It's Halloween and the Undead are Rising!

Ah, Halloween. Time for thrills, chills, ghouls, and - of course - TREATS.

These adorable-horrible coffins, while not written for a 37 Cooks challenge, does feature two of our previous sponsors.

The coffin cookie cutter is made by Good Cook, who sponsored the Picnic Potluck Panic challenge. The coffin cookie cutters weren't part of the challenge, though.

And, of course, Bob's Red Mill supplied us with bags of all-purpose flour, which is what I used here.

The bag of flour I got from Bob's is long gone, but that's to be expected in my house. Flour doesn't last here very long at all.

I had a lot of fun assembling these coffin cookies. I colored the icing I used for assembly using food coloring to make it brown so it didn't stand out quite as much against the dark cookies. I used plain white royal icing to form the hands that are creeping out of the coffins. Spooooky.

The nice thing about the coffin cookies is that you can fill them with even more goodies. How about some chocolate mousse? I attached the lids, but it would be fine if it was un-attached, too.

I use black cocoa quite often. It's sold under quite a few names, depending on the seller, but it's a distinctive and very dark cocoa. If you don't have it, you can use regular cocoa. The cookies won't be quite as dark, but they'll still be good.

Chocolate Cut-Out Cookies

3 ounces chocolate chips
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened black cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Royal icing (recipe here)

Put the chips in a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until they're melted. They don't need to be hot - just softened and melted and smooth. Set aside until it has cooled to room temperature.

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk or stir until they're well combined. Set aside.

In your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or with an electric mixer, beat the butter until it's smooth. Add the sugar, and beat until it's light. Add the egg and beat until it's incorporated. Add the melted chocolate chips and the vanilla. Beat until they are incorporated.

Add the flour mixture (you might want to add in several additions to keep it from flying around when you start the mixer) until the flour is incorporated. You don't need to beat it any further once it's mixed together.

Place the dough in a zip-top bag and flatten it. Refrigerate for at least four hours, or up to a few days.

When you're ready to bake, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it warm up just a little bit. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a few baking sheets with parchment paper.

Divide the dough into several pieces to make it easier to work with. Flour your work space lightly - you don't want to add too much flour to the cookies, so be gentle. Roll the dough to between 1/8- and 1/4-inch thick - smaller cookies are best if they're rolled thinner, while larger cookies are easier to work with if they're a little thicker.

Cut the cookies with cookie cutters as desired. If you want your very own 3D coffin cookie cutter, you can get it from Good Cook.

Transfer the cookies to your prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space between them. These don't spread a lot, but they do grow a little.

If you're baking cooking that are different sizes - like the 3D cookies I made that has smaller pieces for the sides and larger pieces for the top and bottom - put the smaller pieces in the center of the baking sheet and the larger pieces along the edges of the sheets.

Bake at 350°F until the cookies are firm on top and slightly darker around the edges. Since these are pretty dark to begin with, it's sort of hard to see browning, but if you look, you'll see a slight difference - about 12 minutes.

Let the cookies cool for a minute or two on the baking sheets before moving them to a rack to cool completely.

Decorate the cookies as desired.

Rawtella "Cheesecake" Brownies

I love being a part of 37Cooks – even with my beyond busy schedule this year and turning a few submissions in late (sorry guys!), challenges like this help keep me on my toes and my creativity flowing. This challenge wasn't for a sponsor, but instead a fun little “Surprise Food Exchange” between the bloggers. We were asked to some something(s) from our state…I was chosen to send items from RI (or close by) to Donna of Cookistry. Sadly, however, her first box is M.I.A. so I sent her a second one which I hope was equally as good. I received some awesome gluten-free goodies from Linda…seriously these items were perfect and right up my alley. I received two bottles of Ginger People Hot Ginger Jalapeno Sauce and a jar of Rawtella.

Our challenge was to come up with a recipe using at least one of the products we received. At first I was pretty torn on which one to use. I had made a delicious burger with a bit of the Hot Ginger Jalapeno Sauce mixed into the meat, and topped with a Hot Ginger Jalapeno Aoli and avocado, and don’t get me wrong…it was delicious, however I forgot to actually get a good picture of it. Seeing as money is, lets say…tight right now, I couldn't actually recreate the recipe just yet, so I went through my pantry to see what I had on hand. Turns out I had everything to make some delicious brownies…using a box mix, of course. I have a great recipe for homemade brownies, but I had a box of the Stonewall Kitchen Gluten-Free Brownie Mix, which I LOVE. It has such a great flavor (which is thanks to the coffee that is in it!) I’m not a huge chocolate person…I like it a lot better when it is mixed with something else, like nuts. I knew that I was going to use the Rawtella (obviously!) in this recipe, but I was trying to think of something to break up all the chocolate. When walking through the grocery store this morning I saw some beautiful brownies with cream cheese swirls running through them and a light bulb went off, “I have that at home too!!”

I have to say, these are pretty easy and quick to make, especially if you are using a box mix. However, you do not have to…use whatever your favorite recipe is and even though the Rawtella is vegan, this recipe is not. I couldn't afford to buy the alternative ingredients to make it that way, so if you want to make it vegan, simply follow your favorite vegan brownie recipe, use the Rawtella and then use a vegan cream cheese. If anyone tries this…please let me know how it turns out.

Thank you Linda for the awesome, delicious ingredients to play around with. Hope you all enjoy the recipe!

Rawtella "Cheesecake" Brownies
by Jenny

1 package of gluten-free brownie mix or your favorite homemade gluten-free brownie recipe

4 ounces 1/3 fat cream cheese, softened 

1 large egg (separated)
1 1/2 Tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup Rawtella

Preheat oven according to directions on package or recipe. Prepare brownie mix according to package or recipe. Pour prepared brownie batter into an 8 × 8 inch baking dish that has been lined with parchment paper, or to make individual brownies use the Good Cook Dessert Bar Pan.

In a small bowl, add the softened 1/3 fat cream cheese and the yolk from the egg. Mix with a spoon until completely incorporated and there are no lumps. Add the sifted powdered sugar and mix well. 

In a second small bowl combine the Rawtella and egg white, mix until evenly incorporated. 

Place 1-2 teaspoons each of the cream cheese mixture and the Rawtella mixture of top of each brownie (if using the dessert pan) or evenly distribute globs of each on top of the brownie mixture in the 8 × 8 inch pan. 

With either a toothpick or knife, swirl the cream cheese and Rawtella mixtures together. 

Bake according to package or recipe. 

Cool completely, remove from pan and serve with fresh strawberries.

Zucchini and Goat Cheese Flan

I love appetizers and desserts that are individually proportioned. When added to a buffet of party food, they always look more appealing and are easier to serve than something that people have to cut into. When served at a dinner party, I always feel that thought was put into the presentation of the dish. I was so excited when I got the chance to use one of my favorite appetizer recipes with the Good Cook Dessert Bar Pan. I love the square shape of the cups and the pan makes 12 appetizer servings. Add a side salad for a light lunch. This recipe is quick to put together and can be served at room temperature.

When Was the First Time You Had This?

Baklava is something that I did not grow up eating. I think that the first time I sampled a piece was at Disney World's Epcot park, in the Moroccan section of the World Showcase. I was probably 20-something years old at the time, so, yeah, I was a little late to the party!

But, once I discovered this little gem I was hooked. I read many recipes and was intimidated by the process. I finally mastered the "real" way to make Baklava, but it is a very time-consuming process. A special occasion dish, for sure! I looked for an easier method and stumbled upon a recipe that uses refrigerated crescent rolls. My family was happy with it as a quick, sweet treat. For this challenge, I decided to substitute puff pastry for the crescent rolls and I used pecans, as that's what I had in my pantry. It's not a traditional baklava, but it's pretty tasty and very simple. We love it - I hope you do as well!

The New Comfort Food: Buffalo Baby Bella Meatloaf

Growing up in the 1970's, I had A LOT of meatloaf. Whether at school or at home, it was always ground beef with ketchup on top. Now, there's nothing wrong with that but, I always have to mix things up a bit and make it my own.

So, a few years ago I started working with different combinations of meats (and some really horrible ones, too.) Then I found the winning one and voilá: Ground buffalo and ground turkey! Who would've thought that beef and poultry would play so nicely together?!

And not being a huge fan of ketchup (since I had to douse everything from liver to french fries with it) I came up with BBQ sauce which has just enough zing to make this loaf happy.

I serve mine with blanched green beans and a Drunken Baked Sweet Potato (recipe below.)

ENJOY!!

Snap, Crackle, Pop, and Chocolate!

This recipe is a true “pantry raid.” If you bake regularly, it’s likely you have many ingredients in your baker’s pantry that can be used in this recipe. Depending upon the last-minute guests you’re expecting, use semi-sweet for adults or milk chocolate for kids. Nearly any morsels or bits you have on hand can be stirred into these treats – be creative and raid the pantry!

Chipotle Garlic Cheddar Mini Beer Loaves

Chipotle Garlic Cheddar Mini Beer Loaves
by Lesia

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups self-rising flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
12-ounce can of beer
4 Tablespoons plus 2 Tablespoons butter
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Using a small skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté garlic until just fragrant. Set aside. 

Using the Good Cook mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar, chili powder, beer, and 4 Tablespoons of melted butter until smooth. Using the Good Cook Silicone Spatula, stir in garlic and cheese until combined well. 

Spray the Good Cook 4 Cup Loaf Pan with non-stick cooking spray and evenly distribute batter into pan. Bake for 20 minutes, insert knife in the middle of the thickest loaf. If knife comes out clean, the bread is done. Brush tops of loaves with remaining 2 Tablespoons of melted butter. Return to oven for 5 minutes.

Magic Cake

Pantry cooking may seem simple. There's no need to go to the store, after all, if you cook with whatever you have on hand. This cake recipe, however, is far, far, far from simple. In fact, it's a miniature chemistry experiment, though it's way more fun to think of it as MAGIC than science. Calling it magic makes it way more fun to clean up the mess, because wow, I went through four mixing bowls. (Don't be like me!)

Using the power of butter, eggs and sugar, this slowly baked cake cooks firm on the top and bottom but remains custardy in the center -- meaning it's certain to impress, even if you didn't need to grocery shop.

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

This recipe, adapted from a recipe on the Homesick Texan blog, is one of our favorite casseroles and I usually have the needed ingredients on hand. When the Good Cook Potluck Pantry Panic Challenge was presented, I knew immediately this was my pantry panic go-to recipe. Before discovering this recipe, I made King Ranch Casserole the old way, with the two different kinds of soup. It was good. It’s what I was used to. Once I found this recipe, though, I have never made it any other way. This is a spicy dish. The freshness of the peppers, cilantro and fresh lime juice, make this dish pop with flavor. Save yourself the regrets and double this recipe so you have plenty for leftovers and to freeze.

Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes

I love being a part of both 37 Cooks and Good Cook Blogger/Kitchen Experts – and I love that they have combined forces for this event.

This was no ordinary challenge, though – this was the Good Cook Potluck Pantry Challenge. The key word in that name is PANTRY, meaning we had to cook or bake with whatever we had in our pantry (including fridge) and not buy anything at the store. Thankfully my pantry is pretty well stocked and happened to have a fresh pineapple on hand! We had to use two of the Good Cook items – one from the core items received and the second item was whichever pan we choose.

I knew right away that I wanted to make pineapple upside down cakes – this was my favorite cake growing up because it did not have frosting on it! I kid you not…to this day I still do not really like frosting unless it’s my own frosting, which I do not sweeten much. My sweet tooth is not that strong I guess. This goes perfectly with a little dollop of lightly sweetened fresh whipped cream. Even though I chose to do a sweet recipe, this pan can be used for so much more than desserts – you can bake cornbread, risotto (yes risotto squares!), meatloaf, etc. The possibilities are pretty endless – you just need to be creative.

I used the following items to create my Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes: Pineapple Corer/Slicer, Silicone Spatula, Chopping Mats, and Dessert Bar Pan. I loved using the pineapple corer/slicer – super easy to use, say good-bye to canned pineapple rings!

The recipe is below, however, here are a few substitutions that can be made:
If you are not gluten-free, feel free to use a “regular” cake mix
The recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and nut-free – the picture does show whipped cream, but you can omit that.
Don’t like pineapple? Use a different fruit…raspberries, cherries, etc.
I used Earth Balance sticks – feel free to use whatever butter or butter alternative you want…I haven’t tried anything besides this and butter so I can not guarantee any results

Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes
by Jenny

1 package of gluten-free white cake mix (follow package instructions*)
2-3 Tablespoons Earth Balance baking sticks (this is in addition to whatever your box mix calls for)
1/4 cup dark brown sugar (Wholesome Sweeteners) 

1 small-medium pineapple, cored and sliced, and cut into 1/2 chunks – reserve any juice
12 natural maraschino cherries without stems, drained

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Prepare cake mix according to package instructions (use the spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl every so often if using a stand mixer.)

Evenly divide up the 2-3 Tablespoons of earth balance into the 12 wells of the dessert pan. Place pan in preheated oven to melt the butter – once melted, remove from oven and sprinkle the brown sugar evenly into the wells of the pan.

Top the brown sugar and melted butter with one 1/2 chunk of pineapple and 1 natural maraschino cherry (halved or whole is fine.)

 
Pour prepared cake batter evenly into wells of pan – leave about 1/4-inch room to let the cake rise in the oven.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. 

Remove from oven and using a heatproof serving plate or cutting board upside down onto pan, turn plate and pan over. 

Leave pan over cake 5 minutes so brown sugar topping can drizzle over cake; remove pan. 

Cool 30 minutes. 

Can be served either warm or cool with either ice cream (dairy free alternatives available), or whipped cream (or coconut cream.)

 
Store covered in refrigerator.

Good Cook provided us with these products free of charge – all opinions are 100% my own.

Mexighetti

This dish is an old favorite. It's basically Mexican Spaghetti, which we nicknamed "Mexighetti"! It is great for company and potlucks and everyone loves it.

Mexighetti
by Judy Dawson

1 large onion
1 large green bell pepper
1 pound ground beef

2 cloves minced garlic
1 cup beef broth
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chile (I use Rotel)
1 cup sliced green olives with pimentos
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 8-ounce package spaghetti
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Using a Good Cook Flexible Chopping Mat, chop onion and bell pepper. In a large pan or dutch oven, brown beef with onions, peppers, and garlic. Add beef broth, tomatoes, green olives, and chili powder. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain and add to meat mixture. Mix well. Spread in Good Cook 13" x 9" Nonstick Cake Pan and sprinkle evenly with mixture of cheeses. Bake in 350°F oven for about 30 minutes, until cheese is melted. Serves 6 to 8. This is excellent with a salad of lettuce, tomato, and avocado.

Pineapple Loaf Cake

I like fresh pineapple, but I'm not fond of peeling and cleaning them. But...I hesitated to buy a pineapple gadget. I always wondered if I'd leave too much good pineapple behind. And I wondered if it would be easy to use. And I wondered if I'd use the gadget more than once.

Earl Grey Financiers

Earl Grey Financiers
by Sarah K

1 cup butter
2 Tablespoons earl grey leaves, ground
1 cup blanched almond slices
1 1/3 cup powdered sugar
6 Tablespoons cake flour

4 teaspoons baking powder
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
5 large egg whites, room temperature, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Savory Brunch Rolls

I thought I came up with a great recipe idea (and I was pleasantly surprised to have everything I needed on hand, including the dough from a double batch I made the night before, so no trips to the store)...use the cinnamon roll concept, only make it a savory roll. After a bit of recipe surfing, I quickly realized that this great idea had already been created. LOL And since my family loves the sweet smell of freshly baked anything coming from the oven, when they come down stairs for the first time in the morning it only seemed natural that I would make a new versions for them.

We served this for an impromptu Sunday brunch with family and friends and added scrambled eggs, avocado slices and fresh mango. Yum!

Here's my spin on this old classic.

Lemonade with Frozen Creme de Menthe Bombs

It's not unusual to find my husband standing by the fence visiting with our neighbor in the back or our neighbor to the side. They can stand there and chat forever. Since Houston's summers get pretty darn hot, nothing makes those conversations more pleasant than a nice cool, refreshing drink. Having the Good Cook Dessert Bar Pan full of flavored ice in my freezer is perfect when I'm in a pinch to provide them with something fast.

Mocha Pudding Cups

In a hurry for a quick, easy to make, homemade dessert right from your pantry? You're in luck! These mini-pastry cups, made with Good Cook's Dessert Bar Pan, are a cross between a pie crust and shortbread. The best thing about them is that the crust doesn't require rolling or chilling! You can mix it up and immediately press it into the pan, which saves lots of time!

Hummingbird Cake

Hummingbird Cake is a staple in the South. Everyone knows someone who has made, eaten, and delivered it in times of distress. It is a simple, yet very delicate cake made even better by the typical cream cheese frosting. But we are not going to do a typical frosting. With the help of the Good Cook products, we are going to venture out and we are going to make them in an unconventional way using their wonderful Nonstick Dessert Bar Pan. I can actually relate to what some of you are thinking...I wouldn't want to have to wash that pan. I was skeptical at first, but this pan washes up so nicely. I was flabbergasted at the ease of the cakes coming out. It is worth a try!!

Bloody Mary Aspic with Shrimp and Olives

This was a delicious recipe, made all the more fun by the folks at Good Cook! The sectioned dessert bar pan is the perfect thing for individual servings, and I wanted to create a fun, retro-inspired dish for this challenge. While Tomato Aspic is a classic recipe, I wanted something different. So I added.....what else? Vodka! Thus the Bloody Mary Aspic! But don't be put off by the whimsy of the title. The fresh tomatoes, celery, and shallots all combine to create a refreshing base, and the "garnish" of shrimp and olives add notes of luxury and pops of flavor. MAKE THIS DISH to share with friends and family!

Pancake Squares with Assorted Toppings

Pancake Squares with Assorted Toppings
by Rebbekkah

Your favorite pancake mix. (Homemade is easy! Try this one!)

Assorted toppings such as:
Bacon
Blueberries
Brown Sugar
Cherries
Crushed Pineapples
Coconut Flakes
Jellies
Powdered Sugar
Preserves
Sausage
Slivered Almonds or other chopped nuts
Strawberries
Syrup
Whipped Cream (Homemade is easy! Try this recipe!)

Crawfish Bowtie Pasta

Crawfish Bowtie Pasta
by Luke
Adapted from Food.com's "Crawfish and Tasso Fettuccine"

1/2 stick butter
1 pound Smoked Pork Tasso, chopped
3 cubes Dorot Crushed Garlic
1 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 Tablespoon Papa Gator's Seasoning
1 pound peeled crawfish tails
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms

15 ounces Classico Creamy Alfredo

1 package bowtie pasta
1 cup chopped green onions
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese