MU ha ha ha ha… Recipes for Halloween

You may remember a while back I shared a recipe with you for a fun caterpillar sandwich that MU had come up with for kids' parties. Well, they've done it again and come over all spooky for Halloween this time. The Madhouse Mini-testers would love this little lot so I may have to try some of them out over half term !

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MU puts the BOO into Halloween treats

Have you promised the kids a delicious Halloween banquet fit for ghosts and ghouls but are stuck for ideas? MU, the funky new cheddar brand, has thought of some great ideas to help make Halloween MUtastically tasty for the little ones.

Whip up MU’s brains and intestine spaghetti, spooky sweet potato filled jackets and creepy cottage pie to give your kids a thrill this All Hallows Eve.

Try these top Halloween tips to put a chill up your spine...

• Try using halved black grapes or black olives to make creepy eyes, placing them in the middle of NEW MU Patz (little discs of cheddar)
• Try wedging an almond half or flaked almond into NEW MU Sticks for spooky zombie fingers. Make them super realistic by slicing a couple of slivers out to look like the knuckles and bends in the finger
• Slice pitta breads into triangles to make witches hats, and pop in the oven to melt some grated MU cheddar on top – scarily delicious!
• Cut spooky faces into MU Patz and add to circular discs of toast covered with a tomato pasta sauce layer for ghoulishly easy spooky pizza snacks

MU Brain and Intestine Spaghetti

(Turkey Meatball and Spaghetti)

Serves 4

30 mins prep time

20 mins cooking time

Oven temp 190°C / 375°F / Gas mark 5 (pre heated)

Ingredients:

150g spaghetti, raw

For the meatballs

2 tbsp olive oil

2 onions, chopped fine

40g white breadcrumbs

500g turkey mince

1 tsp thyme, chopped

120g MU mature, cut into 10g chunks

For the tomato sauce

2 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped

400g tinned tomatoes, chopped

1 pinch of oregano

1 pinch of dried red chilli flakes

Seasoning

Method:

1. Heat oil in a frying pan on the hob and fry the onions until soft. Once soft add the thyme and leave to go cold

2. Place the minced turkey into a bowl and add the onion mix and breadcrumbs. Mix together and form into 12 patties

3. Take the cheese chunks and form the turkey mixture around the cheese into a ball shape. Cover and chill until required

4. Place a pan on the hob filled with water and boil, adding a drop of oil to stop the pasta sticking. Cook the pasta for 12-15mins until cooked (still with a little bite)

5. Meanwhile, heat 2tbsp of olive oil in a saucepan on the hob for the sauce and add the garlic, chopped tomato, herbs, chilli and seasoning. Heat until warm and set to one side ready for the cooked spaghetti

6. Place the meatballs in the oven to cook for 15mins

7. Once all is cooked add half the sauce to the spaghetti and place into a bowl. Top with skewered meatballs and place into the spaghetti

8. Top with more sauce and some chopped herbs

MU Creepy Cottage Pie

Makes 6 portions

45 mins prep time

25 mins cooking time

Oven temp 180°C / 350°F / Gas mark 4 (pre heated)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

450g minced beef

1 large onion

100g leek, diced

150g mushrooms, chopped

1 tbsp tomato puree

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

200g swede, diced

200g carrots, diced

500ml beef stock

Seasoning

For the mashed potato:

675g Maris piper potatoes, peeled

50g salted butter

6 tbsp milk

Sprinkle of pepper

220g MU Mature Cheddar, grated

1 egg yolk, beaten for brushing the top

Method:

1. First make the meat sauce. Take a large pan and place on the hob on a high heat. Heat the oil and fry the mince until golden then add the onion and diced carrot and cook for 10mins on a medium heat

2. Add the tomato puree and cook for a further 5mins. Then add the mushrooms, leeks, swede and seasoning and cook for a further 5mins

3. Add the stock and simmer for 20mins until the stock has reduced by half

4. While the meat is cooking boil the potatoes for the mash for 20mins. Drain and mash the potato, then add the milk, butter, cheese and seasoning and beat the ingredients into the potato and set to one side

5. By this time the meat should be cooked. Add Worcestershire sauce and stir through

6. Place the meat sauce into an oven proof dish and pipe the potato on the top

7. Brush with the egg glaze and then bake in the pre-heated oven for 20-25mins until golden brown and crispy

MU Spooky Sweet Potato Filled Jackets

Makes 6 portions

25 mins prep time

15 mins cooking time

Oven temp 180°C / 350°F / Gas mark 4 (pre heated)

Ingredients:

6 large sweet potatoes washed and rubbed with olive oil

6 rashers of smoked bacon cooked and cut into 3

300g grated MU Mild grated

6 spring onions sliced

3tblsp sour cream

1 bunch chopped chives

Seasoning

Method:

1. Wash the sweet potatoes, rub with olive oil, place in the oven and cook for 25mins until soft and tender

2. Cut in half and carefully scoop out the middle. Place the scooped out middles into a bowl and then add the cheese, spring onion, sour cream, chives and seasoning, mix thoroughly and then place back into the skins

3. Top the filled jackets with the bacon and a little more cheese then bake for 15mins until golden and bubbling

For more great recipes ideas and fun games and competitions visit www.mucheese.com or www.facebook.com/mu.cheese

Other blogposts you may be interested in :

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MU Caterpillar Sandwich - A monster of a sandwich to keep the kids entertained

Frighteningly Easy Halloween Treats from Philadelphia

Halloween Costumes for Teens (and Everybody Else)