October 31st is Halloween and a great time to start a fun family tradition. When growing up, I had a friend who’s family always made a fabulous Halloween dinner and invited me. You can invite your kids (by special invitation) to a Halloween theme buffet ( BOO-Fay). Create the invitations by hand or on the computer and include the menu, theme, time and whether they should attend in costume. Depending on the family schedule, it could be a late luncheon or an early dinner. The kids will be excited about trick or treating later and we don’t want to compete with that.
One idea for the meal, which I recently saw in a magazine and thought was great fun, delicious and easy, is a graveyard theme meatloaf. I have added some of my own ideas as well.
- Prepare a meatloaf and form it into individual rectangular shaped caskets.
- Whip up some creamy mashed potatoes and make graveyard ghosts by spooning a couple tall mounds of the mashed potatoes on top of each meat loaf casket.
- To decorate the ghost’s faces, use black olive slices to form the O for the mouth and smaller pieces for the eyes.
- Place the meatloaf caskets topped with the mashed potato ghosts on a large serving dish with a layer of “graveyard grass” which could be a bed of spinach or green beans.
- On another round platter, arrange sliced carrots cooked with honey and butter. Fill the entire platter with the carrots and then make a Jack-O-Lantern face with black olive slices to make the triangle shaped eyes, nose and mouth.
- For the beverage, mix fruit punch with a sparkling soda.
- Mix up a yummy salad and create a scary face with nut pieces, olives and baby tomatoes.
- Make dirt and worm parfaits for dessert. Use plastic halloween glasses. Layer vanilla pudding, oreo cookie crumbs (the dirt), and whipped cream, Top it with the Oreo cookie crumbs and a few gummy worms on the top and hanging over the edge of the glass.
With this meal the invitation might read something like this: You are personally invited to a Ghoulish Gourmet Family BOO-Fay at 4:00 on the haunting day of October 31st! Only costumed Boos and Ghouls will be admitted. The menu will include: Meatloaf Caskets with Graveyard Ghost Mash, on a bed of Cemetary Grass Spinach, Jack-O-Lantern Carrots, Spooky Salad, A Scary Punch Potion and Dirt and Worm Parfaits. You will scream with delight with every bite!
Use Halloween themed paper plates and napkins for a festive look and easy clean up. A glowing Halloween Jack-O-Lantern makes a great centerpiece. You can download some fun Halloween music on the internet to complete the atmosphere. Then just get the camera ready to preserve the memories.
If you need help with a centerpiece, party favors or are invited to a party and need a Halloween Host or Hostess gift Feel free to call us at 858-578-2740 or visit our website at http://www.thebesttoyou.com
Do you have any fun Halloween dinner ideas the whole family can enjoy? We’d love to hear about them!