Halloween recipes to make for a ghoulishly good party.

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Dust off your party mask and get out your goody bag. Halloween is celebration time. If you think all the ghouls and goblins infesting the neighborhood are children, look again. 
 Halloween is the year's third-biggest party day, after New Year's (Eve and Day) and <a href="/topics/Super_Bowl">Super Bowl</a> Sunday, according to the Halloween Association. It may be one of the few celebrations that adults and children enjoy together. You can launch your festivities on Oct. 31 with late afternoon trick-or-treating for younger children and meet at someone's house for an evening of dinner and games, suggests Anne Lee of Huntington. 
 "We have soups or stews simmering on the burner. When children come in from their rounds, we serve them," said Lee, mother of three school-aged children. "When our children were younger we used to have moms come over in the afternoon. Now that the kids are older, we have evening parties. Our husbands are around and we do fun, easy things together," said Lee, executive sales director of Open Invitations, a company that promotes easy party ideas. 
 Halloween menus can be challenging. You and your family could use a break from all the candy coming into the house, yet you're looking for foods that are fun and festive. Although you may not want to offer a low-calorie, low-fat menu, you can choose foods that are lower in sugar and fat and more healthful than the usual fare. 
 "You don't have to go with junk food to be creative," said Therese Franzese, a registered dietitian and director of nutrition at the Sports Club at <a href="/topics/Chelsea_Piers">Chelsea Piers</a> in <a href="/topics/Manhattan">Manhattan</a>. "Part of the fun with Halloween food is increasing the sensation. You can make all kinds of fun punches and snack foods." 
 On the theory that the more disgusting the food is, the better, Franzese suggests bloody popcorn. "Make microwave or a low-fat, low-salt popcorn and mix it with a little red food dye paste and grated Parmesan cheese. It looks neat and it's fun," she said. 
 "Use metal cookie cutters to cut Halloween shapes from red bell peppers. Serve with a dip sprinkled with pumpkin seeds. You're still getting vegetables," Franzese said. 
 Instead of serving just a highly sweetened beverage, the dietitian suggests offering a punch that combines ginger ale and apple cider. Mountain Dew, with its "nuclear green" color is a good base for fruit drinks, she said. 
 Pumpkin smoothies are a refreshing option that children and adults like, Franzese said. Her recipe is a combination of apple juice concentrate, milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla yogurt and spices. "This drink is so satisfying, partygoers are less likely to fill up on empty-calorie foods," she said. 
 If you're serving a sit-down meal, Franzese recommends rack of lamb. It's fitting to give guests bones to gnaw on. 
 For a buffet, you may prefer Lee's soup and stew idea. Choose chicken, noodle and vegetable soup or beef and barley soup using lean round steak for the base. Either keep the soup on low heat on the stovetop or spoon into a slow cooker for the table. 
 Desserts can be simple, slimy or both. Lee likes apple treats, such as apple slices dipped in cinnamon sugar. She puts out a platter of apple slices with toothpicks for holding and a bowl of sugar mixed with a little cinnamon and allows children to help themselves. 
 Caramel dipping sauce for apples is also popular in her household. "I've noticed that kids just eat the coating from caramel apples, so a dip that encourages them to eat the apple could be more nutritious," said Lee. 
 Franzese suggests a wormy gelatin mold. "Use Jell-O. It's low-calorie and has no fat. Prepare it according to package directions and put it in a fun mold. Arrange gummi worms in the mold or place the worms on a platter and unmold the gelatin over the worms. Have the worms stick out. It's really gross," she said. 
 If you're serving only adults you can add a shot of vodka to the mold, omitting an equal amount of water, said Franzese. 
 Here is an adaptation of the pumpkin smoothie recipe. 
 Pumpkin Smoothies 
 1 (12-ounce) can frozen apple juice concentrate, unthawed 
 1 cup fat-free milk 
 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (see note) 
 1 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt 
 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger 
 6 ice cubes 
 In a blender combine apple juice concentrate, milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla yogurt, cinnamon and ginger. Add ice cubes. Puree until mixture is frothy and apple juice concentrate is broken up into drink. Pour into chilled glasses. 
 Makes 6 servings. 
 Note: Do not use pumpkin for pie filling. It's presweetened and seasoned. 
 For each serving: 160 calories; 2 g. protein; 34 g. carbohydrate; 1.5 mg. cholesterol; 56 mg. sodium; and 1 g. dietary fiber.

P2LOSE

Low-fat, low-cal treats that scream Halloween

Peel a winter squash? No thank you. There is no more thankless kitchen task. Smart grocers know this and sell squash that is already peeled and cut. But there is a much easier and tastier solution to the problem of squash preparation: Roast it. 
 The most delectable squash puree is this easy to achieve: Cut your squash in half through the stem end. Remove the seeds. Place the two halves cut-side down on a baking sheet and roast at 400 degrees until the flesh is tender, anywhere from 40 to 60 minutes. Spoon out the flesh and, if you want to make it really smooth, put it through a food mill or sieve. 
 A fully cooked squash gives easily when prodded and a sharp knife will penetrate its skin with no resistance. If you roast it on a nonstick baking sheet, or one covered with parchment paper or a Silpat, cleanup will be that much easier. 
 There are about a dozen winter squash varieties out there, and all of them will yield to this treatment, from the daintiest carnival to the commonest butternut to the plumpest kabocha to the most monstrous Hubbard. A roasted 3-pound squash will yield a little less than 3 cups of puree. 
 You don't even have to remove the flesh from the skin. Slice the roasted squash halves, seasoned with salt and pepper and, if you like, some butter or food olive oil. A grating of Parmesan cheese certainly won't hurt. 
 Smaller winter squash take particularly well to being stuffed and roasted whole. Sweet dumplings and Jack be Littles weigh in at about a pound and share a boxy shape that makes them particularly stable. Cut off their "lids," scoop out the seeds, then throw in some salt and pepper and whatever else you fancy - herbs, garlic, grated cheese - along with a spoonful or two of olive oil, butter or cream, and roast for about 45 minutes. (For the slightly larger acorn, carnival, buttercup or kuri, make a little ring of aluminum foil for them to stand on, and bake for closer to an hour.) 
 With its thin, edible skin and cylindrical shape, delicata squash can simply be sliced into rings and roasted. 
 A word about pumpkins: The ones you carve for <a href="/topics/Halloween">Halloween</a> aren't really suitable for eating, but two varieties are - pie pumpkins and cheese pumpkins. 
 ROASTED DELICATA ROUNDS 
 2 delicata squash 
 Extra-virgin olive oil 
 Salt 
 Pepper 
 1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut off both ends of each squash, then cut in half through its "waist." Use a paring knife and/or teaspoon, remove seeds while leaving cylinder intact. Slice squash into thin rings, no more than 1/4 inch thick. 
 2. Lightly oil a nonstick (or parchment or Silpat-covered) baking sheet. Place slices on sheet and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Flip slices over and sprinkle again. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, checking often to see if undersides of rings are nicely browned. When they are, flip and bake 5 to 10 minutes longer, until top sides are browned. Makes 4 servings. 
 SPICY SOUTHWESTERN STUFFED SQUASH 
 This recipe makes impressive use of small (1-to 2-pound) winter squash and would be a suitable first course at <a href="/topics/Thanksgiving">Thanksgiving</a> or, with a salad, the centerpiece of a vegetarian meal. 
 Small acorns work, but if your market sells sweet dumpling, buttercup, turban or carnival squash, why not buy a variety? Try to get squash that are about the same size (so they'll cook in the same amount of time) and look for squash that stand up on their own (sweet dumplings are very stable). 
 1 small poblano pepper (about 4 inches long) 
 2 teaspoons kosher salt (or a generous 
 teaspoon of table or fine sea salt) 
 2 large cloves garlic, peeled 
 2 teaspoons cumin seed 
 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 
 4 small squash, about 11/2 pounds each 
 4 tablespoons finely minced cilantro 
 1/2 cup heavy cream 
 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. If you have a gas stove, hold the poblano pepper directly in a burner flame (with tongs), rotating it until its entire surface is blistered. (If you have an electric stove, you can blacken the pepper in a dry cast-iron pan.) Set pepper aside to cool, then rub off the skin with a paper towel, cut off the top, pull out the seeds, cut lengthwise into four triangular filets and then crosswise into very thin strips. 
 2. Combine salt, garlic, cumin and black pepper and grind to a paste with a mortar and pestle or whir in a mini-processor. 
 3. With a sharp, heavy knife, cut the top 1/4 off the squash. Scoop out seeds. Place squash on a baking sheet. Into each squash cavity place 1/4 of the paste and 1 tablespoon of the cilantro. Depending on how spicy you like your food, use up to 1/4 of the sliced poblano pepper in each squash. Pour 1 to 2 tablespoons cream into each squash; it should come about 1/3 of the way up the cavity. Top each squash with its own lid. 
 4. Bake until squash gives easily when you prod it and the filling bubbles, 45 minutes to 1hour. (Note that different squash may cook at different rates.) Makes 4 servings. 
 PENNE WITH SQUASH SAUCE AND SAGE-BROWN BUTTER 
 Tortelli di zucca, squash-filled fresh pasta, sauced with sage-infused browned butter is one of the glories of the Northern Italian table. Here, the same flavors are used in a much simpler dish featuring penne (or any other short macaroni). 
 Any winter squash will work here. A 3-pound squash will yield just enough flesh for the recipe, about 2 1/2 cups, but feel free to roast a larger squash and find another use for the leftovers. (Mashing it with salt, olive oil and Parmesan cheese can't be beat.) I have made this with butternut, kabocha and, most memorably, with a small Hubbard squash whose dense flesh was entirely free of fiber - more like a potato than a squash. 
 One last note: The pasta-cooking water here is used as the "broth" to thin the squash, so it is imperative that it be well salted. Use at least 2 tablespoons for each gallon of water. 
 1 (3-pound) squash 
 4 tablespoons butter 
 8 to 12 fresh sage leaves 
 Extra-virgin olive oil 
 Freshly ground black pepper 
 1 large shallot (or small onion), minced 
 2 tablespoons salt 
 1 pound penne 
 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese 
 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash in half and remove seeds. Place halves, cut-side down, on a baking sheet and bake until flesh is tender, about 1 hour. When cool enough to handle, scoop out flesh and set aside. 
 2. Melt butter in a small pan. Add sage leaves and cook over medium heat. First the butter will bubble as the water in it boils away, then it will start to turn brown. At this point, turn off heat and set aside. 
 3. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Meanwhile, film the bottom of a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven (at least 12 inches in diameter) with olive oil, about 4 to 5 tablespoons. Add 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper and shallot. Saute, over medium heat, until shallot is soft but has not browned, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat. 
 4. When the water boils, add salt and then the penne. While the penne cooks, add the squash flesh to the skillet (off the heat) and mash roughly with the back of a spoon. (If you like a smoother texture, you could put the squash flesh through a food mill.) Scoop out a cup of the pasta-cooking water and add to squash. Turn heat to medium high and stir vigorously to make a thick sauce. 
 5. Place sage-butter back on heat just to rewarm. 
 6. When penne is al dente, use a "spider" or large slotted spoon to transfer the pasta to the skillet. Turn heat to high and mix everything well, adding more pasta-cooking water if sauce is still too thick. Remove from heat and add 1 cup of Parmesan. Mix well and turn into a serving bowl. Sprinkle with more cheese, then pour the brown butter over everything, arranging the sage leaves attractively on top. Serve with more cheese. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

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Squash recipes perfect for autumn 

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Halloween inspires some scary cocktails. But you can find some treats among the tricks. Here are four. 
 From the producers of &nbsp;Van Gogh Rich Dark Chocolate Vodka comes the very post-Impressionist PepperMint Pattini. Add 1 1/2 ounces of the chocolate vodka, 1/2 ounce of crème de menthe, 1/2 ounce of chocolate liqueur and 1/2 ounce of cream to a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with Peppermint Pattie wedge. I'd eat the wedge last. 
 The Twisted Rivoli highlights Courvoisier, honoring Cognac and <a href="/topics/Busta_Rhymes">Busta Rhymes</a>. Pour one part Courvoisier VSOP, 1/2 part apricot brandy and a splash of dark cacao into a cocktail shaker, then add 2 teaspoons of shredded marmalade. Stir briskly. Fill shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into martini glass. Start singing. 
 TY KU Sake colorfully comes up with the Bloody Geisha. This requires combining 3 ounces of tomato juice, 1 1/2ounces of TY KU Sake, a pinch of wasabi, a dash of soy sauce and a squirt of lime juice. 
 Ultimat Vodka offers the Witches' Brew. Mix 2 ounces of the vodka with blood-orange syrup or simple syrup steeped with blood oranges and the juice of a Key lime. Add ice, shake, strain into a martini glass rimmed with black smoked salt. Read "Macbeth." 
 And I do vaguely remember enjoying something called a Banana Banshee on a Caribbean beach. The exact ingredients elude me. But if you put a bottle of Thunderbird to my head, I'd improvise with some crème de cacao, crème de banana, a touch of cream and a few shots of very good rum, all shaken with ice and strained.

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Halloween cocktails and spirits

This is the week for tricks, treats and definitely high spirits. 
You could sip the playfully named 7 Deadly Zins ($17) from Michael+David Winery, a berry-and-spice, 2007 red blend of upfront zinfandels. Or the Lodi producer's earthy, lightly peppery 6th Sense <a href="/topics/Syrah">Syrah</a> ($17), from the 2006 vintage. 
For a <a href="/topics/California">California</a> wine costumed in <a href="/topics/Burgundy">Burgundy</a>: the creamy, fruity 2007 Matanzas Creek <a href="/topics/Sonoma">Sonoma</a> Valley <a href="/topics/Chardonnay">Chardonnay</a> ($29); and the smooth 2007 Matanzas Creek Bennett Valley <a href="/topics/Pinot_Noir">Pinot Noir</a> ($35), loaded with <a href="/topics/BlackBerry">blackberry</a>, cherry and spice. 
Sweets from the Quady Winery: Essensia and Elysium. Essensia is a delightful orange muscat, with some spice and a hint of apricot, too, that goes with desserts. Elysium is black muscat, deeply hued and fruity. Try it with blue cheese. $14-$18 for a 375-ml bottle; $22-$24 for 750ml. 
Among the season's big treats are vintage Ports. They'll have long lives and give generous rewards. The elegant, subtle Taylor Fladgate 2007 Vintage Porto ($95) delivers wonderful fruit, complemented by floral and herbal accents. The 2007 Fonseca Vintage Porto ($95), dark, intense and velvety, is rich and full of black fruit. 
If you want to meet spirits, blithe and otherwise, consider the excellent rums from J.M. of Martinique. The J.M. Rhum Agricole VSOP ($57), a superb aged rum; and the J.M. Rhum Agricole Paille ($41), a refined gold rum, are made with sugar cane. Top of the line: J.M. Rhum Agricole Millesime ($119), an aged, fruity-spicy, vintage beauty. Channel your inner pirate.

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Drinks: Halloween spirits are all treat, no trick

Ask your kids what they love about Halloween and most, if not all, will shout ?candy." 
 While this fun tradition may wreak havoc on your kids' teeth -- and bedtime routines -- there are many tricks to help keep some of the treats at bay. 
 For starters, determine a reasonable number of days your kids can enjoy the sweets and discuss this with them before they head out trick-or-treating. It's also best to let them know candy-eating rules ahead of time, such as, one piece of candy can be eaten only after a healthy meal. 
 You can also hand out healthy goodies rather than candy to kids in your neighborhood. Kara Smith, special project coordinator for the Loyola Center for Fitness in Chicago, suggests handing out these alternatives when the little ghosts knock on your door: Halloween pencils, stickers or temporary tattoos, boxes of raisins, sugarless gum, 100 calorie packs of snacks or vampire teeth and other party favors. 
 Another trick is to feed your kids a healthy snack or dinner before they venture out. This may help them be less tempted to dig into their bag before they get home. 
 Maggie da Silva, of Carroll Gardens, Booklyn, a mother of three and author of "Real Family Halloween Fun" (RealFamilyTime.com, $3.99 for an ebook), makes it a point to give her kids dinner before they go trick-or-treating. 
 "With a 7-year-old and 4-year old twins, I don't want to end up with the scariest sugar low in history," said da Silva. "I've found the easiest way to sneak in healthy foods before the candy is to make something nutritious in a fun shape. Kids love anything in fun shapes! I plan to make Meatloaf Mummies (recipe below) on Sunday night and put them in the fridge raw. Then on Monday, I'll pop them in the oven before we get into our costumes." 
 Try this recipe before trick-or-treating with your kids. "As a skeleton might say, 'Bone appetit!,' " said da Silva. "My kids think that's funny!" 
 Meatloaf Mummies 
 Serves 4-8, depending on how big you make your mummies 
 Ingredients 1 pound lean ground beef 1 egg ¼ cup breadcrumbs 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon, plus extra, ketchup 1 tube of biscuit dough 
 Preparation 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 2. Prepare the meatloaf: Mix together the ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, soy sauce and 1 tablespoon ketchup. 3. Make meatloaf mummies by shaping little men out of the meat mixture. 4. Open the biscuit dough and flatten pieces out with your fingers. 5. Wrap the meat people with ½-inch strips of flattened-out biscuit dough to look like bandages. Leave space for eyes. 6. Cook uncovered in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. 7. Once out of the oven, you can add some personality by using ketchup to create eyes. 8. Serve with extra ketchup and a side of veggies.

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Tricks for a healthy Halloween

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TIP: All of these dishes may be prepared a day in advance. 
 PUMPKIN BREAD PUDDING 
Be sure to use canned pumpkin and not canned pumpkin pie filling. 
2 large eggs 
4 cups skim milk, divided 
3/4 cup brown sugar 
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin 
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice mix 
1 teaspoon vanilla 
1 pound sliced dense white bread 
Candy corn, ice cream and/or whipped cream to taste 
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-by-12-inch baking dish with cooking spray. 
2. In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Stir in 3 cups of the milk, the sugar, pumpkin, spice mix and vanilla. 
3. Place a layer of the bread in the baking dish and pour some of the mixture over it. Add another layer of bread and repeat until all the ingredients are used. 
4. Bake 30 minutes and remove from oven. Use a fork to prick holes all over the pudding and slowly pour the remaining cup of milk into pudding, stopping to allow the bread to absorb some of the milk before the next addition. Return to oven and bake another 25 to 30 minutes, until pudding is slightly puffed. (The pumpkin on top will still be soft, but it will be cooked through on the interior.) 
5. When bread pudding is slightly cooled, decorate with candy corn, if desired, and serve topped with ice cream or whipped cream. Makes 8 servings. 
Nutritional analysis for each serving: 296 calories, 11 g protein, 57 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 3 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 493 mg sodium 
 SLOW-COOKER CHICKEN CHILI 
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut in 1/2-inch pieces 
1/4 cup flour 
1 tablespoon chili powder 
1 teaspoon ground cumin 
1 cup chopped onion 
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 11/2 teaspoons) 
1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed 
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies 
1 cup frozen corn 
Salt, pepper and Tabasco to taste 
3/4 cup light shredded Cheddar 
Toss the chicken with the flour, chili powder and cumin until it is well-coated. Combine in the slow cooker with the onion, garlic, beans, tomatoes and corn. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours. Taste and add salt, pepper and Tabasco as desired. Serve topped with the cheese. Makes 4 servings. 
Nutritional analysis for each serving: 353 calories, 35 g protein, 33 g carbohydrates, 8 g fiber, 10 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 293 mg sodium 
 PUMPKIN CHEESE 
24 ounces "lite" port wine cheese spread 
8 ounces Neufchâtel (light cream cheese) 
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 
8 chive leaves 
1-inch piece broccoli stalk, peeled 
1. Combine the cheese spread, Neufchâtel, Worcestershire sauce and mustard in a food processor and run until the mixture is smooth. Transfer to a bowl lined in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 5 minutes. 
2. Invert bowl onto a work surface and dampen your hands with cold water. Shape cheese mixture into round pumpkin-like shape, smoothing the surface with your dampened hands. Depress a 1/2-inch-deep and 1/2-inch-wide area in the center of the top of the cheese ball. 
3. Use a knife to lightly score lines running from the top indentation vertically down the sides of the pumpkin, forming segments that are about 2-inches wide. Place a chive leaf over each line. Place the broccoli stalk in the indentation at the top, covering the ends of each chive leaf. Refrigerate until just before serving. Serve with celery and carrot sticks, and crackers. Makes 16 servings. 
Nutritional analysis for each serving: 143 calories, 9 g protein, 8 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 9 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 358 mg sodium

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3 Simple Halloween Dishes

fdMARGE, pumpkin-bread pudding-CROPPED reo

SAUSAGE WITH APPLES, FENNEL AND SAGE 
 Serve over buttered egg noodles. 
 1 tablespoon olive oil 
 1 pound Italian turkey sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices 
 1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced 
 1/4 cup lower-sodium chicken broth 
 1 Granny Smith, empire or Jonagold apple, thinly sliced with peel on 
 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage 
 1/2 teaspoon salt 
 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 
 1. Heat olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium high. Add sausage and cook until browned on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Push sausage to side of pan and add fennel. Cook 2 minutes, or until pan is dry. Add chicken broth and apples, and cook, stirring occasionally, 6 to 7 minutes, until apple and fennel are soft. 
 2. Stir in sage, salt and pepper; serve. Makes 4 servings. 
 Nutritional analysis for each serving: 241 calories, 22 g protein, 15 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 11 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 80 mg cholesterol, 1105 mg sodium 
 SPINACH, APPLE AND BACON SALAD 
 4 slices bacon 
 2 large Granny Smith, Braeburn or gala apples, cut into 1/2-inch dice, peel on 
 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 
 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 
 8 cups baby spinach leaves 
 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion 
 1. Cook the bacon in a large, nonstick skillet. Remove and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Crumble when cool. 
 2. Meanwhile, pour off and reserve all but about 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings from pan. Heat drippings in pan over medium high; add apples and cook until lightly golden on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer apples to a plate to cool. 
 3. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon drippings back to the pan. Heat over medium and whisk in the vinegar and Dijon. (Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.) Toss the warm dressing with the spinach, cooked apple, onion and bacon; serve. Makes 4 servings. 
 Nutritional analysis for each serving: 193 calories, 5 g protein, 24 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 10 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 304 mg sodium 
 APPLE-CREAM CHEESE DESSERT QUESADILLA 
 2 Granny Smith, empire or gala apples, thinly sliced 
 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 
 1 tablespoon sugar 
 4 ounces Neufchâtel cream cheese at room temperature 
 2 tablespoon confectioners' sugar 
 2 (10-inch) flour tortillas 
 Cinnamon sugar, optional: Combine 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 
 1. Toss the apples, cinnamon and sugar together; set aside. 
 2. Mix cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. 
 3. Spread half the cream cheese on the surface of each tortilla, leaving a 1/2-inch border clear. 
 4. Working one at a time, place the tortillas in a nonstick skillet heated over medium high. Top half the tortilla with half of the apple mixture and fold the unfilled side over to enclose the apples. Press lightly on the top of the quesadilla and cook until the underside is golden, about 1 minute longer. Flip and cook until the underside is golden and cheese is very soft, 1 to 2 minutes longer. 
 5. Sprinkle warm quesadilla with cinnamon sugar, if desired; repeat with remaining ingredients. Cut each quesadilla in half. Makes 4 servings. 
 Nutritional analysis for each serving: 273 calories, 6 g protein, 43 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 9 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 21 mg cholesterol, 317 mg sodium 
 Tip 
 Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apples keep their crisp texture especially well when cooked.

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3 Simple apple dishes

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Halloween party recipes

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Newsday food writer Marie Elena Martinez visits Rocco's Tacos in Huntington Station to learn about their all-you-can-eat tacos deal.

Tacos and more all-you-can-eat deals on LI

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