Spooktacular Halloween Bark Lollies

We've always been a family that has enjoyed making cutesy homemade treats for the holidays. Halloween is no exception. With four out of our five kiddos being between the ages of sixteen and twenty-eight now, it's down to just our eleven-year old who's even remotely interested in working on these goodies with me these days. {I'll take it while it lasts.} Making bark for any occasion is a perfect project for kids. No baking. No exact recipe to follow. And, they really can't mess things up too much.

Whether you need a sweet treat for the classroom, something to share at work or an edible party favor to serve up at your Halloween bash, making these suckers is super simple and so fun. They can be served as-is on a platter or be individually wrapped up with a cute ribbon in a clear cellophane bag.

The sky is the limit on embellishments, too, for these festive, spooktacular lollies. So, don't be afraid to use what you love and go crazy.

Yields 16 suckers.

Sweet and Salty Halloween Bark

You can't go wrong with chocolate {or any type of candy really} this time of year. The spirits of ghosts and goblins may be in the air. But, truth be told ... sweets are on our minds. {What parent doesn't look forward to raiding those Trick-or-Treat buckets after the kiddos' bedtime on the night of October thirty-first?} As if we didn't get enough sugar this month, I give you Sweet and Salty Halloween Bark.

My kiddos and I love making different types of bark for different seasons. Besides the fact that it's a simple enough of a "recipe," barks are just so darn fun to make and they really allow for an abundance of creativity. What you include is pretty much up to you. It's a very adaptable, customizable recipe. By starting with a base of melted bittersweet/semi-sweet chocolate, you create a foundation for whatever candy, nuts, dried fruit, sprinkles, etc. that suit your fancy.

NOTE: I highly recommend some sort of pretzels or salted nuts to create that ideal sweet and salty combination. The salty component really counteracts the amount of sweetness present. Furthermore, some coarse salt can be sprinkled on top of the melted chocolate, if desired, to really drive home the salty flavor.

Halloween White Chocolate Party Pretzel Rods

Whether you're throwing a Halloween party at home ... or you're needing to make goodies for a Halloween social function this year at work or school, these white chocolate-dipped pretzels are sure to please. No tricks here! This is a Halloween party treat that couldn't be simpler to prepare.

With just a few items from the grocery store, you can bring your guests that perfect combination of sweet and salty that they crave. This is a great DIY party favor that even the kiddos can help make. Serve these to your guests at home. Or, take them along to work to share with co-workers.

Of course, the kiddos in your child's classroom would go batty for these fun and festive treats, too.

NOTE: I prefer Wilton White Candy Melts and Wilton Candy Eyeballs for this recipe.

Yields 30 Pretzel Rods.

Broken Glass Jello

My five-year old was on the snack committee for the Halloween party at school this week.  To ensure that a bunch of kids didn't bring in the same or similar snacks, we were assigned a specific snack to bring.

I have to admit that I was a little disappointed when I read on our paper the words "Finger Jello."

I have never been a huge fan of eating Jello.  And, I had only attempted finger jello once years ago and it was a flop!

I reluctantly threw some boxes of purple and orange jello in the cart at the grocery store the other day (trying to keep with the Halloween theme and all) ... and figured I would just make a "two-colored Halloween layer jello thingy," then cut it into little cubes after it was set up. 

(Yes, that was what I was calling it in my mind ... sounded legit!)

But, I felt like I was copping out by not planning to put much effort into it, so I started looking online a few days before the dreaded "Finger Jello" had to be produced to my daughter's fellow goblins classmates. 

And, looky looky what I came up with! 

Aren't they boo!-tiful! (wink!)  Of course, you can adapt the colors/flavors to fit any holiday or special occasion.

I did have to run back to the store to pick up one additional color (green) and I needed some unflavored gelatin packets.  But, I am way super glad that I went this route and didn't just do regular jello cubes. 

I will mention (before you proceed full-steam ahead to make this) that you need two days (no exceptions) for this to turn out correctly.  The first day is when you'll make the individual flavors/colors of jello in little containers (I did three).  These will need to set up overnight.  The second day is when you will cut the jello into little cubes, place in a large dish and pour over the white mixture.  Then, it will need to set up another time overnight.

Also, please note that only one cup of water per jello packet is called for in this recipe ... do not use the two cups called for on the jello box!  You need the jello very firm.  And, using half of the water amount achieves this!

Now, on to the recipe.  (And, by the way ... this recipe is, also, sometimes called "Mosaic Jello.")

Our Annual Fall Hayride and Bonfire Party

 

Every year we host a big fall party on a late-evening Saturday in October that includes a hayride, a bonfire, some friendly games of volleyball under the stars and my Hayride Chili.  We usually have about forty - fifty guests of all ages ... family, friends, co-workers and lots of our children's friends from school.  It is always tons of fun.

We all have those special traditions that we remember from our own childhoods.  Our yearly fall party is one of those traditions that I know our children will treasure for years to come!