Tricks for your halloween treats
By Erica Alayna

So you are planning a halloween party and don't know what to make, or where to start? Here are a couple recipe ideas to make your halloween treats more tricky.

Caramel apples.
10 large apples, washed.
100 caramels
4 tbsp of water
1 c. of peanuts (optional) (also optional 1 Skor bar, halloween colored sprinkles, crushed oreos)
popsicle sticks

1. Insert wooden popsicle sticks into stem end of each apple. Cover large plate with wax paper.
2. Place caramels in large saucepan. Add water; cook on medium-low heat until caramels are completely melted, stirring constantly.
3. Dip apples into melted caramel until evenly coated, spooning caramel over apples if necessary. Allow excess caramel to drip off. Then dip the apples into any of the toppings you want. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until ready to serve. Remove from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature 15 min. before serving. Store leftover dipped apples in refrigerator.

Creepy Cupcakes
1 pkg of cake mix (any kind)
1 pkg of frosting (any kind)
1 tube of orange decorating gel
1 tube of black decorating gel
1 pkg of halloween themed rings (i used purple and black bats)
1 pkg of halloween themed cupcake holders

Make the cupcakes as directed on the cake box. Once the cupcakes are made and frosted, take the black gel and make spiders and witch hats on the frosted cupcakes. Take the orange gel and make pumpkins on the frosted cupcakes, or take the halloween themed rings and decorate the cupcakes. Decorate the table with creepy cloth (it's at the 99 cent store) and put a pumpkin (or a jack o' lantern) in the middle and little tombstones at either end. Take a black garbage bag and cut it vertically into little strips, then pull every other strip and stretch it out and it makes a spooky effect for a curtain effect on your table. Do the same thing for your doorways. If you have an outdoor light change the bulb to a blue bulb or a black light bulb and you are all set for your super scary party.