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Halloween and Day of the Dead are coming up quickly next week. Take a stroll through your neighbourhood and it appears everyone is celebrating the occasions with the most astonishing decorations this year.

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It’s not just for kids, as one can well imagine. Research shows Halloween alone is fast becoming one of the most popular holidays in North America and, according to Thriveworks.com, a $10-billion biz with money spent on everything from costumes to candies to the most awesome monster-sized lawn skeletons this side of reality.

Why do people love Halloween so much? “The answer may lie in the psychology behind our Halloween costumes and ancient traditions that are nearly two thousand years old,” notes Thriveworks.com. “Regardless of age, wearing a costume may help us temporarily escape our sense of self — which may be psychologically relieving. The anonymity that dressing up provides may change the way some of us behave … we enjoy the freedom and secrecy granted by trying on another identity, if only for the evening.

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“Halloween costumes, be they frightening, funny, or sexy, can be a fun way to come to terms with our morbidity and the taboo aspects of our daily lives.”

So let the haunting begin! Here’s a selection of ghoulishly good recipes to help plan your spooky celebrations.

Halloween Trends Report

According to the recent Ipsos Canada report on behalf of Mars Wrigley (mars.com), younger generations tend to purchase candy closer to Halloween, while the older generations plan further in advance.

The “Tricks, Treats and Trends” report shows that “over half of Canadians plan to pass out candy, with Gen X leading the celebrations at 42%. Millennials are the top trick-or-treaters; they are the most likely to dress up and take their families door-to-door. Baby Boomers are opting for a quieter Halloween this year.”

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“Chocolate remains the top Halloween treat, closely followed by Halloween-specific candy and gummies.” And Baby Boomers tend to purchase the regular sized bars instead of the minis.

Recipes

Looking for ideas for your Halloween party? We got you covered!

Onyx Hot Chocolate

This ain’t your great-grandmother’s hot chocolate! Recipe courtesy Crystal Head Onyx Vodka. Serves 1. (Crystalheadvodka.com)

2 oz. favourite vodka

Bar spoon ancho Chile powder

6 oz. hot chocolate

Toasted marshmallow

Cinnamon

Add vodka, ancho and hot chocolate to a glass and stir for 10 to 15 seconds. Garnish with toasted marshmallow and freshly grated cinnamon.

Red Hotel Devil

Sets the mood for the night! Courtesy Crystal Head Vodka. Serves 1. (Crystalheadvodka.com)

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2 oz. favourite vodka

2 oz. cranberry juice

3/4 oz. chili liqueur (a liqueur made with hot pepper bitters or chili)

Sparkling blood orange juice

In a sugar-rimmed highball glass with ice, add vodka, cranberry juice and chili liqueur. Top with sparkling blood orange juice and stir for 5 to 10 seconds. Garnish with red chili peppers on each side of glass.

Jack-O’-Lantern Strawberry Hand Pies

Utilize your air fryer for these devilishly delicious hand pies. Serves 6. Recipe courtesy t-fal.ca.

1 sheet puff pastry (thawed, if frozen)

6 Tbsp. strawberry jam

1 egg yolk

1 Tbsp. water

Flour (for dusting)

Lightly flour your work surface and roll out puff pastry to about 1/8 inch thick. Use a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter (or hand-cut shapes) to cut out 12 pumpkin shapes from the puff pastry. You’ll need 2 pieces for each pie.

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On half of pumpkin cutouts (6 pieces), use a small knife to cut out Jack-O’-Lantern faces. You can make triangle eyes, scary mouths, or any design you like. Place 1 tablespoon of strawberry jam in the centre of each of the 6 uncut pumpkin shapes. Gently place Jack-O’-Lantern face cutouts on top of jam-filled bases. Use a fork to press and seal edges of each pie.

In a small bowl, whisk egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water to make egg wash. Brush top of each Jack-O’-Lantern pie with egg wash to give them a golden shine when they bake. Preheat air fryer to 350°F (175°C) for a couple of minutes. Place hand pies in air fryer basket, leaving a little space between each one. Air fry pies at 380°F for 7 to 8 minutes or until golden brown and puffed up. Let hand pies cool for a few minutes before serving.

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NOTE: You can make a savoury version with jarred tomato sauce sprinkled with oregano and a teaspoon of grated Parmesan.

Onion and Gouda Twist Bread

This delicious recipe will become a standard for any Halloween party! Courtesy Foodland Ontario (ontario.ca/foodland/foodland-ontario).

2 Tbsp. butter

2-1/2 cups diced onions, about 3

1/4 tsp each salt, dried thyme and rosemary

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 cups shredded Gouda cheese

2 sheets pre-rolled puff pastry (450 g)

2 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

1 Tbsp milk

2 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

In large nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, salt, thyme, rosemary and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until onions are browned. Set aside; let cool for 10 minutes.

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Lay sheets of puff pastry out on clean surface. Spread caramelized onions, cheese and bacon over each sheet, dividing equally. Roll up each sheet, jelly roll-style, and cut each in half lengthwise to make 4 pieces total. Pinch along open edges to seal in filling. Carefully twist one length of pastry and place in the middle of parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet, shaping to make a coil. Twist another length of pastry; pinch one end to join to outside end of coil and wrap around to keep coiling. Repeat with remaining two lengths, joining and pinching together each piece to make one large coil. Brush with milk.

Bake in 400°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes until pastry is puffed, golden and cooked through. Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.

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Eye of Newt Devilled Eggs

You can never go wrong with devilled eggs at a Halloween party! Recipe courtesy Eggs.ca.

12 hard-boiled eggs

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

Dash hot sauce (optional)

24 pitted black olives

1/4 cup ketchup

Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks and place in medium bowl. Set whites aside.

Mash yolks with fork; stir in mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper. Pipe or spoon egg yolk mixture into egg white halves. Transfer ketchup to resealable bag. Snip off corner. Pipe ketchup onto egg white to resemble veins in blood shot eyes. Place one olive into the centre of each yolk to resemble an eyeball. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator for up to 2 days.

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