A few tricks, tons of treats

By Kimberly Gamble

A bad Halloween party only has candy. A mediocre Halloween party has candy and drinks. A great Halloween party has the candy you haven't had the nerve to crunch into since 2003—also known as, the best kind—plus food and drinks.

Don't panic, you don't need to be a top chef in order to make a tasty for your haunted shin-dig. Try these simple recipes made with easy to find (and use) ingredients.

Slime Rick-eyes

Ingredients:

2 cups of seedless green grapes

2 cups of sugar

1 cup of fresh lime juice (about 10 limes)

8 cups of club soda

1 cup of gin

Directions:

Freeze grapes until firm, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, stir together sugar and lime juice and bring to a boil. Simmer until the sugar has dissolved and the liquid is syrupy, about 2 minutes. Let it cool completely for 30 minutes.

In a punch bowl or pitcher, stir together the lime syrup, club soda, frozen grapes, and gin. Serve immediately.

Bloody Rum Punch

Ingredients:

1 750 ml. bottle of DonQ Cristal rum

1/2 bottle of red wine

6 oz. fresh lime juice

6 oz. triple sec liqueur

6 oz. simple syrup

2 limes sliced in thin wheels, not wedges

2 blood oranges sliced in thin wheels, not wedges

Preparation:

Add all ingredients to large punch bowl and place in refrigerator for at least two hours before serving.

Serve over ice in a punch glass.

Freaky hot dog fingers

Ingredients:

1 package of hot dogs

1 package of crescent rolls

Directions:

Cut hot dogs in half, widthwise, and into quarters, lengthwise.

Open a package of crescent dough and roll with rolling pin until thin. Cut the dough into strips, and wrap around each hot dog piece leaving a bit of the tip uncovered. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.