Monster Eyeballs

Use miniature M&Ms to make the irises in these monster eyes and begin with very soft butter, or the ingredients will be difficult to blend. Mound the eyeballs into a bowl for serving, or lay them out on a tray in row after unblinking row.

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

1 (3 oz.) package miniature M&Ms

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 teaspoons 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, and 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 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 in the center of the peanut butter cornea. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Store in the refrigerator or freezer, serve chilled.

Makes about 48 eyeballs

Ghostly Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes enriched with butter and cheese and shaped into goofy ghosts are adorably cute and very, very good. They're an excellent accompaniment to any main dish throughout the month of October. The cheddar is optional but it helps the little ghosties to brown nicely in the oven.

8 medium potatoes (I like Yukon Gold)

1/2-3/4 cup milk

4 tablespoons butter

2 ounces cheddar cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup), optional

salt and pepper

black sesame seeds, caraway seeds, or whole cumin seeds

1. Peel and quarter the potatoes and put them in a large saucepan. Cover with water and add a few teaspoons of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender but not falling apart, about 20 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes.

2. Preheat the oven to 400F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

3. Drain the potatoes. Heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Mash the potatoes with a masher or whip them with an electric mixer (never use a food processor, which makes them gluey). Add 1/2 cup of the milk and butter and beat until smooth. If they seem stiff, add the remaining milk. Stir in the cheese, if desired, and season the potatoes to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Spoon the potatoes into a large ziplock bag (or a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip), and cut an opening about 1/2 inch wide off one bottom corner. Pipe little conical ghosts about 4 inches tall onto the prepared baking sheet, pushing down the bag as you pipe to make a thicker base, then tapering upward to a narrow head. Push a couple of seeds into the head for eyes.

5. Bake the ghosts for about 15 minutes, until they are just browning around the edges.

Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.

Recipes reprinted with permission from "Ghoulish Goodies" (Storey Publishing, LLC., 2009)