Hey there everyone!
Yet again I have taken forever to post something new… I apologize! 
The days before my Halloween party were c-a-raZZy!
I had been planning for weeks to throw the best Halloween party I could.
From the menu to decorations to music, everything was finally set and ready the day it arrived.
Everything except for the lack of people that came for the perfect party.
This REALLY disappointed me… Like my friends say, i was stressed out during the entire event.
From getting everyone their drinks and doing everythting I could to make sure everyone was having
a good time.
In the process, I guess I forgot about myself. Not so much fun for me, but everyone else loved it.
The food was a very important aspect to me, obviously! Everything had to be tasty and… well… PERFECT.
…and everything was!
That’s why for this post, I’ll be sharing a couple of the photos of the party and recipes of some of the freakin’
delicious foods served!
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Shrimp Cocktail
INGREDIENTS:
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40 shell-on shrimp
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Brine
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 cups ice
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Cocktail Sauce
1 1/2 cups chili sauce
1 cup Heinz ketchup
3/4 cup prepared horseradish
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 to 3 teaspoons hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
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Fancy Sauce (similar to Big Mac sauce)
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Heinz ketchup
1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoons ground red pepper
2 large garlic cloves, pressed
handful chopped fresh parsley
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Tangy Garlic Sauce
2 cups mayonnaise
2 tbsp lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1/4 cup mustard with seeds
freshly ground black pepper
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DIRECTIONS:
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Shrimp
Using a pair of scissors or a serrated knife, make an incision down the backside of the shrimp,
following the intestinal track. Eviscerate shrimp and rinse under cool water leaving shells intact.
Place cleaned shrimp into a bowl with brine and refrigerate mixture for 20 to 25 minutes.
While shrimp are brining, place tomatoes, chili sauce, horseradish, sugar, pepper, and salt in food
processor and blend until smooth.
Refrigerate cocktail sauce until ready to serve.
Place a baking sheet or broiler pan under oven broiler and preheat for 5 minutes.
Remove shrimp from brine and drain thoroughly. Rinse the shrimp under cold water and dry on paper
towels. In a large bowl, toss shrimp with olive oil and sprinkle with Old Bay seasoning, if desired.
Place shrimp onto a sizzling sheet pan and return to broiler immediately.
After 2 minutes, turn the shrimp with a pair of tongs.
Return the shrimp to broiler for 1 minute.
Transfer to a cold cookie sheet. Refrigerate immediately.
Once shrimp have chilled, arrange on a large bowl with the three sauces in the middle.
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Sauces
To make the sauces, for each recipes, combine the ingredients in a blender;
process until smooth, stopping once to scrape down sides.
Cover and chill 2 hours before serving. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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Hummus and Pita Chips
INGREDIENTS:
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Hummus
4 garlic cloves, minced and then mashed
2 15-oz cans of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
2/3 cup of tahini (roasted, not raw)
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of salt
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Pita Chips
10 large pita bread disks
4 tbsp olive oil
rosemary, black pepper, chili peppers, oregano, sea salt
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DIRECTIONS:
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Hummus
In a food processor, combine the mashed garlic, garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, 1/2 cup water,
and olive oil.
Process until smooth. Add salt, starting at a half a teaspoon, to taste.
Spoon into serving dish and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and chopped parsley.
Makes about 3 cups.
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Pita Chips
Cut the pita bread into thin triangles, brush with olive oil and sprinkle finely chopped rosemary,
chili peppers and oregano. Add some frsshly ground pepper and sea salt to finish off.
Toast for 10 minutes in a 400°F/200°C hot oven.
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Guacamole
INGREDIENTS:
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2 large avocados (or 3 small ones)
juice of 2 limes (about 1/4 cup)
1 medium tomato (or 2 roma tomatoes), chopped
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup chopped green onion
1 tsp chili peppers/piri piri
1 tsp sea salt
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DIRECTIONS:
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Put the avocado flesh into a bowl. Add the lime juice.
Mash the avocado and lime juice together with a fork until creamy.
Fold in tomato, cilantro, green onion, chili pepper, and sea salt.
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Popcorn Balls
INGREDIENTS:
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2 cups sugar
1 1/3 cups water
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
18 cups popped corn
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DIRECTIONS:
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In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, water, syrup, vinegar, and salt.
Cook over high heat until mixture reaches 255 degrees F (hard-ball stage) on a candy thermometer.
If you don’t have a candy thermometer you can always do the cold water test.
Stir in vanilla. Pour over popped corn, tossing gently to coat.
When mixture is cool enough to handle, press popcorn into 3-inch balls with lightly greased hands.
Cool completely on waxed paper.
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Jello Shots
INGREDIENTS:
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1 cup boiling water
1 package of flavored gelatin of your choice (I used strawberry)
1 cup cold water
1 cup chilled vodka
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DIRECTIONS:
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Stir together boiling water and powdered gelatin in a mixing bowl.
Stir constantly until gelatin is completely dissolved.
Stir in cold water and alcohol.
Spray the inside of the cups or syringes with cooking spray, so the Jello easily slides
out of the cups or syringes during use.
Pour mixture into shot glasses or syringes, individual shot-size (1oz-2oz) plastic cups,
or accordion-like squeezable cups manufactured specifically for this purpose.
Chill until firm (approximately 3-4 hours). Refrigerate until served.
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My Blood Rimmed glass were used to serve the drinks, you can find the recipe for them here.
