Creepy Witches Fingers...Getting Ready for Halloween!

Can you believe that Halloween is 4 weeks away? And it is on Saturday this year!! I don't know about anyone else, but we have a very busy neighborhood on Halloween. It is not unusual for us to see 300-400 kids come through. AND that is after the party at the local firehouse which is designed so that kids don't have to walk from house to house. So we just plan accordingly every year. It is fun to see the little ones as they are always so excited. And a little later the teenagers come covered in shaving cream. I always like to tell them how pretty they smell! The boys always laugh...nervously! But they are good about not getting it on the house!

So it's time to start planning for this eerie holiday. I love to put pumpkins around...never carved, just hanging out in the landscaping. And this year I found a great witch's hat with feathers around the brim...very chic! Once a week, I am going to post a Halloween recipe that I have tried and has always been successful. Kitty litter cake is not an option here, readers! Have you ever seen this? YUK! But I do have a few fun things that I love to do and I am going to share these with you in the upcoming weeks. So get your party planning hats on and start developing your party. I have a very simple old witch's hat that I bought at the dollar store a few years ago. I cover the brim with saran wrap and pile these cookies around it. These really do look creepy!

Creepy Witches' Fingers

Yield: 5 dozen

1 cup Butter, softened

1 cup Icing sugar

1 Egg

1 tsp Almond extract

1 tsp Vanilla

2 2/3 cups Flour

1 tsp Baking powder

1 tsp Salt

3/4 cup Almonds, whole blanched

1 Tube red decorator gel

Gross everyone out with these creepy cookies. In bowl, beat together butter, sugar, egg, almond extract and vanilla. Beat in flour, baking soda, and salt. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Working with one quarter of the dough at a time and keeping remainder refrigerated, roll heaping teaspoonful of dough into finger shape for each cookie.

Press almond firmly into 1 end for nail. Squeeze in centre to create knuckle shape. (It should look like a long rolled shape with bulge at centre for knuckle; you puff it out rather than squeeze it in.)

Using paring knife, make slashes in several places to form knuckle. Place on lightly greased baking sheets; bake in 325F (160C) oven for 20-25 minutes or until pale golden. Let cool for 3 minutes.

Lift up almond, squeeze red decorator gel onto nail bed and press almond back in place, so gel oozes out from underneath. You can also make slashes in the finger and fill them with "blood." (ed. note - I opted not to go for the bloody effect and my guests are still grossed out! ) You can also use some melted chocolate and pipe some thinly around the edge of the almond. Remove from baking sheets and let cool on racks. Repeat with remaining dough.

And remember to sign up for the giveaway!http://imaweekendcook.blogspot.com/2009/09/y-you-should-read-this-giveaway-post.html