The Monster Island Theater Carnival Recipes

Chili Cheese Dogs

In a large saucepan, combine chili, cheese soup, and onion. Add hot dogs; heat to boiling then simmer for 5 minutes. Place a hot dog on each toasted bun then top with chili cheese sauce and sprinkle with crushed corn chips.

Makes 10 chili cheese hot dog sandwiches.

Recipe courtesy of About.com - Southern U.S. Cuisine

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Mini Corn Dogs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda. Cut in the butter with a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture resembles wet sand.

Beat the egg with the buttermilk and add to the dry ingredients. Stir until combined.

Turn onto a well-floured work surface and knead 3 to 4 times. Roll 1/4-inch thick and cut with a 1-inch round cookie cutter or biscuit cutter. Place a sausage mini in the center of each dough round and roll the dough around the sausage. Press to seal the ends together. Place seam side up on a greased baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, until the corn bread is golden. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before removing from pan.

Serve warm or at room temperature with your choice of mustards.

Makes 32 appetizers

Recipe courtesy of Aidells.

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Caramel Apples

Wash and completely dry the apples. Insert a wooden skewer or chopstick into the stem end of each. Line a 9-by-9-inch or 7-by-11-inch baking pan with foil. Place the chopped nuts into the lined pan.

Fit a heavy-bottomed saucepan with a candy thermometer. Over high heat, cook 3/4 cup of the cream, the corn syrup, butter, and sugar to 280 degrees F (firm ball); at this point the syrup will be golden. Remove from the heat and carefully swirl in the remaining 1/4 cup of cream and the vanilla. Use caution; this is very hot and it may splatter.

While the caramel is hot, dip and turn the apples into the caramel to coat and let the excess drip off. Dip the bottoms into the chopped nuts. Arrange the apples on a nonstick or waxed paper-lined cookie sheet and let cool.

Recipe courtesy of the Food Network.

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Caramel Corn

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil and kernels over high heat, uncovered, until first pop. Cover and remove from heat for 1 minute. Return to high heat and shake until popping ceases. Sprinkle with salt and shake to distribute evenly. Measure 3 1/2 cups of popcorn, and reserve.

Place sugar in a saucepan and add enough water to cover. Cook until caramelized and golden then stir in the reserved popcorn and peanuts. Pour onto greased sheet pan and break up slightly into clumps.

Recipe courtesy of the Food Network.

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Cotton Candy

Remember you are working with hot sugar so be sure to have a bowl of cold water ready in case you get any of it on your skin. It is best to make sugar on a dry day, as the humidity will melt the sugar.

To make this recipe at home, you will need a pair of wire cutters and an old inexpensive whisk. Cut the round ends off an inexpensive whisk. Arrange the tines so they are evenly spaced. You will also need an open space to make the cotton candy. At home, slit open a garbage bag and cover the floor area. Wedge 2 long wooden spoons or dowels under something heavy so they extend off the edge of the counter.

Place the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Insert a candy thermometer and cook the sugar mixture until it reaches 320 degrees F, what is known as the hard crack stage (the sugar becomes brittle when it comes in contact with a cooler surface). Remove from the heat and carefully pour into a medium-size microwaveable glass bowl. If you leave the sugar in the pan, the sugar will continue to cook and turn dark brown. A glass bowl will hold the temperature of the sugar. I put a towel under the bowl to keep the bowl from tipping over and to protect my hands from the heat of the glass. (The sugar will stay liquid enough to work with easily for about 10 minutes; after that it will start to thicken. If this happens before you are finished, just pop the bowl in the microwave for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the sugar is liquid enough to work with once again.) If you are going to color and/or flavor the sugar, add those drops now.

Dip the tines into the hot sugar. Allow the sugar to drain off for 1 to 2 seconds until the draining sugar strands are relatively the same consistency. Then wave the whisk over the extended wooden spoons and allow the sugar strands to gently drift until they are resting on top of the spoons. Make sure you are about 12 to 18 inches above the spoons. Use broad long strokes and work quickly. Gather the cotton candy and roll onto paper that you've rolled into a long, thin cone, like cotton candy is served in at the carnival or serve as is. If you need to store the cotton candy for a few hours, place it in an airtight container. The delicate sugar will melt in a humid environment.

Recipe courtesy of the Food Network.

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Deep Fried Snickers Bar

Chill the chocolate bar by keeping it in the fridge, but don't freeze it.

Mix the flour, cornstarch, and baking soda together.

Add milk (traditional) or beer (which gives a lighter result) until you get a batter with the consistency of thin cream.

Heat the oil until a small piece of bread will brown in a few seconds, but don't allow to smoke.

Remove wrapper from chilled chocolate bar.

Coat completely in batter.

Carefully lower into hot oil and fry until golden brown.

Recipe courtesy of Recipezaar.

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Chocolate-Dipped Frozen Bananas

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Cut 1-inch off the end of each banana. Insert a popsicle stick into the cut-end of each banana, pushing the stick halfway in, leaving the other end exposed for use as a handle. Place the bananas on the baking sheet and freeze 1 hour.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally.

Arrange the dipping decorations on several flat plates. Working with 1 banana at a time, dip it in the chocolate and turn to completely coat (spoon some on, if needed). Roll the dipped banana in the desired decorations, transfer to the sheet pan, and return to the freezer.

Once frozen, store the bananas in an airtight container.

Recipe courtesy of the Food Network.

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