Archive for the ‘Product Ideas’ Category

Meals for Singles

Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011

Some life situations point out how handy it is for people to have access to good, healthy meals for singles.

So many situations call for them:

  • One person of a couple is called away on an emergency, and the other isn’t handy in the kitchen
  • you live alone and get tired of cooking for one
  • you’re on a business trip by yourself and get tired of restaurants
  • you’re a senior living alone
  • you lead a hectic life and don’t want to eat fast food anymore
  • you’re a student!

Since we don’t have dabawallahs (see video) you’ll have to do the next best thing and order singles meals from MagicKitchen.com!

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Have a Food Station Party -8 food station ideas

Monday, February 21st, 2011

food station partyThey’re relegated to weddings, but a food station party would be a blast! Invite 20 people who don’t really know each other. If you don’t have a large, open space, don’t even worry about it. Have two stations in the kitchen, two in the dining room, two in the kitchen. Throw a tablecloth over your bed and dresser and have one in the bedroom!

Seems like a lot of work, doesn’t it? But you don’t want to cater. That’s exactly where we come in. Here are 8 ideas for food stations using MagicKitchen.com food and your own unique serving dishes and decorating skills. A great thing to buy are those little dixie-size cups they use in the Costco stores. Or go to a dollar store and buy a bunch of small inexpensive dishes. Get some of your best friends to man the food stations.

  1. Seafood station: Slices of Bad Boy Shrimp Burrito, bites of Scallops Sancerre or  Pan Seared Tiger Prawns, Crab Cakes and little cups of  Baby Clams With Linguini Marinara.
  2. Vegetarian station: Slices of warm Fire-Roasted Vegetables en Croûte Potato & Cheese Pierogies, cups of hearty Vegetable Stew, Eggplant Parmigiana
    and slices of Gourmet Artisan Flatbread with Kalamata Olives will ensure everyone will visit this station.
  3. Soup Station: Hot cups of soup will be extremely popular, and people can pick from Broccoli, Mushroom & Zucchini Soup, Chicken Rice Soup , Seafood Medley , Vegetable Barley Beef Soup, or Many Bean Soup.
  4. Pasta Station: Lots of hot gourmet pastas. Yum. Cheese Tortellini with Mediterranean Sauce, Portabella/Shiitake Mushroom Ravioli, Shrimp Fettucini Alfredo, Spinach Mushroom Lasagna With Light Pesto Sauce, or Vegetable Lasagna.
  5. Carving station: Serve our Beef Short Rib Roast or Roasted Turkey Breast and carve off tender slices.
  6. Meat Station: Beef With Bordelaise Sauce, Osso Buco , BBQ Baby Back Ribs and have a couple of potato dishes to round it out.
  7. Stuffed Foods Station: Foods in puff pastry, so delicate and flavorful! Filet of Beef En Croûte Wellington , Chicken Breast Da Vinci , Chicken Wellington, Turkey Breast En Croute . Add some chicken stuffed with delights: Chicken Breast Montrachet , Apple Almond Stuffed Chicken Leg.
  8. Dessert Station… you didn’t think I’d forget this, did you? Chocolate Cake, Double Fudge Brownie , Dutch Apple Pie , Gourmet Cupcakes, Madeleines Dipped in Chocolate, Creamy Panna Cotta, Ricotta Cheesecake, Handmade Rugulach Pastries, Tiramisu . Oh my.

If you have this party… make room for me, will you?

Melody, MagicKitchen.com blogger

How to Make a Perfect Greek Turkey Salad

Friday, February 18th, 2011

Two methods as usual, on menu and off menu. This is a scrumptious salad that you can stuff into a pita. I even supply a video by The Frugal Chef on making your own pita, for those ambitious enough.

1. on menu:

Roasted Turkey Breast – weigh out six ounces and dice into one-inch chunks

2. Off menu- take a boneless, skinless turkey breast and cook it your favorite way. Weigh out six ounces and dice into one-inch chunks

Continued:

tomatoes – 2, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
Cucumber – 1, seeded, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
sweet onion like vidalia – 1/4 of  an onion, diced fine.
sweet bell pepper, your choice of color – 1/2 the pepper, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
feta cheese – 4 ounces, cubed or crumbled
Pita halves if desired.

Toss the ingredients together in a large bowl. Add dressing (recipe below) and serve immediately, stuffed into pita halves if you like.

Greek Vinaigrette

Ingredients

* 3 tablespoons and 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
* 1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
* 1/4 cup and 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

In a container, mix together the olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, basil, pepper, salt, onion powder, and Dijon-style mustard. Pour in the vinegar, and mix vigorously until well blended.

If you want to be really ambitious, make your own pita bread!

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Enjoy!

Melody, MagicKitchen.com blogger

Creating Gourmet Soups

Monday, January 17th, 2011

Today, I’m going to give you a few soup recipes, both on and off the MagicKitchen.com menu. Here we go!

  1. Delivered Soups: They don’t get easier than MagicKitchen.com soups. Prepared by chefs and delivered to your door.
  2. seafood medley vegetable beef soup
  3. Au Gratin Soup- This is great, gooey with melted cheese.
    Soup au Gratin

    Ingredients

    1 large onion, chopped
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    1 tbsp (15 mL) butter
    1 large potato, peeled and diced
    5 cups  broth of your choice: tomato juice or vegetable, chicken or beef broth
    4 cups vegetables of your choice: sliced carrots, zucchini and celery or chopped broccoli, cauliflower and leeks or sliced mushrooms
    1 can (19 oz) drained lentils
    herbs of your choice: marjoram, thyme, ground cumin or bay leaf
    1 baguette loaf
    1/2 lb. sliced Provolone  or mozarella cheese, shredded

    Preparation:

    In a large pot, cook chopped onion and garlic in a little melted butter until soft. Add potato, broth, vegetables and herbs to taste. Simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.

    Process half of the mixture in blender until smooth. Stir and pour back into pot.

    Ladle soup into ovenproof bowls, top with toasted slices of baguette bread and Provolone or mozarella.

    Broil until the cheese is melted.

  4. Roast Beef Soup -With this recipe you can use leftover MagicKitchen.com Short rib roast or Prime Rib roast. I got this from a great blog I follow: http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com
    Leftover Roast Beef Italian Stew
    (Makes about 2-3 servings, recipe can easily be doubled. Recipe created by Kalyn with inspiration from a magazine at Rand’s but she can’t remember what it was.)1/2 onion chopped
    1/2 green pepper chopped (or more)
    1 T olive oil
    8-10 oz. leftover roast beef or steak (about 1 1/2 cups diced beef cubes)
    2 cups beef stock (or 1 can beef broth plus a little water)
    1 cup slow roasted tomatoes (or 1 can diced tomatoes)
    1/2 T dried oregano
    1/2 T dried basil
    1 cup mushrooms, cut in large chunks
    1-3 T chopped fresh basil (or frozen chopped basil.)

    Cut onion and green pepper into 3/4inch pieces, and roast beef and mushrooms into 1 1/2 inch pieces. In heavy dutch oven type pot, saute onions in olive oil for 3 minutes, add green pepper and saute 3 minutes more. Add beef, stock, tomatoes, oregano, basil, and mushrooms, reduce heat to very low, and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasoning, add salt and pepper if desired. Add fresh basil when stew has cook to desired consistency and cook 5-10 minutes more. Serve hot.

Hope you enjoy these soups!

Melody, MagicKitchen.com blogger

8 Healthy Lunch Ideas on a Budget

Wednesday, January 5th, 2011

Ok, it’s the New Year, resolutions are in place and we’re ready to start 2011 right. But how do we keep that commitment to weight loss when we have to go to work, and fast food restaurants are so handy, quick and inexpensive?

Here are eight ideas for quick, healthy lunches that won’t blow your budget.

  1. Pastas are easy – Our Baby Clam Marinara is a healthy meal delivered to your door.  Just 18% fat, but it’s a hearty 10-oz serving of tasty pasta. I’m adding a second pasta to this first recommendation. Our Portabella/Shiitake Mushroom Ravioli is also a low-fat meal at 26% fat. These are both tasty pastas that will keep you going all afternoon. Or bring your own!

    Portabella Shiitake Ravioli

    Portabella Shiitake Ravioli

  2. Leftovers are great! – Make last night’s healthy dinner a little bigger, and bring leftovers for lunch. For instance, I like to roast a whole chicken with garlic, herbs and  potatoes, carrots, and any other root vegetables in season. Pop a serving  into one container and reheat in a microwave.
  3. Salad Additions – I love grilling chicken breasts and then slicing leftovers to throw into a salad for the next day. Chop your favorite veggies, then bag the chicken slices, some diced low fat cheese and bring along a bottle of no-fat ranch dressing.
  4. Cook Big! – Over the weekend, cook up a big pot of stew or soup, and freeze it in individual portions for the week. Do two the first weekend so you can swap them out over the week. Then you’ll have extras and will always have a selection.
  5. Baked Potato – Here’s a versatile and satisfying lunch. Bake a potato in the microwave, and bring in some lowfat toppings. Good choices are steamed broccoli, a small portion of low-or-non fat sour cream, salsa, low fat cottage cheese,  low fat flavored cream cheese (how about a smoked-salmon flavored one?) and lowfat cheddar.
  6. Go Gourmet! – If you don’t need to lose weight, but want to eat gourmet frozen meals, you could try our One Serving Meals Bundle #1 or One Serving Meals Bundle #2.  The main courses are individually packaged but sold in pairs, so you can eat one of the pair and leave the other in the freezer. We also have single-serving side dishes to go along with the mains. Desserts optional!
  7. Pita Pocket – Stuff half a pita pocket with anything good– beans, lettuce, cabbage, radishes celery, cucumber, chicken, avocado, coleslaw, chopped nuts, feta.
  8. Lettuce Wraps - Bring in anything that you would normally have in a sandwich- tuna or egg salad, lunch meats, leftover chicken, curried food, sliced bratwurst. Wrap it in some nice fresh lettuce leaves with your favorite condiment.

There you go, eat healthy!

Melody, MagicKitchen.com blogger

The Perfect New Year’s Day Menu

Monday, December 27th, 2010

New Year’s Day. You’re maybe a little hung over. You had a great time the night before. This is one of the most relaxing days of the year, all the holiday hoopla is over and your New Year’s resolutions haven’t kicked in yet. here’s a fun video about creating a New Year’s Day Brunch.

I’m going to suggest a full day’s menu,  both on and off the MagicKitchen.com menu. The MagicKitchen.com meals are  frozen dinners delivered to your door. The gourmet frozen meals are easy to put together, delicious and will put a great spin on this last day of the 2010 holidays.

Breakfast, MagicKitchen.com version:
Open a container of your favorite yogurt. I really love Greek yogurt, it’s so rich and thick. Put it into bowls and drizzle with liquid honey. Sprinkle with MagicKitchen.com Gourmet Granola. This granola tastes like love and brown sugar and nuts.

Breakfast, Off the Menu version:

Breakfast Burrito Recipe:
Ingredients:

  • 8 eggs
  • 1/4 c. sour cream
  • 4 tortillas
  • 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
  • 4 oz. leftover ham, turkey or lunchmeat, diced
  • 1 chopped tomato
  • 1 chopped green onion
  • 2 T. chopped fresh cilantro, if desired
  • 1/2 T. cumin
  • 1/2 T. chile powder
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Whisk the eggs and sour cream together with salt and pepper.

2. Spray a fry pan with non-stick coating and add egg mixture. Cook eggs over medium-low heat, stirring continuously until eggs are done. Stir in grated cheese and pre-cooked ham or turkey, and cumin & chile powder. Remove from heat and set eggs aside in a bowl.

3. Wipe out the frying pan. Spray again with non-stick coating. Add each tortilla wrap, one at a time and cook over medium heat, about 3 minutes each side. Remove from heat and keep warm.

4. In the center of each tortilla, place about 1/3 c. of the egg mixture, sprinkle chopped tomatoes, onions and cilantro over the top. Fold the bottom of the tortilla up about one third of the way, then fold in the sides, then roll up. Wait a few minutes for them to set. Cut the tortillas in two.

5. Serve with fresh tomato salsa, sour cream, or hot sauce.
Serves 8

Lunch, MagicKitchen.com version:

Our light, fresh and really delicious Portabella/Shiitake Mushroom Ravioli.

Portabella Mushroom Ravioli

Portabella/Shittake Mushroom Ravioli

Lunch, Off the Menu version:

Fresh tomato and Basil Pasta
Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound rotini pasta
  • 2 boxes grape or cherry tomatoes
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 cups torn fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan (optional)

Directions

  1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and keep warm in a serving bowl.
  2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and stir just until they burst.
  3. Spoon the tomato mixture over the pasta; add pasta,sprinkle with the Parmesan, and toss gently. Serve Immediately.

Serves 4-6.

Supper, MagicKitchen.com version:

Time for one last blast of wonderful food before real life begins again. Scallops Sancerre, Rice pilaf, Corn Medley and Family-size Chocolate cake.

Scallops Sancerre

Scallops Sancerre - puff pastry cup not included

Supper, Off-the Menu version:

Make it easy on yourself with an easy to prepare soup and a fresh baguette from the bakery. While you’re at the bakery, pick up your favorite dessert.
Here’s a Navy Bean Soup that can be simmering all day long.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound dried navy beans
  • 2 quarts boiling water
  • 2 ham hocks or a ham bone
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1 to 2 cups chopped ham
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Wash beans; put in a pot and boil hard for one minute. Turn off heat and let sit for one hour. Drain.
  2. Add beans to large pot along with ham bome or hocks. Add water to generously cover.
  3. Simmer ham bone or hocks with the beans until beans are tender. Remove bones. Add chopped onions and celery. Add water to make about 1 gallon. Add ham meat, salt, and pepper to taste. Cook about 30 minutes longer.

Serves 12 or more.

Happy New Year!

Melody, MagicKitchen.com blogger

Meal Accompaniments – Part One of Two

Wednesday, December 15th, 2010

We get a lot of customers wondering what accompaniments would go best with certain main courses. Here’s a guide to accompaniments both on and off the menu.

Our Lamb Shank with Rosemary & Mint Sauce is a tender piece of delicious lamb on the bone. We recommend our scalloped potatoes and broccoli, peas and corn, with a light panna cotta for dessert.

Off the menu, mashed potatoes and your favorite steamed vegetables. For wine, a nice Merlot would go nicely.

Our Fire-Roasted Vegetables en Croûte are a unique little package. The veggies inside are a truly delicious blend with a Mediterraean bent. I would select the creamy Lemon Risotto to accompany it.

Off the menu, a green salad with a light vinaigrette would work, and a Chardonnay wine.

The Almond-Crusted Salmon is a favorite of many, including me. I love it with our Buttered Carrots and Fresh Cut Corn Medley – just fresh, fresh tastes and textures.

Off the menu, a creamy cucumber salad! Cucumber is a wonderful foil for salmon, they taste great together. Pan-roasted potatoes would also go well, with a light Beaujolais or Pinot Noir.

As it happens, I’m having this tonight! Magic Mashed Potatoes sop the delicious gravy, and French Green Beans with Mushrooms and Cream Sauce are a wonderful side.

Off the menu, make your own favorite mashed potatoes and steamed veggie. I’m having cookies for dessert myself. A Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon are good wine choices.

Our new Seafood Medley Soup stands well on its own with just a crusty bread, but you can also incorporate our Verdura Flatbread nicely into this meal.

Off the menu, bake your favorite biscuits or heat up some bakery buns.

Keep your eyes here for part two, and let me know if you have any particular dishes you’d like to appear.

Melody, MagicKitchen.com blogger

Roasted Turkey Breast – The Best Holiday Backup

Thursday, November 25th, 2010

Ok, the Roasted Turkey Breast is the best. Tender, moist, flavorful. It’s already cooked. Here are some recipes that will make your holidays so easy using the Turkey Breast and other ideas from our kitchens!

Roasted Turkey Breast

Roasted Turkey Breast

Creamy Turkey Mushroom Soup

4 cups sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cups each sliced carrots & celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp margarine
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp dried marjoram
1 Tbsp dry sherry
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 (10 oz) can chicken broth
1 cup cubed cooked turkey
1/3 cup cooked white rice (or use leftover Rive with vegetables from MagicKitchen.com)
1/2 cup 2% milk mixed with 1 Tbsp flour OR 1/2 cup cream

Combine mushrooms, onion, celery, carrots, garlic and
margarine in a large pot. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until vegetables are soft.

Add salt, thyme, and marjoram; stir well.  Add
milk with flour or cream and remaining ingredients, stirring well. Heat until hot and slightly thick.

Makes about 5 cups

From Recipetips.com
Turkey Panini with Cranberry and Pears

6 slices turkey – thin sliced, left over turkey works great
1 tablespoon brown mustard – spicy
12 slices Muenster cheese – thin sliced
1/2 onion – thin sliced and sauteéd in olive oil for 15 minutes
1/2 cup cranberry sauce
1/2 pear – skinned, sliced thin
1/2 loaf of your favorite unsliced bread like Ciabatta

  • Cut loaf of bread in half.
  • Cut in half horizontally through the middle.
  • Butter outside of bottom half and place on the panini pan.
  • Spread mustard on the top side of the bread in the pan.
  • Layer cheese over the mustard, then the carmelized onion, then cranberries and then the pear.
  • Top with six more slices of cheese.
  • Top with the top half of the bread.
  • Butter the outside all over.
  • Turn heat onto medium, press the panini press on top and grill until the bottom is golden brown, approximately 8-10 minutes.
  • Flip the sandwich over, press and grill the second side.

Other Recipes:

Smoked Chicken Salad

Serves 4

This zesty chicken salad recipe makesfor a great sandwich filling, or wrap it up with veggies in fresh tortillas. It’s a
delicious way to use our smoked half chicken. You can serve the salad right away, or prepare it in advance
and keep it covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to one day.

Ingredients

6 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons chopped canned chipotle

chilies, optional

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 cups finely chopped smoked

chicken (about 12 ounces)

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow bell

pepper

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

Instructions

Mix the first 4 ingredients together in a bowl until combined. Fold in the smoked chicken, and then add the
rest of the ingredients.

Season the salad to taste with salt and pepper. Serve on crusty rolls, or wrap it up in fresh tortillas.

MagicKitchen.com Corn Salad

Serves 4

4-serving MagicKitchen.com Fresh Cut Corn Medley

1/2 small red onion, finely diced

3 Tbsp. Cider Vinegar

3 tablespoons good olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black

pepper

1/2 cup julienned fresh basil leaves

Thaw the Corn Medley overnight. Toss the corn in a large bowl with the red onions, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Just before serving, toss in the fresh basil. Taste for seasonings and serve cold or at room temperature.

Serves 4

Mashed Potato Salad

Serves 4

4 servings of MagicKitchen.com Mashed Potatoes, thawed

2 boiled eggs, chopped

1/2 tsp. mustard

2/3 tsp. mayonnaise

1/4 c. bell pepper, chopped

1/4 c. onion, chopped

2 tsp. sweet pickle relish

1/2 tsp. salt to taste

Mix all ingredients together. Serve at room temperature.

10 most Popular Thanksgiving Foods Plus the perfect Gift

Monday, November 8th, 2010

Thanksgiving is a wonderful vacation, but can be stressful. Here’s a video that will start your vacation off right with a laugh.  When people can’t make it to the table, send a Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner for 4 or 8.

10 most popular Thanksgiving Foods:

10. Pecan Pie -this sweet, nutty treat is great served with whipped cream.

9. Apple Pie – This can be served warm, cold, with cheese, with ice cream or with a dollop of cinnamon whipped cream.

8.  Turkey Gravy – Rich turkey gravy is great over turkey, potatoes, and dressing, and makes the leftovers even better.

7. Homemade Rolls – warm from the oven, there’s nothing like homemade rolls.  The best way to reheat your homemade rolls (or fresh bakery rolls) is to place the rolls in a paper bag. Spray the bag with water pretty liberally but do not soak.  Place on pan in oven at 350 for a few minutes (maybe 5-10) until hot. You can also wrap the rolls in aluminum foil and heat them on the oven rack at 350 for 5-10 minutes.

6. Corn -Corn is a traditional Thanksgiving food. Frozen is really better than canned corn. Frozen corn not only tastes better, but it’s healthier. If you have fresh corn that you’ve frozen yourself, even better!

5. Mashed Potatoes – Try keeping them in a slow cooker at warm to keep them warm throughout the meal. You know people will be coming back for seconds!

4. Stuffing - Try MagicKitchen.com’s Apple-sage stuffing. Moist and flavorful.

3. Cranberry Sauce – Good from a can, better if made from scratch. Easiest from MagicKitchen.com!

2. Pumpkin Pie – Serve it cold with a dollop of whipped cream. Classic, rich and sinfully delicious!

1. Turkey – Roasted, smoked or deep-fried, Turkey is the number one favorite food for Thanksgiving. The Food Network can help!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Melody, MagicKitchen.com blogger

Halloween Party Ideas

Monday, September 20th, 2010

Some of the best parties are thrown on Halloween, whether they are for kids, or adult costume parties. Here are some unique ideas for decorations, costumes and food!

Decorations

It’s always more fun to make your own. Here are a few easy things to do:

1. Colored light bulbs. Make the lighting eerie with red and blue bulbs.

2. Make a few headless men (or women), using used clothes stuffed with rags. A little fake blood (recipe below) and you have a scary creation to hang on the back of the bathroom door or in an unobtrusive corner of the kitchen.

3. Good with a  saw? Cut outlines of coffins out of light plywood, and paint black with a white skull and crossbones, and stand them in corners. Or cut out tombstones and write R.I.P on them.

4.  Use some of the ideas here: http://www.hgtv.com/holidays-occasions/using-a-pumpkin-carving-template/index.html to carve cool and interesting pumpkins.

5.  Make some scarecrows and put them around the yard.

6.  Cut black plastic trash bags into strips and hang them in a stairwell. Add fake spider webs and fake plastic spiders for a great effect. You can make spider webs out of cotton batting, or buy them cheaply around Halloween at your local dollar store.

Fake Blood recipes: http://www.halloween-website.com/fake_blood.htm

Costume Ideas

For adults:

1. One of my favorite all-time costumes was one I wore when I was younger (and slimmer). I took a plastic trash barrel and painted it to look like a barrel, with straps for the shoulders. Inside I attached a plastic water dispenser, with a tap that was outside the barrel. I filled it with wine, and became a person dressed in a barrel that dispensed wine. Of course, for modesty I wore a leotard underneath.

2. What could be easier than a witch costume? Wear your most flattering black clothes, grab a pointy hat from the dollar store, and have fun with makeup. Bring along a broom for effect.

3.  How about the old standby, a hippie? Tie die clothing, long wig , sandals, headband, anything with a fringe on it (vests, purse…) light colored sun glasses.

4. Hunchback of Notre Dame: Build the hunch out of foam or cardboard.  Find an old coat several sizes too big.  Add some old, ratty clothes and wear a scraggly wig.

For Kids:

1. Spider- wear black tights, (tops and bottoms) and add black pantyhose filled with anything dark and lightweight for the legs. Sew the 8 legs to the tights, add a little makeup, voila!

2. Grab a friend and take 2 cardboard boxes, paint them white.  Cut out several black circles (From construction paper) and glue them in the appropriate places to make you and your friend a pair of dice!

3. Wear any pants you want and an over-sized white shirt or smock, splattered with paint. You can also smudge some paint on your face, hands, etc.

Using a piece of cardboard, cut out a paint palette shape. Use paint to make 4 or 5 circles of paint on the palette. Glue an old paintbrush to the palette. Let dry.

For a finishing touch, use eyeliner to draw a small mustache and goatee, and don’t forget a beret!

Many more ideas here: http://costumeideazone.com/

Food

It depends on whether you want to get all Halloween on the food, and potentially gross your guests out, Or have an easy meal that will keep them happy.

Go the gross route here: http://www.divinedinnerparty.com/halloween-food.html

Or make it easy on yourself and order a couple of Family-sized Chicken Pot pies, a few orders of BabyBack ribs and beef brisket, and some pierogies and some delicious desserts from MagicKitchen.com!