With the recent start of the new season of Walking Dead, we decided to throw a premier party with some friends. I put together a fun spread of zombie themed finger foods and we asked our guests to dress as one of the characters from the series. It turned out great and the premier was a thriller!
Here are a few fun ideas if you need have a Halloween party or office potluck coming up this week. Hope you enjoy!
Moldy Cheeseball
This is a fast way to add a little Halloween flair. Make your favorite cheeseball recipe, or even pick up one from the store. Roll it in green herbs to give it a moldy look. I used parsley flakes so the flavor would not distract from the flavor of the cheese. Serve with crackers or veggie sticks and decorate the plate with plastic spiders or insects to add to the effect.
Cured Epidermis
Create an eerie display with these cured pieces of proscuitto. I found this idea from Martha Stewart. The result is a jerky-like meat with a great salty flavor.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Lay slices of proscuitto - mine were about 1/4 inch thick - in a single layer on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes until stiff and crispy, turning over once.
Line another baking sheet with paper towels. Set wire cooling rack over paper towels. Remove slices from oven and transfer to cooling rack to drain grease.
Serve on a tray or plate with a butcher knife for extra spooky effect.
Bloodshot Eyeballs
This is a simple option for a creepy party food. Prepare deviled eggs as you normally would. Use a slice of green olives with pimento for the pupils. Dip a toothpick in red food coloring and draw lines to create bloodshot veins.
Intestine Sausages
Zombie Brain Popcorn Balls
This is a recipe I posted last year. These are so fun and always impress. You can find the recipe and instructions here.
Zombie Fingers
These are yummy shortbread cookies made to look like zombie fingers. By adding a couple drops of green food coloring to your cookie dough, you could make witch's fingers instead. I adapted my recipe from one I found on Food.com.
Ingredients:
1 large egg + 1 egg white
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2-1/2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
pinch of salt
3/4 cup flour
18-20 pecan pieces or blanched almonds
red food coloring
green food coloring
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with non-stick spray. In small bowl, whisk together 1 whole egg and vanilla. Set aside.
In large mixing bowl, combine butter, powdered sugar, granulated sugar and salt. Mix with hand mixer (or paddle attachment of electric mixer) on medium speed until well combined. Add egg/vanilla mixture and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the flour and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for 20-30 minutes, until firm.
Working with rounded tablespoons of dough, roll each piece on a floured surface into a finger shape, 3-4 inched long. The dough will expand when cooked, so make your fingers skinnier than you want them to be. Pinch the dough in 2 places to form knuckles. Make them large and uneven for a creepier look. Score each knuckle lightly 3 times with a small knife. Place on prepared baking sheet, allowing room for expansion between fingers. Repeat process until all dough is used. Should make 18-20 cookies.
In small bowl, beat 1 egg white with 2 drops of green food coloring. Lightly brush all cookies with egg white mixture. Press pecans onto end of each finger to form finger nails. Using a small paint brush dipped in red food coloring, brush around the "cuticle" of each nail to create a bloody effect.
Bake until lightly browned and firm - about 12 minutes. Allow to cool completely before serving.
I found some plastic eyeballs at a Halloween store. After running them through the dishwasher, I added them to grape flavored Crystal Light to create a spooky looking punch.
These were all fast and easy recipes, but the result was a fantastic looking spread of creepy food. Putting it all together was so fun and I hope something here has sparked an idea for you and your upcoming Halloween events!
