Get creative with your Halloween treats with Color Garden’s Halloween Pure Natural Food Colors! These all-natural food colors are derived solely from fruits and vegetables, which make them stain-free and safe for those with food dye sensitivities. Use Color Garden for all your food coloring needs – whether you’re making Marshmallow Ghosts for Halloween or want to color frosting for other holiday cookie decorating! Unlike other all-natural food coloring, the final product made with Color Garden has bolder colors! This Halloween box comes with 2 orange, 1 purple, 1 yellow, and 1 green.

The Creative Kitchen is excited to have Color Garden as a Goody Bag Sponsor for our Kids Food Festival online Halloween kitchen crafts and cooking class on Saturday, October 31st! Get more information here!

From the Mouth of a Kid:

I like to decorate cookies with this food coloring!

From the Eyes of a Parent:

I discovered one of my children had a sensitivity to certain ingredients in regular food coloring – who would have even thought that was a thing? I was worried because we do a lot of baking and decorating, especially during the holidays, like Halloween, but thankfully I found Color Garden and their plant-based food dyes. Thank goodness! I love that they’re made from only fruits and vegetables, and they’re safe for my kids to eat! We’re using the Halloween themed food colors to decorate cookies and a cake on Halloween!

Flavorful Features:

This selection of Halloween-themed food colors comes with two orange, one purple, one yellow, and one green! Color Garden sells their other food colors in a variety of different quantities and color combinations, such as the Original box and Pastels box. Check out all the options here!

The Icing on the Cake:

We love products that are made with plant-based ingredients! Color Garden’s Halloween Pure Natural Food Colors are made without the artificial ingredients that are in many other food colors.

Time to Eat?!

Anytime you need food coloring – especially for decorating Halloween treats this weekend – Color Garden’s Halloween Pure Natural Food Colors is a great choice!

Mix it Up!

Use Color Garden Halloween Pure Natural Food Colors to make a fun Halloween treat – Marshmallow Ghosts! Get the recipe here, and have a deliciously spooky time in the kitchen!

www.colorgarden.net/home

www.facebook.com/colorgardendyes

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children. She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

This recipe is part of the Kids Food Festival Halloween kitchen crafts and cooking class on October 31st, 2020! Get more information here!

Materials:  

• 4 skewers, chopsticks, coffee stirrers or other such tool, making sure utensil is appropriately age-safe for participating children
• 8 large marshmallows
• Food coloring (the Kids Food Festival loves Color Garden Natural Food Colors, found in the BFPL Digital Halloween Bash goodie bags!)
• 1 small bowl per color being used
• 1 paintbrush per color being used

Directions:

1. Pour food coloring into small bowls (one bowl per color – or, mix together to create unique colors!)
2. Slide two marshmallows onto skewer.
3. Paint marshmallows using Food Colors and Q-tips.
4. Set aside to dry.

To learn more about and to purchase Color Garden: 

www.colorgarden.net 

Instagram: @colorgardendyes 

Facebook:  @colorgardendyes

This recipe is part of the Kids Food Festival Halloween kitchen crafts and cooking class on October 31st, 2020! Get more information here!

Materials:  

• 4 rice cakes (the Kids Food Festival loves Lundberg Rice Cakes and Stackers – found in the BFPL Digital Halloween Bash goodie bags!) 
• ½ cup whipped cream cheese 
• ½ cup canned pumpkin  
• Mixing bowl  
• Spoon 
• Pumpkin Eyes and Mouth: Handful of dried, dehydrated, or freeze-dried fruit (the Kids Food Festival loves Crispy Green Freeze Dried Fruit – found in the BFPL Digital  Halloween Bash goodie bags!) 
• Pumpkin Nose: red seedless grapes, halved or clementine segments
• Pumpkin Hair: shaved carrot or spiralized zucchini or beets  

Directions:

1. In small mixing bowl, combine whipped cream cheese and pumpkin.
2. Evenly divide mixture and spread on top of each rice cake.
3. Use dried, dehydrated, or freeze-dried fruit to create eyes and a mouth on each cake, halved grapes or clementines to create a nose, and shaved or spiralized vegetable for hair.

To learn more about and to purchase Lundberg:

www.lundberg.com 

Instagram: @LundbergFarms 

Facebook:  @Lundbergfamilyfarms

To learn more about and to purchase Crispy Green: 

www.crispygreen.com 

Instagram: @crispygreensnacks 

Facebook:  @crispygreen

Check out our social media pages!

Kids Food Festival Facebook

The Creative Kitchen Facebook 

The Creative Kitchen Instagram

This recipe is part of the Kids Food Festival Halloween kitchen crafts and cooking class on October 31st, 2020! Get more information here!

Equipment:  

• Adult cutting board 
• Adult knife 
• Children’s cutting board (The Creative Kitchen suggests a small cutting board or reusable plastic or paper plate), 1 per child 
• Children’s knife (The Creative Kitchen suggests a plastic knife for younger children, while older children may be able to use a sharper knife), 1 per child 
• Large mixing bowl (The Creative Kitchen suggests individual, sealable plastic sandwich bags if individual portions are preferred – whether for hygiene or simply  because little chefs enjoy creating their own!) 
• Mixing spoon 

Ingredients:  

• 1 pound witches hair (cooked whole wheat spaghetti – use squid ink for extra  spooky witch hair!) 
• Eyeballs (1 cup black olives, pitted and ½ pound mozzarella bocconcini, or ½ pound  mozzarella cheese)  
• Zombie fingernails (2 orange bell peppers, washed) 
• 1 broomstick (zucchini or cucumber, washed) 
• Skeleton Tears (1 pint orange grape tomatoes, washed) 
• Olive oil, to taste  
• Salt and pepper, to taste 

Directions:

1. In large mixing bowl, place cooked witches hair and set aside.
2. If using bocconcini: Cut mozzarella into 1⁄4 inch pieces and slice olives and add to bowl, reserving a handful of bocconcini and a handful of olives to create eyeballs to place on top as garnish (see photo below).  Alternatively – If using traditional mozzarella: dice mozzarella and slice olives. Add to bowl.
3. Dice zombie fingernails and add to bowl.
4. Slice broomsticks into 1⁄4 inch round slices and add to bowl. Reserve a handful of round slices for adults to create “jack-o’-lanterns” by carefully using a paring knife to carve eyes and a mouth (see photo below).
5. Cut skeleton tears into quarters and add to bowl
6. Add olive oil to taste and stir to combine.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine.
8. Garnish with eyeballs and jack-o’-lanterns.
9. Grab a pitchfork and enjoy!

Check out our social media pages!

Kids Food Festival Facebook

The Creative Kitchen Facebook 

The Creative Kitchen Instagram

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children. She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

What do Ronald Reagan, Steven Colbert, and Justin Bieber have in common? A love of Jelly Belly jelly beans! With 20 kid-approved flavors, the Jelly Belly Kids Mix is sure to make your whole family happy. From classics like Red Apple and Lemon Lime to the unique tastes of Buttered Popcorn and Orange Sherbet, this mix has a flavor for everyone. We especially love the not-too-sweet, not-too-tart Sour Cherry and Sour Apple! Jelly Belly Kids Mix comes in convenient 3.5 oz bags, and with Halloween right around the corner, they’re sure to make yours the most popular house on the block!

From the Mouth of a Kid:

The flavors are so yummy! I like to eat 2 at a time to make even more flavors.

From the Eyes of a Parent:

These jellybeans are the perfect treat for anybody, young or old. My kids love that there are so many different tastes in each bag, and I love that they’re suitable for kids with various dietary restrictions. Plus, the Bubblegum flavor makes me feel like a kid again!

Flavorful Features:

The Jelly Belly Kids Mix contains twenty flavors that kids love!

• Berry Blue, Blueberry, Bubble Gum, Buttered Popcorn, Chocolate Pudding, Cotton Candy, Green Apple, Lemon Lime, Orange Sherbet, Peach, Raspberry, Red Apple, Sour Apple, Sour Cherry, Strawberry Jam, Sunkist Lemon, Toasted Marshmallow, Tutti-Fruitti, Very Cherry and Watermelon.

The Icing on the Cake:

All of Jelly Belly’s jellybeans are Kosher, gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian friendly!

Time to Eat?!

Jelly Belly kids mix make a tasty dessert or Holiday treat!

Good to Go?

Jelly Belly Kids Mix comes in perfectly portioned packets – great for a sweet treat on-the-go, an addition to any goody bag, or handing out to trick-or-treaters.

Mix it Up!

Try using Jelly Belly jelly beans as a topping for cupcakes, Halloween cookies, or gingerbread houses. They also make the perfect addition to an ice cream Sunday. 

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children. She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

Halloween is filled with sweet treats, but after a fun night of trick-or-treating there always seems to be tons of leftover candy. For creative ways to use up all that leftover Halloween candy, have fun making (and eating!) these simple post-Halloween treats and crafts by Cricket Azima, featured on iVillage!

Candy Surprise Cupcakes

Surprise cupcake lovers with an added attraction! Hide different types of candy bar pieces inside cupcakes. Simply prepare a box of cake mix according to the package instructions. Spoon the batter into cupcake tins so each one is about a quarter full. Place half a miniature candy bar in the center of each (see photo) and cover with additional batter. Bake according to the directions, remove from oven and cool before frosting. (Decorate the cupcakes with other leftover Halloween candy if desired!) A secret treasure will be found buried inside each cupcake – adding an extra smile to everyone’s cake-filled mouths.

Candy Bar Fondue

Add an interactive touch to dessert by making fondue with melted chocolate candy bars. Dip marshmallows or fruit (try berries, pineapple, pears or apples) into the thick chocolate sauce. Or, check out our Fruit and Candy Kebab recipe.

Fruit Kebabs

Slide sliced fruit, large marshmallows and chopped candy bars onto skewers and serve as dessert. Or make a self-serve assembly line and call it a “candy bar”! Have the gang make their own skewers with their favorite combinations. For a truly over-the-top experience, dip these kebabs into Candy Bar Fondue.

Candy Corn Pancakes

Take breakfast to another level with these candy-speckled pancakes. Simply make your favorite pancake recipe (or use a store-bought mix), add ¾ cup candy corn and stir to combine. Cook the pancakes normally but make sure you scoop up batter from the bottom of the mixing bowl to catch any sunken candy corn. Serve them warm with a sprinkle of powdered sugar, vanilla or maple-flavored yogurt, or simply butter. Kids will surely get a kick out of this wacky but delicious dish!

Peanut Butter and Banana Candy-Swirl Milkshake

Drink your candy with this decadent treat. Blend vanilla ice cream, chopped Snickers or Baby Ruth candy bars, a touch of milk, a peeled and sliced banana and a few tablespoons of peanut butter. Slurp it down with a straw – but have a spoon at the ready for any goodies that found their way to the bottom of the glass.

Candy Mosaics

For a truly crafty way to use leftover Halloween candy, make mosaics! Use glue – or even frosting – to hold candies onto a piece of construction paper. Use candies of various colors and sizes to design patterns, portray scenes, make faces and more! (Try to resist eating all of your art supplies while creating your masterpiece.)

Candy Centerpieces

Forget flowers! Layer bold-colored candies in a clear vase and use as a decoration around the house. Consider inserting a plastic or handmade paper flower in the center for extra flare!

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children. She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

Halloween is here and it’s the perfect time of year to ease our chocolate craving so say “Trick or Treat” to Gearharts Fine Chocolates! Their Peanut Butter Pups are an exciting spin on the average peanut butter cup. Made from premium milk chocolate and Virginia artisan peanut butter, these peanut butter pups are a delectable, creamy treat that are cute to look at and fun to eat! You’ll even feel good about buying the pups—five percent of their sales go to Companions for Heroes, an organization that matches rescue pets to wounded veterans.

From the Mouth of a Kid:

The pups are so cute! I love them! They taste creamy and chocolaty, too!
 

From the Eyes of a Parent: 

My family loves peanut butter and chocolate, so I was so excited when I found these better-for-you peanut butter chocolate treats! The pup’s dark chocolate face and toasted almond ears are a great addition to the milk chocolate and peanut butter, plus they’re adorable – not only your kids will think they’re cute! 
 

Flavorful Features:

Gearharts Fine Chocolates Peanut Butter Cups come in two packages:

• Peanut Butter Pups
• Valentine’s Day Peanut Butter Pups Puppy Love

Gearharts Fine Chocolates also sell:

• Chocolate assortments
• Bars and Confections
• Drinking and cooking chocolates
• Gift boxes
• Other specialty items

The Icing on the Cake:

Peanut Butter Pups are made from premium milk chocolate and are hand piped with Virginia artisan peanut butter. The pup’s face is made from dark chocolate and toasted almond ears.
Five percent of all Peanut Butter Pup sales go to Companions for Heroes, an organization which matches rescue pets to wounded U.S. war veterans.
 

Time to Eat?!

Peanut Butter Pups are great any time you or your family’s chocolate craving hits or for a delectable dessert.
 

Mix it Up!

Gearharts Peanut Butter Pups are great as a gift for other parents and their families or can be eaten at your little one’s birthday party.

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children. She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

As Halloween approaches and pumpkins are showing up on everyone’s door steps, what could be better than homemade Pumpkin Fritters?! This Pumpkin Fritters recipe by Cricket Azima and The Creative Kitchen is delicious, healthful, and versatile. The fritters can be served as a substitute for breakfast pancakes, as an after school snack, or for dessert with a dollop of whipped cream! With the nutritious benefits of pumpkin and the warming scent of cinnamon, we’re certain you’ll be coming back for more!

Pumpkin Fritters

While canned food is often shunned, canned pumpkin purée is one you don’t have to worry about! Canned pumpkin purée is packed with potassium (important for nerve and muscle health), iron (needed to carry oxygen in your blood), vitamin A (great for your eyes), and fiber (helps control blood sugar and keeps you fuller for longer). Plus, our recipe for Pumpkin Fritters has only 3 tablespoons of sugar, making it a healthful alternative to high sugar pumpkin products.

This traditional South African dish is simple and quick to make for or with your family! For more delicious recipes, including this recipe for Pumpkin Fritters, check out Cricket Azima’s kids’ cookbook, Everybody Eats Lunch! This interactive book is part cookbook and part toy, featuring lunchbox recipes from around the world, embodying The Creative Kitchen’s philosophy of teaching through food and cooking in an engaging way!

Ingredients

1 15-oz. can pumpkin purée

½ cup flour

1 egg, beaten

3 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

Yields 4 servings (16 fritters)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, flour, egg, 1 tbsp. of the sugar, baking powder, and salt.
2. Warm 1 tbsp. of the butter and 1 tbsp. of the oil in a large skillet (big enough to hold eight fritters) over medium heat.
3. Drop tablespoonfuls of fritter mixture into the hot pan and lightly flatten with a spatula. Cook until golden, about 4 minutes per side.
4. Repeat for the second batch.
5. Combine remaining sugar with cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle over hot fritters before serving.

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children. She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

BOO! Did we scare you? No need to fear, Halloween is near! Between the costumes and the candy, it’s no doubt Halloween is a favorite holiday for kids and adults, alike. But candy shouldn’t get all the attention –  there are creative and easy-to-make treats out there. That’s where these festive, delicious cookies come in! Whether you make a goblin or a ghoul, candy corn or Frankenstein, these Halloween Cookies are sure to be a hit! They are fun and simple to make – the hardest part about making these cookies is picking which one to make first!

Ghoulish Cookies

2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
Neon green food color
1 container (12 oz) Betty Crocker® Whipped fluffy white frosting
Betty Crocker® black or white decorating gel
Miniature marshmallows
Miniature candy-coated chocolate baking bits

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, butter and egg until soft dough forms. On ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart.
2. Bake 11 to 14 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
3. Stir enough food color into frosting until desired green color. Frost cooled cookies. Use black or white decorating gel to make “ghoulish” faces on cookies. Use marshmallows and baking bits to decorate.

Tips & Tricks:

Don’t limit yourself just to the black or white decorating gel – add candy corns, M&M’s, or any small candy to bring your idea to life!

Create Frankenstein, spiders, bats, or jack o’ lanterns – there’s no rules, just have fun and create!

Candy Corn Cookies

9 1/2 dozen (small) cookies

Ingredients:

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 egg
Orange paste food color
2 oz semisweet chocolate, melted, cooled

Instructions:

1. Line 8×4-inch loaf pan with waxed paper, extending paper over sides of pan. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, butter and egg until soft dough forms.
2. On work surface, place 3/4 cup dough. Knead desired amount of food color into dough until color is uniform. Press dough evenly in bottom of pan.
3. Divide remaining dough in half. On work surface, knead chocolate into one half remaining dough until color is uniform. Press over orange dough in pan, pressing gently to edge of pan. Gently press remaining plain dough into pan on top of chocolate dough. Refrigerate 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until firm.
4. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove dough from pan. Cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut each slice into 5 wedges. On ungreased cookie sheet, place wedges 1 inch apart.
5. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are set and edges are very light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely.

Tips & Tricks:

Keep these cookies fresher for longer by storing them in a tightly covered container.

Video:

For some design ideas and a video how-to, view the video below.

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children. She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

In the season of cool weather, candy and trick-or-treating make sure to warm your family and fill their tummies with nutritious soup. These three simple and quick to make soups from our friends at Cooking Light are sure to be a hit with the whole family! They even make a delicious and healthful family dinner before going out to trick-or-treat.

Chicken and Parsnip Soup

Time: 40 minutes

Vegetarian Swap: Use mushroom broth, omit chicken, and use 2 cans of chickpeas.

Serve with Herb-Scented Drop Biscuits: Preheat oven to 450°. Combine 4.5 ounces (1 cup) all-purpose flour, 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cut in 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Make a well in center of mixture; add 1/3 cup 1% milk, 2 tablespoons plain fat-free Greek yogurt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, stirring just until combined. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray to form 8 biscuits; coat tops with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: 4 servings. CALORIES 156; FAT 3.5g (sat 2.1g); SODIUM 256mg

For the recipe click here.

Vietnamese Beef-Noodle Soup with Asian Greens

Time: 30 minutes

Prep Pointer: Take care not to overcook the noodles, as they’ll turn soggy in the soup.

Serve with Sesame Wontons: Cut 16 wonton wrappers in half diagonally; arrange on 2 baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Brush 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil over wrappers. Sprinkle evenly with ¼ teaspoon salt. Bake at 375° for 7 minutes or until crisp and edges are browned.

For the recipe click here.

Cheesy Potato Soup

Time: 40 minutes

Time-Saver: Buy prechopped onion in the refrigerated produce section of the supermarket.

Serve with Mini Ham Sandwiches: Preheat oven to 400°. Combine 1 tablespoon minced chives, 2 tablespoons canola mayonnaise, and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard. Cut 8 (1-ounce) Hawaiian rolls in half horizontally, cutting to, but not through, other side. Place rolls, cut sides up, on a baking sheet; bake at 400° for 5 minutes or until golden. Spread cut sides evenly with mayonnaise mixture. Divide 4 ounces reduced-sodium thinly sliced ham (such as Boar’s Head) evenly among bottoms of rolls. Cover with roll tops; cut into individual rolls.

For the recipe click here.

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner.  Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children.  She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.