I have an absolute weakness for Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. I’m pretty good at resisting the candy in my kids’ Halloween baskets, but every year, without fail, I can’t help but pilfer a few packages of THESE for myself (that’s just between us, okay?).

A few months ago I came across a recipe for Chocolate Almond Butter Cups posted by the oh-so-brilliant Recipe Girl and I was immediately drooled, I mean, drawn to it. Homemade Peanut Butter Cups — how could I resist?! Especially when they’re so easy to prepare and made with two ingredients Kenya goes absolutely wild for. He has been more than willing to be my sous chef (tough job, I know) every time I make them for cookie exchanges, parties, and recently, as Valentine gifts. I top mine with a flake or two of fleur de del because it adds a fancy touch if you plan on giving them out as gifts to loved ones and friends. Also, the sweet blast of the chocolate and peanut butter combined with just a touch of salt is what makes them truly irresistible! My husband got so excited about this recipe, he made his own version with peanut butter AND jelly, but that is a story for another day.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups with Sea Salt (Makes 20 Chocolate Cups)

3/4 Cup Smooth Peanut Butter
1/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 10 oz. Bag Dark Chocolate Chips*
1 Tbsp Fleur de Sel

1. Place the peanut butter and powdered sugar in a bowl and stir to combine.
2. Place the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and melt for 90 seconds, stirring halfway through until smooth.
3. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of the melted chocolate into small paper liners in a mini-muffin tin and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.
4. While the chocolate cools, roll 1 teaspoon of the peanut butter mixture into a ball and then flatten into a disk. Repeat with the rest of the peanut butter.
5. When the chocolate has cooled, place a peanut butter disk in each cup on top of the refrigerated chocolate mixture.
6. Top cups with the remaining melted chocolate to cover and finish with a few flakes of fleur de sel. Refrigerate until set.
6. Peel the papers off and eat!**

*Semisweet or milk chocolate could be substituted for the dark chocolate chips
* Chocolate Cups can be kept refrigerated or at room temperature

This recipe was inspired by one of my biggest pet peeves, never wanting to waste a single ingredient sitting in my pantry! I have a bad habit when I am roaming the grocery aisles: getting overly enthusiastic about a certain ingredient and then buying way too much of it, deluding myself that I will have all the time in the world to whip up all sorts of recipes that I’ve had on my mind. Sadly, with two kids, a hubby and a busy life, I never seem to get around to all that.

I was going through my pantry today and found yet another can of pumpkin puree staring me in the face. Either canned pumpkin is procreating when I’m not looking or, more likely, those mysterious cans are the product of every time I have visited the grocery over the past few months and fantasized about coming home to make pumpkin donuts, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie and so on. Not surprisingly, I never had the time for all those recipes I really wanted to make but now here I am, days shy of the New Year, with a little bit of free time on my hands since school is out and the holidays are over. The kids and I decided to make these yummy Pumpkin Muffins, topped with a smear of luscious cream cheese icing. They came out great.

One little piece of advice for 2012: as long as the expiration date hasn’t passed, never toss out those foods which have been sitting around your pantry for months. Figure out a recipe based around that ingredient you were once inspired to buy and turn it into something. Good or bad, you’ll have fun and the results will always be magical.

Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Icing (Makes 12 Muffins)

1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 1/2 Tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
6 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 Cup Pumpkin Puree
1 Large Egg
1/4 Cup Milk
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place the first 5 ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.
3. In a separate bowl whisk the remaining ingredients.
4. Add the dry ingredients into the wet and whisk until just combined.
5. Pour into greased muffins cups 3/4 full.
6. Bake for 20 minutes.
7. Cool, frost and serve.

Cream Cheese Frosting (Makes about 1 Cup)

4 oz Cream Cheese, softened
4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, softened
1 Cup Confectioner’s Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

1. Place the cream cheese and butter in a bowl and beat for 30 seconds on low to medium speed using a hand mixer.
2. Add the confectioner’s sugar and vanilla and continue to beat for 1 minute or until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
3. Frost the muffins and serve.

Whenever I make snacks for Kenya’s and Chloe’s classes I endeavor to come up with something different than the usual suspects. This doesn’t mean I have hours to cook up elaborate dishes for a huge group of kids. Far from it. Whatever I’m preparing needs to be simple, quick and healthy. Every time I make these Maple Roasted Pumpkin Seeds I am reminded that they are one of my kids’ favorite treats, and that makes me extra happy since they are super easy to make and give my little ones a boost of vegetarian protein.

All you need to do is toss the pepitas (pumpkin seeds) with a touch of olive oil and maple syrup and pop them in the oven. In ten minutes you have a fall treat that’s as tasty as an afternoon snack as it is packed in a lunch box!

Maple Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

2 Cups Pumpkin Seeds (also known as pepitas)
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Maple Syrup

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Combine the pumpkin seeds, olive oil and maple syrup in a bowl and stir to coat. 

3. Spread the seeds out on a baking sheet and cook for 10 minutes. 

4. Stir the seeds and cook another 10-15 minutes or until golden and crispy (make sure to keep an eye on them in the last few minutes of cooking so they don’t burn). 

5. Cool and serve.

If you’re not making Spookie Smoothies for Halloween this year, you have to whip up a big batch of this Halloween Witches’ Brew. It’s so good I’ll be making it on Access Hollywood Live tomorrow! We don’t have juice in our house very often because it’s mostly sugar, so the kids went nuts when they first tasted this special concoction. With sweetness from the juice, zip and tang from the lemon juice and a touch of spice from the cinnamon, it’s the perfect drink for your holiday celebration!

Witches Brew (Serves 4)

2 Cups Apple Cider
2 Cup Cranberry Juice
1 Stick Cinnamon
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1. Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Serve.

I love all the emails I get around Halloween asking me for “healthy” candy recipes. I wish there was such a thing, but sadly, there isn’t. I usually just give in and allow my kids to enjoy a few chocolatey or sugary Halloween treats. HOWEVER, in the past, when I’ve put out a bunch of bowls filled with nuts, popcorn and chocolate chips for trick or treaters and given them holiday themed bags to let them make their own trail mix, they love it! Sure there’s always one or two kids who try to fill their bags with 99% chocolate chips and maybe one nut, but there are also plenty of little ones who stuff their bags with a healthy portion of the good stuff and they absolutely love it.

Whether you’re looking for a healthy-ish treat on Halloween or just a fun holiday snack idea for the younger set, this Popcorn Trail Mix fits the bill. And until someone invents healthy candy, you can’t do much better!

Popcorn Trail Mix (Makes 5 1/2 Cups)

4 Cups Popcorn, popped
½ Cup Chocolate Chips
½ Cup Dried Cherries or Cranberries
½ Cup Roasted Mixed Nuts, almonds, walnuts or peanuts

1. Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and combine.
2. Place mixture into individual treat bags.
3. Serve.

If I asked Kenya what he wanted in his school lunch everyday, most times he would say grilled cheese. Of course I’m the annoying type of mom who, in an effort to not let my kid get fixated on eating the same thing, tries to put something different in her kid’s lunch each day. Little good it’s done me. Kenya has always had a thing for a good grilled cheese. If you let your little one have grilled cheese everyday, try making him or her one of these spookie sammies to put a fun Halloween spin on what they’re used to eating. I guarantee you’ll be back leaving a comment here about what a hit it was once your little one comes home from school with an empty lunch box and is asking for more.

I let Kenya help me make his lunch while he eats his breakfast, giving him cookie cutters to make spooky shapes in the bread, which he loves doing. But as much fun as it is to make these sammies, eating them is even better — especially for the grilled cheese lover in your life! My husband has already “commented” to me numerous times to make him this sammie for lunch. In fact, moments after I shot the picture above, he ate everything on the plate!

Spookie Grilled Cheese (Serves 4)

Butter
8 Slices Pumpernickel or Dark Rye Bread
4 Slices Cheddar Cheese

1. Using a Halloween themed cookie cutter, take four slices of the bread and cut out the centers.
2. Heat butter in a griddle or skillet over medium heat.
3. Cook the cut side pieces of bread and the whole pieces of bread in the saute pan for 3 minutes. Flip the whole piece of bread, cover with a slice of cheese and top with the un-cooked piece of cut-out bread cooking an additional 3 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
4. Serve.

With the excitement of Halloween in the air there’s no better time to cook as much orange, brown and black food as possible! We make pumpkin pancakes all the time at our house, but come October I like to spice things up and fill them with a chocolate cream cheese filling. They’re like Halloween whoopie pies, only without the gnarly ingredients or food dyes of the pre-packaged ones.

Warning: once you try these babies you may never be able to go back to regular pancakes again!

Pumpkin Pancake Sandwiches w/Chocolate Filling

Pumpkin Pancakes (Makes 18 Pancakes)

1 Cup White Flour
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Large Egg
1 1/4 Cup Whole Milk
1 Tbsp Honey
1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil, plus extra for greasing the pan
1 Cup Pumpkin Puree, canned

Chocolate filling:

1 Cup Cream Cheese
2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
2 Tbsp Honey

1. Sift the first 6 ingredients in a bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the rest of the pancake ingredients.
3. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet until combined; it’s ok if there are some lumps.
4. Heat a large sauté pan or griddle over medium heat and grease with oil.
5. Drop about 2 tbsp of the pancake mixture onto the griddle and cook for 2 minutes on each side until golden.
6. Set aside and allow to cool.
7. To make the filling: In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the filling until smooth.
8. Place 1 tbsp of the filling between two pancakes to make a sammie.
9. Continue to make the rest of the sammies.
10. Serve.

* Tip: For perfectly round pancakes, use an ice cream scooper to put the pancake batter onto the griddle.

When my husband saw this recipe on my computer screen he asked me what made Gravestone Brownies different from regular brownies. I told him I liked the name because it seemed appropriate for Halloween but he kept saying, “if you are giving them a name, doesn’t it have to relate to what’s unique about them? Like “Cajun Chicken” means the chicken is made with Cajun spices.” I thought it about it for a second and replied, “they’re so delicious and to die for”. He was still dubious, so I gave him a brownie to try and finally….he agreed!

These brownies are so rich and chocolatey I’m not sure I would advise making them for any kid under the age of 5, because when my 4 1/2 year old saw them cooling on the kitchen counter, I think he nearly fainted from excitement (I still think “Gravestone Brownies” is better than “Fainting Brownies”).

If you’re having a get together for an older crowd, these are seriously easy and a ton of fun to make!

Gravestone Brownies (Makes 14 “Graves”)

3/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
3/4 Cup Cocoa Powder
3/4 Tsp Salt
15 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
3 Large Eggs
1/2 Cup Semisweet Chocolate, chopped (You can also use chocolate chips)

1. Preheat oven to 325 F.
2. Mix the first 3 ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
3. In a standing mixer or bowl, whisk the melted butter, sugar and vanilla.
4. Add the eggs one at a time until combined, then slowly mix in the dry ingredients and semi sweet chocolate pieces until combined.
5. Pour the batter into a greased and parchment lined 9×13 baking dish and bake for 30 minutes.
6. Cut into bars and top with “grave stones” (like the picture above).

*When cutting your brownies, use a long serrated knife and wipe it off in between cuts.

Not sure what to serve at your Halloween party this year? How about giving everyone the finger? That joke may be in poor taste, but these cheese wafers aren’t.

I don’t know how else to describe them, but whether you’re having a get together this Halloween or just want to make something a bit gnarly looking — but delicious, I assure you — these fingers will be a hit!

Cheese Wafer Fingers (Makes about 20 2-inch Fingers)

1/2 Lb or 2 Cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated
5 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, cut into cubes
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Raw Almonds, slivered or whole blanched

1. Place the first 3 ingredients in a food processor and pulse to combine (dough may be a bit crumbly, but it will stick together).
2. Take a piece of dough and mold into a “finger” shape. Then place 1 slice of almond on the top of the “finger tip” for the “nail”. *
3. Refrigerate fingers for 1 hour or overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 375 F.
5. Place fingers on a parchment paper or Silpat-lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Let fingers cool on sheet for 2 minutes before removing.
6. Serve.

*Press almonds down well into fingers to make sure they stay.

When I think about traditional holiday side dishes, Green Bean Casserole always comes to mind. The problem for me is that two of the main ingredients come from a can. Although your mom’s green bean casserole may have been delicious, most likely it was made with a can of Cream of Mushroom soup and topped with a tin of fried onions. But don’t despair, there are ways to recreate this classic the way you remember, only healthier and a lot more fresh tasting. With just a bit of freshly grated parmesan, some sautéed onions and a homemade, flavorful sauce, the green bean casserole of your youth is taken to a new level and becomes something even more special that your kids will be telling their kids about years from now.

Green Bean Casserole (Serves 6)

1 Lb Green Beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 Small Yellow Onion, diced
1 1/4 Tsp Salt, divided
1/2 Cup Panko or Bread Crumbs
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
8 Oz Mushrooms, sliced
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
3 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Flour
1 Cup Chicken Broth
1/2 Cup Whole Milk (you can use half and half if you want the dish to be extra rich and creamy)
Canola or Olive Oil Cooking Spray

1. Place the green beans in a steamer pot over boiling water and steam for 8 minutes or until fork tender.
2. Preheat oven to 400 F.
3. In a large sauce pot melt 1 tbsp butter and sauté the chopped onion and 1/4 tsp of salt for 4 minutes.
4. Remove the onions and set aside in a separate bowl with the panko and parmesan cheese. Toss to evenly combine.
5. In the same large sauce pot, melt the remaining 2 tbsp of butter, add the mushrooms and remaining 1 tsp of salt and sauté for 4 minutes.
6. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute.
7. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of flour over the mushrooms and stir for 30 seconds until evenly coated.
8. Add the chicken broth and milk, bring to a simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes or until thickened.
9. Add the beans to the sauce and then pour into a greased 8 x 8 inch baking dish.
10. Sprinkle with onion/panko mixture on top, lightly spray with oil and bake for 25 minutes or until the top is golden.
11. Serve.