"halloween party" news and stories

Is Heidi Klum the "Six-Million-Dollar Woman"? No (her numbers are probably way higher than that), but she is playing a very haute version of a robotic superhero, à la Victoria's Secret, at her Halloween bash, according to Stylelist's sneak peek.

The cocktails, though, are going to be fit for a vampire, with Absolut vodka pairing up with the supermodel to mix some blood-curdling libations, like the Bloody-in-a-shot-glass they're dubbing the Fast Mary. Then there's the Dark Night, which combines pepper-spiked vodka with chocolate liqueur and chili powder. See the recipes from Absolut after the jump.

Heidi and Halloween just seem to go together. Check out this retrospective of Heidi's Halloween looks, as well as some of her tips on great costumes for couples and kids (including Heidi and hubby Seal's drag take on Eve and the apple in the Garden of Eden).

Is there any gathering that would not be made exponentially more festive by the addition of an edible meat head? We thought not. Here's how to craft one of your very own, inspired by a decade-old MIT student Web posting.

First, select and wash a plastic skull. If it seems especially non-food-safe, mummify it in plastic wrap. Set it aside and prepare a batch of red-colored Jell-O, using half the amount of water required by the recipe. Pour this into a shallow pan to a depth of 1/4 inch, chill and let it congeal to a rubbery state.

If you really want to make your Halloween party guests squeal, raise the gross-out factor of the foods.

This Halloween concoction, meant to resemble kitty litter just might take the cake with the gross-out gourmets. And don't worry, those are Tootsie rolls.

I love to host a party around Halloween time -- dressing up is optional, eating is a must! Every year I'm reminded of a story my Granny tells at Halloween. She is the queen of holiday celebrations and always had plenty of food, decorations and guests.

One Halloween, as she was giving away the best treats in the neighborhood, my family cat, Ariadne -- black as night -- decided to show off by stretching and cleaning her paws in the window. Just then, a little boy from across the street rang the doorbell. "Hey lady, did you rent that cat?" he asked my Granny, who responded quickly, "Yes, we just got her yesterday but she expires tomorrow!"

After the jump, find a recipe for Pumpkin Tortellini with Sage and other menu ideas to host your own "Black and Orange" Halloween fest. The catch? You'll have to rent your own black cat!

At the very first Halloween party I can remember, which was when I was about 7, there was a series of boxes, covered in black cloth, with holes cut out so that you could reach in and feel whatever was inside. There were eyeballs (peeled grapes) in one box and brains (slippery cooked spaghetti). I can't recall if there were any others, but I was not alone in my refusal to stick my hands into the mystery boxes. The idea of touching some mystery substance, especially an icky one, was not appealing at all.

Now, I know perfectly well that they were just grapes and noodles and, like so many others, actually enjoy a good scare from time to time. To this end, the best thing to do is to throw a Halloween party, since the even event makes it socially acceptable to scare people a bit. Atmosphere is easy to achieve with a trip to just about any party store, but the food is more difficult. Fortunately, there is a whole guide to making a really creepy Halloween dinner that will have your guests feeling queasy for at least a course or two, even though the food tastes good. Alien Autopsy Shooters or Eyes in Blood Sauce, anyone?

Click past the jump to see a video of the dessert heart being carved up.

via grow-a-brain]

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