As I've noted here before, things were different when I was a kid. It was the era of Space Age food, Tang and TV dinners. Come to think of it, thanks to Tang, I can't stand to drink fresh orange juice with pulp to this day. Halloween was no exception. By the time we were 5, my friends and I were skipping up the block unsupervised to demand candy from the neighbors.
I knew to bring my haul home for Mom to inspect before I opened even one little Tootsie Roll or package of Smarties. We'd dump the contents of my trick-or-treating bag onto the dining room table and she'd paw through it, pulling out anything that looked vaguely suspicious. It was, after all, the age of urban legends about razor blades in apples and poisoned candy. That meant any unpackaged goodies were discarded–pieces of fruit and homemade treats (unless I could absolutely, positively recall who had given to me).
Looking back, I think that concern was really an excuse for Mom to set aside her favorite treats to nibble when I wasn't looking. I was OK with that, as long as she didn't swipe my Clark bars.
Times have changed, though. Kids still go trick-or-treating, of course, but little ghouls and goblins are just as likely to gather for a party at a friend's house. In that case, homemade Halloween treats will trump the store-bought kind every time. With that in mind, here are 6 treats from the NOURISH Evolution kitchens. Happy Halloween, my little fiends!
Noe's Remixed Party Mix. Unlike me and my mom, not everyone has a raging sweet tooth. Put out bowls of this savory, updated version of Chex mix to help counteract the holiday sugar high.
No-Bake Peanut Butter Treats. Little ghosts will gobble up these these chocolate-topped popcorn squares no time. If you want to enjoy any yourself, take my mom's cue and set aside a couple of them before the party starts.
Salted Pistachio Brittle. Crunchy, salty and sweet, this brittle is delightful on its own or sprinkled over vanilla ice cream.
Ruby-Studded Meringue Buttons. For Halloween, you can use candy corn in place of the dried fruit and almonds called for in this recipe. Boo!
Fair-Trade Chocolate Earthquake Cookies. Made with dark chocolate, these cookies are full of deep-flavored goodness that will appeal to grown-up ghouls who haven't figured out that they've outgrown trick-or-treating. (No, you're never really too old.)
Maple Caramel Popcorn. This goody is mildly addictive, but because it's based on fiber-rich popcorn it's also filling so you can't overindulge. Well, not too much, anyway…
