Halloween Family Dinner

Frances Janisch
Sometimes all the hullaballoo over Halloween can be a little overwhelming for you and the kids.....choosing costumes, carving pumpkins, making decorations, deciding when exactly to head out for trick or treating and what the route is.

A low-key Halloween dinner is a way for the whole family to have fun, without much effort. Check out this Halloween menu: Deviled "Dino" Bones (the ribs take a long time in the oven, but the preparation is snap), Sweet Potato Ghosts, Cauliflower "Bloody Brains," and Pumpkin Bat Cake.

See below for all the Halloween recipes you need for a perfectly spooky supper...

• Learn how to make Halloween candy crafts with leftover candy.
• Visit Holidash for Halloween decorating ideas.
• Plan a spookalicious menu for a kids Halloween party.
• Have the ultimate gross-out table this Halloween.
• Host a grown-up Halloween cocktail party.

Frances Janisch

DEVILED DINO BONES

Buttery bread crumbs make these meaty "dino" bones irresistible. The beef ribs are the bone section of a standing rib roast -- you'll find them in many supermarkets.

Frances Janisch

SWEET POTATO GHOSTS

A smooth mixture of sweet and boiling potatoes transforms into a cluster of adorable orange ghosts with the help of a pastry bag or resealable plastic bag. And helpers are welcome -- little fingers are perfect for adding the tiny olive "ghost eyes."

Frances Janisch

CAULIFLOWER "BLOODY BRAINS"

Tender, steamed cauliflower drizzled with a striking beet-red vinaigrette really completes the Halloween dinner plate. This just might be the dish that convinces your little goblins to dive into their vegetables.

New Media Publishing

PUMPKIN BAT CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Or Black Cat Cake, or Witch Cake...there are many free stencils on line, so feel free to get creative with decorations. You could even use Halloween candies to decorate it. No matter what you choose, guests will rave about this moist pumpkin cake topped with rich cream cheese frosting, and because it calls for canned pumpkin pie mix, it's a snap to make.