Treat yourself to some scarily good Halloween grub on a budget

HAPPY Halloween. Although there will not be the usual parties, and will be no trick-or-treating in many parts, it’s still lovely to enjoy all the autumn produce that’s around at this time of year and give the kids some scarily good grub at the same time.

Big kids and small will love these hot-dog mummies – and the super-tasty pumpkin soup recipe is ideal for cosying up on the sofa as the nights draw in. Lovely treats, both of them . . . 

Hot-dog mummies

Makes 8

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15-20 minutes

You need:

• 1 sheet pre-rolled puff pastry
• 8 hot dogs
• Ketchup

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 200C/180 fan/gas 6. Roll out the pastry and cut it into lots of long strips. Wrap each strip around the hot dogs so you are creating the look of an Egyptian mummy, leaving a gap for its eyes.
2. Place the hot dogs on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is slightly puffed and golden.
3. Transfer the mummy hot dogs to a cooling rack, before adding 2 little dots of ketchup to create eyes for the mummies.

Ready to freeze: Freeze the hot dogs before you have cooked them. Place in a reusable freezer bag.

Ready to cook: Leave to defrost before putting in the oven at 200C/180 fan/gas 6 for around 25 minutes until golden brown.

Pumpkin soup

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

You need:

• 1 large pumpkin
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 230g frozen chopped onions
• 1 tbsp frozen chopped garlic
• 2 tbsp cumin
• 720ml vegetable stock

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 200C/180 fan/gas 6. Cut the pumpkin in a similar way to how you would a watermelon – slice in half, remove the seeds, cut in segments, remove the skin from the back of the slices, then cube the flesh.
2. Put cubes of pumpkin on a tray along with half the olive oil and a pinch of salt. Roast for 30 minutes or until pumpkin is soft and golden.
3. While the pumpkin is in the oven, heat the remaining oil in a pan, add the frozen onion, garlic and cumin, and cook over a medium heat until soft for about 5 minutes.
4. When pumpkin, onion and garlic are all cooked, add to a large bowl or pan, off the heat. Add half the vegetable stock and blitz with a hand blender until mixed well.
5. Then add the remainder of the stock and blend into a soup consistency.

Ready for the freezer: Portion the soup (around 1 cup per portion) into soup freezer bags and label. Keep open until cool then seal and freeze.

Ready to eat: Defrost and heat the soup, serve with a splash of cream and some toasted pumpkin seeds or pumpkin-seed bread.

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