A Halloween Recipe and a New Giveaway

The winner of the Salem giveaway is: Creepy Glowbugg! Congrats and send me your info!


Though one of you won't receive this until after Halloween, I wanted to make a Halloween basket for this week's giveaway. It is full of all sorts of Halloween treats. There is graveyard dirt soap, a skull journal, salt water taffy from the Salem trip, Halloween dish towels, Indian corn, a bat lollipop and all sorts of fun things. To enter just leave a comment on this post. If you are not already a follower, sign on to follow!

Now for a special Halloween recipe:


Baked Brain! Now don't run screaming from the room in too much of a hurry. This is one very yummy recipe! A perfect Halloween party food. You don't have to use too much of your brain to realize there is no brain in this recipe. And making it is really a no brainer too!




I made two so just cut this in half for one.

Start with puff pastry sheets.


You can make up your own filling or use mine. For this one I am using onion, assorted peppers, mushrooms, chorizo sausage and brie.


Start by melting a bit of schmaltz. That is bacon grease for you non-Germans.


Dice a large onion very fine.


Add the onion to the schmaltz and saute' until translucent.


Dice the chorizo into small dice.


Add it to the onion.


Dice the peppers. I like using all of the Fall colors for this.


Dice the mushrooms.


Saute' all of this until softened but don't overcook.


Set it aside to cool.


Cut your brie in half.


Scoop a bit of it out on both halves to make an indentation.


Roll your puff pastry out a bit.


Place one half of the brie in the middle of the sheet.


Place three egg yolks in three different dishes. Add red food coloring to one yolk and then black and green to the others.


Stir the yolks to blend the colors. You have just made edible paint. You can use this mixture to paint cookies and pie crusts too.


Now shovel on some of the filling.


Then cover the filling with the other half of the brie.


Dampen the edges of the pastry with water and fold all four corners into the center. Then pull in the other corners and pat them into place. Turn this over and place it on a foil covered cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray.



Cut thin strips from the other pastry sheet. Roll them on the counter until they are rounded.


Dampen the pastry on the brie with a little water and coil the pastry strips to look like a brain. Now the fun really starts. Kids love helping with this next part.


I start with the green and brush it over parts of the brain.


Then I add the red and the black until it looks seriously gross.


Voila....two brains ready to be baked.


You can refrigerate it at this point but let it come to room temperature before baking. I save the brie paper and place the brains on it for refrigeration.


Bake it for about 45 minutes in a 400 degree oven. It puffs up and turns golden when it is done.




Serve straight from the oven for a wonderful gooey flowing brain matter effect.


Serve it with crackers or sliced baguette. This is seriously delicious!


Where does this red line lead you to in Salem?


To this creepy haunted house next to the cemetery.


Notice the branches growing out of the porch roof.


And the dead ivy on the inside of the window.


If you visit Salem you must stop by this cemetery.


Some of the names of the interred.


A perfect Salem setting.


Wonderful old gravestones.


Oh no Blog Tech.....don't leave me!!!


He's ALIVE!!!! Phewww....that was almost the end of this blog.

A map of who's buried where. Thank heaven the Blog Tech's name can not be found on this.

Comments

brokenteepee said…
I love baked brain! such a clever idea...

I will have to remember that with my bad brain. heh
You have the best ideas for recipes. How fun this would be at a party! Also Whew glad the blog tech was just resting! Happy Halloween !! I love your new basket so throw my name in the pot!
You are just too funny!. I love the brains recipe. I really have a thing about visiting any cemetery. I find reading the headstones so wonderful.
Chrissykat said…
Baked Brain...hilarious! Happy Halloween Octoberfarm!!!
Dirgesinger said…
Congrats to the winner!

And thanks for the baked brain idea, thats so awesome! I am still pondering if I should try that:)

And as for the Salem graveyard photos - I am a taphophile so I especially love those!

And please enter me in the new giveaway:)
That baked brain idea is adorable! And what a spooky cemetery :)


Count me in on that Giveaway!! Hope I win! ♥
Those are the most delicious looking brains I have ever seen! I have always wanted to bake brie in pastry and this is a perfect Halloween way to do it!
Anonymous said…
Congratulations to Creepy Glowbugg!

IOt really does look creepy that brain :-) :-) :-) Perfect zombie food on Halloween :-)

Do they do any repairs on that haunted house? If they don´t won´t it just fall apart otherwise? That would be a shame if that happened. I like it a lot like it looks now :-)

Happy Halloween!
Christer.
BeMistified said…
Congrats winner!

Salem is one place that is on my "list" yeah, I won't say bucket list. I had a post about that subject haha!

Braaaaaaaaaaaaaains! Perhaps if the Zombies attack, we can cook this and fool them?
Creepy Glowbugg said…
More brains!!! I know that is what you hear when you eat that thing! It looks amazingly delectable! Wish I had that receipe for my party last weekend. Next year for sure!! Why wait until next year? Tomorrow is perfect.
Thank you again for the awesome Salem gift giveaway! I will be waiting by the mailbox until it arrives!!
Thmini2 said…
Your recipes always look so good. I will have to find out how I can make them gluten free as my husband has celiac disease. Otherwise have them all to myself. LOL. I love the haunted houseI the ivy and branches.Salem looks so interesting and I am so glad that you brought us on your journey.
Thank you for another give-away. You always have such interesting ones.
Melodie said…
Baked brain! That is what I thought I had,lol! Looks perfect for Halloween!
That brain recipe looks awesome!
Sharlene T. said…
Congratulations, Creepy Glowbugg! And, for a perfect Halloween, Brains... yeah... this is a fantastic recipe and definitely one to try in the solar oven... thanks for the creation and sharing... Happy Halloween.. Thank you so much for the card!
fun post! I love your basket ideas.

-Lauren
lauren51990 at aol dot com
Faerie Sage said…
Still a follower! Loved the look of your brains!
faerie.sage@gmail.com
Millie said…
That brain looks so yummy! What a very creative idea!
Sharon Day said…
That recipe came just in time! I'm having friends over for an autumn-feeling supper and now I have something new to try. The giveaway looks excellent. I just love how it's autumn all year long at your place. I'm still hoping you'll adopt me as Teddy's sister.
Please enter me in the giveaway! Not sure if I am brave enough for the brains lol but it looks good! ;)
Carapace said…
Ah, I keep forgetting Baked Brain! Totally have to make that myself, with cheese, maybe, instead of pastry for my gluten-free household...

Love that Halloween basket! You really know how to set a mood. Now I'm all rarin' to get dressed up!

carapacenator(at)gmail.com
Ann said…
I've heard that two brains are better than one so I see no need to cut the recipe in half. That is perfectly gruesome.
That house is definitely spooky looking too
Cool basket
AmyB said…
Baked Brain!
-carnelin@gmail.com
meeyeehere said…
You have such a great town! I want to be your neighbor!!I say that every time I stop by your blog.
Who is the cute corpse??? I like that dead guy,glad you dug him up!
BronnyB said…
Thank you so very much for sharing all your Salem Photos - it has brought Halloween so much closer this year around - It really looks to be a fascinating place.

Baked Brains!!! ewwww..What a great idea, but somehow I don't think I could serve that one up to the family - however - we are going to be having little mummies on a stick for lunch (If I can get the recipe right)

I'd love to enter your competition - I'd be all set for new decorations for next year!!!
here we go.....

i LOVE the brain...!!!

and that cemetary...i would just love to spend Halloween there...
i have on my ghosts in the graveyard c.d. teddy keeps looking around...he is back on the couch now though...i think he likes it...


oooooo hooo hooo hooo

happy halloween eve to everybody

kary and teddy
xxx
nightowl said…
This looks yummy. Enjoyed looking at all of the pictures, too.
winit6 at hotmail dot com
TMCPhoto said…
those baked brains look super yummy, I may just have to add that to the list of party fare...
Heather said…
Congrats to the winner!!

Those baked brains- looks so gross and delicious at the same time, although I'm not usually a big fan of chorizo.
Watcher said…
Now I am prepared for the zombie apocalypse! Thanks! *giggle*
Nydia said…
Thanks for sharing this triple cool post: a great giveaway as usual, a yummy recipe (I adore brie!), and these awesome photos from Salem!

Kisses from us.
Marfi-topia said…
Great post!
the brain looks terrifying and yummy all at once, lol
Thanks for the haunted house pictures , Salem looks so beautiful..I enjoyed all the pictures and discriptions so so much.
and it looks like the blog tech is having so much fun!
have a great night!
Lila said…
I LOVE your basket of goodies~~Trick or Treat!!!
neroli18@live.com
dizzijoi said…
Whew about blog tech. Hilarious!!!
Sooz said…
That baked brain is a wonderful idea! I just love your blog..... and as I have said before... loving the Salem stuff!
pattyj said…
Love the brains! Looks really yummy.
I do so enjoy the photos of Salem as I have always wanted to go there, but (sigh) will probably never make it.
Please enter me in your drawing too.
Thanks so much and pet Teddy for me please!
That's a good idea! Happy Halloween!!
The Captain said…
You make the yummiest things! I want to go to Salem so badly, maybe next year.
Great post as always....yummy...with a few vegetarian modifications...I mean who does NOT like brie! :D

Thanks for one everything you do. You are seriously one of my favorite blogs.

Always look forward to visiting.

Happy Halloween to you!!

Cheers!
Judith said…
Running out to get the ingrediants... I'm going to do this for my coven meeting tonight!!!! enter me also in your give a way! thanks
Guillaume said…
Happy Halloween! And I want to try this recipe!
Yalco (Chris) said…
HAPPY HALLOWEEN! And thanks for another amazing (and very clever) recipe. Too late for me to give it this year, but I will file the idea away for next year.
Debbie said…
Very cool recipe Joyce! Oh I am glad the Blog Tech is ok too. Gosh that reminded me of a friend I had in San Diego years ago from France. She loved to go to the park and lay on the square hedges and pretend she was dead. I have a great picture of her doing just that. I can tell you are having the time of your life and your kids are right there with you!! What a great life eh?
SalemMomma said…
I love your recipes, and am enjoying your photo tour of Salem! I live in Salem too, but on the other side of the country. :( Sadly, it's not the same...
petoskystone said…
the branches on the haunted houses' porch remind me of stage horns. brain! awesome!! will be sharing this idea...:)& what a fantastic basket giveaway...congrats to creepy glowbugg (neat pen name).
Every zombie in town will want to come to your party . . . . braaaaaaiiiiinnnsss!
Anonymous said…
Oh Jaz that looks so ooey gooey yummy !
Teddy You are such a sweetie !
what a lovely basket !
Zombie Queen said…
LOVE the baked brain idea! lol
Birgit said…
Baked brain -- yummy!

Thanks also for the chance to win those Halloween goodies -- you rock!

Hugs,
Birgit
He's alive!

Wheeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww...

Blog Tech is much too cute, to pass on yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

>,-)
BleuMoon said…
I love your recipes the brain looks so yummy!

bleumoon
Sandi said…
As usual, I am lovin your blog. Happy Halloween
VictorianGypsy
Christina said…
Found this blog through Confessions of a Pagan Soccer Mom & am loving it!
Unknown said…
I just love your blog!!! Will definitely be trying this recipe real soon. Thank you for everything!

Hugs and blessings!
Ms. Howdy said…
I would so love to try baked brain (or pretty much anything you make)! I would also love to win one of your gift baskets. I would be so excited! Looking forward to seeing more recipes for November. :)
Hi. I love your blog. I grew up in the Northshore area (lived in Peabody for 3 & 1/2 years & worked there for 15 years). It's been a year since we've been to Salem (we live in NH now). I miss it. We did a ghost tour that brought us to that haunted house on 1 of the 1st dates with my hubby. haha.
hurray! graveyard dirt soap! what a great name. :D
You had me at chorizo and brie! LOL Thanks so much. I'd love to be entered into your giveaway (I am a follower). :) Theresa
Mother Moon said…
oh my goodness.. look at all that cheese... and whats inside.... goodness... gooey brains... never thought I would say it but pass the fork...
Sugar said…
wow those loook awesome!!!
mmmmmmmmm

Love all your fun pics too! I wish I could visit!

I would love to be entered in the giveaway if it's not too late :)
Gianetta said…
I'm gonna have to try the baked brain recipe.
Ms Smirk said…
Please include me on the giveaway!!!
Amanda said…
I think I am gonna try and make this today, even though it's not halloween, all that yummy cheese makes me hungry!! :)