandarin oranges in light syrup — drained
3 large cucumbers or banana squash
1 bag cherry tomato, whole
3 large red bell pepper
1 bunch broccoli
1 large pineapple — ripe
1 head curly endive
1 bag carrots, small — already peeled
8 ounces dip, any flavor
8 ounces cheddar cheese — in a long square
24 each (or more) crackers — Ritz or other
SUPPLIES
1 box toothpicks
1 large platter
INSTRUCTIONS
Securing items: Place toothpick first in the pineapple or squash (and/or cucumber), and then push the vegetable into the toothpick, with the toothpick centered. For tomatoes, push the stem end of tomato into the toothpick.
Pineapple Witch: Use one ripe pineapple. Arrange black olives in a ring around pineapple leaves. Cut red bell peppers in strips and secure as the hair. Secure a small pickle as the nose, and green olives for eyes. Use one each mandarin orange slice as the eyebrows. Serve on a pretty cake platter or on a plate.
Italian Cheese Character: Hold squash upright. Use a carrot for the nose, and 2 green olives for the eyes. Cut a small piece of red bell pepper for the mouth. Use a red bell pepper top for a hat. Cut the cheddar cheese in cubes, and push it into the toothpicks placed all the way around the squash. Place carrots at the bottom in a slant towards the ground which will hold the squash upright.
Flower: Place squash or cucumber on its side. On one end, secure cherry tomatoes around in a ring, covering all the way to the end. Cut small broccoli floret's and secure in a ring around the squash. Then place carrots all the way around the squash or cucumber.
Bug: Holding squash or cucumber on its side, place carrots over 2/3 s of it, all the way around. Make antennas out of broccoli i stems cut into a thin stick, making sure the bottom of it is thicker than the top. Use green olives for eyes and mandarin orange slices for the eyebrows.
Assembly:
1. Arrange curly endive on platter.
2. Place Healthy Halloween Characters in platter.
3. Place a small paper plate or plate in platter. Arrange crackers on plate.
4. With a sharp knife, cut out the center of a small red cabbage. Fold back a few leaves. If serving immediately, fill with store bought or homemade dip or salad dressing (add a few drops of blue or red food coloring to the dip for fun).
5. Arrange cabbage with dip in platter. If not serving immediately, place dip in red cabbage right before serving.
6. Serve immediately or refrigerate covered with plastic wrap.
