Every year, I see recipes for Halloween pasta using black squid ink pasta. It always looks so fun for this time of year. Pasta is typically a fast and easy meal to make, so, after years of thinking about it, I finally found a place that sells black squid ink pasta (Cost Plus) and decided to make my own version of Halloween Spaghetti Monster. The results were delicious, even if my pictures were complete fails. (Please don’t tell me it looks like a dog.)
Halloween Spaghetti Monster
Black Squid Ink Pasta is made from durum semolina wheat, water, and 1% squid ink. I was always nervous that it would taste fishy, but that’s not the case. Instead, it tastes just like bland wheat pasta. The creepiest thing about black squid ink pasta is the boiling water turns a deep charcoal color and look like slimy worms once drained.
Ingredients:
1 pkg Plain Spaghetti 1 pkg Black Squid Ink Pasta 1 jar Traditional Marinara or Pasta Sauce Black Olives (1/2 cut for monster nose and mouth) Green Olives (for monster eyes) Dash of Parmesan Cheese
Sauce Instructions:
For best results, follow instructions on jar
Add sauce to crock pot along with 1 tablespoon of olive oil
Cook for 3 hours on high/1 hour on low
Pasta Instructions:
For best results, follow instructions on pasta packages
Cook both pastas in separate big pots full of lightly salted water 1. Spaghetti for 12-14 min 2. Black squid ink pasta for 7-9 min (takes slightly less than regular pasta)
Drain water and return to the pots
Serve in bowl and add pasta sauce
Use olives to make monster face
Classic Black Halloween Spaghetti
All reheats nicely with a little tab of butter. Happy Halloween!
Happy October! All month along will be a celebration to Halloween Icons and I’m kicking off the official Halloween season with a tribute to the sassiest Halloween icon of them all, the black cat.
Say hello to my variation of a purple Martini, The Sweetest Black Cat, aptly named because of its sweet ingredients. If sweetness isn’t your thing, well, topping off with just a tad bit more vodka or ginger ale, to balance the flavors, oughta do the trick.
INGREDIENTS:
3 oz vodka 1 1/2 oz cranberry juice 1/2 oz blue curacao 1/2 oz sweet and sour mix 1/2 oz pomegranate grenadine 1/2 oz ginger ale (or 7-up/Sprite)
Please drink responsibily, don’t drink and drive, and have a safe and happy Halloween season!
Halloween is a celebration of life! By….warding…off…the dead….anyhoo, whether you like the old vintage style, cute and spooky, spine-tingling chills and thrills, or super gory to the max, Halloweentime is a magical season filled with creativity, community spirit, fun, and wonder. Every year, Halloween Haiku celebrates all month long, and while it’s gonna be challenging, this year we’re doing it again!
Our theme in October is Halloween Icons…ya know, bats, black cats, ghosts, pumpkins, etc., all those things that are known to represent Halloween. Now, I’ve come up with a bunch, but I can’t wait to hear what icons you think Halloween just wouldn’t be the same without.
This Halloween season, I’m changing up the traditional 31 days format and I plan to use social media a bit more, so please, join in the fun, and follow me @Halloweenhaiku9 on Instagram and Twitter
Here’s what’s in store for October:
3rd Annual Halloween Haiku Contest Sharpen those pencils! I want to see your most original Halloween Icons themed haiku. I’m giving away a Grand Prize Pack worth over $50! I might even have some small prizes for runner-ups.
More details about the haiku contest will be announced on October 1st.
Halloween Icons Photo Countdown (Instagram only) October photo countdown to Halloween. No contest, just something to do for fun Oct. 1-31st. Let’s see those pictures! Use #halloweeniconsphotochallenge
31 Days of Halloween Schedule:
Monday Macabre (website and social media)
Mondays are always dedicated to Haiku, but every Monday in October we’ll celebrate Halloween icons.
Tiny Terror Tuesdays (social media)
Sometimes little things pack a big punch. Every Tuesday, I’ll be sharing scenes from my haunted dioramas and miniatures.
Wicked Art Wednesdays (social media)
Every Wednesday, I’ll share some spooktacular Halloween art. I might even post some my own original Halloween pencil stencil art.
Throwback Thursdays (website)
Every Thursday, let’s travel back to the golden age of Vintage Halloween advertising. Some ads were amusing, and some, were downright cringeworthy. Let’s debate!
Friday Fright Nightcaps (website and social media)
Witches aren’t the only ones who drink brews! Check-in every Friday evening to see what wild Halloween season-inspired cocktail I pull outta the cauldron.
Sinister Saturdays (website and social media)
Every Saturday, I’ll rotate between sharing one savory and one sweet recipe, all guaranteed to have you screaming for more! I may even try to make some of these myself. Now, that’s scary!
Poe Sundays (website and social media)
Just like we do every year, we’ll celebrate the gothic genius of Edgar Allan Poe, master of macabre.
Now, I’m not much into religion, but I’m convinced somebody opened a portal to hell and let all the demons out this year. I’ve had a helluva week and I’m sure you have too. Let’s have magaritas!
Since it’s Halloween season, I wanted an orange margarita, so I put together my own version of the Spicy Mango Margarita. How much bite to add to it depends on you. Do you like it hot and spicy? Or are you more of an angelic type?
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 Ripe Mango (Skin removed, pitted, cut into cubes) 3 ounces Pineapple Juice 1 ounce Lime Juice 3 ounces Triple Sec 3 ounces Tequila 1 tablespoon Grenadine
Rim: 3/4 teaspoon Chili Powder (or Cayenne) 1 1/2 teaspoon Course Salt or Sea Salt
Garnish: Lime Wedge
I tried a little harder to make the presentation more professional. How did I do? 🙂 Hit me up in the comments section below or find me @HalloweenHaiku9 on Instagram or Twitter
Earlier this week, I went out Halloween shopping, looking for a few items needed to complete my decorations. Unfortunately, Halloween has already been replaced in the stores by Christmas! What crap is this. Wait your turn, Christmas!
Now, I’m no hater. I’m just pissy and sad the Halloween season is half over. I suppose it’s only fair, I mean, Christmas-loving folks are just trying to get happy like us Halloween fans were trying to do back in July. So, in the spirit of community, I’m willing to compromise, with the help, and permission, from the The Necro-Nom-Nom-Nomicon, I’m by sharing a fangtastic recipe that brings both Christmas and Halloween together with Krampus Approved Christmas Coal. Krampus might not be the sweetest creature stirring but this black-as-night dessert is sinfully spookilicious!
If Christmas insists on encroaching on Halloween’s turf during October, well, then, we’re just gonna have to make the holidays all dreary and fright. How do you feel about it? Let me know in the comments or tag me on social media @HalloweenHaiku9
Have yourself a scary little Christmas and a Happy Halloween!
October is National Apple Month! There are over 7,500 varities of apples in the world, only 100 of them commercially grown in the USA. My favorite is Granny Smith, cuz I love me some tart, which is also great for baking, but, it’s Friday, and today is all about finding the ultimate apple cocktail to celebrate the orchard during Halloween time! The Seaside Baker has the perfect Poison Apple Halloween Cocktail. It’s crisp, tart and totally green!
After pissing off an insecure food blogger, I decided to make my own drink recipe to kick off the return of Friday Fright Cocktails.
This year has been wacky. Since 2020 and Covid-19 teamed up to pick on the human race, we’ve had to learn to adapt to fluid situations. Make changes on the fly. Step outside our comfort zones. We’ve also sadly learned that sometimes people absolutely suck, but we need community and Halloween has always been about community. That’s the only reason I share recipes I find around the web in the first place. Our community treats each other right. We know to give credit where credit is due. We know we’re gonna copy each other and nothing will ever be same because we put our own love into it. True Halloween lovers know how to share.
I don’t mind if you share the Cursed People Eater recipe, but it would be great if you link back here. I’m only sorry that I’m not a fancy schmancy food photographer that can offer you better photos. If you drink enough of these, you won’t be able to see straight anyway! 😛
2 oz. Vodka 1 1/2 oz. ginger ale 1/2 oz. cranberry juice (optional) 1/2 oz. blue curacao 1/2 oz. St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur 1/2 teaspoon lime juice a drop of Tabasco (or two) a dab of Grenadine 1-2 maraschino cherries crushed ice as needed
Cranberry makes the drink a bit too sweet. I made a version without it and liked it much better. The Tabasco is obviously the wild card here. It’s called a curse, but if you add the right amount, it’s actually a blessing.
October is exactly one week away and Halloween Haiku celebrates all 31 days of the month!
This year, it’s all about Halloween at home. Don’t get down about Coronavirus trying to ruin Halloween, get creative!
Be sure to check in every day for cool, fun and inspirational Halloween artwork, poems, stories, and prizes. Prizes? That’s right, in additon to our annual Halloween Haiku Challenge, we’re going to be giving away some treats this October. Stay tuned for details!
31 Days of Halloween Schedule
Monday Macabre
Mondays are always dedicated to Haiku, but every Monday in October we go dark. Grab your crucifix, kids, cuz it’s about to get scary up in here, like super scary, satanic scary, Teletubbies scary.
Trick-or-Treat Tuesdays
Will you be tricked or treated every Tuesday in October? Only you can decide.
Wicked Art Wednesdays
Every Wednesday, I’ll showcase original Halloween art from the most talented artists from around the world, including works from two widely-known professional artists and two amateur or inspiring artists.
Throwback Thursdays
Every Thursday, let’s travel back to the golden age of 80s cinema horror and explore the totally tubular world of neon spandex and blood-splatter.
Friday Fright Nightcaps
Why do ghost haunt bars? Because they love free boos! Don’t worry if you can’t paint the town dead this October because every Friday night, I’ll share some freaky Halloween cocktails that will set your cauldron on fire!
Sinister Saturdays
Every Saturday, I’ll share some mouth-watering recipes to die for, and just like last year, I’ll be rotating between savory and sweet, all guaranteed to have you screaming for more!
Poe Sundays
This year, I’ll be sharing artwork from talented artists from around the globe, all in tribute to the master of macabre, Edgar Allan Poe.
Contest starts October 1st and ends at midnight, the witching hour, on October 31st Winners will be announced on November 1st, here and on social media.
Don’t forget to follow @Halloweenhaiku9 on Instagram and Twitter.
As summer winds down, September ushers in the return of Autumn, bringing with it. fall foliage, crisp apples, plump pumpkins, and gothic spookiness. No author better represents gothic spookiness better than Edgar Allan Poe. Perhaps, that’s why Alison over at Alison’s Wonderland Recipes created this delicious recipe Deviled Raven Eggs in honor of the master of macabre. Healthier than regular deviled egg options, this unique, gothic-style appetizer is perfect for the Halloween season.
Ingredients:
6 eggs
1 heaping cup of beets, peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes
The Coronavirus pandemic has certainly challenged Halloween 2020. In many parts of the USA, events have been canceled or scaled back, which means, no trick-or-treating, no public haunts or mazes, no festivals or parades, and no big parties.
Now, I’m not telling anyone how to spend their time nor how to celebrate the holiday. I’m simply saying that Halloween at Home can be a fun and safe alternative to going out during the Covid-19 epidemic. So, if you’re looking for ideas to make your Halloween night in more fun, please keep reading.
Halloween Camp-Out (Family)
This Halloween night, we’ll be able to bask under the blue moon like werewolves do! Now, whether you go camping in the woods or camp out in your own backyard is up to you. Just be sure to watch out for the creepy critters, flying witches, vampire bats, and Sasquatch.
Build a ghost fort outside (tent, tarp, cardboard, ghost clothing, you decide)
Play card games
Make shadows puppets
Toast marshmallows
Read/Tell spooky ghost stories
Don’t forget to look up and howl at the full moon
Smores from Ghost Collection at Eclipseafterglowstudios.com
Halloween Pinata (Family)
If your little ones are disappointed there’ll be no trick-or-treating in your neighborhood, try getting them a Halloween themed pinata. They can beat the pulp outta it and get their frustrations out. Kidding! Big kids should get their own pinata. No, kids love collecting and finding candy! It’s just as simple as that. Once that pinata bursts, they’ll be so happy to fill their bags with the sweet stuff, they’ll forget all about trick-or-treating.
Halloween candy, trinkets, and toys to fill the pinata (Try spider rings as a trick)
A baseball bat or something to hit the pinata
Halloween Jigsaw Puzzle Party (Family)
Jigsaw puzzles are the perfect indoor/rainy day activity. They’re super fun, and a great way to destress. In fact, puzzles help us cope with anxiety, depression, and stimulate cognitive activity. So, if you didn’t jump on the bandwagon when the lockdowns started happening back in March, now is your chance.
Any puzzle will do, but since it’s Halloween, why not get a Halloween themed puzzle? Check the links below for suggested retailers.
Another fun perfect way to spend the evening with family. Again, any board games will do, but Halloween/monster-themed games are best. You could also try spooky versions of old favorites.
What you’ll need:
(Halloween) Board Games
Halloween Snacks/Drinks
Suggestions: Clue: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, It, Scooby-Doo, Supernatural, etc. Monopoly: It, Nightmare Before Christmas, Scooby-Doo, Stranger Things, The Walking Dead, etc. Scooby-Doo: Betrayal at Mystery Mansion Trivial Pursuit Horror Edition (for Adults) Villainous (Disney) The Walking Dead Board Game
Halloween Relay Games (Family)
The internet is filled with ideas for indoor/outdoor relay games and races. Below are some of my favorites. Don’t forget the Halloween prizes or ribbons for winners and participants.
Mini Pumpkin Races
Not all mini pumpkins are cut from the same gourd. Some are much faster than others. Use masking tape to make a relay track with start and finish line. From the start line, roll your pumpkin. The first pumpkin to reach the finish line, wins!
Just like a traditional egg and spoon race, kids balance the eyeball on the spoon and try to get to the finish line first. Use music as a greenlight/redlight for more ghoulish fun.
What you’ll need:
Plastic/Rubber Eyeball
Spoon
Music (optional)
Bobbing for Donuts
Now, this one can get messy, so make sure you lay down some covering or have your broom or vacuum handy. Hang donuts from a string/twine. Try different heights for added fun. The first to finish eating their donut wins! Works best with cold or firm donuts.
What you’ll need:
Donuts
String/Twine
Tape if don’t have a way to tie the string
Halloween Scavenger Hunt
Why should the Easter Bunny get all the fun? Hide mini-pumpkins or various objects around the home or yard, then sit back, and sip Halloween margaritas, while the kids hunt for their candy. Easy peasy.
What you’ll need:
List of items for each player to find (optional)
Halloween candy, mini-pumpkins, trinkets, and toys to hide
Good hiding places
Host a Themed Movie Marathon in the Dark (Teen/Adult/Family)
Choose a theme you want to explore (Halloween family, paranormal, zombies, Universal monsters, etc.) and pick out 4-6 of your favorites or never seen before movies to watch alone or with friends for a watch party. Check out my picks for scariest movies to watch on Halloween night
There is nothing scarier than reading a scary book on Halloween night, in a dimly lit room, with atmospheric music in the background. Don’t believe me? Try one of the best horror books on Refinery 29’s spooky reading list and tell me how it goes.
Halloween Dress-up/Dance Party (Teen/Adult)
All dressed up and nowhere to go? Well, that’s why the world wide web was invented! Seeing as most people will be stuck at home this year, I suspect there will be no shortage of online costume contests, virtual dance parties, and ‘show us your costume’ requests on social media. Beware of pervs and internet demons.
Between wishing complete strangers a Happy Halloween, changing costumes, showing off your smart phone’s Halloween filters, and blasting your Halloween playlist loud enough to wake the dead, that should pretty much take up the whole night.
Lights-out Dinner Party* (Adult/Family)
Ever seen those Dining in the Dark events that are supposed to introduce you to the dark, sensory experience? Well, this is basically a mini home version of that. Same experience, without the hefty bill. For home servers, I think the trick is to set the food on the table so you know where everything is before sitting down eat, but there are several methods. Go check out Delishably’s great article with suggestions on how to enhance your dark dining experience.
What you’ll need:
Halloween themed Food/Drinks
Plate covers or tin foil to cover plates of food
Blindfolds/Sleep Masks
Disposable/Plastic dinnerware (Let’s be honest, things could get messy.)
Patience and a sense of humorÂ
Hallo-wine Party* (Adult)
The boo’s are the best part of Halloween! Oh, were you thinking ghosts, cuz I was talking ’bout the vino!
Set up wine stations in different areas of the room/home and rotate periodically, ensuring each person has a chance to taste wines. Try to pick new wines or wines you haven’t drunk before. Then, dim the lights, put on a spooky playlist, and have fun!
Remember to wear a mask when not eating/drinking, and social distance as much as possible.
What you’ll need:
Wine – If everyone brings a bottle, that’s at least six different wines to taste.
Cheese, crackers, fruit, bite-size desserts, other Halloween snacks
Mini pencils/slips of paper (tasting slips) for people to rate wines
Halloween Playlist or Halloween background videos, movies, 3D Effects, etc.
Halloween Drive-up Experiences (Adult/Family)
Covid-19 isn’t scaring some folks. There are a number of Haunters across the USA that plan to host a drive-up experience throughout the month of October. Below are some links to events in SoCal. Check your local listings for such events in your area.
*All suggested parties are for household members or six people or less. Remember to drink responsibly, wear a mask (when necessary), and stay at least 6 feet apart to practice good social distancing.
Halloween Horror Haiku 
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