Today marks exactly two weeks until Halloween. Slash a week and a half until Halloweekend. Are you ready?
Y’all: I get really into Halloween. Each year since sophomore year of college, I’ve hosted a Halloween party. As a result, over the years, I’ve accumulated quite the list of Halloween recipes.
In the event that any of y’all will be hosting a Halloween party this year (or attending!), I rounded up all of the best Halloween recipes I’ve made over the years. And my favorite group costumes for 2017. Mainly because I really need to see a couple dress up as Lumière and Cogsworth in order to feel like my Halloween/life is complete.
The Best Halloween Recipes
The Great Pumpkin
This is by far one of the best Halloween recipes I’ve ever made. And – BTW – this Charlie Brown-inspired recipe was a huge hit.
I served this cheeseball at my annual Halloween party a few years ago. It was super easy to make and it provided enough cheese for the entire party (about 20 people).
Ingredients
- 1.5 16-ounce blocks of extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened
- 1 10-ounce goat cheese log, softened
- 1 pretzel stick
Instructions
- In a large bowl, use your hands to combine the first three ingredients (the cheeses). Once thoroughly incorporated, mold the cheese into a large lump and place in some saran wrap.
- In the saran wrap, roll the cheese into a perfect ball before slightly flattening the top and bottom (to form the pumpkin shape). Use a knife or a spare pretzel stick to create the grooves in the side (through the saran wrap). Use a finger to smooth the grooves before removing the cheese ball from the saran wrap and placing it on the serving platter.
- Place a pretzel stick in the center of the top to be the stem, surround the pumpkin with a bunch of crackers, and serve!
Witches’ Brew
I actually came up with the name for this drink after one of my friends had a sip and then proceeded to cackle. Like the Wicked Witch of the West. And thus the Witches’ Brew was born.
This rum-based drink is one of my all-time Halloween faves. Partially because it’s delicious… And partially because it’s super easy to make. Make sure you bookmark this one to make for your upcoming Halloween festivities!
Check out the full recipe here.
The “Full Moon” Cocktail
The third and final recipe on my list of the best Halloween recipes you should make this year: the “Full Moon” cocktail.
Another rum-based drink, this recipe makes one drink (but it’s a damn good drink, y’all). I named this cocktail after the layered look of the drink – my friend told me it looks like a full moon against a dark sky. Get the full recipe here.
Two of My Favorite Group Costume Ideas for 2017
Beauty & the Beast
This idea is hands-down my favorite idea for groups this year. Especially big groups. Just think about it: you have Belle, the Beast, and Gaston… But then you also have Lumière, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, Chip, Babette/Plumette (aka the featherduster), and so many more.
For Belle, all you need is a blue dress over a white shirt with a white apron and a bow in your hair. For Lumière, a gold jumpsuit and some candles. Seriously, this could be mad easy (you could do Cogsworth with poster board). And super cute.
Star Wars
One Halloween in college, I actually dressed as Darth Vader and one of my friends dressed as a Stormtrooper. And it was a huge hit. To pull off this look, I wore a black dress, a black cape, black heels, a helmet, and a lightsaber.
Now that the Star Wars universe has expanded, there are so many more characters. Aka so many more options for Halloween costumes. You can go as new characters like Finn, Rey, BB-8, or Kylo Ren. Or if your group prefers, you could go as the classic Star Wars characters: Han Solo, Darth Vader, Yoda, Chewbacca, Princess Leia, R2D2, C-3PO, Stormtroopers, etc. Giant group? Go as the entire Star Wars universe! (aka all of the characters listed above)