Happy Hallowe’en!

This is what I did while dinner was cooking last night. 

Monster Cookies!! 

I had already pre-baked the cookies on Thursday night, so last night was just the decorating…which is of course the fun part!

This recipe originally came from someone on the WW GDT.  I totally thought it was Shaunna, but she recently informed me that it wasn’t her!  ooops.  So whoever it was, thanks!! 

Funny Monster Halloween Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened (no substitutions)
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp corn oil
• candy corn candies
• small tube white icing (for eyes)

Directions:

1. Cream butter, powdered sugar and extracts.  Add flour and corn starch.  Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls.  Place on ungreased baking sheet.  Flatten each cookies by pressing gently with fingers.
4. Bake 10 – 12 minutes, just until bottoms are lightly browned.  Cool cookies on wire rack (let cool a bit on the pan until easy to remove with spatula).
5. Let completely cool.  Overnight is best.
6. Melt chocolate chips with oil over double boiler.  Stir until smooth.  Dip half of each cookie in chocolate.  Place cookies on wire rack or wax paper to allow chocolate to harden.  While chocolate is still wet, place candy corn for fangs and icing for eyes.
7. Let dry.  Refrigerate to harden chocolate.

Dinner was a two-course affair…

Acorn squash.  Prepped by cutting in half, scooping out seeds, and baking cut side down in a glass baking dish with about 1/2 inch of water.  400 degrees for 20ish minutes.

I used one half.  Brushed lightly with butter, sprinkled with homemade Mexican seasoning, and broiled for about 5 minutes cut side up.  Served with salsa and light sour cream.

While waiting for the squash to cook, I heated up a Guiltless Gourmet Four Bean Chili Wrap. 

Pretty yum, but I think I prefer Amy’s Burrito.  She’s got more goods inside the tortilla.

This morning I carved my jack-o-lantern.  Not my best work but we’ll see how it looks lit up on the front porch tonight.

T-minus 5 hours til the kiddies start knocking!