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Three Halloween Dip Recipes That are Frightfully Good

Updated on September 29, 2011

Delish Side Dishes They *Haven't* Tried Before

Come on, dip in! Everybody loves a good party dip. A superb dip elevates chips to a frighteningly good level and gives even the goriest Halloween party good taste (we promise!).

So what will it be this year? Spinach dip with crackers? Low fat sour cream with salsa? Yawn. This year, don't bore your guests to death -- REALLY spice things up with our unique serving ideas that aim to please.

Our great ideas are delicious, yet they're so easy to make, it's almost scary. Read on for recipes, tips and sumptuous serving suggestions. Happy Halloween!

Mad Scientist Brain Dip

It...is...alive. And scrumptious!

This recipe is perfect if you're hosting a zombie themed Halloween party (mmmm, brains!), but it works for just about any gory motif. Onion soup mix adds realistic, brown-and-green "bulk" and red food coloring delivers the "ick -- but HAVE to try that!" factor. Bon appetite!

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole, raw cauliflower head
  • raw dippable vegetables (croudites), such as celery, broccoli and baby carrots
  • 16 oz. cottage cheese
  • 1-3 tbsp. dried onion soup mix (to taste)
  • red food coloring

Directions:

1. Cut the bottom (stem and leaves) of the cauliflower. Slice the cauliflower in half vertically, as if you are creating two "hemispheres" of a brain.

2. Cut each half about 1.5" in to make a slice of "hemisphere." Reserve the rest of the raw cauliflower.

3. Arrange the two cauliflower halves on a plate to look like two halves of a dissected brain, opened out.

4. Meanwhile, mix the cottage cheese and onion soup mix completely. Taste after 1 tbsp.; if you wish, add more, up to 3 tbsp.

5. LIGHTLY drizzle red food coloring onto the two brain halves; don't overdo it. Take a toothpick or the end of a fork or knife to spread some of the food coloring around and into the grooves of the cauliflower to look like blood inside a brain.

6. Heap the cottage cheese and onion soup mix between and slightly over the two halves.

7. Cut up the leftover cauliflower. Set on the side, or around the edges of the dish that's holding the "brain." Also arrange the other raw vegetables. Serve.

TIPS:

* For an even more realistic "blood" look, add just one drop of blue food coloring to about 1 tbsp. red food coloring and mix. This should give more of a brownish-red appearance.

* This entire dish is low carb (even the carrots, if only a small amount is consumed) and can also be made low-fat if you wish; simply choose low-fat cottage cheese.

* We don't recommend chips for this type of dip. Vegetables or fresh-baked bread chunks work much better with both the taste and the feel of the dip.

"Finger" Dippers With Easy Cheese Dip

This recipe is so easy and so good, they won't be able to keep their hands off.

The "fingers" are breadsticks and the dip is thick, warm and cheesy...yum! This recipe has been creeped up for a unique look just for your Halloween party.

Finger Dippers

Ingredients:

  • 1 package Pillsbury or store brand refrigerated breadstick dough cannister, Regular or Garlic flavor
  • barbecue sauce and either a spoon or a pastry brush
  • whole almonds, or almonds pre-sliced vertically

Directions:

1. Preheat oven per the package's directions (375F for Pillsbury Regular flavor breadsticks).

2. Divide sticks along pre-punched perforations, 12 breadsticks per package.

3. Roll each uncooked breadstick between clean hands gently until it's slightly rounded, like a finger.

4. Cut each rolled long "finger" in half so you have two fingers out of each single breadstick.

5. Add one slice of almond to the end of each "finger" to look like a fingernail.

6. Bake per package's directions.

7. Remove from oven. Cool 10 minutes. Just before serving, use the spoon to drizzle a small amount of barbecue sauce to make the fingers look "bloody," or use a pastry brush to lightly add the sauce.

TIPS:

* Each breadstick package should make 24 "fingers" (12 uncooked breadsticks, each cut in half).

* If your guests don't like barbecue sauce, leave it off -- these will still look creepy. Instead, have a small dish by the side for guests who like it hot. (Salsa is another option.)

* When placing the almonds into the uncooked dough, press *gently* while making sure it's slightly indented into the dough. If you push the almond too deeply into the dough, the bread will puff up too high around the "fingernail" to be seen once the bread is cooked.

Easy Cheese Dip in a Pumpkin

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
  • 8 oz. shredded or cubed Velveeta cheese
  • 1 pat butter or margarine
  • 1 clove garlic, minced (or 1/2 tsp. jarred minced garlic)
  • 1/4 tsp. white pepper
  • 1 small (1-2 lb.) whole fresh pumpkin

Directions:

1. Melt the butter over low heat on the stove.

2. Add garlic; cook for 1-2 minutes until just softened (do NOT allow garlic to brown; this makes it taste bitter).

3. Add shredded cheddar cheese; stir continuously until it begins to melt.

4. Add the Velveeta. Keeping the burner on low to medium heat, stir continuously until the cheeses are completely melted. (The butter helps keep an oily layer so your cheese mixture will be easier to clean out of the pot later.)

5. Wisk to make sure cheese blend is completely smooth.

6. Add the pepper; stir well. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the cheese mixture to cool for 3-5 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, cut the top off the pumpkin. Hollow it out completely, scraping the sides.

8. Pour the cheese dip into the pumpkin; serve warm, with warm "fingers" (breadsticks) (above).

TIPS:

* Buy the garlic pre-minced to save time. You will find it in small jars, usually in or near the produce section or in the olive and pickle aisle.

* Look for a sugar, or pie, pumpkin. These are petite but should hold a full cup of dip comfortably, and you can save the inner fruit of the pumpkin for another recipe later on!

* Use a non-stick sauce pan and fill with hot soapy water immediately after removing the prepared cheese dip.

Excellent Fall and Halloween Recipes

101 Autumn Recipes
101 Autumn Recipes
Whether tailgating or having friends over for a get-together, guests will savor toasted ravioli, cheddar-bacon balls and touchdown butterscotch dip. Welcome your family home with an oh-so easy weeknight dinner of cheesy chicken & noodles. You'll even find spooky Halloween treats like spiderweb cookies and cream-filled witches' hats! And everyone at your Thanksgiving table will be delighted with herb garden turkey breast, green bean bundles and honey-pumpkin pie. Best of all, every recipe is accompanied by a photo of the delicious dish. Whatever the occasion, 101 Autumn Recipes will help make every gathering special!
 

Garlic Breath Jalapeno Dip

With spinach, artichokes and jalepenos, this dip is perfect to ward off vampires!

Problems with vampires? With a mixture of jalapenos and garlic, this delicious spinach artichoke dip will leave your guests protected from all things recently risen...while others will forgo their undead tendencies for just one more taste. The addition of jalapenos to this traditional recipe gives it a kick and leaves guests' palates satisfied.

Ingredients:

  • 1 package of cream cheese (8 ounce package), softened
  • 6 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup of sour cream
  • 2 cups of Italian five cheese blend
  • 1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, diced
  • 1/2 cup thawed spinach (or fresh)
  • 3 to 8 jalapeños, diced, depending on how mild or spicy hot you want it

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl, then pour into an oven-safe bowl. Cook for 30 minutes until it's bubbling.

3. Let cool slightly, then serve with crostini, pita chips, sourdough bread or tortilla chips. Or refrigerate and reheat in a microwave to lukewarm when needed.

TIPS:

* Corn chips are the traditional "carrier" for this dip, but try the suggestions in the recipe directions above or consider blue corn chips, pork rinds or baked bagel chips for something a little different.

* The heat from a jalapeno is primarily stored in the white, fibrous parts you see when you cut the jalapeno in half. This is VERY HOT, so scrape completely for a mild taste, or about 95% for a medium-hot taste.

* Wear disposable kitchen gloves while preparing jalapenos and keep your head well back from the cutting board. Jalapeno will burn your hands and eyes if it gets in or on either.

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