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Halloween is a fun time for children of all ages. The best Halloween recipes fit the Halloweentheme, celebrate autumn and are fun to make and to eat.

Here are some must-make favorites in my home. Many of them also have been kid-approved by the children in my child care center. Cooking is a fantastic holiday activity for children, and they learn math, science and creative skills while following directions. They also learn about the seasons, and about the importance of harvest time.

You don't have to be a child, though, to enjoy these Halloween classics.

CARAMEL APPLES

6 medium crisp apples (Figi, Gala or Delicious are my favorites)
1 bag caramel apples
6 popsicle sticks
1 small bag chopped pecans
Waxed paper

Unwrap the caramels and place in the top of the double boiler or in a microwave safe dish. Either melt slowly over medium heat or melt in microwave at High, stopping every 30 seconds to stir the caramel.

Remove from heat when thoroughly warm and consistency is a thin liquid. Be careful, sugar is very hot when melted! Firmly insert the stick in the apples. Dip each apple first in caramel, and then dip the top of the apple in a bowl of chopped pecans. Place apple on cookie sheet that has been lines with waxed paper. Reheat caramel as necessary. You may not be able to "dip" the last apples, but you can use a spoon to pour caramel on top of the apples to cover them.

Store in refrigerator.

PUMPKIN SEEDS

A family and school favorite!

Pumpkin
Salt
Vegetable Oil

After carving pumpkin, separate seeds from pulp. Rinse seeds thoroughly in a colander. Pat dry on a plate covered with paper towels. Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees.

Toss seeds in a bowl with vegetable oilenough to coat seeds. Spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Thoroughly salt seeds.

Roast until seeds start to brown (usually 10 minutes). Remove and stir seeds in pan. Salt again. Return to oven and roast until seeds are crispy and golden brown (usually 10 minutes more.

Cool on paper towels, and store in an airtight container.

PUMPKIN SOUP

Trust me, children LOVE this, especially if they are involved in the cooking.

2 cans prepared pumpkin
2 cup grated carrot
2 cans creamed corn
3 cups water
3 cups apple juice
6 Tablespoons olive oil
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. pepper
Sliced green and black olives

In the bottom of a soup pot, warm oil and add cumin, ginger and carrots. After they are sauted until the carrots are soft, stir in the corn, the pumpkin, the water and the apple juice. Cook on low heat until soup is warmed and all of the flavors have been developed salt and pepper as needed.

Provide each diner with a bowl of soup and a cupcake holder or ramekin holding a few olive slices for them use to make a pumpkin face on their soup. Or, serve the soup already decorated with olive eyes and mouths.

Learn more about this author, Eva Smart.
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