Eerie eats evoke image of gruesome grub

(A small watermelon can be carved and filled with gelatin to resemble a brain/Gannett News Service photos)

Oh, who can resist eerie eats for Halloween?

Trick-or-treating will begin Saturday, and Halloween has become one of the biggest party days of the year.

You'll find some fun, imaginative, creepy treats on Busy Cook in today's Poughkeepsie Journal. There are recipes for both kids and adults.

One thing that caught my eye, so to speak, was the garnish for the Eyeball Martinis. Radishes are peeled, leaving a bit of the skin on them for the blood-shot effect, a small hole is carved into the middle and a small pimento-stuffed olive is placed in the hole. The eyeball radishes can also be placed in an ice-cube tray for freezing and used in drinks.

Fun stuff.

Here are a couple more recipes that would be good any time of year, but because it is Halloween, the gruesome green color of these dips only adds to the allure.

The recipes are adapted by The Associated Press from “Martha Stewart Halloween Spirited Celebrations,” her holiday specialty magazine, which "delivers frights and flavor."
Keeping with the dark theme of Halloween, serve the dips with blue or black bean tortilla chips.

(Guacamole with Black Beans, foreground and Tomatillo Salsa Verde can be served with dark blue corn chips/Larry Crowe, Associated Press photo)

Guacamole with Black Beans

Start to finish: 10 minutes
Makes 3 cups

1. 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
2. 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
3. 1/2 large white onion, finely chopped
4. 1 teaspoon minced jalapeno pepper (seeds removed, if desired)
5. 1 1/2 teaspoons minced chipotle in adobo
6. 1 small clove garlic, minced
7. 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice (from 1 to 2 limes)
8. 2 avocados, pitted and peeled
9. 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
10. Blue corn tortilla chips, for serving
    

• In a medium bowl, combine the beans, salt, onion, jalapeno, chipotle, garlic and lime.
• Mash the avocados, then stir them into bean mixture along with the cilantro.
• Serve immediately, with chips.

Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Start to finish: 15 minutes
Makes 1 1/2 cups

1. 1 pound tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed well and dried
2. 1/2 large white onion, peeled and sliced
3. 1 jalapeno pepper, halved lengthwise (half seeded)
4. 2 garlic cloves (not peeled)
5. 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
6. 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
7. Blue corn tortilla chips, for serving

• Heat the broiler.
• On a rimmed baking sheet, combine the tomatillos, onion slices, jalapeno and garlic cloves.
  
• Broil until blackened, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes.
  
• Remove and discard the garlic peels.
• Transfer the broiled ingredients to a food processor, and process until smooth and combined.
  
• Add the cilantro and salt, then pulse until blended.
  
• The salsa can be refrigerated up to 1 day in an airtight container.
  
• Serve with tortilla chips.

(Recipes from “Martha Stewart Halloween Spirited Celebrations”)