Halloween is right around the corner and with it comes the fun planning of costumes and parties, all in eager anticipation of Friday the 31st. So far my daughter has decided she will be going as a jack o’ lantern (a perfect choice considering that she is 7 and has lost most of her front teeth) and my husband has decided to go as Shrek (eeek!). My son and I are still undecided, but you can certainly tell everyone is looking forward to this fun holiday.

While my kids are focusing on what to be and what to wear, my focus is on whether or not to host a Halloween party, what kind of party will it be (costume/cocktail?, informal open house format?, kid party?) , and once that’s decided what kinds of food to serve.

If you are planning on hosting a cocktail party or an informal open house format my suggestion is to choose finger foods that your guests can munch on as they giggle about each other’s costumes.

Mini Beef Fillets with Horseradish Crème Fraiche

Suggestions for finger foods for your Halloween party include:

• Popcorn with Truffle Oil
  
• Baby Red Potatoes Stuffed with Roasted Garlic & Herbs
  
• Goat Cheese & Sun Dried Tomato Bruschetta
  
• Shrimp Remoulade
  
• Roasted Red Peppers with Fresh Mozzarella
  
• Mini Beef Fillets with Horseradish Crème Fraiche
  
• Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese on Polenta Triangles

Chocolate Buttercream Squares

And for dessert:

• Cookie Platter (an assortment of Glutenfreeda’s Real Cookies)
  
• Chocolate Buttercream Squares
  
• Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

If, however, you are planning on hosting a kid’s Halloween party, might we suggest the following menu items for those cute little princesses and ghosts:

• Polenta Pizzas
  
• Vegetable Platter with Ranch Dressing
  
• Cheese Sticks
  
• Pizza Spaghetti

Caramel Apples

And for dessert:

• Cookie Platter (an assortment of Glutenfreeda’s Real Cookies)
  
• Caramel Apples
  
• Carrot Spiced Muffins

Whichever route you decide to go, we hope you have a very safe and delicious Halloween. For those of you looking for a safe Halloween candy list, please check out our October 2007 article on “Halloween Candy: What is Safe?”. (Please remember, manufacturer’s processes change – it is important to use this list as a guide only. It is always safest to contact the manufacturer and verify that their products are indeed gluten-free.)

Happy Halloween!

- Chef Jessica