5 Halloween Appetizers for your Spooky Soiree

Sponsored Post: This Halloween appetizers post is sponsored by Tyson Foods. All content and opinions expressed are my own. #WMDeliciousDisguises

Hey, friends. I’ve been working on a few new Halloween appetizers for the spooky soiree my husband and I are planning this weekend. The coolest thing about all of these deliciously disguised recipes is the first step of each is already prepared by the good folks at Tyson Foods. In other words, these appetizers include Tyson Any’tizers, Chicken Nuggets, or Hillshire Farms Cocktail Sausages. Easy!

When planning a spooky soiree, shortcuts are much appreciated, especially shortcuts that result in great taste and flavor. And bonus—all the ingredients in these five recipes were purchased at my local Walmart Neighborhood Market (660 MLK Jr. Blvd, Fayetteville, AR). One stop shopping is an immense bonus with a lengthy party planning to-do list.

Halloween isn’t just for kids. When we lived in Dallas, our home was known as the neighborhood  Halloween party house. Three years ago, we moved to Northwest Arkansas. It’s taken us this long to get back in the swing of hosting a Halloween party. (Don’t ask.) But, this is the year! We are excited about resurrecting our spooky soiree, and in creepy yet elegant fashion, we plan to go all out with food and decorations.

Five Halloween Appetizers

Today I’m sharing five Halloween appetizers along with serving suggestions to complement the mysterious ambiance I’m hoping to create. Yes, mood is created not only with home decorations and clever costumes, but also with food, plating, presentation, and spices. Little touches can make a memorable impact.

I try to imagine, what would Count Dracula serve to his guests?

Let me show you what I’ve come up with…

Sausage in a Shroud
with Manchego and Black Pepper

Who doesn’t love a pig in a blanket? For Halloween, I’m calling these Sausage in a Shroud, and I’ve fancied them up with sweet and spicy honey-mustard paired with the unexpected nutty flavor of melted manchego cheese. Better make a triple batch.

Serve these on a slab of black granite or marble. I found this one at a thrift store for pennies. A dark granite serving piece not only highlights the buttery rolls and flecks of black pepper but also suggests a heavy cemetery marker. See how my mind works?

Ingredients:

1/2 package Hillshire Farms Cocktail Smokies
3 ounces Manchego Cheese
1 Canister Refrigerated Crescent Rolls – 8 count
1 Tablespoon Yellow Mustard (or Spicy if you prefer a kick)
1 Tablespoon Honey
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Egg White

Instruction:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray baking sheet with cooking oil. Mix mustard and honey together in a small bowl.
2. Unroll crescent rolls and cut triangles in half so that you have 16 triangles. (Variation: Cut thinner strips for less dough per bite.)
3. Paint each triangle with honey-mustard. Sprinkle pepper. On the largest end of the dough, add a thin sliver of cheese and one sausage. Roll.
4. Place seam side down on baking sheet. Lightly coat outside in egg white wash. Scatter additional black pepper.
5. Bake 12 – 15 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm. Makes 16.

 

Roasted Brie with Figs, Pigs, and Nuts

This sweet and savory baked brie looks to be topped with sinfulness foraged straight from the Black Forest. Figs, cherries and honey give sweetness, walnuts and pistachios add a salty crunch, sausage provides smoky spice. This creamy brie will haunt you long after every bite is swallowed.

Serve on a heavy pewter dish, one that goes from oven to table. This is not only practical but looks at home in a sinister castle.

Ingredients:

6 ounce wheel of Triple Cream Brie, (room temperature)
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Teaspoons Honey
6 cocktail sausages, sliced thinly
1/3 cup Pistachios and chopped salted Walnuts
6 dried figs, cut into small pieces
a few Dried Cherries

Instruction:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Add olive oil to small skillet and sauté sausage slices over medium heat for 2 minutes.
3. Add nuts, fruit and 1 teaspoon honey. Stir and cook until browned, about 2-3 additional minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Place brie on oven safe baking dish. Drizzle teaspoon of honey on top. Bake 6 minutes or so until warm (but not oozing).
5. Top with sausage/fruit/nut mixture. Serve warm with sturdy chip or sourdough bread.

Chicken and Gooseberry Skewers
with Sweet Potato Chip

Like black magic, a platter of these tasty tidbits won’t last long. These are super simple to make—a homemade sweet potato chip, morsel of chicken nugget, and half a sweet gooseberry. Drizzle with homemade buttermilk ranch dressing to put your guests in a trance.

Serve these Halloween appetizers on a turquoise platter. The orange colors will vault off the plate.

Ingredients:

1 bag Tyson Chicken Nuggets
1 6 ounce container Gooseberries (also called Golden Berries) —found in the produce section near the grapes
1 small / slender Sweet Potato
Black Pepper
Ranch Dressing (homemade is best!)

Instruction:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Peel sweet potato and slice into thin chips. Arrange sweet potato slices on a baking sheet. Brush both sides of the slices with olive oil. Sprinkle with black pepper. Bake 15-20 minutes until slices are soft and golden.
3. Bake chicken nuggets according to package instructions. (You may be able to bake both potato slices and nuggets on one baking sheet.)
4. Slice gooseberries in half.
5. Cut nuggets into bite-sized pieces (similar size as sweet potato chips).
6. Layer onto toothpick—half a berry, bite of chicken, a sweet potato chip. Arrange on a platter and drizzle with Ranch Dressing. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 30-45.

Bat Wings
with Blackberry Balsamic Reduction

Okay we know these aren’t really bat wings, right? I used Tyson Any’tizer Chicken Wings and added a blackberry reduction to give the wings a darker color along with an explosion of flavor.

Serve a heaping colony of bat wings in a brass or silver bowl (the more tarnished the better). Yes, you’ll need plenty of paper napkins. Wings are MESSY (especially this bat wing version). On second thought, this dish might best be reserved for a more civilized, “sit down” gathering. Presented on a bed of white rice and roasted carrots, this dish is Halloween appropriate, especially in candlelight. Fair warning, blackberry reduction will stain your tablecloth like vampire blood.

Ingredients:

1 Cup fresh Blackberries
3 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Water
1 teaspoon Sugar
1 bag Tyson Any’tizer Honey BBQ Wings

Instruction:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange wings on baking sheet and bake 20-25 minutes. (I prefer to bake them longer than the instructions on bag.)
2. While wings are baking, make blackberry reduction sauce by combining blackberries, vinegar, water, and sugar in a small saucepan on stove. Bring to a boil, reduce, and stir until a syrup forms—about 7 minutes.
3. When wings are cooked, pour blackberry reduction over each piece and bake another 3-5 minutes. (The blackberry syrup blends nicely with the honey barbecue flavoring.)
4. Serve alone as an appetizer or over your favorite rice and roasted carrots. Tip: Using black lava salt rather than white salt looks ideal on roasted carrots, especially at Halloween.

Honeyed Sausage on a Stick
with Sweet Potato and Tart Cherry

Well, these are dangerously divine. I love the combination of flavors in this bite-sized appetizer. No tricks here. Only treats.

Serve these Halloween appetizers on an antique French bread board. The worm holes and knife marks give it undeniable charm with a side dose of unusual.

Ingredients:

1 Small / Slender Sweet Potato
1/2 package Hillshire Farms Cocktail Smokies
1/2 Cup Dried Cherries
Honey
Black Pepper

Instruction:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Peel sweet potato and slice into thin chips. Arrange sweet potato slices on a baking sheet. Brush both sides of the slices with olive oil. Sprinkle with black pepper. Bake 15-20 minutes until slices are soft and golden.
3. In the same oven, arrange cocktail smokies on a baking sheet, drizzle with honey, and roast 10 minutes until hot and sizzling.
4. Cut sausages into two or three tiny pieces.
5. Layer onto toothpick—a sweet potato chip, a sausage bite, a tart cherry. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 30-45. (In the picture above, I used two sweet potato chips per appetizer because I cooked so many.)
6. Optional: drizzle with Ranch Dressing, Honey Mustard, or additional Honey.

That’s it for my Halloween Appetizers made with Tyson Foods products. Since our Halloween party is still a few days away, my husband and a few book club friends had the tough job of taste testing and giving two thumbs up to these various recipes. Now, on to decorating the house. Check back soon for “after” party pics and follow me on Instagram for more Halloween tips!

Are you planning a Halloween party? If so, what’s on your menu?

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.