Since it's October already...

Well, since it's already October I thought I would start out with a few fun ideas I've added to the Halloween Buffet to get everyone into the mood.  I'm already starting to get all my decorations out (slowly, but surely), and getting into the Halloween spirit!  
Here are the changes/additions I've made to the buffet that my kids really seem to like:

Monster Mud - instead of mustard I put the sign in between two dips - one is onion dip (for the potato chips I do for Werewolf fangs, the other is a carmel dip (so yummy!)
Caramel Apple Dip (also yummy with bananas)

1 bag caramels
1/4 c water
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 c brown sugar
-melt caramels w/ water
-cream together cream cheese and brown sugar, then fold in caramel mixture

Green Slime - no one really loved the lime jello, so I started doing it with apple jello, which was really good, but, I haven't been able to find apple jello for the past couple of years. So, last year we found Margarita - it wasn't too bad.  I think this year I will add a little sprite to it in place of some of the water to give it a little extra kick!

Cat Claws - instead of more chips, I do apple slices (which go perfectly with the caramel dip!)

I also always have Halloween sugar cookies out, and I usually do some chocolate covered pretzels too - either the molds, or you can just melt different colors of molding chocolates and roll the top half of the pretzel rods in the chocolate, then shake Halloween sprinkles onto the chocolate covered pretzel

I also usually use Kristen's recipe for her "Fall Harvest Warmer" in place of plain Spiced Cider, and I  have cold apple cider for the kids

Fall Harvest Warmer (I make it in a crock pot, or you can do on stove)
2 c water
1/2 c sugar
2 4" cinnamon sticks
10 whole cloves
2 c cranberry juice cocktail
1 c orange juice
orange slices to float
-combine water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, and juices in crockpot
-put cloves in tea strainer and also float in crock pot
-cut up 1 orange and float slices just before serving

(I usually double or triple the recipe (I will add extra spices, but I don't fully double those and it all comes out fine)