Monster Eyes and Tasty Bones!

Nothing says Halloween better than loads and loads of sugar. Today's treats are not only fun to make, but kid-friendly, great for kids to help with.

Monster Eyes

1-1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 (1-lb) package confectioners’ sugar (about 4 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (12-oz) package semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
2 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
Miniature M&Ms or sugar eyeballs

1. Blend the peanut butter with the butter, sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl. It may be easiest to use your hands (kids love doing this).

2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with wax paper. Roll the peanut butter mixture by the teaspoon into small balls and place on the baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up the eyeballs.

3. Put the chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave-safe bowl and melt the chocolate in the microwave. Heat on high for 60 seconds, then stir well. If it’s not quite smooth, heat in two or three 10-second bursts, stirring well after each burst. (Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate, stirring frequently, in a double boiler, over just-simmering water. Avoid overheating, which can cause chocolate to seize up into a stiff mass.)

4. Take the sheet of peanut butter balls from the refrigerator. Use a fork or a toothpick to dip each one most of the way into the chocolate, leaving a round or oval opening of undipped peanut butter on top. (This opening in the chocolate will be the cornea.) Hold each ball over the chocolate to catch the drips, and then return to the wax paper, cornea side up.

5. Place an M&M or sugar eye in the center of the peanut butter cornea to make an iris. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Store the eyeballs in the refrigerator or freezer and serve chilled.

White Chocolate Bones

1 (12-ounce) package white chocolate chips (2 cups)
36 pretzel sticks and rods of various sizes
72 mini-marshmallows (about 1 cup)

1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.

2. Place the white chocolate chips in a double boiler over just-simmering water and melt, stirring frequently. As soon as the chips are just melted (there may even be a few solid ones left), remove the pan from the heat and remove the top section of the double boiler so the chocolate’s temperature doesn’t keep rising.

3. Stick marshmallows onto both ends of the pretzels, with the marshmallows’ flat sides parallel to the pretzel.

4. Dip each pretzel in the chocolate and lift out with a fork, letting the excess drip back in the bowl. Lay the bones on the baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes to harden the chocolate. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or at a cool room temperature.

Many thanks to Teia and Tori for all their help with the eyeballs and bones!!! You can find these recipes (and others) on epicurious.com.