New book makes Halloween even more fun

Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2000 | 9:41 a.m.

Just in time for Halloween comes a delightful book from Better Homes and Gardens, "Halloween: 101 Frightfully Fun Ideas" ($15.95).

Chock full of ideas to make Halloween a special celebration, the fun-filled trade-sized paperback offers recipes to please any ghost or goblin, pumpkin carving tips and all sorts of clever ideas to please trick-or-treaters.

Also provided are costume suggestions, of course (they couldn't be easier), and devilishly good ideas for transforming a house into a spooky, scary lair.

A sampling of recipes follows, but you really have to see the photographs of the finished product to fully appreciate the impact.

Honey 'n' Spice Popcorn

10 c. popped corn (about 1/2 c. unpopped)

1 c. peanuts

1/4 c. honey

3 Tbs margarine

1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1. Place popped corn and peanuts in a large roasting pan. In a small saucepan combine honey, margarine, and pumpkin pie spice. Heat and stir till margarine melts. Pour over popcorn and nuts, tossing to coat.

2. Bake in a 300 F oven for 30 minutes, stirring about every 10 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet; cool. Makes about 10 cups.

Gremlin Gorp

1 6-oz bag dried apricots, snipped, for dried skin (1 c.)

2 4 1/2-oz boxes of bite-size round crackers for witches' warts

1 6-oz bag dried cranberries or cherries for dried drops of dragons' blood (1 2/3 c.)

1 12-oz jar dry-roasted peanuts for dried lizards' eyes (2 1/3 c.)

1. Toss together in mixing bowl. Store in airtight bag or container up to 3 days. Makes 9 cups.

Candy-Filled Witches' Hats

Self-sealing plastic bag

Can of chocolate frosting

Scissors

20 Chocolate ice cream cones

Candy corn or assorted small candies

20 2- to 3-inch chocolate cookies

Waxed paper

Large green and yellow gumdrops

1. Fill a small self-sealing plastic bag with some chocolate frosting. Seal bag and cut a very small end off one corner of the bag and set aside. Invert cone and fill with about 2 tablespoons candy corn or small candies. Pipe some frosting from bag along bottom edge of cone. Press a cookie against frosting. Carefully invert right side up onto waxed paper-lined baking sheet.

2. Decorate outside of cone with small candies, using additional frosting as necessary. Refill frosting bag as needed. If desired, roll out large green and yellow gumdrops on a sugared surface until 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 1/4-inch strips. Press green strips around brim of hat and cut smaller pieces from yellow strips to make a buckle; press onto hat. Makes 20 hats.