Finger Food for a Halloween Brunch

Halloween food doesn't have to be boring.

Putting out a spread for a Halloween party is the perfect opportunity to be crazy and creative. Finger foods take on a whole new meaning when they're served bloody. Letting your guests stare at a plate of edible eyeballs that are looking right back at them can be a terrific conversation starter to get the party rolling.

Bleeding Finger Food

Turn hot dogs into bleeding finger food.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees to cook long, browned hot dog fingers wrapped in a crescent roll with green bleeding fingernails. Prepare a package of hot dogs by using a knife hollow out a pocket at one end where the fingernail will go and score right below it to resemble wrinkled fingers. Cut strips of crescent rolls to wrap around the dogs like mummy bandages, place on cookie sheet and cook until golden brown. Finish by filling the hollow fingertip with ketchup for a pool of blood under a cut fingernail made from green olives.

Eyeballs on a Platter

Mozzarella balls turn creepy when they look like eyeballs.

It's a little hard to pop this cheese balls in your mouth -- especially when they look like gooey eyeballs staring at you. Purchase fresh mozzarella balls and marinate them in Italian dressing. Cut green olives in half and fill the middle whole with a black olive chunk for the eyeball pupil. Sprinkle with a little red pepper to give a slightly bloodshot look. Serve on a platter for your guests to enjoy.

Dippy Head Skeleton

Use cut up vegetables to make a skeleton base.

Create a huge vegetable skeleton with a chunky blue cheese or ranch bowl head to dip into. Use a large rectangle or oval platter with iceberg lettuce covering the surface as a base. Place your bowl of dip at the head and surround the top with chunks of broccoli florets as green hair. Uses slices of red bell pepper to create the rib cage and attach segmented carrot arms at each side. Set a bunch of sliced mushrooms below for a pelvis and finish with celery stalk legs. Circle the platter with a combination of cauliflower, broccoli and carrots for additional vegetables to dip and decorate the platter.

Hot-Headed Ghosts

Spread cream cheese with horseradish on crackers for a ghostly hot bite.

These mild-looking ghosts on round crackers will look harmless, but have a surprising kick to them. Combine two parts cream cheese spread to one part white hot horseradish sauce; mix well. Use a cheese knife to spread the mixture on crackers to resemble a floating ghost. Add two small chunks of black olives for eyes to finish and arrange on a platter near the drink station.

References

• Finger Food Recipes: Missing Fingers
• Octoberlicious; Mozzarella Eyeballs; September 2009
• Kraft Canada: Skeleton and Brain Dip
• Kraft Canada: Ghost

Resources

• Kraft Canada: Coffin Sandwiches
• Kraft Canada: Jack-O-Lantern Snack