The Conversation
Halloween is arguably one of the most fun holidays. There are no gifts to buy, there’s candy corn recipes galore and you get to be someone you’re not for a night! That means you want to spend most of your time partaking in the party and *not* slaving away in the kitchen. The solutions to this are no-bake Halloween treats and a stockpile of make-ahead recipes that you can either prep early or cook way in advance so that you can relax once guests arrive. While you’re contemplating this year’s costume, get to pinning these 14 make-ahead recipes that will make your Halloween a breeze.
1. Gummy Worm Ice Cubes: Whether you’re indulging in a cocktail or serving a bunch of kids mocktails, these creepy crawly cubes will liven up any drink. You can dye the cubes any color you wish or you can try using juices instead. (via Taking Care of Monkey Business)
2. Bloody Good Cheesecake: Red velvet cheesecake serves as the bloody base for this massacre. The dripping blood is a frightening mixture of corn syrup, red food coloring and cornstarch… Or is it? Make sure you start the cheesecake a day in advance so it has plenty of time to chill. (via Sugar Dish)
3. Halloween Bundt Cake: Thanks to boxed cake mix, this cake isn’t nearly as difficult to make as it looks. The fun part is getting messy with icing and sprinkles to create your own Halloween masterpiece. (via Love Bakes Good Cakes)
4. Chocolate-Dipped Candy Corn Rice Krispie Treats: Enlist the help of a few kids and these candy corns will basically make themselves. When stored in an airtight container they’ll keep for several days… If you can keep everyone out of them. (via Pint-Sized Treasures)
5. Chocolate and Caramel Apples: Why would you spend a fortune on gourmet chocolate apples when you can easily make your own? Decorate each one with different toppings and prepare for people to fight over them. (via Hey Modest Marce)
6. Creepy Jello Cups: Jello is the ultimate make-ahead treat because it can last for ages in the fridge without changing. Pro tip: Definitely turn these into creepy Jello shots for an adults-only party. (via From Brazil to You)
7. Day of the Dead Cookies: Get your piping bags ready, because you have quite the task ahead of you. These intricate masks may be more advanced, but if you enjoy cookie decorating, it’ll be a fun challenge for the holiday. (via Wilton)
8. Halloween Trail Mix: No good Halloween party is complete without a snack mix. Combine all of the components way before guests arrive and try your best not to pick out all of the good stuff. (via The House of Hendrix)
9. Halloween Candy Saltine Bark: Break into your Halloween candy early to top this sweet and salty bark. It’s quick, it’s delicious and you don’t have to wait until the last moment to fix it. (via The Blonde Buckeye)
10. Pumpkin Slice and Bake Cookies: Slice and bake cookies are a must during any holiday. If you decide to make your own, you can freeze them and then slice off however many you need at a time. (via My Name is Yeh)
11. Pretzel Pumpkins: Instead of handing out the same old candy every year, make these pretzel pumpkins to give to trick or treaters. Pre-package them in baggies and they’re ready to distribute on Halloween. (via About)
12. Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Dip: Halloween kicks off pumpkin pie season, so it’s only fitting that you represent at your party. Serve this cheesecake dip in a hollowed baking pumpkin alongside Biscoff cookies for the ultimate dunking experience. (via A Night Owl)
13. Cheesy Halloween Breadstick Bones: These scary and delicious bones can be made up to the baking point and then frozen. When you’re ready, just pop them in the oven and serve with your favorite blood — er, marinara. (via Just a Taste)
14. Shredded Chicken and Rice Stuffed Peppers: Even if you’re just having a chill Halloween at home, you have to celebrate a little bit. Turn your mundane dinner into a festive pumpkin by carving a jack-o’-lantern face in an orange bell pepper. (via Everyday Jenny)
Follow us on Pinterest for more easy + delicious Halloween recipe ideas.
Paige is a blogger, food writer and culinary master from Louisville, Ky. She's a newlywed who's obsessed with dogs and renovating her 117 year old home. When she's not working on her blog — My Modern Cookery — you can find her binge watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S with a triple shot latte in-hand.
More From Appetizers
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Want to feel motivated to take the next step for your business? Let Office Depot OfficeMax give you the confidence you need with a suite of business services & solutions to help you put your best foot forward. Make a good first impression with business cards & build the business pitch of your dreams with custom presentations. With Office Depot OfficeMax you'll find the tools to reach new customers with confidence.
Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.
Keep Reading
Show less