Candy Corn Cordial and Swamp Juice. Say what?

Halloween is without a doubt one of my husband's favorite holidays. Of course my kids love it as well, but that is a given considering the bags of candy they always drag home. I, on the other hand didn't know about Halloween until I met my husband. It wasn't celebrated in Germany, even though I've come to find out that it is starting to become a custom for many people there as well. Over the years, and probably in part because of my kids and husbands enthusiasm, I have come to love this holiday just as much. Join me this week as I'm featuring "howl-worthy" recipes for kids and adults alike. Maybe you are still looking for a few ideas to put the finishing touches on your own Halloween party or maybe you are just looking for fun. In any instance, I'm hoping you enjoy some of these holiday treats!

I'm kicking my Halloween week off with a couple of drinks. One is for all the adults and the other is for the kids, designated drivers, or those that like a good swamp juice. Either way, they are a great way to get your party started. First up a candy corn inspired cordial that is certainly beautiful to look at and even better to sip. Vodka is infused with candy corn for a few hours which imparts the great color scheme. Your vodka won't be tasting exactly like candy corn, but it will add a good amount of sweetness. The colored liquor is then mixed with Grand Marnier, lemon juice and a splash of lemon-lime soda for a bit of fizz.

Next up is the green tinted swamp juice. This drink is a hit with kids and adults alike. Lime jello is dissolved in hot water before being mixed with pineapple juice, orange juice concentrate and lastly a splash of ginger ale. Yellow and blue food coloring assure the perfect color and while I usually don't advocate artificially colored food, Halloween is one of the few exceptions I make. Decorate these drinks with gummy worms or go ahead and freeze little gummy critters in an ice cube tray and drop them into your swamp juice for a "gross" affect.

Both of these drinks are easy to make ahead. Making a big pitcher or punch bowl will free up your hands and makes it easy to mingle instead of playing bartender. All that's left to do when your guests arrive is the splash of soda. Even if you are not planning a party this year, you might be able to surprise your loved ones with one of these drinks and get everyone involved into a ghoulish mood!

Candy Corn Cordial
(adapted from Foodnetwork.com)
(Makes 4 drinks)
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

For the infused vodka:
1/2 cup candy corn
1 1/2 cup vodka

For the cordials:
Infused vodka
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
Juice of 1 Lemon
Lemon-Lime Soda
Candy Corn, for garnish

Preparation:

Infuse the vodka: Combine the candy corn and vodka in an airtight container; set aside for at least 3 hours, then strain.

Make the cordials: Combine the infused vodka, orange liquor and lemon juice in a large measuring cup, add a splash of lemon-lime soda and stir. Pour into chilled martini glasses and garnish with candy corn.

Swamp Juice
(adapted from AllRecipes.com)
(makes 20 servings)
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

2 (3 ounce) packages lime flavored gelatin mix
1 quart hot water
1 (46 fluid ounce) can pineapple juice
2 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
4 cups cold water
yellow and blue food coloring, optional
2 liters ginger ale
gummy worms, for garnish

Preparation:

Dissolve gelatin in 1 quart of hot water. Allow to cool.
When gelatin is cool, pour into a large punch bowl. Stir in pineapple juice, orange juice concentrate and cold water. Add food coloring (if desired) until preferred color is reached (start with a couple of drops of each). Pour in ginger ale just before serving. Garnish with gummy worms.