Celebrating Halloween with a party

Witches and goblins, apples and pumpkins, masks and costumes, trick or treat, and parties with lots of good food are all part of the celebration of this October holiday.

One way to keep children and adults happy on this traditional spooky mischief-making night is to give a party.

Here are some suggestions for treats to make from scratch. All the recipes can be used any time during the year, but with special decorations they become your very own traditional Halloween party food. Halloween Chocolate Cat Cake 1 package devil's food cake mix 1 square unsweetened chocolate 1 teaspoon butter Shredded coconut Butter frosting, recipe follows

Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Bake in two 8-inch or 9 -inch round layer pans.

When cool frost with Butter Frosting. Melt chocolate and butter together; cool. Outline cat faces on sides of cake with chocolate mixture. Use shredded coconut for whiskers. Butter Frosting 4 tablespoons butter 2 cups confectioners' sugar 2 egg yolks 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 tablespoons cream or canned milk

Thoroughly cream butter and sugar. Stir in unbeaten egg yolks and vanilla. Add cream until frosting is spreadable. Spicy Halloween Cupcakes 3/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup shortening 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 egg 1 cup flour 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 3/4 teaspoon soda 1/2 cup milk

Cream sugar and shortening. Add salt and egg, beat well. Combine flour with cloves, cinnamon and soda. Add to egg mixture alternately with milk. Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full and bake in 375 degrees F. oven for 20 minutes.

Frost with Orange Butter Frosting, using Butter Frosting, substituting orange juice for cream and grated rind of 1 orange in place of vanilla. Chocolate Chip Cupcakes 1/2 cup shortening 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 2 cups flour 2 tablespoons baking powder 2/3 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup chocolate chips

Cream shortening and sugar in a large bowl, add eggs and beat. Measure dry ingredients and add alternately with milk to which the vanilla has been added. Beat until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into greased muffin tins filling each 2/3 full.

Bake in 400 degrees F. oven for 15 minutes. Let cool and frost with Mocha Chocolate Frosting. Mocha Chocolate Frosting 6 tablespoons cocoa 6 tablespoons hot milk 6 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 cups confectioner's sugar

Dissolve cocoa in hot milk; add butter and vanilla extract; beat until smooth. Add sugar gradually until of spreading consistency. Black Magic Pudding 1 1/2 cups (15 ounce can) sweetened condensed milk 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 cups water 3 squares (3 ounce) unsweetened chocolate 3 tablespoons cornstarch 1 teaspoon vanilla

Put sweetened condensed milk, salt, and water in top of double boiler. Stir until well mixed. Add chocolate. Cook over rapidly boiling water, stirring often , until chocolate is melted. Add a little chocolate mixture to cornstarch to make a thin paste. Slowly add to chocolate mixture while stirring rapidly.

Cook 15 minutes longer, or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Pour into serving dishes. Chill.

Make pumpkin faces on top of each individual pudding by squeezing whipped cream through a pastry tube. Cranberry Doughnut Puffs 1 cup fresh cranberries 1 cup water 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup shortening 1 teaspoon salt 1 package yeast, compressed or dry 1/4 cup water (lukewarm for compressed yeast; warm for dry) 3 1/4 cups sifted flour, approximately 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 2 eggs Fat for frying Cinnamon sugar

Combine cranberries, 1 cup water, and sugar in saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Pour into mixing bowl. Add shortening and salt and cool to lukewarm. While mixture is cooling, soften yeast in 1/4 cup water.

Add 2 cups flour and cinnamon to cranberry mixture and beat well. Add softened yeast and eggs. Beat well. Add more flour to make a stiff batter. Beat thoroughly. Cover and let rise until bubbly (about 1 hour). When light, stir down. Let rest while fat for deep frying is heating to 365 degrees F.

Drop batter by spoonfuls into hot fat and fry until golden brown, turning frequently. Drain on paper towels. When slightly cooled, dip in cinnamon sugar. Pile on plate and serve. Old-Fashioned Party Punch 1 pint grape juice Juice of 6 lemons 1 quart water 1 quart gingerale Sugar to taste

Mix juices and water together sweetened to taste. Just before serving add gingerale. Serve in punch bowl with chunks of ice made from ice trays with the cube sections removed and filled with water to become one large chunk of ice. Two trays will make 2 nice chunks of ice. Float lemon peel rings on top.