Boo! Brews

Your little hooligans will need some devilish drinks to wash down their wicked candy bounty. J.M. Hirsch, the AP food writer, has it covered. (Freeze water in a rubber glove for the floating-hand ice shown in the picture above.)

Orange Ooze

(Start to finish 2 1/2 hours, 5 minutes active)

6-ounce container vanilla yogurt
1 cup orange juice
3 cups orange soda, divided
Whipped cream, optional

In a blender, combine the yogurt, orange juice and 1 cup of orange soda. Puree until creamy. Pour the mixture into ice cube trays (it should take about three) and freeze, at least two hours.

Once the mixture has frozen, place the cubes in the blender. Add remaining orange soda and puree to frappe consistency. If desired, serve topped with whipped cream.

Makes 6 servings.

(Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens.)

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Haunting Hot Chocolate

(Start to finish 15 minutes)

2 1/2 cups whole milk, divided
2 cups milk or white chocolate chips (about 1 bag)
1 teaspoon almond extract
Whipped cream
6 purchased marshmallow ghosts

In a medium saucepan, heat 1/2 cup of milk over a medium heat. Add the chocolate chips and cook until completely melted, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes.

Add remaining milk and almond extract and cook, stirring frequently, until very hot, but not boiling. Ladle into individual mugs, then top each with whipped cream and a marshmallow ghost.

Makes 6 servings.

(Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens.)

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Black Halloween Punch

(Start to finish 10 minutes, plus overnight to freeze ice hands)

2 rubber gloves
One .16-ounce envelope unsweetened grape drink mix (such as Kool-Aid)
One .16-ounce envelope unsweetened orange drink mix (such as Kool-Aid)
2 cups white sugar
3 quarts cold water
1 liter ginger ale
1 liter cola

Fill the gloves 3/4 full with cold water. Tie the open end in a knot, as you would a balloon. Lay one flat in a small baking pan. Arrange the other palm down on a freeze-safe jar, allowing the fingers to hang down the side. Freeze both overnight.

Once the hands have frozen, combine the drink mixes, sugar and water in a large punch bowl. Stir until the mixes are completely dissolved. Stir in the ginger ale and cola.

Briefly run the ice hands under cool water then cut away the glove. Add the hands to the punch and serve immediately (the fingers melt quickly).

Makes about 20 servings.