baking

Easy Halloween Party Food Recipes by Maggie Jackson on KTLA Morning News

Featured on TV: Last-Minute Halloween Party Food Recipe Ideas

Cooking, Holidays, kids

Imagine this: Halloween is one day away (or today!!), and you signed up to bring treats to the class party, or perhaps you offered to host your neighbors for a get-together before trick-or-treating… Or, maybe you simply want to surprise your kids with a spooky spread when they get home from school… And, you still haven’t figured out what food you’re making! AHHHH!! Last-minute party prep is scarier than Halloween movie flicks!! Look, I’ve been in these situations, too, so I get it! I’m a busy mom balancing school drop-offs/pickups, work, children’s activities, housework, marriage and volunteer commitments all while trying to squeeze in workouts and self-care… Phew! Can’t you relate?

Thankfully, my last-minute habit (some may call it “procrastination”) has made me quick and creative when it comes to pulling together fun, festive food for parties and holidays. And, thankfully, with our fab grocery stores in Southern California, like Smart & Final, there’s so many ways to make fast and festive semi-homemade food for Halloween or any themed party!

Monster Rice Krispy Treats – scroll to find the recipe!

Smart & Final sponsored a KTLA Morning News segment that I hosted about last-minute Halloween food, and I’m sharing my tips below. I have 7 of my favorite wicked Halloween party food ideas that you can pull together in no time! From dips to treats and drinks, you can create a spooktacular spread with these recipes! If you’d like to watch the full TV segment featuring these recipes, scroll to the bottom of this blog post.

Frankenstein Layered Dip with Spooky Tortilla Crisps

Frankenstein Layered Dip and Spooky Tortilla Crisps

This is a spooktacular twist on a crowd-pleasing layered dip! Mexican food is one of my favorites, and this dip combines all the best “South of the Border” flavors with sour cream, taco seasoning, pico de gallo, cheese, guacamole and black beans. Make this recipe even more frightfully fun with Halloween-themed tortilla crisps created with spooky-themed cookie cutters, flour tortillas, butter and garlic salt. This recipe is available on my blog here.

Candy Corn Fruit Cups

Candy Corn Fruit Cups (Credit: cozycadence.com)

Here’s a recipe that’s semi-healthy, pretty-looking and SO EASY to put together! To create these candy-corn inspired fruit cocktail cups, use a clear cup and simply layer yellow pineapple on the bottom, mandarin oranges in the middle and whipped cream on top. Add a sprinkle of real candy corn (optional), and voila! Yummy, sweet candy corn fruit cups that the whole family will love!

My Candy Corn Fruit Parfait (without the candy corn candy topping)

Nutella Banana Mummy Wraps

Nutella Banana Mummy Wraps (Credit: ourbestbites.com)

Here’s a treat that’s as adorable as it is spooky: the Nutella Banana Mummy Wraps (credit: Our Best Bites). Ripe bananas wrapped snugly in buttery crescent-dough, layered with creamy Nutella and topped with candy eyes that peer out from their “bandages” — it’s the perfect mix of playful and delicious. With minimal fuss, you’ve got a quick assembly that invites kids to help (who doesn’t love wrapping their “mummies”?), and the bake time means you’ll have fresh pastries just as your little ghouls arrive for trick-or-treating or Halloween party. Serve them warm, let the chocolate and banana mingle in every bite, and watch your gathering light up with “oohs” and “ahhs.” For the complete recipe, visit Our Best Bites here.

Cheesy Crescent Witch Hats

Cheesy Crescent Witch Hats (Credit: Macy Blackwell)

These Cheesy Crescent Witch Hats are the perfect savory spell for your Halloween spread! 🧙‍♀️✨ With only 3 ingredients — buttery crescent rolls, gooey melted cheese, and a couple spooky pepperoni stars — they’re delightfully simple to make yet look like something straight out of a witch’s kitchen. Kids will love helping roll the dough into “pointy hats,” and adults will appreciate that they’re warm, flaky, and ready in minutes. Serve them as a snack, side, or appetizer at your Halloween party — they’re frightfully festive, crowd-pleasing, and guaranteed to disappear faster than you can say abracadabra!

All you need is a can of Pillsbury Original Crescent Rolls, three mozzarella cheese sticks and pepperoni slices. Use a mini cookie cutter to cut the pepperoni into spellbinding stars and moons.

Cheesy Crescent Witch Hats Recipe Directions:

  1. Unroll crescent dough on a baking sheet.
  2. Cut cheese sticks into thirds, and place each of the small cheese stick pieces in the middle of the wide base of each crescent dough triangle.
  3. Roll the base of each hat over the cheese to cover completely. Pinch the sides of the hat to seal.
  4. Cut pepperonis into mini stars and moons, and place on top of hats.
  5. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes.
  6. Serve with ranch, marinara or pizza sauce for dipping!

Graveyard Trifle

My Graveyard Trifle on KTLA Morning News

This Graveyard Trifle is a frightfully fun and decadent no-bake dessert that’s guaranteed to steal the show at any Halloween gathering! Layers of rich, moist chocolate bundt cake (I purchased two at the bakery section at Smart & Final), creamy chocolate pudding, and fluffy whipped cream create a deliciously spooky trifle cake, while the top transforms into an edible “graveyard.” Milano cookies and Hershey bars serve as tombstones, ghostly marshmallow Peeps rise from the “dirt,” and candy pumpkins add the perfect festive touch. It’s the ultimate combination of playful presentation and irresistible flavor — easy to assemble, fun for kids to decorate, and a total crowd-pleaser for anyone with a sweet tooth. A dessert so good, it’s to die for!

Tools needed for Graveyard Trifle:

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Cut bundt cakes into small bite-size pieces. Save a small portion to crumble for the trifle’s topping at the end.
  2. In a large trifle bowl, add half of the bundt cake pieces. Next, layer 10 Snack Pack cups of chocolate pudding, then half of the large Cool Whip container. Repeat layers once more: cake, pudding, Cool Whip.
  3. Use saved crumbled cake pieces to create “dirt” on the last layer of Cool Whip. Make a graveyard scene on top with decorations like Milano cookies, Hershey chocolate bars, Peep marshmallow ghosts and candy pumpkins.
  4. Serve immediately. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Monster Rice Krispies Treats

Monster Rice Krispy Treats

These Monster Rice Krispies Treats are my kids’ favorite! You can make your own Rice Krispy Treats or cut corners, like I did, and use store-bought. These are so easy, it’s scary! Your kids will love helping you make them! Plus, I love that the process of making them does not have to be perfect. Odd-looking monsters is what makes these treats perfect for a ghoulish Halloween party!

Ingredients:

  • Large Box of Rice Krispy Treats (includes 40 individually wrapped treats)
  • Four (4) cups white chocolate
  • Four (4) different colors of food coloring (I used orange, green, purple and blue)
  • Sprinkles (use the same colors as chosen food coloring)
  • A variety of different sized candy eyeballs

Directions:

  1. Unwrap 10 Rice Krispy Treats while melting 1 cup of white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Stir until smooth. Add a couple drops of food coloring of choice to chocolate and stir until color is completely well mixed.
  2. Dip one end of the Rice Krispy Treat into the colored chocolate. Dip each treat slightly different to make each coating look odd and spooky. Place dipped treat on parchment paper.
  3. Add a variety of candy eyeballs to each treat. Get creative with different sizes and 1-3 eyeballs per treat to make them look creepy.
  4. Make “hair” on the monster treat by adding sprinkles to the tops of the treats.
  5. Repeat steps 1-4 for the other three food coloring colors.
  6. Allow treats to dry for 30 minutes and serve immediately. Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container for several days.

3-Ingredient Halloween Punch

3-ingredient Halloween Punch (credit: iheartnaptime.net)

This Halloween punch from the I Heart Naptime blog is as easy as it is eerie, and it’s sure to be your new go-to. With just three ingredients (chilled orange soda or Sprite, pineapple juice, and scoops of orange sherbet), this recipe brings bright, spooky color and fizzy fun in minutes. The vivid orange hue fits perfectly into any Halloween spread, and the sherbet floating on top adds a playful, kid-friendly float effect that will have little trick-or-treaters and grown-ups alike reaching for seconds. What I love most: it’s practically no-stress — prep the soda and juice ahead of time, scoop in the sherbet right before guests arrive, and you’ve got a drink that looks festive, tastes delicious, and leaves you free to chat and celebrate instead of hiding in the kitchen.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (2-liter) bottle Sprite or Orange Soda, chilled
  • 1 cup pineapple juice , chilled
  • 1 pint orange sherbet
  • Optional decoration: Plastic eyeballs

Directions:

  • In a punch bowl or pitcher, stir together the Sprite and pineapple juice. Scoop the sherbet into the bowl just before serving.
  • Place plastic eyeballs or other decoration on top, if desired. Serve immediately.

Halloween Recipes on TV!

Watch all these recipes in action during my KTLA Morning News TV segment about family-friendly, last-minute Halloween party food below.

I’d love to hear what you think of these Halloween recipes! Leave a comment below, or connect with me on Instagram and TikTok!

XO Maggie

Easy Family-Friendly Breakfast Recipes

Cooking, Health & Wellness, kids

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of this post contains affiliate links for the products I use and LOVE. If you take action on these links (like clicking, buying, etc.), I may receive compensation at no cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own, and I’ll only recommend what I truly like and recommend. For more information about affiliates and your privacy, view our Terms & Conditions page here.

It’s back-to-school season, so mornings are early and rushed! Unfortunately, this often leaves little time to feed our families a nutritious breakfast. But, as the saying goes, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” and its imperative that our kiddos get a healthy start before their long day at school and activities.

I know that with the early mornings’ limited time, plus a house full of picky eaters and different taste preferences, it feels much easier to resort to packaged donuts and pastries or swing through the fast food drive-through for a chicken biscuit for a quick breakfast. However, I’m here to assure you that making a fast, healthful breakfast for your family does not have to be hard, time consuming or expensive. As long as you’re willing to put in just a little prep work, you and your family can eat a variety of delicious and nutritious every day of the week! Plus, you’ll save money from avoiding coffee shops and fast food restaurants!

Check out my top family-friendly breakfast recipe ideas below!

Apple “Donuts”

Recipe: Food Network

Not only do Apple “Donuts” encourage your children to eat more fruit — it’s also a great recipe for little hands to get involved in making! Slice apples into 1/2-inch circles, and use a small circular cookie cutter or small melon baller to cut a hole in the center of each to make a “donut.” Top apples with better-for-you “frosting,” like peanut butter, cream cheese and greek yogurt. Add more fun with additional toppings, like sprinkles, sliced strawberries, granola and chocolate chips.

One-Bowl, Multi-Flavor Mini Muffins

Recipe: The Baker Mama

This one-bowl muffin batter recipe is easy to make. After adding the batter to muffin tins, simply drop in your favorite mix-ins, like blueberries, chocolate chips, cinnamon sugar, bananas or sprinkles, to create multiple flavors in one batch. This recipe is perfect for all the different taste preferences in your house or if your kiddos get bored of eating the same flavor every morning. 

Super Pancakes

Don’t settle for boring regular pancakes when you can have “Super Pancakes” filled with superpower ingredients! This recipe is especially beneficial for kids who need help eating more protein, fruits and vegetables. I make these pancakes with Kodiak Protein-Packed Flapjack and Waffle Mix and mix in milk and egg instead of water for added protein! After the batter is made, I mix in mashed banana and grated zucchini (you can’t even taste the zucchini, I promise!). Make a large batch of these Super Pancakes on Sunday morning to quickly heat up for breakfast for 3-4 days!

Photo credit: Confessions of a Midnight Baker

Coffee Shop Dupe Egg Bites

Recipe: Once Upon a Chef

Save time and money by skipping the coffee shop for your favorite egg bites and making them at home! The secret ingredient in these egg, bacon and cheese egg bites is cottage cheese and tabasco sauce! They’re so flavorful and easy to make ahead of time. Store in the fridge for 3 days or freezer for 2 months. You won’t miss your pricey store-bought egg bites!

Quick Caprese Breakfast Sandwich

Recipe: Jones Dairy Farm

This sandwich is low on prep time but full on flavor! Most breakfast sandwiches are time consuming to make, but not this Caprese Breakfast Sandwich with the help of Jones Dairy Farm Canadian Bacon, Egg Life Egg White Wraps and pre-sliced BelGioioso Fresh Mozzarella. Cut the egg wrap down into 4-6 pieces. Lightly toast the English muffin. Top one half with basil leaves, 2-3 slices of mozzarella, 2-3 slices of tomato. Finish with 2-3 egg slices and 2 slices of Canadian bacon.  

Protein Yogurt Parfait

Recipe: Created by ME! My full recipe is available in a previous blog post here

When you’re challenged with food allergies and diet restrictions but still want a high-protein breakfast, this make-ahead dairy, egg and gluten free yogurt parfait is a delectable choice! It’s made with my favorite Super Granola and Vanilla Cinnamon Protein Powder from Kroma Wellness, along with creamy Coconut Yogurt and Berries. You could add more toppings, too, like honey, chia seeds, hemp seeds, nut butter, etc. Customize it to your preference! This is a great recipe to make ahead in a mason jar to bring on-the-go during busy mornings!

Which of these recipes do you want to try? Let me know in the comments below! For more family-friendly products, activities and recipe ideas, be sure to follow me on Instagram and TikTok!

XO Maggie

Best Banana Zucchini Bread Muffins Recipe!

Cooking, Health & Wellness, Home, Kitchen, Lifestyle

Hey Mamas! If you’re like me and have picky eaters in your house, it can be a struggle to get kids to eat green vegetables! My solution: Sneak veggies into their favorite foods!

Great for picky eaters: I have THE BEST banana bread recipe (originally adapted from Delish.com) that I’ve converted into muffins with hidden zucchini! My kids have never once said, “Ewe,” “What’s the green stuff?” or “I can taste vegetables!” when I serve them these muffins! SCORE!

Why this is the best Banana Zucchini Bread Muffin recipe: When I say this is the best banana bread recipe, I truly mean it! During the pandemic, I made one banana bread loaf for every month we were locked down in LA County. I tried six variations of banana bread, so I can attest that this is the very best recipe! Utilizing three bananas is the perfect amount of flavor and sweetness, and the full fat sour cream makes the bread so moist! You will never need to try another banana bread recipe again… This is IT! You’re welcome.

Original recipe swaps: I make a couple swaps for these Banana Zucchini Bread Muffins from the original Banana Bread Recipe from Delish.com to make them kid-friendly and mom-approved. First, I add half of a grated zucchini. Secondly, I add mini semi-sweet chocolate chips! My kids go nuts over chocolate anything, so this is a special treat. In my opinion, regular sized chocolate chips overpower the the banana flavor, so I prefer to use mini sized chips. I haven’t tried the muffin recipe without the mini semi-sweet chocolate chips yet, but I have made the original loaf recipe without them, and it was still soooo gooood!

Make it even healthier!: Recently, I completed a 5-day wellness reset that eliminated sugar, gluten and dairy from my diet, and I saw some phenomenal health benefits (like my average resting heart rate dropping by 9 heartbeats per minute – wow!). Since then, I’ve been testing swapping out sugar and gluten in some of my favorite recipes, like this one! If you want to go gluten- or sugar-free, try Bob Mills Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour and Truvia Sweet Complete Monk Fruit Sweetener. I could not tell the difference when we made these swaps! So good!

Mix-ins and frosting ideas: If you want to add some more oomph to this recipe, add 1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans and walnuts are my favorite) or coconut! Or, add a cream cheese frosting for a real decadent treat that’s totally approved by the health food gods because we’re already eating zucchini – LOL! My favorite is a vegan cream cheese frosting recipe from Peanut Butter & Jilly found here.

I prefer using mini chocolate chips in this banana zucchini bread recipe!

Tips for the best Banana Zucchini Bread Muffins:

  • You can’t have bananas that are too ripe for this recipe. The more ripe, the better!
  • Shred the zucchini with a VERY fine grater. You don’t want chunky zucchini in your muffins!
  • Be sure to drain and soak the moisture from the grated zucchini with a paper or cloth towel. Do not skip this step of the recipe or else you’ll have watery batter!
  • This recipe makes about 18 muffins, so I always give a few to our neighbors and teachers. Everyone will love these muffins!

Can you convert muffins into bread loaves? Yes! To be honest, my most favorite way to make this recipe is a large 9×5 loaf pan instead of muffins. However, my kids love the muffins and they’re much easier to transport and serve to kids in muffin form.

How to Make One Banana Zucchini Bread Loaf:

  • Preheat oven to 350º. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment and grease with cooking spray.
  • Follow recipe as written below, but bake for 1 hour instead of 25 minutes. Let bread cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

How To Make Multiple Mini Banana Zucchini Bread Loaves:

  • Preheat oven to 350º. Line four  3.8×2.5-inch loaf pans with parchment and grease with cooking spray.
  • Follow recipe as written below, but bake for 30-35 minutes. Keep an eye on it, as all ovens cook at different speeds. Let bread cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

BANANA ZUCCHINI BREAD MUFFINS

Yields: 18 Muffins | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

*Note: Some people like to add Xanthum Gum to their recipes using gluten free flour, but I don’t believe it’s totally necessary if you’re making muffins. The label on Bob Mills Gluten Free Flour has instructions on how much Xanthum Gum to add if you wish to try it.

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375º. Line two muffin pans with 18 baking cups.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In another large bowl, mix together melted butter, sugar, egg and egg yolk, sour cream, and vanilla. Add mashed bananas and grated zucchini and stir until combined. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until just combined. 
  4. Fold in mini chocolate chips and transfer to prepared muffin pan cups.
  5. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in pan, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

I’d love to hear what you think of this recipe! I’ve had so much fun making (and eating!) these Banana Zucchini Bread Muffins that I’m determined to add zucchini to other favorite recipes! What should I try next: a chocolate-zucchini cake, blueberry-zucchini muffins or chocolate chip-zucchini cookies?! Let me know in the comments below, or connect with me on Instagram or TikTok!

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of this post contains affiliate links for the products I use and LOVE. If you take action on these links (like clicking, buying, etc.), I may receive compensation at no cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own, and I’ll only recommend what I truly love. For more information about affiliates and your privacy, view our Terms & Conditions page here.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pecan Cookies – My Favorite Easy Cookie Recipe With Only 5 Ingredients!

Holidays, Kitchen, Lifestyle

‘Tis the season for holiday baking!

Baking these easy cookies with my son!

During the holidays when I was growing up, the kitchens of the women in my family were always filled with fresh baked goodies. I guess that’s why when Dec. 1 rolls around, I get an itch my bones to start baking! I especially love baking my grandmothers’ recipes to honor their tradition. After sharing a couple treats with our family, my favorite thing to do is box up the goodies to share with neighbors as a holiday gift. It’s been a great activity to do with my toddler, too! He loves helping me in the kitchen, and he also gets to experience the joy of giving a homemade gift to people we care about.

As I’ve chatted with a few of my mom friends the last couple of holiday seasons, it’s come to my attention that the tradition of holiday baking is slowly dying. We either don’t want easily accessible sugar tempting us in our kitchens, don’t have the time to bake, or simply don’t have the interest!

Then comes along that one person in your office or friend group who suggests a holiday cookie exchange… Or, your friend last-minute asks you to bring a homemade treat to share at her holiday party… Or, you need a quick thoughtful gift for a child’s teacher or a special person on your gift list you accidentally forgot to shop for…

Don’t worry, girl, I got you with this SUPER EASY Chocolate Peanut Butter Pecan Cookies recipe!! It’s made with only 5 ingredients and takes around 20 minutes to make! Yummy crunchy peanut butter, chocolate chips, chopped pecans, sugar and eggs are what it takes to make these gooey, loaded cookies! And, these cookies taste SO GOOD that people will think you’ve slaved in the kitchen for hours making them from scratch… But, only you and I know that it only took 20 minutes!

My Grandmother Holmes always had these at her house around Christmastime. Every year, the day after Christmas, we would drive from Texas to go visit her in Tennessee and stay with her for several days. Our family always enjoyed snacking on these cookies at her home, so my mother got her recipe and I’ve been baking them every holiday season since! I’ll also make them a couple other times throughout the year for quick “I’m thinking of you” gifts – great for new mamas (did anyone else get a sweet tooth right after giving birth?), get-well-soon gifts, and simple thank-you’s!

Another pro about these cookies – they’re gluten-free! I like to convince myself they’re healthier gluten-free, so I can have two instead of just one! ‘Tis the season, right?!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pecan Cookies

RECIPE: Chocolate Peanut Butter Pecan Cookies

These flavorful cookies are gooey and loaded with crunchy peanuts and pecans! The sweetness from the semi-sweet chocolate chips make them perfect for a holiday treat – or anytime!

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cooking Time: 12-15 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes

Makes around 22-24 cookies

Ingredients:

-2 eggs blended

-1 cup sugar

-1 cup crunchy peanut butter

-1 cup chopped pecans

-1 cup chocolate chips (I like to use Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Premium Chips)

Directions:

  1. In a large bowl, mix together eggs and sugar until combined.
  2. Stir in peanut butter, chips and nuts.
  3. Drop by tablespoon on parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes until edges are brown
  5. Cool and serve.

Put a few cookies in these festive treat bags with a Christmassy bow to share with neighbors, teachers, the mailman, friends, family, everybody!

Don’t forget to *kiss the cook!*

Let me know if you plan to make these cookies by commenting below or connecting with me on Instagram!

Happy Holidays!

XO Maggie

Yummy Gooey Crunchy Chocolate Peanut Butter Pecan Cookies!

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of this post contains affiliate links for the products I use and LOVE. If you take action on these links (like clicking, buying, etc.), I may receive compensation at no cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own, and I’ll only recommend what I truly love. For more information about affiliates and your privacy, view our Terms & Conditions page here.