Halloween is just days away and for anyone hosting a festive gathering, these perfectly creepy recipes are all treat without the tricks.
DIY and lifestyle blogger Maria Provenzano shared two recipes with "Good Morning America" on Saturday, plus a few easy ways to transform store-bought ingredients like Oreo cookies into adorable edible bats and mummies.
Check out her full recipes below.
Makes: 2 loaves
Ingredients
2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus additional for serving
2 cups marinara sauce, plus additional for serving
3 cups meatballs, fully cooked (recipe below)
1/4 cup basil, julienned
1 egg
1 teaspoon water
4 large candy eyes
For the meatballs (Yield: 60)
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
2 eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup half and half (all cream or all whole milk works as well), room temperature
6 ounces smoked mozzarella (regular can be used as well, but I recommend smoked)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Fresh parsley and fresh basil for finishing
For the meatballs
Preheat your oven to 400 F. Drizzle 2-3 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat; add in the onion with a sprinkle of salt, and cook until softened.
Add in the minced garlic, dried rosemary, dried basil, dried oregano and red pepper flakes; cook for another 30 seconds, or until fragrant, being sure not to brown the garlic. Transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool.
In another bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, parsley, and parmesan cheese. Add them to the cooled onion mixture; then stir in the ketchup, half and half, salt, and pepper. Stir in the meat; start by breaking it up with a fork, then use your hands to combine the mixture until everything is evenly mixed, being careful not to overmix.
Use a small scoop, or tablespoon measuring spoon, to scoop out 1 tablespoon-size meatball onto a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. This will make about 60 small meatballs, so you will need multiple baking sheets, depending on their size.
Once all of the mixture is scooped, cut the mozzarella into small cubes; small enough to fit inside the scooped meatballs. Pick up one meatball and use your finger to poke a hole in the center of the meatball; place the cube of smoked mozzarella on the hole; cover and roll the meatball into a round shape; place the stuffed meatball back onto the baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.
Bake the meatballs at 400 F for 10 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
Add the meatballs to the marinara sauce and cook together for about 20 minutes.
For the mummy assembly
Preheat oven to 400 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Sprinkle a little bit of flour on parchment papers then place each sheet of puff pastry on top of flour. Line middle of pastry with shredded mozzarella cheese, top with marinara, cooked meatballs, then more mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. You should leave about 3 inches clear on either side.
Using a sharp knife, cut slits on the diagonal going all the way down the pastry. Wrap one side over the other until the contents of the bread are wrapped.
In a small bowl, whisk egg and water together. Brush on top of puff pastry until the pastry is covered in egg wash. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until puff pastry is browned. Place candy eyes on top, sprinkle mummies with basil, more Parmesan cheese, and adorn with extra marinara. Let cool for a few minutes before cutting!
"If you love chocolate, then you will love this recipe. It's my Chocolate Budino, which is basically an Italian pudding," Provenzano wrote alongside this recipe blog post. "To make these 'dirt cups' simply crush up some Oreos, or any chocolate cookie you like, and cover the tops of the scooped budino."
Ingredients
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
6 large egg yolks
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
7 ounces good quality semi-sweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
Add the milk and cream to a large saucepan over medium heat, and bring to a simmer.
In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, cocoa powder and espresso powder until well combined.
Slowly stir about 1/4 cup of the warmed cream and milk into the egg yolks to temper them, whisking continuously. Continue to add the warm dairy to the egg mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, while whisking.
Add the mixture back to the large saucepan and place over medium heat.
Cook, frequently whisking for about 5 minutes, until the custard has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Test this by coating the back of a spoon and using your finger to wipe a line down the middle; if the line stays, it's ready.
Place the chopped chocolate in a large mixing bowl and pour the custard through a sieve over the chocolate. The sieve will remove any parts of the eggs that may have been cooked.
Set aside for 5 minutes until the chocolate has melted.
Add in the butter, vanilla, and salt.
Working quickly, whisk until smooth and well combined, and then whisk in the butter, salt, and vanilla until combined.
Pour into serving dishes and place in the fridge until ready to serve. Allow the budino to sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before serving.
To assemble
Top the pudding with crushed Oreos and add one or multiple of the following festive toppers:
To make an Oreo mummy: Drizzle the cookie with white candy coating chocolate over an oreo and add candy eyes.
To make a ghost: Dip oval cookies like Milanos in white candy coating chocolate and add eyes and mouth with melted chocolate.
To make a tombstone: Use black food coloring to write on square cookies.
To make chocolate peanut butter bats: Use small peanut butter cups, Oreos, dark chocolate candy melts and candy eyes. Twist the cookies to make them single and remove the frosting. Use a serrated knife to cut them in half. Dip one tip of each cut half into the melted chocolate and place onto the top of the peanut butter cup. Place the candy eyes on top of the melted chocolate for the "bat eyes."
Ingredients
For the homemade caramel
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon sea salt (plus more for sprinkling at the end)
1 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Start by lining a 9-by-9-inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray to evenly coat. The parchment paper is important so that the caramel can be removed easily.
In a saucepan, heat the cream and salt over medium heat until bubbles start to form on the sides; right before it starts to simmer, pour in the honey and whisk to combine. Bring this mixture to a boil, continuing to stir; I like using a spatula or wooden spoon at this point.
Lower the heat to about medium or medium-low, so that it is simmering (make sure your candy thermometer is attached at this point).
Simmer until it just reaches 255-260 F.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir until it reaches 240 F.
Add in the vanilla and stir until well combined. Pour the caramel into the prepared pan and allow to set for about an hour.
When ready to cut, remove the caramel by pulling the parchment paper out of the baking pan.
Cut the square of caramel in half; you can use a knife. If you have a pizza cutter, that works also.
Cut each half in half again length-wise (this means you will have quartered the square).
Starting from the long edge of each quarter, roll the caramel over like a jelly roll; this will create a long tube-like shape.
Use the knife to cut the caramel tube into small rectangles.
Sprinkle with sea salt.
For the spider web caramel apples:
Melt the caramel in a pot over low heat.
Line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper.
Place skewers into the apples and dip them into the melted caramel until coated and place onto the prepared lined baking sheet.
Once cooled, add the marshmallow spider webs: Start by pouring 2-3 cups of marshmallows into a large bowl; Place the bowl in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds or until the marshmallows start to puff up.
Allow them to cool enough to touch and use your clean hands to make webs by dipping your hands into the melted marshmallows, then rub your hands together, and then pull them apart. This will create a web-like look.
Add the webs to the dipped apples. It helps to have another person hold the apple while doing this for ease.
