Hot Apple Cider with Rum Ingredients Makes 2 quarts, about 8 servings 1 apple 2 teaspoons whole cloves 1 orange, thinly sliced 2 quarts apple cider 1/2 cup light brown sugar 1 teaspoon allspice Pinch grated nutmeg 1 cup dark rum Cinnamon sticks, garnish Preparation 1. Stud the apple with the cloves. 2. Combine the apple and remaining ingredients (except for the rum and cinnamon sticks) in a large saucepan. Slowly bring to a simmer over low heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the rum. Discard the apple. 3. Ladle into mugs and garnish each with a cinnamon stick. Serve immediately. Cheese Eyeballs Ingredients Makes 2 dozen 2 cups grated cheddar cheese 1 stick unsalted butter 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon Emeril's Original Essence 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon cayenne 24 pimento-stuffed green olives, drained and patted dry Preparation 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Cream together the cheese and butter in a large bowl. 3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, Essence, salt, and cayenne. Fold into the cheese mixture and blend until combined. 4. Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared sheet and shape to look like an eye (oblong, almond-like shape). With the handle of a spoon, make an indentation in the center of each eye. Place one olive in the indentation, turning the pimento side up to form an eyeball. Bake until golden and set, 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Remove from the oven and serve warm or at room temperature. Brain Cookies with Blood Glaze Ingredients for cookies Makes about 2 dozen 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened 1 cup sugar 3 cups all purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 large eggs 1/2 cup very finely chopped walnuts or pecans 1 teaspoon vanilla extract About 5 drops red food coloring About 9 drops blue food coloring Ingredients for glaze 2 to 3 tablespoons whole milk 1 cup confectioner's sugar 35 to 40 drops red food coloring 2 drops blue food coloring Preparation 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. 2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. 3. Into a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the eggs, one at a time, to the butter mixture, beating well after the addition of each. Fold in the nuts, vanilla, and red and blue food coloring, being careful not to overmix the dough. The food coloring will make the dough a grayish color, resembling the color of brains. 4. Place the dough in batches in a potato ricer and push the dough out onto the prepared baking sheets in long tubes. With your fingers, loosely pat and arrange the dough strands into clumps resembling brains, pushing to form 2 lobes and shaping into a walnut-like shape. 5. Bake until golden brown on the bottom, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. 6. To make the Blood Glaze: Combine the confectioner's sugar with the milk in a small bowl and whisk to make a thick glaze. Add the food coloring and whisk to combine into a blood-like color. Drizzle the "blood" onto the cookies and serve either warm or at room temperature. Graveyard Pudding with Whipped Cream Ghosts Ingredients Makes 8 to 10 servings 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped 4 large egg yolks 1 cup sugar 6 tablespoons cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 1/2 cups milk 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits and softened 1 teaspoon vanilla 3/4 cup cold heavy cream 2 teaspoons confectioner's sugar One 16-ounce package Oreo cookies, crushed Gummy worms, for garnish Preparation 1. In the top of a double-boiler, or in a metal bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water, melt the bittersweet and unsweetened chocolates, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat. 2. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks. 3. In a medium, heavy saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add the milk in a stream, whisking constantly. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly to keep lumps from forming. Remove from the heat. 4. Add 1 cup of the hot milk mixture to the yolks and whisk until smooth. Add the beaten yolk mixture to the saucepan with the hot milk and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer, whisking constantly, until thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the melted chocolate, butter, and vanilla. Transfer to a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down on the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate to cool. 5. In a medium bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks start to form. Add the confectioner's sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks start to form. Fold half of the whipped cream and most of the crushed cookies into the cooled pudding mixture. Spoon into a 9-inch square glass baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining cookies. Spoon the remaining whipped cream in blobs on the top for "ghosts" and garnish with gummy worms, slightly poking them down into the surface. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve. Pumpkin Muffins with Chocolate Glaze Ingredients Makes 12 muffins 2 cups water 3/4 cup dried cranberries 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg 2 large eggs 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup whole milk 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup pumpkin purée (canned solid pumpkin) 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter 3/4 cup heavy cream 1 1/4 cups chopped semi-sweet chocolate Preparation 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 12-muffin tin with paper liners. 2. Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Put the cranberries in a medium bowl and cover with the boiling water. Let sit until plumped, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain well. 3. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt into a medium bowl. 4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, milk, pumpkin, melted butter, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix just until incorporated, being careful not to overmix. Fold in the drained cranberries. 5. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake until golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the tin for 10 minutes. 6. Scald the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Put the chocolate in a medium, heat-proof bowl and cover with the cream. Let sit for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Spread the warm chocolate glaze onto the muffins and serve either warm or at room temperature. 1742 Chapman