Howling Full Moon Cheesecake, Ghost Goo, Dracula Cups, Spiders,
Mini Halloween Pizzas, Ghosts and Jack-o-Lanterns

(Family Features) - What better holiday to host a neighborhood party than Halloween - no gifts, no fuss, no fancy meals - just frightful fun! Halloween parties are fun for all ages, so grab your family, your neighbors and your friends and have a Halloween spook fest to remember. Pumpkin carving and tasty treats will make your Halloween party a spooktacular success!

Gone are the days of jack-o-lanterns with triangle eyes and noses. Now, all ages can easily create very cool-looking pumpkin masterpieces. Little tykes use the Kids' Fright Lights Kit, while older kids and adults use the Original Carving Kit. Decorating with Pumpkin Masters carving kits has become a tradition for families everywhere, creating lots of fun and lasting memories. Start another family tradition and host a pumpkin-decorating contest. Everyone decorates a pumpkin and judges the pumpkins in different categories: scariest, cutest, best Halloween icon and more. Using many categories makes everyone a winner!

These easy-to-make recipes will liven up your party while the pumpkins are being decorated. You can prepare all these tricks and treats ahead of time so you can have a haunting good time at the party too.

Ghosts and goblins big and small will howl with delight over these savory snacks. Make perfect treats for your Halloween Party with your favorite Ritz Crackers. Spiders, ghosts and jack-o-lanterns will satisfy your trick-or-treaters.

Kids and adults will get goose bumps over these delectable desserts. America's favorite cookie, Oreo, has orange-colored creme filling with five fun Halloween designs. Best of all, you can create these spooky desserts from the ingredients you already have in your kitchen.

Don't wait for another full moon to howl for a Halloween celebration. Be the host of the year with these chillingly good party tips. Send out the invitations and scare up a great crowd for your purrfect Halloween fest.

Howling Full Moon Cheesecake
Prep: 20 minutes plus refrigerating

28 Halloween Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
3 cups milk, divided
2 packages (4 serving size each) vanilla instant pudding
1-1/2 cups thawed frozen whipped topping
Yellow food coloring
Decorations, such as cinnamon red hot candies and decorating gel

1. FINELY crush 26 cookies. Add to butter; mix well. Press firmly on bottom and 1 inch up side of 9-inch springform pan.
2. BEAT cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add 1 cup milk, beating until well blended. Add remaining 2 cups milk to pudding mixes in another bowl. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended. Add to cream cheese mixture; mix well. Gently stir in whipped topping and 2 drops food coloring.
3. POUR into prepared crust; smooth surface with spatula. Add a few additional drops of food coloring to top of cheesecake, spreading lightly for a shimmering "full moon" effect.
4. CUT remaining 2 cookies in half to resemble bats' wings. Add candies for "eyes," securing candies to cookies with decorating gel. Place bats on top of cheesecake. Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours or until set. Loosen cake from rim of pan before removing rim. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

Makes 16 servings.

Special Extra: For added flair, sprinkle orange-colored sugar around edge of cheesecake before serving.

Ghost Goo
Prep: 10 minutes plus refrigerating

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme
2 cinnamon red hot candies
Halloween Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Assorted fruit, such as sliced apples, strawberries, bananas

1. MIX cream cheese and marshmallow creme until well blended. Refrigerate 2 hours. Mound into ghost shape on serving plate. Use cinnamon candies for ghost's eyes.
2. SERVE as dip with cookies and fruit.

Makes 12 servings, 2 tablespoons dip each.

Dracula Cups
Prep: 20 minutes plus refrigerating

16 Halloween Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
1 cup boiling water
1 package (4 serving size) lime gelatin
Ice cubes
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups thawed frozen whipped topping
20 drops each green and yellow food coloring
White decorating icing
Black shoestring licorice, candy corn and cinnamon red hot candies
8 clear plastic cups (9 ounces)

1. CRUSH 8 cookies; set aside.
2. STIR boiling water into gelatin in large bowl 2 minutes until gelatin is completely dissolved. Add enough ice to cold water to measure 1 cup; add to gelatin, stirring until slightly thickened. Remove any unmelted ice.
3. ADD whipped topping to gelatin mixture; stir with wire whisk until well blended. Add food colorings; mix well. Refrigerate 20 minutes or until mixture is very thick and will mound.
4. SPOON 1/4 cup gelatin mixture into each plastic cup. Top each with 1 tablespoon crushed cookies; cover with second layer of 1/4 cup gelatin mixture. Refrigerate 2 hours or until set.
5. SPREAD tops of remaining cookies with decorating icing. Decorate each to resemble Dracula's face, using licorice pieces for mouth, nose and eyebrows; candy corn for fangs and cinnamon candies for eyes. Insert a lollipop stick into side of each decorated cookie. Insert into each dessert just before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Special Extra: Top each dessert with small dollop of additional whipped topping before serving.

Fun Idea: For a spooky "blood" effect on cups, stir red food coloring into 1/4 cup honey until desired color. Drip small amounts of "blood" down inside edge of each cup just before serving.

Spiders

Spread 6 Ritz Crackers with peanut butter; cover each with second cracker to make sandwich. Insert 4 small pretzel pieces into opposite sides of each cracker sandwich for "spider's legs." Spread tops of crackers with additional peanut butter and decorate with colored sprinkles. Add small candies or currants for "spider's eyes." Makes 3 servings, 2 cracker sandwiches each.

Mini Halloween Pizzas

Cut 4 (1-1/2-inch) Halloween shapes from each of 3 American cheese slices. Top each of 12 Ritz Crackers with 1/2 teaspoon pizza sauce and 1 cheese shape. Place 6 topped crackers on microwavable plate. Micro- wave on HIGH 10 seconds or until cheese begins to melt. Repeat with remaining topped crackers. Makes 4 servings, 3 topped crackers each.

Ghosts

Spread each of 6 Ritz Crackers with 1 teaspoon cream cheese spread in a ghost shape. Add currants or small candies for the "ghosts' eyes." Makes 2 servings, 3 topped crackers each.

Jack-o-Lanterns

Spread 6 Ritz Crackers with cheese spread. Decorate with small apple pieces to resemble jack-o-lantern faces. Add parsley sprigs for "pumpkin stems." Makes 2 servings, 3 topped crackers each.

For more recipes and great party ideas go to www.kraftfoods.com

You Need - a smooth pumpkin, scissors, tape, a Pumpkin Masters Kit (with patterns and tools), a Scraper Scoop and a light for your carved pumpkin.

Cut Lid - Draw lid and carve, angling blade towards center of pumpkin to create ledge that supports lid.

Clean and Scrape - Clean insides with Pumpkin Masters Scraper Scoop or flat-edged spoon. Scrape pulp away from area you plan to carve until wall is 1" thick.

Attach Pattern - Select patterns by appropriate skill level. Trim pattern and attach to pumpkin with tape. Transfer Pattern - For long lines, roll the super poker along design lines from end to end. Use the longer, middle tip to poke tight corners and areas. When pattern is transferred, remove pattern; keep pattern handy to refer to when carving.

Carve Design - Hold pumpkin in lap so that your saw is at 90° angle to pumpkin.Hold saw like a pencil and saw steadily up and down. Saw along poked holes (dot-to-dot). Work from the center of the design outward. Push cut pieces out with your finger, not the saw blade.

Lighting Pumpkin - Light pumpkin with a battery-operated light or candle. If using candle, parents must light it and cut chimney hole in lid to vent smoke and heat.

Remember Safety! - Children can participate in the Pumpkin Masters process in many ways; however, children should be 9 or older to carve. When children use the tools, parents must supervise closely and assume all risk of injury. Store all tools away from children.

www.pumpkinmasters.com - for more tips and free patterns

SOURCE: Oreo® Cookies
Pumpkin Masters
Ritz® Crackers