Witches Purses Recipes

WITCHES' PURSES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Unroll phyllo sheets; cover with plastic wrap or towel. Place 1 phyllo sheet on work surface; spray with cooking spray. Layer with 2 more phyllo sheets, spraying each with cooking spray. With sharp knife, cut through all layers of phyllo to make 12 squares.
• On each square, place 1 piece cheese, 1 teaspoon apple butter and 1/2 teaspoon pecans. Repeat with remaining 3 phyllo sheets and remaining ingredients. Bring corners together to the middle and twist.
• Bake 17 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Tie chive around each bundle. Serve warm.

WITCHES' BROOMS

Steps:

• Cut each piece of string cheese in half so you have 2 shorter sticks. Working one at a time, make 4 cuts vertically in one end of the cheese sticks, stopping about 3/4 inch from the top. Roll the cheese so the cuts are not parallel to the cutting board, and make 2 or 3 more cuts to form the bristles of the broom. Press a pretzel stick into the uncut end of the cheese stick to make the handle. Tie a chive in the middle of top (uncut) end of the cheese stick; this holds the broom head together. Repeat for the remaining brooms.
• Spread the mustard haphazardly on the bottom of a black or white plate. Stand the brooms up on their bristles as if they are sweeping up the mustard.

WITCHES' BREW

Steps:

• To make the frozen hand: Wash and rinse the outside of a rubber glove. Turn glove inside out and set aside. In a 4 cup measuring cup, combine the thawed raspberries and cranberry juice.
• Pour 2 cups of the raspberry mixture into a small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over and let stand 2 minutes. Warm over low heat, stirring constantly, just until gelatin dissolves. Mix back into the reserved raspberry mixture in the measuring cup.
• Pour raspberry mixture into the inverted glove. Gather up the top of the glove and tie securely with kitchen twine. Freeze until solid, or several days if possible.
• To serve: Carefully cut glove away from frozen hand. Place frozen hand, palm side up, leaning against side of a large punch bowl. Pour in ginger ale and sparkling cider. Garnish with gummy snakes.

WITCHES' HATS

Steps:

• Place a fudge stripe cookie with bottom side up onto a work surface. Smear a small dab (about 1/8 teaspoon) of honey onto the bottom of a chocolate kiss, and secure the candy piece to the center of the cookie, covering the hole. Use decorating gel to pipe a small bow onto the cookie at the base of the candy piece. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

KELLY'S WITCHES STEW

Steps:

• Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil with a generous dash of sea salt until golden; remove from dish.
• In same pan, sear meat with small dash of sea salt and a pinch of pepper and a generous dash each of LHS and Worcestershire Sauce.
• In a very large stock pot, combine all ingredients and fill with water to 1 1/2 to 2 inches from top rim. Cover with lid.
• Cook over medium high heat, to boiling point. Reduce heat to low and simmer until carrots and potatoes are cooked thoroughly, stirring often, about two (2) hours. Skim as you see fit.
• Serve with rolls, crackers and butter.
• Since this is a Halloween dish, I serve this out of a cauldron with 'spooky' breads and butter.
• To make a hearty Fall Vegetable Stew, add three (3) cups of shredded cabbage to the dish.