Ladie's Fingers & eyeballs

[Leanne]

I can't remember who posted these recipes - but they were a big hit last night at my supper club. It was Halloween themed & they were perfect. Both recipes were super easy too! I did use Pillsbury pizza dough instead of making my own.
Thanks a ton! I love this board!

[MrsReber]

Leanne, Lindrusso had posted those recipes. I am going to make the eyeballs, but I was curious about the fingers. I keep thinking they may be kind of dry. How did yours turn out as far as taste??I have 2 parties, one this weekend and one next weekend, so I want to make something good.

[Leanne]

I made the with the pre-made pizza dough. It was easy. I didn't find them dry. But, I did serve them with a pre-made pizza sauce (Boboli). It added to the "bloody" effect. Using the pre-made dough, they didn't have a ton of flavor by themselves - but I added garlic salt today & they were tastier. I personally think they needed the garlic - but I'm a huge garlic fan.

So - garlic salt & pizza sauce - they'll be great. They're a huge hit on looks alone.

As a side note, I also coated the baking sheet with a basil flavored olive oil - which next time, I might try coating the top with too.

[This message has been edited by Leanne (edited 10-18-2000).]

[mightyh]

I found the recipe for the eyeballs again, but can't find the ladies' fingers... Can you post? I am still debating what to make for a Halloween party.

[Leanne]

Here's the original:

Ladies' Fingers
Makes 48 Pretzels

24 blanched almonds, halved lengthwise
Red food coloring, optional
1 tablespoon sugar
1 scant tablespoon active dry yeast (one 1/4-ounce package
5 1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons baking soda
1 large egg
Sea salt
Dried Rosemary (optional)
Vegetable-oil cooking spray

1. Place a small amount of food coloring in a shallow bowl, and, using a paintbrush, color the rounded side of each split almond; set aside to dry.
2. Pour 2 cups warm water (110º) into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough-hook attachment.
Add sugar; stir to dissolve. Sprinkle with yeast, and let stand until yeast begins to bubble, about 5 minutes.
3. Beat 1 cup flour into yeast on low speed until combined. Beat in salt; add 3 1/2 cups flour until combined. Beat until dough pulls away from bowl, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low; add 1/2 cup flour. Knead 1 minute more. If dough is sticky, add up to 1 cup more flour. Transfer to a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth, 1 minute.
4. Coat a large bowl with cooking spray. Transfer dough to bowl, turning dough to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap; let rest in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
5. Heat oven to 450º. Heat 3 quarts water to boil in a 6-quart straight-sided saucepan over high heat;
reduce heat to a simmer. Add baking soda. Lightly coat two baking sheets with cooking spray. Divide dough into quarters. Work with one quarter at a time, and cover remaining dough with plastic wrap. Divide the first quarter into 12 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece back and forth with your palm into long finger shape, about 3 to 4 inches. Pinch dough in two places to form knuckles. When all 12 fingers are formed, transfer to simmering water. Poach for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer fingers to baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, blanching each set of 12 fingers before making more.
6. Beat egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush pretzel fingers with egg wash. Using a sharp knife, lightly score each knuckle about three times. Sprinkle with salt and rosemary, if using. Position almond nails; push into dough to attach. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on wire rack. Fingers are best eaten the same day; or store, covered, up to 2 days at room temperature.

Here's the really quick way:

Ladies' Fingers

1 Tube Pillsbury Pizza Dough
Olive Oil
Salt or Garlic Salt
1 Small Package Whole Almonds
Red Food Coloring
Eggbeaters

Mix the almonds with the red food coloring. (Food coloring will stain your hands!) Unroll the pizza dough and cut into finger-size strips. Shape in the form of a finger - making some areas wider for the knuckles. Place on a baking sheet coated with olive oil. (Try flavored oils too.) Lightly brush the fingers with the eggbeaters. Score the knuckle area 2-3 times to help with the "knuckle effect". Sprinkle with salt &/or garlic powder. Press the almonds at the end of the doughy finger to look like a fingernail. Cook according to package directions. Makes about 32 fingers. Serve with pizza sauce. (We used Boboli sauce.)

[mightyh]

Thanks for the quick reply--will try it the quick and easy way!!!

[Leanne]

No problem - we put together a cookbook, so I just happen to have them on-hand.

They are hilarious & the eyeballs are too. Everyone in supper club thinks we're so creative now!

[MrsReber]

Great tips Leanne! I will have to try this, maybe for the party this Saturday since I will have most of the day to prepare!

[Leanne]

My last thought on this topic is adding shredded parmesan cheese on the finger - maybe it would look like hair - yick!

[Peggy]

My CL Supper Group is having a Halloween Theme Dinner at the end of the month. We are combining recipes from Cooking Light, Gourmet, and Sunset magazines this time. Here is our menu so far:

Appetizers: TBA
Soup: Curried Squash and Pear Bisque (CL Oct '00)
Salad: Green Salad with Dracula's Teeth (Sunset)
Vegetable: Creamed Pumpkin Mashed Potatoes in Decapitated Mini Pumpkins (CL Oct '95)
Main Course: Merlot Pot Roast (Sunset)
Bread: Fingernail Bread Sticks
Dessert: Pumpkin Ice Cream and Devil's Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Web Frosting

Does anyone have any recipes for goulish appetizers???

Peggy

[lindrusso]

Leanne - thanks so much for posting your comments on these. I'm going to be making the fingers this Saturday and I love the idea of garlic salt (big garlic fan here too) and the sauce. I'll be doing them just as you said and taking the easy way - I bought bread dough. Thanks again!

[Leanne]

Peggy - The eyeballs are really funny too. Definitely a desert, though.

Another thought on the Ladies' Fingers - but it may be too much - green food coloring on the fingers to make it like a witch's finger. I'm not sure that I could eat that though!

[Leanne]

Peggy - The eyeballs are really funny too. Definitely a desert, though.

Another thought on the Ladies' Fingers - but it may be too much - green food coloring on the fingers to make it like a witch's finger. I'm not sure that I could eat that though!

[MrsReber]

My only question is, how do the almonds taste with the seasonings? They seem essential for the fingernails, but I can't imagine how they would taste with sauce and garlic.

[Leanne]

You actually don't really taste them - they're just crunchy on the end. Plus - think about almonds you buy in the store that are salted & seasoned - it's not much different than that.

[Shirley Panek]

We're having a Halloween party next weekend and for appetizers I'm serving the lady fingers (as well as "man toes" (think thicker and stubbier than lady fingers and with plain almond "toenails"). Martha Stewart added rosemary on the man toes to make it look a little "hairy". I thought I'd also serve stuffed "toadstools". I'm also making spooky garden chili (it's the spicy garden chili from CL (oct '98?) and maybe a pumpkin cheesecake and some spider web cupcakes for the kids.


For drinks we'll have "mauled" apple cider, some pina ghouladas and bloody marys (with "eyeball" ice cubes). The ice cubes are made with radishes peeled with a paring knife so they still have some red "veins", you scoop out a circle and add half a green olive with pimento. You put them in your ice cube tray and fill with water.

[lindrusso]

For anyone who is still interested in trying the finger recipe, I just tried them using frozen bread dough - getting ready for the party was enough to do without hassling with making my own dough - and it worked great! They taste very much like the soft pretzels you can get at the mall - and not dry at all. The almonds taste fine - though their main purpose is just for effect.

I did practice first last week and I'm glad I did - I was making them too big, but I think I got them just right this time.

By the way, one loaf of frozen bread dough will make about 30 fingers. Now if only I can figure out an easy way to split those almonds in half!!!! I thought I was going to chop off my finger and end up with some real lady finger(s) to serve!!

I just have to post this picture again - it cracks me up! Time to get back to the party preparations...
http://members.aol.com:/lindrusso/fingers.jpg

[This message has been edited by lindrusso (edited 10-25-2000).]

[Leanne]

I didn't even bother slicing the almonds in half - after trying to cut the first one, I decided it was a little too trecherous & just left them whole. I don't think it made a bit of difference, exceprt for my physical & mental well-being!

[HARRYET]

I just have to say I think these lady's fingers are a hoot, I'm planning on sending them to school with my son on Halloween, as he says "they rock", I've already made the eyeballs and again my son immediately stole one and had to give it to his friend, whose mother wanted to know "where's mine", so I think whether young or old these are a HIT! Thanks Lindrusso for the oringinal post!
Ann

[Kathy]

You guys absolutely crack me up!!!!I have a question re: the eyeballs...do youthink there is a way to sqeeze a chocolate layer in there? Maybe underneath the vanilla coating? I need to have my chocolate and peanut butter together!!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gifLet me know your thoughts!

[Leanne]

Let me try this again....

Kathy -
I used white chocolate as a coating instead of vanilla b/c I couldn't find vanilla. I also made a batch with JIF's chocolate peanut butter spread - those were the best I thought. I also thought it would be easy to put mini chocolate chips in there. Also maybe chopped peanuts or an almond.

[Colleen]

Lindrusso,
wow, did that picture come with the recipe, If so, is there any way to make the fingernails red?
Not necessary, but really funny!!!!

[Kathy]

Leanne, thanks for your suggestions! I am sorry if I made you repeat yourself; I tried scanning the thread briefly and saw comments mostly pertaining to the lady fingers. Mini chips sounds like a great idea!

[Leanne]

Kathy - no - you didn't make me repeat myself. Sorry about that! For whatever reason, I had tried to type in the comment earlier, but it didn't take, so I had to do it again. I've had problems connecting to the CL server all day.

Colleen - the recipe calls for putting red food coloring on the almonds to color them red. It is very funny.

[Kathy]

Leanne, not a problem! I have been having server problems as well...I was just afraid my ADD was showing!!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[bijoux22]

lindrusso, thanks so much for the photo of the ladies fingers! They are a scream.

[Kathy]

I had to thank you all for your help with eyeballs and ladyfingers! They were the hit at my son's school Halloween party! The parents seemed to get a bigger kick out of them than the kids! Now what are we making for Thanksgiving and Christmas?!!!

[This message has been edited by Kathy (edited 11-01-2000).]