Halloween recipes from Rita Heikenfeld - wave3.com-Louisville News, Weather & Sports

CRUNCHY POPCORN BALLS
Better than any that you buy. If you like, color with orange food coloring.
Bring to a boil over medium heat and stir until marshmallows melt:
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 teaspoons vanilla
2-2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup mini marshmallows
Set aside:
18-20 cups popped corn placed in sprayed bowl
 
Pour over popcorn, quickly coating popcorn.  Spray hands. Form into balls. Store at room temperature.
Tip from Rita's kitchen: Spray everything! The bowl, the spatula and your hands so the popcorn doesn't stick.
 
 
Homemade microwave popcorn:Put 1/4 cup popcorn in a brown paper bag. Fold top over a few times and tape it. Place in microwave folded side up for 2 to 3 minutes or until there is 5 seconds between pops.
 
 
STICKS
Make a double batch – these go fast!  You can also use waffle type or tiny round pretzels. Kids love these. For adults, add ground cayenne pepper to taste.
 
15 oz bag of pretzel sticks
2 tablespoons lemon pepper
Half a package of dry Ranch dressing mix
6 oz buttery popcorn oil (I used Orville Redenbacher)
 
Put the pretzel sticks in a big bowl. Whisk together the lemon pepper, dressing mix and oil – it won't all dissolve. Pour over sticks and mix well. I used my hands.
 
Let sit 10 minutes. Mix again. Let sit 5 minutes. Mix again. Let sit 5 minutes. Mix again. Pour into a big baggie – you may have a bit of dressing left in the bowl. Leave the bag open a couple of hours, then seal. As the pretzels sit, they will absorb the dressing.  Makes about a gallon. Store, covered, at room temperature, up to a month.

Jello Popcorn Balls
A vintage recipe which I've adapted!
Original recipe:
Boil together until sugar dissolves:
1 box, 4 serving size, orange gelatin
1 cup light corn syrup
3/4 c. sugar
Set aside:
18-20 cups popped corn put in sprayed bowl
 
Pour jello mixture over popped corn, stir until coated, using sprayed spatula. With sprayed hands form into balls. Store, covered, at room temperature.
 
Tip from Rita's kitchen:
Less sugar! Use sugar free gelatin instead of regular.
 
 
EASY BLACK CAT COOKIES
l cup creamy peanut butter
l/3 cup water
2 eggs
l box chocolate cake mix
Popsicle sticks
Sugar
Candy corn, red hots
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat together peanut butter, water and eggs.  Add cake mix and blend.  Form into l-l/2" balls and place on cookie sheet. Push in a popsicle stick.  Flatten with bottom of  glass dipped in sugar.  Pinch two "ears" at top of cookie.  Press fork into dough to form whiskers on either side of  nose.  Bake l0-l2 minutes.  Remove from oven and immediately add candy corn eyes and red-hot nose.  Makes about 2-3 dozen.