This “MUMMY’S NIGHT OUT” theme from Phyllis Hoffman Celebrate Halloween is such a clever & elegant take on Halloween, and a color palette of green, white, and black feels fresh & fun, but still very Halloween-appropriate.

The fabulous “Mummy Veggie Dip” tray pictured above is the first thing that caught my eye… such creative presentation! The full recipe is below, but you can really use any thick cream-cheese based dip that you personally love for this dish; the key lies is in forming the mummy shape with your hands, then piping on the top layer of cream cheese from a pastry bag fitted with a leaf tip (in order to mimic the look of cloth).

These Mummy Vases are super cute too – and surprisingly easy! All you need to recreate these at home are clear glass vases, cheesecloth, transparent tape, plastic eyeballs, and flowers. (Flowers pictured here: white Spider Mums, Dianthus Carnations, and black Kangaroo Paws.)

For another creative food presentation idea, check out this adorable Assorted Mummy Cookies Tray :

Give store-bought cookies like gingerbread men, vanilla wafers, and pirouettes a “mummy look” by covering and coating them with piped white chocolate. Use sugar eyes or black gel icing for the eyes. Present them in an extremely mod-looking “graveyard” made of white, green, and black jelly beans. Super cute!

For more recipes & ideas on this theme – plus & a TON of other ultra-creative Halloween ideas – check out the 2010 edition of Phyllis Hoffman Celebrate Halloween. (On news stands until November 2nd!)

MUMMY VEGGIE DIP RECIPE

{via Phyllis Hoffman Celebrate}

Ingredients:

• 2 (8-oz) packages cream cheese
• 3 (4 oz) packages goat cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup green olives with pimientos, drained and chopped
• 1 (4.25 oz) can chopped black olives
• 1 (3.5 oz) jar capers, drained, rinsed, and chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Assorted fresh green veggies

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, beat 1 package cream cheese and goat cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
2. Add olives, capers, garlic, and pepper, beating until combined.
3. Refrigerate mixture for a least 1 hour.
4. Place mixture on a serving platter and form into a mummy design.
5. Beat remaining cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
6. Place cream cheese in a pastry bag fitted with a flat leaf tip.
7. Pipe desired mummy design onto mummy figure.
8. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
9. Serve with assorted fresh green vegetables.

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