Orthodontists will love these Halloween treats

Green Goo Slimedoo

Use a fondue pot to keep this goo warm.

2 cups heavy cream

2 ounces sugar

2 ounces butter

2 pounds white chocolate

6 to 12 drops green food coloring

2 bags of thin pretzel sticks

Strawberries, bananas and thinly sliced apples for dipping

Candy sprinkles

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a nonreactive double boiler set over medium-low heat, bring the cream, sugar and butter to a boil.

Meanwhile, chop the chocolate into small chunks - a serrated knife works best for this. Add the chocolate chunks to the cream mixture in the double boiler, whisking, until it is melted and incorporated into the cream.

Add the food coloring until it is the desired shade of green. Keep mixture warm in a fondue pot. Set out the fruit and the pretzels for dipping with long wooden skewers next to the fondue pot.

Guests can dip their pretzels or fruit into the fondue and then roll them in the candy sprinkles, if desired. Makes 8 servings.

Black and Orange

Bon Bons

1 quart vanilla ice cream

1/2 cup powdered orange drink

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, in chunks

With a small ice cream scoop or melon baller, scoop balls of vanilla ice cream onto a cold cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Place in the freezer to reset the ice cream balls to firm.

Put the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave at medium until liquid, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stop and stir every 30 seconds until melted, be careful not to burn it.

Spread the orange drink powder onto a large plate. Roll the ice cream balls in the powder and return them to the cookie sheet. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the ice cream balls. Return to the freezer until ready to serve. Makes 6 servings.

Spider Bites

1 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon. salt

1/2 tablespoon baking powder

1 package black rope licorice, cut into short 1-inch pieces

1 small tube of green (or color of choice) decorating gel

Toothpicks

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine shortening, sugar, water, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Add eggs into the mixture and blend. Slowly mix in flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder using low-medium speed. Drop tablespoon helpings of mixture onto ungreased cookie sheets and roll each helping into a ball. Bake 9 minutes at 375 degrees. The batch should produce around three dozen cookies. Let cookies cool for about 10 minutes. Then using a toothpick, create four small holes in either side of the cookie. Still using the toothpick, push one end of a piece of the cut licorice into each hole, creating the "legs" of the spider. Keep licorice pieces short so as not to harm braces. Once all eight pieces are in place, create eyes or decorate at will using the green decorating gel.

Source: American Association of Orthodontists, www.braces.org

Pumpkin Cookie Pops

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 cup canned or fresh cooked pumpkin

1 tablespoon orange zest

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

pinch salt

20 wooden sticks (tongue depressors or Popsicle sticks work best)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine with electric mixer the butter, brown sugar and orange zest. Add the pumpkin, egg yolk and vanilla. Mix. Gradually add the flour and spices. Mix with your hands to create a soft dough. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Divide dough in half. Roll out each piece to 1/4-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut into pumpkin shapes with cookie cutters. Place on ungreased baking sheet and securely insert a wooden stick into the bottom half of each pumpkin cookie.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Decorate with favorite frosting.

Frightfully Fabulous Cupcake Sandwiches

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 cup warm water

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1 1/3 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup superfine sugar

2 cups cake flour, sifted

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 can of chocolate frosting or store-bought chocolate mousse

1 container of whipped topping

Assorted braces-friendly candy pieces, such as chopped peanut butter cups, chocolate bars and melt-in-your-mouth candies.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners and set aside. Combine cocoa powder, water and mix until smooth. Fold in mayonnaise. (Make sure cocoa mixture is not too hot to prevent breaking of mayonnaise.) Add vanilla and whisk until smooth.

In mixer, combine sugar, cake flour, baking soda and salt and mix slowly until well-incorporated. Add wet cocoa mixture, mix on medium-high until well blended. Scrape down the sides and blend for 30 seconds. Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 way full of batter. Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool on rack.

Slice each cupcake in half, horizontally, and serve the halves with chocolate mousse or frosting, whipped topping and assorted candy pieces. Kids build the sandwiches by spreading half of a cupcake with mousse/frosting or whipped topping, sprinkling on candy pieces and placing the other half of cupcake on top. Makes 12 sandwiches.

Spooktacular Pumpkin Cake

1 package yellow or white cake mix

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

dash of nutmeg

1/4 cup water (add 2 tablespoons of water if eggs are small)

Put cake mix in a large bowl. Make an indentation in the center and pour in the oil and 1 egg. Mix using mixer, then add the rest of the eggs one at a time, beating after each one. Add pumpkin, sugar, spices, then water. Bake in greased and floured tube pan in 350 degree oven for 60 to 70 minutes (depending on oven calibration). Cool before removing from pan.

Source: American Association of Orthodontists (www.braces.org)