Eat, Drink and Be Scary with These Party-Perfect Halloween Ideas

One of the most essential parts of any good Halloween party is the food. Create delightfully spooky treats that are easy to eat, and easy for little monsters to grab quickly so they can get back to their Halloween haunts. We're featuring recipes that are quick and easy to make and can be made ahead. After all, we want to spend our time admiring all the costumes on this fun night so we need snacks that are quick and delicious! 

Trick or Truffle Bites

Trick or Truffle Bites are easy to make and great for little hands to grab!

Ingredients

• 1 package of golden Oreos (or vanilla flavored cookies)
• 8 oz. light cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cups white chocolate melts

Instructions

1. Place the cookies into the 40 oz. processing bowl of the Ninja Master Prep and pulse until cookies are finely chopped. 
2. Transfer to a mixing bowl, fold in the cream cheese and roll into 1 inch balls and then place on a cookie sheet to freeze for 15-20 minutes. 
3. Next, melt the chocolate to coat evenly, place back on the cookie sheet and freeze for at least an hour. 

Tip: For a fun Halloween twist, separate the chocolate into separate bowls and add orange, green or purple food coloring! 

Little Smokies

Next up are these sweet and savory little smokies. You'll be spooked at how quickly they disappear! The NuWave Brio Air Fryer makes these a breeze to make. Watch the video to see just how easy and yummy these are. You can also grab the recipe here. 

Skeleton Berry Pie

This spooky pie is sure to impress all of your guests. They'll never know just how easy it was to make in the NuWave Pro Plus Oven. 

Ingredients

• 1 (9-inch) prepared pie crust
• 2 cups cranberries 
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 4 cups strawberries, rinsed and sliced
• 1 puff pastry
• Flour as needed
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water

1. Carefully remove pie crust from tin and place in 9-inch silicone baking pan; set aside.
2. Place cranberries, sugar and brown sugar in pot and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook cranberries for 10 minutes, or until sauce has thickened.
4. Stir in strawberries and pour berry mixture into prepared pie crust; set aside.
5. Lay out puff pastry on a lightly floured flat work surface.
6. Lightly flour the top of the pastry and lightly roll it out with a rolling pin until 3/8 inch (or 1 centimeter) thick.
7. Carefully carve a skeleton face, or your favorite spooky design, into the pastry.
8. Place the pastry onto the pie, adjusting to fit as needed; set aside.
9. Combine egg and water in small bowl and whisk to create egg wash.
10. Lightly brush pastry with egg wash.
11. Cover pie loosely with foil and place on 1-inch rack.
12. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes.
13. Remove foil cover and bake at 325 degrees for additional 10-12 minutes.

Tip: You can use a store-bought pie crust, or make your own. Just make sure it's pre-baked.

Create a Party Atmosphere

Now that the snacks are covered, let's talk about the decor. Every fun Halloween party needs a theme, whether it's fright or delight. You may prefer a ghoulish, creepy theme or a lively harvest atmosphere with plenty of pumpkins, but make sure that you don't forget about party lighting. Lighting is one of the main elements to create a mood that pulls your theme together. We love smart lighting that can be controlled from your phone, like the Philips Hue Starter Kit. Find the perfect shade of orange, purple - or whatever you can imagine! 

The Sengled Pulse is a great option for music. Simply tell Alexa to play Halloween music, and let your Amazon Echo  and Sengled Pulse Bluetooth Speakers be your DJ for the night. 

Trick or Treat

The trick-or-treaters have arrived! Smart Home Monitoring products make it easier than ever to see who's outside. 

Never miss a visitor with Ring. See, hear and speak to visitors.

You can talk to trick-or-treaters from your kitchen (or couch) with smart doorbell cameras. You can monitor and record who's outside with the Sengled Snap Outdoor Floodlight that contains an ultra-wide angle HD camera. Smart Home products make it easier than ever to monitor your home. 

Now that we've covered food, decor, music and more - there's one last thing. Make sure to have lots of FUN! Enjoy all of the costumes and festivities. We'd love to see your party pics! Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter and share your scare using #smartneighbor on your photos. 

Carol & Chip's Neighborhood Block Party