All Hallows Eve can bring all sorts of ghouls, goblins, and witches to your dinner table, and in order to keep your kids from eating all their candy at once, I searched high and low for the best Halloween recipes. In the end, I decided to wrap up my search with this simple recipe for Hot Dog Mummies.

Although you’ll probably recognize this delightfully haunting dinner as a pigs-in-a-blanket recipe, I think you’ll find this creative twist will leave your kids squealing with pleasure rather than fear, and perhaps it can become the perfect Halloween traditional meal for years to come.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15-18 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 11oz can of refrigerator breadsticks
1 12 pack of hot dogs
Yellow Mustard
Ketchup

Directions

1. Preheat Oven for 350 F

2. Separate one breadstick from the roll, then using a knife or kitchen shears, slice in half (lengthwise) to make 2 smaller strips. These will be used to create your mummy’s wrappings.

3.Wrap Hot dog in breadstick strip. Smaller hot dogs may not need all of both strips. Be sure to leave about ½ an inch of hot dog exposed for the mummy’s face. Continue to wrap around the head of the hot dog.

3. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the breadsticks are a golden brown.

4. Allow Hot Dog Mummies to cool before serving.

5. Add 2 dots of mustard for glowing eyes and feel free to dribble ketchup for a bloodied effect.

This delightful Halloween recipe should make approximately 12 deliciously spooky hot dog mummies.

Hot Dog Mummies are a great way to get your children cooking tasty and adorable meals without the mess. Not only will these scrumptious mummies give your kids the extra energy they need to go trick-or-treating, but create memories that are sure to last a lifetime.

After posting about desserts, it’s probably time to get back into the groove of things and find a warm and toasty meal for a chilly autumn day.

Sausage Ratatouille, made popular by Pixar’s movie, is a classic French dish with a healthy blend of fresh vegetables.

It can be served as the main dish or, if you’d like, as an appetizer with bread. This hearty recipe is sure to bring a smile to the dinner table, and it’s sure to become a family favorite.

Prep Time: 10-15 Min.
Cook Time: 40 Min.
Total Time: Less than an Hour

Ingredients

3-4 Links (about ¾ pound) Italian Sausage
4 ½ tablespoons olive oil
1 medium-sized eggplant, peeled and cut into ¾ inch dice
2 small zucchini, halved and sliced
1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1 medium-sized green bell pepper, halved, seeded, and sliced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups canned, diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon tomato paste
Salt and Pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions

1. Heat medium-sized pot of water to a boil.
2. Puncture sausage links in several places, and then cook them at a low boil. Sausage should no longer be pink in the middle. Transfer the links to a plate to cool. Slice into ¼ inch-thick rounds. *About 14 minutes*
3. Next, add 3 tablespoons olive oil to a large skillet or Dutch oven. Bring to Medium heat then add eggplant and zucchini. Stirring frequently, sauté vegetables until lightly browned – do not overcook them because they will turn soft. Set vegetables aside on a plate *About 7 Minutes*
4. Warm the remaining olive oil in the same skillet, and then add onions and peppers. Stirring often, sauté vegetables. *About 3 minutes*
5. Add garlic and sliced sausage to the same skillet. Stirring often, sauté for an additional 3 minutes.
6. Next, add tomatoes, eggplant, and zucchini from the plate, and then partially cover skillet. Let the ratatouille gently simmer for 5 minutes, and then add tomato paste, salt, and pepper to taste. Continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Stir in parsley and half the basil.
7. Sprinkle remaining basil.
8. Serve hot

This recipe should serve 6 people.

Cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts in existence. When I die, I want cheesecake to be served at my funeral so I can bask in its delicious fattening glory. I find its cold deliciousness more appealing than even the most tempting tarts and pies, and cheesecake adds a level of class to any homemade meal.

Although it’s fairly common to see strawberry or raspberry cheesecakes, I thought I’d let you in on a little autumn cheesecake recipe to add a delicious twist to this already flavorful dish.

Prep Time: 30 Min
Cook Time: 1Hr 10 Min
Total Time: 4 Hours

Ingredients

Crust
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Filling
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Apple Topping
4 cups apples – peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Optional
Mix a handful of brown sugar, flour, and small chunks of butter and spread over top of apples for baking. This creates a light crumb crust which can improve the appearance of the cheesecake.

Directions

1. Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees F.

2. To create the crust, stir graham cracker crumbs, pecans, sugar, cinnamon, and butter into a large bowl. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan. If you wish, you can omit the pecans in the crust and replace with additional graham cracker crumbs. Bake for 10 minutes.

3. To create the filling, mix cream cheese and sugar at a medium speed. Mixture should be smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, then blend in vanilla. Pour filling into baked crust.

4. To create the finishing layer, stir sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Soften apples in microwave for a few minutes, and then toss in mixture to coat. Spoon over cream cheese filling and then sprinkle with pecans. Add crumb crust if desired.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 1hr to 1hr 10 minutes.

6. Loosen cake from rim of pan with a knife and then allow cheesecake to cool. Refrigerate before serving.

Autumn apples are amazingly cheap during the fall season, making this recipe a delicious and affordable way to use up your apple store while impressing friends and family with your cooking. Although it’s no 10-minute dessert, Autumn Cheesecake is well worth the wait.