Peanutty Ghosts

Peanut shaped sandwich cookies
Vanilla flavored Almond bark or white dipping chocolate
small chocolate chips or small candies

Melt the vanilla flavored almond bark over low heat. Dip each cookie approximately 2/3 of the way down into the melted almond bark. Add two tiny chocolate chips or small candies for the eyes. Place on waxed paper to cool.

Submitted by Rita Yates (from our original swap group theme "kid's favorites")

Witch Hat Cookies

Chocolate Kisses
Round fudge striped cookies
Orange Frosting

Using frosting to attach an unwrapped chocolate kiss or the pointed end of an ice cream cone, to the center of the cookie. You now have a pointed witch hat. Using a pastry tube with a small round tip, pipe on an icing bow with orange frosting.

Submitted by Rita Yates (from original swap group theme "kid's favorites")

photo from Bettycrocker.com

Black Bat Brew

-The combination of colors in this drink makes it a black beverage-

1 pkg grape-flavored unsweetened powdered drink mix
1 pkg orange-flavored unsweetened powdered drink mix
2 c. sugar
1-2 qts. Ginger- ale
Mix well. Serve chilled with Creepy Crawly Ice (See below)

Creepy Crawly Ice
-This will be sure to get some laughs-
Place a plastic spider or bug in each individual square of an ice cube tray. Fill with water and freeze. Serve as you would ice in your favorite Halloween beverage. Another idea is a rubber or plastic snake in a gelatin mold filled with water. Freeze and float in a punch bowl. (Could also do gummy worms.)

Submitted by Rita Yates (from our original swap group theme "kid's favorites")

Lemon Cranberry Bread

2/3 Cup butter
2 TB Baking powder
3 TB lemon juice
2 tsp Salt
3 Cup Flour
1 1/2 Cup Sugar
2 Cups Dried Cranberries
2 TB Grated Lemon Zest
4 Eggs
1 Cup Milk

Cream Butter and Sugar. Add eggs, beat well. In an other bowl combine flour, salt and baking powder. Alternate milk and flour mixture, mixing well after each addition. Stir in lemon juice and zest, Cranberries. Pour into greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees fro 35-40 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Poke holes in loaf then pour glaze over. Makes 4 mini loaves.

Glaze:
1/4 Cup Sugar
1/4 cup Lemon Juice

Simmer in a small pan until sugar is completely dissolved.

Submitted by Janene Erickson (from our original swap group theme "Bread.")

Chocolate Pancakes

1 2/3 c. flour
1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa
1/4 c. sugar
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. Salt
2 1/4 c. buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 T. oil
In a large bowl combine flour and other dry ingredients. In a second bowl combine remaining ingredients. Stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture until slightly lumpy. Heat a lightly greased griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium low (Because of the chocolate, these pancakes have to be cooked at a lower temperature). For each pancake pour 1/4 c. batter onto griddle. Cook until lightly browned; turn when tops are bubble and edges slightly dry (1-2 min. per side.) Makes 16 pancakes. Top these with powdered sugar and whipped cream, ice cream or berries...or all the above!

Submitted by Krysta Fecke (from our original swap group theme "Breakfasts.")

Spiced Eggnog Pancakes

2 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. nutmeg
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 c. dairy or canned eggnog
1/4 c. oil

In a large bowl combine flour and other dry ingredients. In a second bowl combine remaining ingredients. Stir eggnog mixture into flour mixture until slightly lumpy. Heat a lightly greased griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat. For each pancake pour 1/4 c. batter onto griddle. Cook until golden; turn when tops are bubble and edges slightly dry (1-2 min. per side.) Makes 16 pancakes. Top with Orange-Ginger Spread.

Orange-Ginger Spread:
In a small bowl stir together 1/2 c. orange marmalade, 1/2 c. crushed drained pineapple, and 1/2 t. ground ginger. Makes about 1 cup.

Submitted by Krysta Fecke (from our original recipe swap group theme "breakfasts.")