Recipe: Halloween Swirl Brownies & Scary Spaghetti

NEW ORLEANS —

Halloween Swirl Brownies

Ingredients:

Brownie Layer:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp, salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Layer:

• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temp
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• orange food coloring

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8 x 8 baking dish with parchment paper or foil and spray with non-stick spray. Set aside.
2. Brownie Layer
3. In a medium bowl, add the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder.
4. In a small bowl, add the eggs, oil, and vanilla. Mix until well combined.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula until just combined.
6. Reserve 1/4 cup of the batter for the swirls then pour the remaining batter into the prepared baking dish.

Cream Cheese Layer

1. In a medium bowl, add the cream cheese, sugar, egg, & vanilla. Blend until smooth.
2. Add in the orange food coloring and stir to combine.
3. Gently spread the cream cheese layer on top of the brownie batter.
4. Drop spoons of the remaining brownie batter on top and gently swirl with a knife or skewer.
5. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until set. Remove and let cool completely before slicing.

Scary Spaghetti

Ingredients:

• 1/2 tsp. black food coloring or any other color of your choice.
• 1 16 oz. box of Spaghetti
• 4 qt. of water
• 1 Tbsp. salt

Directions:

1. In a large pot put 4 quarts of water, 1/2 tsp. food coloring and 1 Tbsp. salt for each pound of dry spaghetti.
2. Bring the water to a boil.
3. Add spaghetti and return to boil.
4. Cook uncovered approximately 10-12 minutes, or until tender, stirring occasionally. Avoid overcooking.
5. Remove from heat and drain.

Spooky Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 Tbsp. Creole seasoning
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
• 1 onion , sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 14.5 oz. fire roasted tomatoes, diced
• 15 oz. tomato sauce
• 6 oz. tomato paste
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• crushed red pepper flakes , to taste
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 cup stock, beef, chicken or vegetable
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• spaghetti noodles, for serving

Directions:

1. Season ground beef with Creole seasoning, salt and pepper.
2. In a large skillet, add the beef and chopped onion and brown. Drain excess grease.
3. Add garlic, fire roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, Worcestershire and sugar to the skillet.
4. Stir well to combine and bring to a boil. Add stock and stir well.
5. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add chopped basil and parsley before serving.

Purple Monster

Ingredients:

• simple syrup
• purple sugar
• 1 1/2 part vodka
• 1 part blue curacao
• 1 part sweet and sour mix
• 1 part grenadine
• 1 part cranberry juice

Directions:

1. On a small plate, add purple sugar. Wet the rim of a glass with simple syrup and gently dab the top the glass in the purple sugar, coating the rim. Set glass aside.
2. Combine vodka, blue curacao, sweet and sour mix, grenadine, and cranberry juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until combined.
3. Fill the sugar-coated glass with ice. Pour purple people eater cocktail mix into glass. Serve immediately.
4. My pics are all out of order but the Purple Monster was inspired by the Purple Monster-Art from the Monsters Inc Movie.

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