Halloween thrills and chills at home and in the neighborhood

The bewitching day is upon us. So gather up your little goblins, conjure up some creative costumes and prepare some scary, scrumptious sweets for a great ghostly gathering. Involve everyone in fun-to-make (and to eat) Halloween recipes that are sure to please the Halloween revelers in the family.

Eerie Halloween Eats
Make no bones about it; it’s time to concoct some creepy cuisine for a ghoulishly good Halloween party for the kids – and adults in attendance. In addition to preparing the tasty recipes below, here are some other fun ways to turn ordinary munchies into something monstrously yummy.

Spooky Graveyard Pie
3 cups (about 32) finely ground chocolate sandwich cookies, divided
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 can (12 fluid ounces) evaporated milk
1 3/4 cups (11.5-ounce package)
milk chocolate morsels
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons cornstarch
8 chocolate-filled vanilla wafer cookies
Black and purple decorator writing gels
Assorted Halloween candies

1. Combine 1 1/2 cups cookie crumbs and butter in 9-inch pie plate. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and upsides of pie plate. Set aside remaining 1 1/2 cups crumbs for dirt topping.
2. Whisk together evaporated milk, egg yolks and cornstarch in medium saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is very hot and thickens slightly; do not boil. Remove from heat; stir in morsels until completely melted and mixture is smooth.
3. Pour into crust. Sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 cups cookie crumbs. Press crumbs down gently. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until set.
4. Decorate cookie tombstones with writing gels as desired; let set. Insert tombstones around edge of pie. With spoon, mound cookie crumbs to form “fresh graves.” Decorate graveyard with candy to make the pie as spooky as you want it to be! Makes 8 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 560 calories; 260 calories from fat; 29g total fat; 16g saturated fat; 90mg cholesterol; 350mg sodium; 70g carbohydrate; 2g fiber; 44g sugars; 10g protein; 15% calcium; 10% iron.

Spiderweb Munch
2 cups (12-ounce package)
semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 cup creamy peanut butter, divided
1/3 cup powdered sugar
3 cups toasted rice cereal

1. Heat morsels and 3/4 cup peanut butter in small, heavy-duty saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth; remove from heat. Add sugar; stir vigorously until smooth.
2. Place cereal in large bowl. Add 1 cup melted chocolate mixture; stir until evenly coated. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Using small metal spatula, shape into 10-inch circle with slightly raised 1-inch-wide border. Pour remaining chocolate mixture in center of circle; spread to border.

For Spiderweb:
1. Place remaining peanut butter in small, heavy-duty plastic bag. Cut tiny corner from bag; squeeze to pipe concentric circles on top of chocolate. Using wooden pick or tip of sharp knife, pull tip through peanut butter from center to border.
2. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm. Cut into wedges. Makes 12 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 320 calories; 170 calories from fat; 19g total fat; 7g saturated fat; 0mg cholesterol; 150mg sodium; 32g carbohydrate; 3g fiber; 19g sugars; 7g protein; 15% iron.

Disappearing Ghost Cookies
Gooey marshmallow and hot fudge turn a delicious chocolate chip cookie into an extra special spooky treat.
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup uncooked old-fashioned oats
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
15 regular-size marshmallows, cut in half
1 1/4 cups hot fudge ice cream topping
Halloween decorator candies

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Combine brown sugar, butter and sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; continue beating until well mixed.
3. Reduce speed to low; add flour, baking soda and salt. Beat, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Stir in oats and chocolate chips by hand.
4. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets; flatten in criss-cross pattern with fork. Bake for 6 to 7 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately place 1 marshmallow half onto each cookie. Continue baking for 1 to 2 minutes or until marshmallow is slightly puffed. Cool completely.
5. Top each cookie with 2 teaspoons hot fudge; decorate with candies as desired. Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies.
Nutrition information per serving (1 cookie): 170 calories; 7g fat; 15 mg cholesterol; 115mg sodium; 26g carbohydrate; 1g fiber.

'Spooktacular' Halloween Hauntings 
Halloween thrills and chills await those who venture into the many spooky haunts, throughout the area.

Fire Department Hauntings
     Ghosts, spirits and other creepy characters haunt even firehouses. The Valley Stream Fire Department’s Haunted Firehouse, a south shore tradition, is that kind of place. Come if you feel daring.
     Friday and Saturday, 7-11 p.m.; Halloween Sunday, doors open 6 p.m. $10, $5 children under 12. 100 Brooklyn Ave., Valley Stream (516) 561-1777.
    There’s also a well-known haunted firehouse in Bayville, filled with bloodthirsty firefighters and ghouls. Visitors come from all over to seek out thrills, while they watch in amazement at what Halloween terror awaits those who venture inside.
    Friday, 7-11 p.m.; Saturday and Halloween Sunday, 6-11 p.m. $13 . Bayville Fire Co. No. 1, 258 Bayville Ave. Bayville.
(516) 828- 3230 or www.bayvillehauntedfirehouse.net.

House Of Horrors
    Joe Allocco’s Franklin Square Horror is considered one of America’s scariest home haunts, attracting thousands of thrill-seekers yearly. Scares come from every angle, including the chainsaw wielding maniac with his ghoulish companions and a quarantined zombie infestation. The haunting happens only one night a year, on Oct. 31. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged, benefiting autism and cerebral palsy organizations.
    Sunday, 7-11 p.m. 1148 Norbay St. Franklin Square. (516) 352-4250 or www.wix.com/JoeA65/Franklin-Square-Horror.

Spooky Walk
The Center for Science Teaching and Learning (CSTL) is haunted by all sorts of creatures this weekend. The preserve’s wooded paths are transformed for Halloween, with eerie lighting, special effects and spooky character.  A friendly haunted walk is offered for younger
children.
    Friday and Saturday, 7-9:30 p.m. $10 children, $5 adults. CTSL at Tanglewood Preserve, 1 Tanglewood Rd., Rockville, Centre. (516) 764-0045 or www.CTSL.org.

Bayville Scream Park
    Every year the doors of the Bay Family Mansion are unlocked. The ghosts and ghouls come out to play. They invade all of Bayville Adventure Park with five terrifying haunted attractions: Bloodworth Haunted Mansion, Uncle Needle’s Fun House of Fear in 3D, The Temple of Terror, Zombie Pirates, and Evil in the Woods. For the younger set, there are two not-so-scary haunted houses, a pumpkin patch, spooky Halloween express train, and hay ride.
    Now through Nov. 7; weekdays and Sundays 6-10 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 6 p.m.-midnight. $14.75; $21.75 speedpass. Bayville Scream Park, 8 Bayville Ave., Bayville. (516) 62-GHOST or www.bayvillescreampark.com.

Long Island Fear Fest
    Next door to historic Old Bethpage Village Restoration’s 1880s Halloween festivities, resides that bastion of haunted horrors known as Long Island Fear Fest, a spooky and frightening haunted house. LIFF is housed in an historic building which is horrifying from the outside, even before entering.   
    Now through Oct. 31, 7 p.m.–midnight. $12 or $20 R.I.P. Pass. Old Bethpage Village’s Fairgrounds, 1303 Round Swamp Rd., Old Bethpage. (646) 896-9071 or www.longislandfearfest.com.