Creepy, spooky things are generally associated with Halloween — not winter. Creepy worms and bugs are not around this time of year.

It’s a busy time, with little time for meal prep, so it’s tempting to find food elsewhere. The Carnival includes many food events: there’s the annual mixer, the dinner theater and a variety of meals sponsored by community groups.

But a hot, hearty, home-cooked meal will warm and nourish your tired body after a day of outdoor Carnival activities. Skillet dinners are simple combinations of meat and veggies that can be put together quickly. The side of carbohydrates (pasta, potatoes or grains) cooks while you prepare the dish.

Another option is chili. With modern supermarket conveniences, it is quick and easy to prepare. Better yet, prep in the morning and cook in a crockpot while you’re enjoying Carnival fun.

Enjoying the Ice Palace. (Provided photo — Yvona Fast)

With a little extra work, you can make your Carnival chili a bit creepy. Mini sausages can be made to look like toes; hotdogs can be made into creepy fingers. Use pieces of onion or slivered almonds to form the nails on the toes and fingers, sliding them into cuts you’ve made in the sausages so they anchor in place. With a paring knife, cut shallow slices into sausages to resemble the creases of fingers or toes.

Place the sausages on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and put them under the broiler for 2 minutes to warm them up, slightly cook the onions and allow the creases to separate. Some of the onions may come off, but it is easy to reposition them. About 10 minutes before you’re ready to serve, add the sausage toes to the top of the cooking chili to allow them to heat through.

You can make ghost people with mashed potatoes, place them on top of the chili and use peas or green beans to give them eyes, nose and mouth.

Ghoulish eyes to decorate your chili can be made with hard-boiled eggs. Peel the eggs, cut in half, and remove the yolk. Place an olive and a pimento or black bean into the egg white, then set on top of the chili to look like eyes. Red lines can be added with thin squirts of ketchup.

To add even more fun to this year’s theme, there are many snacks that you can make. The creepiness is not in the dish, but in how the food is decorated.

For example, sliced olives can be made into eyes to make miniature frozen pizzas into spooky miniature monsters. Cream cheese balls can be decorated with olive eyes and bat-shaped wings made from tortillas or spinach wraps. Black olive slices for pupils and thinly sliced pimiento for veins can make ordinary deviled eggs look creepy.

–

Quick and Easy Three Bean Chili

–

Ingredients:

2 large onions

2 or 3 cloves garlic

1 sweet bell pepper or chili peppers, to your taste, optional

2 cans (about 30 oz.) black beans

2 cans (about 30 oz.) kidney beans

2 cans (about 30 oz.) pinto beans

2 cans (15 oz.) diced tomatoes, with chilies

1 jar (about 16 oz.) tomato sauce

1 teaspoon (or more, to taste) chili powder

1 can corn

1 Tbsp fresh lime juice, or to taste

1/2 cup(s) cilantro, fresh, chopped (optional)

Salt, to taste, as needed

Directions:

Peel and mince the onion. Set aside.

Peel and mince the garlic. Set aside.

If using, remove seeds from peppers, chop and set aside.

Open the cans of beans, drain, place in a colander, and rinse. Set aside.

Combine onions, garlic, peppers (if using), drained beans, tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce and chili powder in crockpot. Cook on low 4-6 hours while you’re out enjoying Carnival festivities. Or cook on high 2-3 hours.

Prepare any creepy toppings you wish to use.

When ready to serve, stir in corn, lime juice and cilantro, and top with any creepy toppings you’re using.

Options:

If desired, cook onion and garlic in 1 Tablespoon olive oil for 5 minutes before putting in slow cooker. You can also brown some ground beef with the onion and garlic, if you wish for a meatier chili. Or add a pound of prepared cooked pulled pork or chicken when adding the corn.

You can also cook this chili in a large kettle on the stove, begin with olive oil, onions and garlic, add other ingredients and simmer 30-60 minutes to blend flavors.

Serves 10.

–

Creepy Eyeballs

–

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter

1 cup water

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

4 oz. shredded cheese

Cream cheese, cucumbers, and pimiento-stuffed olives, for decorating

Ketchup or siracha, for decorating

Directions:

Heat oven to 425 degrees F.

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Add butter and water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for about a minute, or until the mixture is smooth and shiny. Stir for one more minute.

Transfer the dough to a large bowl, and allow to cool for Carnival about 15 minutes.

When it is no longer hot, use a wooden spoon to beat in eggs, one at a time, until your dough comes back together and is smooth. Stir in black pepper and shredded cheese.

Make balls about the size of a tablespoon and place on the prepared cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Rotate pans top to bottom and front to back. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F. Continue baking until golden brown, about 12 to 17 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Dip cucumber slices in cream cheese, then place on top. Use a little more cream cheese to glue to olive to the cucumber.

Make red lines around the sides with ketchup or siracha.

— — —

Author of the award-winning cookbook “Garden Gourmet: Fresh & Fabulous Meals from your Garden, CSA or Farmers Market,” Yvona Fast lives in Lake Clear and has two passions: writing and cooking. She can be found at www.yvonafast.com and reached at yvonawrite@yahoo.com or on X, formerly Twitter: @yvonawrites.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)

• Daily Newsletter
• Breaking News
• Obituaries

Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

• Yes
• No