Something that instantly comes to mind when people speak of Halloween is pumpkins. Now that this holiday is fast approaching, it’s always a great idea to decorate some eerily etched pumpkins outside your house. But before throwing away the meat just yet, why not cook your own delicious pumpkin soup for a truly spooky holiday?

A great thing about pumpkins, especially when making soup, is that not a part of it will be left to waste. For instance, the hollowed out part can be used to contain your soup. You may also toast its seeds and top them as garnish on soup as well. The best part of all is that that making pumpkin soup requires less effort, so you don’t go through so much a fuss much about its preparation.

Here’s a delicious pumpkin soup recipe that’s a surefire hit not just for the holiday but all-year round. To make your own sumptuous spooky soup recipe, here are the ingredients to prepare:

450 grams pumpkins, peeled and chopped

1 red onion; chopped fine

25 grams butter

900 ml chicken broth

75 ml all-purpose cream

Bay leaf

1 ginger root, peeled and grated

Salt, nutmeg & black ground pepper to season

To prepare:

In a pan, melt the butter in low heat. Fry chopped onions until it is nice and soft. Now, raise the heat to medium. Throw in chopped pumpkin then let it cook for approximately 3 minutes. In case you don’t have enough time peeling and chopping your own pumpkin, you may get in puree form, about 495 grams, available in supermarkets.

Next, pour the chicken broth and allow coming to a boil. You may also substitute vegetable stock in place of chicken broth. Add the bay leaf, nutmeg & ginger. Simmer soup for approximately 25 mins. or until pumpkin turns soft and tender.

Then, remove the bay leaf from your soup and puree it inside a food processor or blender. Place it back into your pot. This will give pumpkin soup more flavors. Lower the heat as you stir in all-purpose cream. Add a dash of salt & black ground pepper. Finally, garnish with chives and serve together with bread at the side.

This recipe makes approximately six servings and is suitable for freezing. Be sure to reheat your delicious pumpkin soup to enjoy its savory goodness. Pumpkins are definitely more than just cute, scary decorations for the holiday. They also make for a mouthwatering soup that is sure to fill your stomach.

Whether it’s a simple night at home or a social holiday gathering, try this superb, spooky soup recipe and make them think it’s a holiday everyday!

To stimulate one’s appetite, presentation is key. Food that looks appealing can get people crave for them. If you’re looking for added fun and gross dishes for your upcoming Halloween party, here are some ideas that are sure to be a big hit and is sure to really make party guests scream in delight.

Pimple Poppers

Ingredients:

1 dozen cherry tomatoes, drained

Soft cream cheese spread, flavored

Core the tomatoes using a small knife. Stuff the holes with cream cheese using a butter knife. By gently squeezing them, you give the gross idea of popping out a pimple. Arrange onto a platter and serve.

Hairball salad in drool dressing

Ingredients:

1 ripe avocado

Sprouts

Grated carrots

Vinaigrette or any salad dressing of your choice

Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Scoop out the flesh and put in a bowl adding the sprouts and mashing it using a fork. Having some lumps is fine. Set aside. Then, distribute the grated carrots evenly depending on how many servings you like. Form hairballs the size of walnuts and put them over on your grated carrots. Then drizzle the salad dressing, which constitutes the ‘drool’. Serve.

Ghoulish Eyeballs

Ingredients:

6 hardboiled eggs

6 oz. cream cheese, whipped

7 oz green olives, with pimiento

Red food color

Toothpick

Remove the shell off the eggs and remove the yolks. Stuff the hole with whipped cream cheese so as to form the eyeball. Press one olive to every eyeball. Make sure the pimiento faces up. Now, draw broken blood vessels in the stuffing using the toothpick dipped in red food color.

Stale Bath Water

Ingredients:

12 oz frozen lemonade

2 liters lime soda

Half a gallon sherbet

Thaw the sherbet for about 15 minutes and place in a container. Prepare the lemonade according to package instructions and blend with the lime soda and the sherbet. At this point, the sherbet should melt and turn into grayish-brown liquid, much like used bathwater. You may use colored mints to float on your scummy-looking drink.

Gooey Brains

Ingredients:

1 pack jello

1 carton cottage cheese, small-curd

1 can of berries of your choice, in thick syrup,

Food coloring

To prepare:

First, make the jello according to instructions. Set aside to chill. In a bowl, mix the cottage cheese and your choice of berries carefully, as cheese constitutes the brain matter. Add food color. On a serving plate, place a few tablespoonfuls of your jello, which makes for your brain fluid. Drizzle with thick syrup. Top with the cheese-berries mixture. Serve.

Make these recipes a part of your Halloween party menu. These are must-try gastronomic wonders that are bound to have your party guests screaming in utter delight.