{Chocolate Spiders}

What you need:

* 12 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate, grated or finely chopped

* 1 can (5 ounces) chow mein noodles

* 1 cup salted peanuts

What you do:

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Melt chocolate. Remove from the heat. Add the noodles and peanuts and stir and fold until the noodles are well coated. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto prepared pan. Chill for at least 8 hours, or until ready to serve.

{Peanut Butter & Jelly Cupcakes}

This cupcake has little pockets of grape jelly. The cupcake itself is moist and toothsome, and the chunky peanut butter frosting is smooth and rich without being cloyingly sweet.

This recipe for PBJ cupcakes is from Buttercup Bakes at Home.

PB&J Cupcakes

Makes: 12 to 14 cupcakes

Ingredients:

* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
* 1 cup sugar
* 2 large eggs, room temperature
* 3/4 cup milk
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1 cup grape jelly
* Chunky Peanut Butter Frosting (see recipe below)
* Coarsely chopped peanuts or crushed peanut butter cups, for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 muffin tins with cupcake papers.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until well incorporated. Add the dry ingredients in two parts, alternating with the milk. Add the vanilla.
4. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups until each is about two-thirds full. Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly touched. Let cupcakes cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
5. When cupcakes are thoroughly cool, fill a squeeze bottle with jelly, and then invert the tip of the bottle into the center of a cooled cupcake. Carefully squeeze about 1 tablespoon jelly into center of cupcake. Repeat with remaining cupcakes. Frost with Chunky Peanut Butter Frosting, and garnish with roasted salted peanuts or crushed peanut butter cups.

Chunky Peanut Butter Frosting:

Makes: 2 1/2 cups (enough to frost 14 cupcakes)

Ingredients:

* 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
* 3/4 cup chunky peanut butter
* 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
* 2 cups confectioners' sugar
* 1/2 tablespoon milk (a few drops more if needed)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, beat the butter, peanut butter, and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. On low speed, slowly add 1 cup sugar, then a few drops milk. Increase mixer speed to medium-high, and mix thoroughly. Add remaining sugar and a few more drops milk if necessary.
3. Increase mixer speed to high, and mix until frosting is fluffy and reaches a good spreading consistency. Use immediately.

{Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookies}

Ingredients:

* ¾ cup granular sugar substitute
* 1 large egg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 cup creamy trans-fat-free peanut butter
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* ¼ cup sugar-free jam, any flavor

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix sugar substitute, egg, and vanilla with an electric mixer set on low for 3 minutes.
3. Add peanut butter and baking soda. Mix on medium until dough comes together, about 30 seconds.
4. Form dough into 24 (2-teaspoon) balls and place on baking sheet 1 inch apart. Gently press your thumb into the center of each to make an indentation.
5. Fill each indentation with 1/2 teaspoon jam.
6. Bake until lightly browned on the bottom, 12 to 14 minutes.
7. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

{Zebra Kiss Cookies}

Ingredients:

* 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, cut up
* 3 eggs, beaten
* 1-1/2 cups sugar
* 1/2 cup cooking oil
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 2 teaspoons vanilla
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* Sifted powdered sugar
* Milk chocolate kisses with stripes

Directions:

1. Stir chocolate in small heavy saucepan over low heat until melted. Cool. Combine eggs, sugar,

melted chocolate, oil, baking powder, and vanilla in large bowl. Gradually add flour to chocolate mixture, stirring until combined. Cover; chill 2 hours or until easy to handle.

2. Shape dough into 1-1/4-inch balls. Roll in powdered sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in 375 degree F oven 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are set and tops cracked. While still hot, press a kiss into the center of each. Cool on a wire rack. Makes about 48 cookies.

Make-Ahead Tip: Bake cookies and place kiss in center of each. Cool completely. In an airtight or freezer container arrange cookies in a single layer; cover with a sheet of waxed paper. Repeat layers, leaving enough air space to close container easily. Freeze up to 1 month.

{Spaghetti Cupcakes}

Ingredients:

* 8 ounces spaghetti, cooked & undrained

* 4 eggs, slightly beaten

* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

* 1/4 teaspoon pepper

* 1 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce

* 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Grease 12-cup muffin pan; set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine spaghetti, eggs, Parmesan cheese & pepper.

4. Evenly press into muffin cups to form a "crust."

5. Evenly top each cup with spaghetti sauce, then mozzarella cheese.

6. Bake 15 minutes or until bubbling. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Optional:

Add happy faces using broccoli flourets for hair, eyebrows or noses. Use sliced black olives or pimiento olives for eyes. Pepperoni or sliced tomatoes for mouths. Bake an additional 10 minutes.