Halloween is here, and it is time to get creepy. Most people would agree that Halloween requires the most creative power from a person. Christmas has Santa, a tree, and snow, and Easter has a rabbit and eggs. The list of things we associate with Halloween is too long to mention in this article. From decorations to food, the possibilities are endless. But what works and what doesn't? And where to start searching for inspiration?
We did you a massive favor, and we scoured the internet and found some brilliant trending ideas you could copy with minimal effort. Without further ado, let's dig in and get the creative juices flowing.
1. Jack-o'lantern
We could not proceed before discussing the most obvious Halloween decoration. Jack-o'-lanterns are as part of American Halloween traditions as trick-or-treating. Although this option may not be something new and unique, we thought we needed to mention it to people that haven't carved their own pumpkins before.
Everyone should at least carve a pumpkin themselves once in their life. The custom of making jack-o'-lanterns began in Ireland during the 19th century. Turnips were hollowed out to act as lanterns and often carved with scary faces. This tradition traveled over the Atlantic and came to stay.
For all the first-timers, the best time to get your pumpkin is in mid-October. They will decay in a few weeks, so don't get them too soon, as they might be decaying badly by Halloween.
Make sure you have sharp carving tools. We recommend Sikkina's Lehja Hand Forged 8" Chef's knife or Sakai for cutting and carving your pumpkin. Start by cutting a circle in the top part of the pumpkin. This will serve as the lid later.
Next, remove all the seeds and strands from inside the pumpkin. Once you have a nice hollowed-out pumpkin, it is time to get creative. Use the knife to puncture the exterior and slice out two holes for the eyes, followed by the nose. The mouth might be a little tricky and requires patience and skills.
Once you have completed the face, take a candle, lift up the lid, place it inside, light it, and put it back up. Now you have your own jack-o'lantern, and you may tick it off the old bucket list.
Have a look at this video for step-by-step instructions and inspiration for creating your own glowing pumpkin.
2. Healthy Halloween stuffed peppers
Make these spooky vegetarian peppers for guests at your Halloween dinner or the family before going trick-or-treating. Here are the ingredients you need to make four of these cute Halloween peppers:
- 25g pine nuts
- One tablespoon olive or rapeseed oil
- One red onion, chopped
- Two fat garlic cloves, crushed
- One small eggplant, chopped into small pieces
- 200g pouch mixed grains (we used bulghur wheat and quinoa)
- 2 tbsp sundried tomato paste
- Zest of 1 lemon
- chopped basil
It is quite simple to make, and the process of carving the pepper is almost identical to carving the jack-o'lantern. Cut off the top part and save it as the lid. Remove the seeds and inner strands carefully. Use a sharp knife with a narrow point (Sikkina's Sakai multipurpose knife would be ideal) to carefully cut out the face.
Next, prepare the filling. Here is a link to the site that explains in detail how you should prepare the filling. Once the filling ready, scoop it into the peppers and fill them up to the rim. Put the lid back on and place them in the oven, covered in aluminum foil for 35 minutes.
Remove the foil and keep them in the oven for another 10 minutes. Now your pepper-o'lanterns are ready to be served.
3. Meatball spiders
These cute spiders are super easy to make and are perfect for starters, snacks, or kiddies' meals. You'll need the following ingredients.
- 4 cups of ground beef
- One onion
- One bay leaf
- One egg
- One stale bread roll
- One tablespoon
- Chopped parsley
- One teaspoon mustard
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Clarified butter (for frying)
- Bell pepper (strips of red and green)
- Mayonnaise
- Caper
For the step-by-step instructions on how to prepare the meatballs, click on this link. Once your meatballs are ready, you may attach the legs (strips of bell pepper), the eyes (mayonnaise and capers), and the mouth (cut from bell pepper).
Your spiders are now ready to be served. For this one time, it would be ok to allow your children to play with their food.
4. Halloween Feet Loaf
Forget about meatloaf, instead make feet loaf for Halloween. This creepy dish is easy to make and is guaranteed to attract attention and generate laughter. It is also super easy to make and could be ready to serve within one and half hours.
To make your feet loaf, you'll need the following ingredients:
- 3 pounds of ground beef
- One tablespoon salt
- One teaspoon pepper
- Two tablespoons garlic powder
- One teaspoon dry mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- One large white onion, minced. Ten small slivers reserved for the nails
- One medium onion halved
- Four large eggs, beaten
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup fresh parsley
- Two tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
To save time, you may already preheat the oven while preparing the ingredients. Here is the link for step-by-step instructions on how to prepare the meat, including a video.
Once you have molded the meat and placed the onion in the ankle, it is time to slice and shape the toes carefully. For this precision cutting and splitting, we highly recommend Sikkina's Shirita knife). Once you have created the toes, carefully place small pieces of onions on them to serve as the nails. Take the ketchup and brush it around the ankle to create a bloody look.
Your artwork is ready now for the oven now. After one hour, your feel loaf should be ready to be served.
5. Strawberry ghosts
Here is a brilliant idea for an easy and entertaining dessert option. The spooktacular strawberry treats are easy to make and delicious too. You can whip them up in minutes which is perfect when you are overwhelmed by other Halloween chores.
Here are the ingredients you need to make these sweet ghosts:
- 1 (16 oz) package Vanilla Candiquick Coating
- 24 Fresh strawberries
- Mini chocolate chips
Heat the Candiquick in a pan and dip the strawberries in it. Allow the excess liquid to run into the plate or serving platter to create the ghosts' tails. Take the chocolate chips and position them accordingly to make eyes and mouths. Allow your creation to cool and serve.
It is as easy as that. For more detailed step-by-step instructions, click on this link.
