Simple Halloween Recipes

There are two types of people in this world: people who LOVE Halloween, and people who approach the Halloween holiday much like any other day.   My house is divided. My husband sneaks more Halloween decorations into our house every year and only posts our boys’ artwork during the Halloween season. My five-year-old has been doing a countdown every day for the last month and has a wish list of candy he hopes to receive. My two-year-old has been sleeping in his Incredible Hulk costume for days now.  I tend to think of it as just another day…but it is growing on me.

Even though we have varying degrees of enthusiasm for the Halloween occasion, we still have our own ways of making the day special.  And, for the last five years we have been building our own traditions: my husband comes home early from work, my parents come over, my boys get dressed up, and I make a big pot of soup. I  very rarely get to cook for my parents. They graciously open their doors to all of us every Sunday night for dinner and attend almost all of our events, but never do I really get to sit down and quietly talk with them as we eat.   So every year I try to make something that can sit and simmer so I can be part of the activities.  (Note: if we are having something that really sounds good, Kelly and her family will sneak over and eat too.)

Here are some of my favorite simmer-and-serve recipes that involve very little work and keep you warm after going door-to-door.  If you are throwing a Halloween party, these simple recipes just may do the trick.

Easy Halloween Recipes

This is like autumn in a bowl. The recipe itself couldn’t be easier, you just rough-chop all of the ingredients and let them roast in your oven. When everything is fork-tender you remove from the oven and cool, blend together, add chicken stock, and season. This can be made beforehand and just left simmering on your stove top. Not only will it perfume your house and make everyone hungry, but it will make you look like a gourmet cook.

While this isn’t a soup, the whole concept of a delicious meal being ready with minimal work holds true with a whole roasted chicken.  I think that whole roasted chicken is a dish that everyone should learn how to make.  With roasted chicken, you can do all of the prep work in advance and throw in the oven when your guests arrive.  In terms of Halloween, by the time trick-or-treating is finished, the bird will be ready and delicious.  I love to use fresh herbs to dress up the chicken. It is easy to make it seasonal by adding fresh sage and thyme this time of year.

This meal epitomizes my family. Growing up my Dad and I would buy great quality focaccias, travel around the city looking for the best ingredients to fill the sandwich, and then go home, make lunch, and take a nap. Every Saturday we did this!  This recipe is for vegetarian focaccia sandwiches so it is actually quite good for you, yet hearty enough to fill you up.  This meal may be made in advance and then wrapped in tin foil and stored in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before you are ready to eat.  Just pop it into a preheated oven until the bread is crispy and enjoy! (I recommend that you cut the focaccia sandwiches before you wrap them in tin foil so everyone can grab a piece just after they come out of the oven.)

Written by: Caitlin Steininger

Edited by: Molly Sandquist Ross