I’m always on a quest to find THE perfect holiday recipes. This week’s spooky treats are fun and delicious and great for children and/or adults. Add a fall salad and an appropriate beverage and you’ll be set with a fantastic Halloween supper for ghouls and goblins of all ages. Spooky Eyeballs & Brains Pasta is an easy, cheesy (literally and figuratively) twist on spaghetti and meatballs. Add Italian sausage or hamburger to the sauce for a heartier version. The focaccia receipt is my go-to bread these days. If you don’t like olives, leave them off and reduce baking time by 5 minutes. Frankenstein Krispie Treats are a new Halloween favorite. They’re simple to make with very little mess and a fun snack to prepare with children or grandchildren. They’re best eaten within two days – if they last that long. Happy Halloween, Y’all!
Spooky Eyeballs & Brains Pasta
8 ounces cellentani or rotini pasta
2 cups marinara sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
12 ounces frozen beef, pork, or turkey meatballs, thawed
Thinly sliced mozzarella cheese, cut into 1-inch circles with a small cookie cutter
Sliced black olives
Fresh basil, to garnish (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente, 8-10 minutes. Drain. In a large bowl, mix the hot pasta with marinara sauce and half of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Transfer pasta mixture to prepared baking dish and sprinkle top with remaining shredded mozzarella cheese. Place the meatballs on top of the pasta. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden. Just before serving, remove pasta from oven. Top each meatball with a small round slice of cheese and a sliced black olive. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes more. Garnish with fresh basil before serving. Serves 4 to 6.
Focaccia with Olive Spiders
4 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 cups lukewarm water (made by combining ½ cup boiling water with 1½ cups cold water)
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Fresh rosemary leaves
Flaky sea salt
Whole black and green olives
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and instant yeast. Add the water. Using a rubber spatula, mix until the liquid is absorbed, and the ingredients form a sticky ball. Brush or rub the surface of the dough with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. Line two 8 or 9-inch baking pans with parchment paper; spray with cooking spray. Using forks, deflate the dough by releasing it from the sides of the bowl and pulling it toward the center. Rotate the bowl as you deflate, turning the dough into a large ball. Use the forks to split the dough into 2 equal pieces. Place each piece into the prepared baking pans. Brush each dough balls with 1 tablespoon olive oil to coat all over. Let dough rest for 3 to 4 hours, (depending on the temperature of your kitchen), uncovered. Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees. Sprinkle rosemary leaves over dough. Pour one tablespoon of olive oil over each piece of dough, then using all your fingers, press straight down to create deep dimples. Gently stretch dough as you dimple to allow the dough to fill the pans. Sprinkle all over with flaky sea salt. Cut the olives in half to create the spider bodies and then cut some of the halves into thin slices to make the legs. Add olive spiders to the bread dough and brush them lightly with olive oil to prevent burning. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the underside of the bread is golden brown. Let focaccia rest on cooling racks for 10 minutes before serving. Makes 2 loaves. *Store leftovers in an airtight bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. Always reheat to revive the crust.
Frankenstein Krispie Treats
6 cups rice krispies cereal
1 (10-ounce) bag mini marshmallows
4 tablespoons butter
1 (10-ounce) package green candy melts
Royal icing eyes
Black jimmies sprinkles
Spray a 9×13-inch pan with cooking spray. In a large pot, over low-medium heat, melt the butter. Add the marshmallows and stir until smooth. Remove pot from heat and stir in cereal. Mix until cereal is coated with marshmallow mixture. Spoon mixture into prepared pan and press down until the mixture fills the pan and the top is smooth. Cool for 2 hours. Cut treats into 16 rectangles. Melt candy melts in a microwave dish according to package directions. Dip the top of each treat into melted candy and then into the black jimmies sprinkles. Add two eyes to each treat. Allow treats to set before serving or packaging. Makes 16. *Best eaten within 2 days.
The writer owns Catering by Debbi Covington and is the author of three cookbooks, Celebrate Beaufort, Celebrate Everything! and Dining Under the Carolina Moon. For more great recipes and to view her cooking demonstrations, visit and subscribe to Debbi’s YouTube channel. Debbi’s website address is www.cateringbydebbicovington.com. She may be reached at 843-525-0350 or by email at dbc@cateringbydebbicovington.com.
