Witch Finger Poppers and Eye of Newt

Yesterday's post kicked off my Halloween week with two fun drinks to get the party started, but no party would be complete without the food. Appetizers are a must and let your guests mingle easily while eating. There is no better way of saying "Welcome to our lovely home" then by offering Witch
Finger Poppers and Eye of Newt to your favorite ghouls when stopping by for a visit.

Witch Finger Poppers are, according to my husband, one of the best jalapeno poppers around and I've been fixing them for many years. What sets them apart from a regular deep fried version is that they are baked and with that, at least a little bit better for you. Seeded and halved jalapenos are stuffed with a filling of cream cheese, cheddar and Monterey jack cheese, bacon and seasonings before being dipped in breadcrumbs. Ketchup and a sliced almond complete the grizzly witch fingernail effect. The poppers are then baked for about 30 minutes before serving. Just make sure to cool them a bit before biting into them, unless you are going for the "skin burned off the roof of your mouth feel" (been there, done that, got the t-shirt). 

Eye of Newt is a fun take on my Snappy Deviled Eggs which are a staple at our house as well. This time around the filling gets its "moldy" color from blue, green and yellow food coloring before being piped into the egg halves. A sliced olive along with a sliver of pimiento make up the pupil and finally gel food coloring applied with a toothpick to the white part of the egg add the finishing touch to the "Eye of Newt".

Both of these appetizers add hilarious touches that make your Halloween buffet just a little more ghoulish.  Depending on how many goblins you have coming by this year you might want to go ahead and double the recipes as they never last long!

Party Tips:

- You can make the Witch Finger Poppers the day before your party. Just seed and fill the peppers. Place in baking pan and cover with plastic wrap. Set in refrigerator until ready to bake.
- Make the Eye of Newt the morning of your party but wait until a couple of hours before your guests arrive to apply the red food color, otherwise it will "bleed" into the white of the egg.

Witch Finger Poppers
(adapted from Taste of Home Magazine)
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup (4 ounces) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup (4 ounces) Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
12 medium jalapeno peppers, stems removed, halved lengthwise and seeded*
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Preparation:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cheeses, bacon and seasonings. Spoon about 1 tablespoon into each pepper half. Dip tops of stuffed peppers into bread crumbs.

Place a small amount of ketchup at the end of each popper; top with a sliced almond to resemble a fingernail. Place in a greased 15 x 10 inch baking dish (make sure to pack them in tightly or the filling will run out). Bake, uncovered, at 300 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

* When cutting or deeding hot peppers, use rubber or plastic gloves to protect your hands. Avoid touching your face (trust me on this!).

Eye of Newt Deviled Eggs
(makes 20 eyeballs)
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

10 large eggs, hard boiled
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sour cream
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon vinegar
1-2 teaspoons hot sauce (your favorite kind)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Blue, yellow and green food coloring

Sliced olives

Diced pimiento

Red food coloring

Preparation:

Peel and halve hard boiled eggs lengthwise and remove yolks. Place yolks in a bowl along with mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, vinegar and hot sauce. With the immersion blender mix everything to desired consistency (you can use a fork and mash if you don't have a blender). Season with salt and pepper. Color egg yolk mixture with blue, yellow and green food color until desired color is reached. Pipe egg mixture back into egg halves. Garnish each egg halve with 1 sliced olive, 1 diced pimiento placed inside the olive. Add red food coloring with a toothpick for the blood-shot eye effect.

Stay tuned for more ghoulish treats on Thursday!