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Scary good recipes to get you in the mood for Halloween

WASHINGTON — With Halloween around the corner, you may be consumed with finding the perfect costume and shopping for candy.

However, if you have a party planned, or are just looking to get into a spirited mood on the big night, you may be wondering what to whip up in the kitchen.

Don’t worry. These recipes have you covered so you won’t be “booed” by your favorite ghosts and goblins.

Orange Mediterranean Chicken Saute This dish may just be able to compete with the other food — such as candy — tempting everyone on Halloween. . (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)
Jiggly orange halves and wedges These hollowed-out orange halves are filled with fresh orange juice and gelatin and then left to set up in the fridge. The jiggles can make for a slightly spooky effect. . (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
Candy corn cupcakes Inspired by Halloween’s most iconic candies, these cupcakes are a totally different take on the familiar yellow, orange and white treat. . (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)
Bog bars Bog bars start as basic blondie-like bars studded with dried cherries. They then get smeared with melted chocolate and topped with an assortment of other treats. The uglier, the better. . (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
Witches’ Brew punch Witches’ brew Halloween punch can be modified for adults, but it’s definitely kid-friendly, with tapioca pearls posing as “fish eyes.” If the juice flavors called for in this recipe aren’t your favorite, substitute at will. . (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)
Pumpkin double-ginger cookies Not every Halloween tread has to have a scary amount of sugar. Learn from how to use a few not so scary ingredients to make these cookies supernaturally tasty without being frighteningly unhealthy. (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)
Cider-soaked apple-sage sausages with apple-fennel sauerkraut This recipe is perfect for a tailgate, a Halloween party, a football Sunday or an Oktoberfest. . (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
Floating eyeballs Ice cream balls floating in a pool of red jello with a candy in the center gives you “Floating Eyeballs” for your Halloween party. It’s a spooky dessert that kids and adults will enjoy equally. . (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)
Five-spice Roasted Pumpkin Seeds This recipe makes good use of the pumpkin seeds left over when carving your Halloween jack-o’-lanterns. Don’t toss the slimy seeds, or else you’ll miss out on . (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)
Ghoulish Cookie Pops These one-bite treats are iced gingerbread cookies attached to lollipop sticks. Halloween is a great excuse to pick up some creepy cookie cutters and let the kids have fun decorating. . (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)
This Oct. 21, 2013 photo shows Thai pumpkin custard in Concord, N.H. Halloween may be done, but pumpkin season rolls on. Canned or fresh, itÂ’s full of carotenoids and fiber, and it boasts more potassium than a banana. And a cup of canned pumpkin has just 80 calories. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
Thai pumpkin custard Celebrate pumpkin season with this custard. Canned or fresh, the pumpkin is full of carotenoids and fiber, and it boasts more potassium than a banana. And a cup of canned pumpkin has just 80 calories. . (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
Peanut Butter Boulders This recipe calls for honey instead of refined sugar, and includes whole-grain cereal for a healthier offering at your Halloween gathering. . (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)
This photo taken Sept. 28, 2009 shows a Jack-o'-lantern pizza. At 60 cents each, healthy and fun Mini Jack-o'-lantern Pizzas won't break your Halloween budget. (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)
Mini Jack-o’-lantern pizza At 60 cents each, healthy and fun Mini Jack-o’-lantern pizzas won’t break your Halloween budget. . (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)
Purple People Eater With a gummy worm garnish, this beverage is a hit on Halloween and can be adapted for the under-21 group by substituting fruit juices for the alcohol. It can warm up the crowd on a chilly late-October night. . (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)
Orange ooze A night of rampant tricking and treating calls for boo!-inspired brews to wash down all that sugary booty. For an ick-factor, try a batch of orange ooze, a thick and chilly concoction of orange soda, orange juice and vanilla yogurt or haunting hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and marshmallow ghosts. . (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)
This Sept. 30, 2013 photo shows a healthy Halloween snack mix in Concord, N.H., which includes chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries and nuts. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
Healthy Halloween snack mix This easy-to-grab energy booster includes chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries and nuts. It’s easier than ever to find crunchy chickpeas in most grocery stores, which eliminates the need to roast them yourself. . (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
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This Oct. 21, 2013 photo shows Thai pumpkin custard in Concord, N.H. Halloween may be done, but pumpkin season rolls on. Canned or fresh, itÂ’s full of carotenoids and fiber, and it boasts more potassium than a banana. And a cup of canned pumpkin has just 80 calories. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
This photo taken Sept. 28, 2009 shows a Jack-o'-lantern pizza. At 60 cents each, healthy and fun Mini Jack-o'-lantern Pizzas won't break your Halloween budget. (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)
This Sept. 30, 2013 photo shows a healthy Halloween snack mix in Concord, N.H., which includes chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries and nuts. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)

Dan Friedell

Dan Friedell is a digital writer for ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½. He came to the D.C. area in 2007 to work as digital editor for USATODAY.com, and since then has worked for a number of local and national news organizations.

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