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| SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | SEPTEMBER 2023 | 47 Happy Cookers When witches go riding, and the black cats are seen, the moon laughs and whispers, 'tis Halloween. We meet in the South Clubhouse on the fourth Friday of the month. This month's meeting is Oct. 23 from 11 am to 12 pm. The program will be all about Halloween, so dress in your favorite costume — there will be prizes for the best costumes. Members will be bringing pumpkin themed foods. See you there for a spooktacular time. As Halloween approaches, it's time to dust off those cauldrons and broomsticks and get ready for some spooktacular fun in the kitchen! Halloween-themed cooking is an excellent way to unleash your creativity and an excellent way to unleash your taste buds to some delightfully eerie and tasty dishes. Whether you are hosting a haunted house party or simply want to surprise friends and family with a frightfully delicious meal, these ghoulishly fun recipes will have everyone screaming for more. 1. Serve up some shivers with a platter of creepy finger foods. Create "Witch Fingers" by shaping cookie dough into long, slender fingers and adding almond "nails" to each one. For added horror, serve with a side of blood-red tomato sauce or green slime dip. 2. Whip up a hearty spine-chilling soup that's both comforting and eerie. A pumpkin and carrot soup with a swirl of sour cream in the shape of a spider web will delight all. As you serve it, draw the spider web pattern with the sour cream, starting at the center and pulling a toothpick or knife gently downward to create the web effect. Add a plastic spider for the ultimate spooky touch. 3. Transform ordinary dishes into a haunted main course. Prepare a bubbling "Witches Brew" stew with various vegetables and meat cooked in a rich broth, served in a cauldron. You can also shape meatloaf into a skull or wrap it in a puff pastry to resemble a mummy. For vegetarians, stuffed bell peppers with carved faces are a great option. Remember to serve your main course with a side of "Graveyard Mash" (mashed potatoes) and "Swamp Slime" (green gravy). 4. No Halloween celebration is complete without eerie spooky desserts. Bake a batch of "Monster Eye" cookies using colorful candies as eyes or create ghost-shaped meringue cookies. For a creepy surprise, make a "Brain Cake" by shaping red velvet cake into a brain-like structure and icing it with pink cream cheese frosting. The effect is booth eerie and delicious! 5. Quench your guest's thirst with petrifying, spine-chilling beverages. Serve up "Vampires Blood" (red punch) or "Witches Potion" (green lemon-lime soda with dry ice for the smoky effect). You can also concoct a "Mad Scientist Elixir" by mixing different fruit juices and adding gummy worms for an extra twist. Remember, Halloween themed cooking is all about creativity and having fun. Cooking for Halloween is an opportunity to let your imagination run wild, and it's the perfect occasion to bond with family and your Happy Cookers friends while savoring the thrills of the season. So, get ready to cast some culinary spells and treat everyone to a frightful and fantastic feast they'll remember for years to come. Eat, drink, and be scary - Happy Halloween! So, if you love to cook, or just love to eat, this is the club for you! Cooking with love provides food for the soul… happy cooking. For general information, call President-Pat Coie at (909) 262-5005. For information on membership, contact Barbara Elness at (407) 432-8363 or barbed1951@aol.com. Bon appétit… ~ Raelene Kretchman, Publicity.