Halloween is coming up and it’s not just for kids. It’s also a chance for adults to indulge in the fun – haunted houses, spooky costumes, and of course, parties! And what’s a Halloween party without something spooky to sip on?

To get you in the spirit, try a fun cocktail like the Blood Sucker – vodka, BLOOD orange juice or syrup, and fresh lemon sour, shaken, and then topped with splash of wine. And to stick with the vampire theme, go to a costume store or check out Amazon for glow-in-the-dark fangs – -whaa haa haa!

For a monster mash, make a batch of my Cauldron Punch. It mixes rum, blackberry puree, fresh juices, and is topped with sparkling berry water. For an added fun, top with a float of blue curacao and stick in a skeleton arm swizzle stick – perfect for a ghoulish good time.

Black Cat Old Fashioned
Photo by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen®

Don’t think of it as bad luck if my Black Cat Old Fashioned crosses your path. No, this spin on a classic Old Fashioned cocktail mixes bourbon, mescal, homemade Orange & Black Coffee Syrup, and a few dashes of chocolate bitters.

So cheers to a devilishly fun Halloween bash! –Kathy

Blood Sucker
Makes 1 cocktail

1 1/2 oz vodka
1 oz blood orange juice or 1/2 ounce blood orange syrup
1 1/2 oz Fresh Lemon Elixir (recipe follows)
3/4 oz red wine – FLOAT

Garnish: plastic fangs hanging on the side of glass

Measure vodka, blood orange, and Fresh Lemon Elixir into a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice, cap, and shake vigorously. Pour into a tall glass, adding more ice if necessary. Float red wine. Garnish.

Fresh Lemon Elixir
2 cups fresh lemon juice
2 cups simple syrup*

Combine ingredients in a pitcher and stir. Store refrigerated for up to 7 days

Recipe by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen – www.LiquidKitchen.com

Cauldron Punch
Makes about 8 servings

1 1/2 cups silver rum
1/2 cup blackberry puree
1 cup orange juice
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup simple syrup*
——————–
1 can LaCroix Berry Sparkling water

Garnish: blue curacao for floating, plastic skeleton arm swizzle stick

Measure rum, puree, juices, lemon and simple syrup into a pitcher. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Right before serving, add LaCroix Berry Sparkling Water to the punch. Serve over ice in goblets. Float with a splash of blue curacao. Garnish with skeleton arm.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen – www.LiquidKitchen.com
 
Black Cat Old Fashioned
Makes 1 cocktail

1 1/2 oz bourbon
1/2 oz mezcal
1/4 oz Orange & Black Coffee Syrup (recipe follows)
1-2 dashes chocolate bitters
Garnish: fat orange peel

Measure the bourbon, mezcal, syrup and bitters into a mixing glass. Fill three-quarters full with ice. Stir with a bar spoon until well chilled. Serve strained over a large ice cube in an old fashioned glass. Express the orange peel over the drink to release the oils, twist, and add to the drink.

Orange & Black Coffee Syrup
Makes about 12 ounces

1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 Tbsp. finely minced orange zest
24 coffee beans
3/4 cup water
———————
2 cups sugar

Combine ingredients in a small saucepan. On medium-high heat, bring liquid to a boil, once it has boiled add the sugar and stir to combine well, continue to boil for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and steep for 1 hour. Strain and store refrigerated for up to 30 days.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen – www.LiquidKitchen.com

*To make Simple Syrup: combine 1 cup boiling water with 1 cup sugar. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Cool and store refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

Most people have had a hand at cooking spaghetti squash, and there are a lot of ways to prepare this tasty vegetable.

This winter squash starts getting popular at the farmers market and grocery store in early fall. The cooked stringy flesh is delicious, but there are a few cooking tricks to know.

Cut the squash in half length-wise. Make sure to use a good knife and a little muscle – this is a sturdy squash! Once you have the squash in half, scrape out the seeds and pulp the same way you would with any other winter squash.

Turn the halves cut-side down in a baking dish. Add a little water and roast in a 350 degree oven

for about an hour. You’ll know it’s done when a fork slides in and out of the flesh easily. If you’re in a hurry you can quick cook it the same way in the microwave in a glass dish – just blast on high until fork tender.

Now to get those noodle-like strands out of the shell. Turn the squash up and gently scrape the flesh with a fork along the grain and loosen it up. Then scoop the squash into a bowl and finish how you like.

It’s a great low-calorie and gluten-free option to traditional pasta for topping with marinara. Or toss it with maple syrup or honey, a little butter or olive oil, some minced fresh herbs and some sea salt for a great side dish to any entrée. –Kathy