Lindrusso- help with eyeballs!

[MrsReber]

I was dying to get invited to a Halloween party so I could make your peanut butter eyeball recipe. Only one question- it says to use vanilla flavored candy coating. I have no idea where to find this. Is it in the supermarket? Could I use melted white chocolate chips instead? I make a similar recipe around Christmas for peanut butter balls in chocolate and it actually uses some parrafin wax melted with the chocolate so that the chocolate doesn't melt all over you when you eat them. It aslo sticks to the peanut butter better.

Well, we got our Halloween party invite yesterday- A friend of ours down the street has this party every year and asks everyone to bring a covered dish. I think I'm going to make the spinach artichoke dip for this one and I definitely want to make the eyeballs- probably have to double the recipe. I made chili last time and wouldn't you know, someone else made chili too?

[lindrusso]

Mrs. R.,

That recipe was actually from a friend, so I've never actually made them - only ate them and asked for the recipe! However, the vanilla candy coating can usually be found in the baking section of the grocery store and I've also found it at places like Wal-mart (maybe it's sometimes listed as Almond Bark?) - it often comes in "tray" of little squares. I think that you could really use any white chips or if you can find white chocolate, I bet that would be good too!

Sorry I can't be of more help! My friend did say they were very easy, so I guess she didn't have any problems with coating the eyeballs. Good luck!

I'm planning on making little lady's fingers for a Halloween party - they are in the Martha Stewart Halloween special issue - you shape and bake pretzel dough to look like fingers and you put a half-almond, died red for fingernail polish, at the finger tip for a fingernail. Gruesome yet edible!

[MrsReber]

Thanks! I think I'm going to try the white chocolate and see what happens. Those fingers sound pretty eerie, too! I just love Halloween stuff and giving out candy to the kids. I'm glad our neighbor has this party or I wouldn't get to dress up at all!

[NancyR]

Oh, this sounds like fun! I missed the original post of the recipe. Don't want you to have to type it over...can you tell me where you posted it? I have also made the ones MrsR referred to with peanut butter and chocolate. We call them buckeyes and if you dip them just right they look exactly like real buckeyes (a nut similar to an acorn). Also, for you Halloween people, don't forget about "dirt cake" with chocolate pudding, cake and gummy worms. I don't have the recipe but a Net search would turn it up I am sure.

[lindrusso]

Originally posted by NancyR:
Oh, this sounds like fun! I missed the original post of the recipe. Don't want you to have to type it over...can you tell me where you posted it?

Just to make sure I'm reading this correctly, did you want the recipe for the lady's fingers? I'd be happy to post it.

[Kendra Anne]

I'd love to have the recipe for both the lady fingers and the dirt cake (can't seem to locate it). Thanks!

[lindrusso]

Here's the recipe, and hopefully a photo so you can get the full effect! Also, this recipe is for homemade pretzels, which I'd like to make some day, but to save time for this party, I may just buy bread dough at the store and go from there - that would save a BUNCH of time. Unless I'm feeling more adventurous, who knows.....

http://members.aol.com:/lindrusso/fingers.jpg

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.

[andreajackson]

lindrusso- could you make this pretzel recipe without making the preztels from scratch? This is so cute! I saw this in a magazine once and loved it! Great idea!

[Grace]

All I can say about those fingers is....eeewwwwww!
http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[lindrusso]

Originally posted by andreajackson:
lindrusso- could you make this pretzel recipe without making the preztels from scratch? This is so cute! I saw this in a magazine once and loved it! Great idea!

I'm going to try them with bread dough from the store - in the freezer section. I probably should give them a test run just to be sure they work out.

Oh, and I think the rosemary is so that you can modify the recipe for mens toes - you just add plain almonds for the toenails and put rosemary on the "knuckles" for hair - that should get a big "ewwwwwww"!!!

[phantomcg]

Lindrusso:

If you do try the "lady fingers" with the frozen bread dough, please post your results. I would love to make these to take to work on Halloween, but with Halloween being a week day I would like to take some shortcuts if possible. Thanks for posting the recipe and picture.
Cheryl

[NancyR]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by lindrusso:
[B] Just to make sure I'm reading this correctly, did you want the recipe for the lady's fingers? I'd be happy to post it.

No, I meant the eyeball recipe although I'm glad you posted the Ladies Fingers - I've GOT to try that!!!!!!!

[lindrusso]

NancyR,

Whoops - here's the link to the eyeball recipe as well as more fun Halloween ideas:
http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/001179.html