While I have started thinking about Halloween, mostly because my kids have been talking about their costumes since last March, I’m not one to usually plan that far ahead when I still have more than 31 days to get myself together. Which is why it is so fantastic that there are planners (well, bloggers) out there who plan and create ahead of time so we don’t have to. Allison over at Cupcake Diaries has been collecting recipes and ideas ever since the first day of September for the planners out there and for the rest of us, all the links and ideas will be sitting right here when we start thinking about what to do about Halloween on say, October 28th?
I know there are lots of people out there who love to take the holidays overboard, and it’s fantastic to see the creativity, but I’m a believer in the simplicity of Halloween. It’s such a fun holiday just on its own, so I like to take advantage of that. I remind myself that kids have imaginations and I love using their clever, creative little brains in the joy of the holiday. I like that Halloween is about being gross and disgusting and scary, so there is more leeway in the food preparation. It’s a holiday where things don’t have to be perfect because for Halloween, it’s even better that way.
That is why I love this cauliflower recipe that my MIL made a couple years back for my favorite family gathering of the year, Edwards’ Eerie Edibles. It looks like a brain, feels like a brain, takes about 30 minutes from start to finish and it’s as good and disgusting as the name you and your six year old can come up with. I don’t want to stunt your creativity, but I’d name it something like bat brains with fermented vampire puss. I liked keeping the green on the cauliflower because I thought it made it look more disgusting, but if you think it takes away from the brain look, just cut it off before you boil.
Another plus for this recipe, it is kind of healthy because it’s cauliflower and my kids eat it because of the creamy cheese sauce. They all ate it happily for an after school snack last week. After I had presented the brain and we laughed about it, I then cut it up into smaller pieces, layered it on a cookie sheet, poured on the extra cheese sauce and broiled it for a few more minutes. It was fun, gross, funny, easy, all what Halloween is supposed to be to me. What are your favorite gross and disgusting eats for Halloween?
- 1 large cauliflower, or 2 small cauliflower
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- pinch of pepper
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Place 2 inches of water in a large saucepan. Heat over high until the water is boiling. Add the cauliflower, stem side down. Place the lid on the pan and boil for 20 minutes or until the stem is soft. Remove the cauliflower from the pot and let the water drain onto paper towels.
- While the cauliflower is boiling, make the cheese sauce. In a medium saucepan, stir the cornstarch into the milk and continue to stir while you heat over medium heat. After a few minutes the mixture should thicken. Remove from heat and add the butter, salt, pepper and cheese. Stir until combined.
- Turn your oven to broil. Place the whole cauliflower on a greased cookie sheet and pour about half of the sauce over the cauliflower. Broil for about three minutes or until some of the sauce turns golden brown. Remove from the oven and display.
- For ease of eating, I like to cut the cauliflower into smaller, bite-size pieces and return to the cookie sheet. I pour over the remaining sauce and broil for a couple more minutes.
Check out these other ideas from fellow bloggers.