Chris Eboch

This Halloween party treat provides spooky fun, plus two favorite desserts -- sugar cookies and chocolate brownies. And even I can make it!

One chocolate brownie mix
one package of refrigerator sugar cookies
one tube of decorator icing, with a fine tip (or several in different colors if you're feeling fancy)

Roll the sugar cookies extra thick -- about a third of an inch.

Use ghost cookie cutters, or cut out ghost shapes with a paring knife. Cut out tombstone shapes. Make sure you leave an extra inch at the bottom of each shape, as that will disappear into the brownie mix. Make at least twice as many figures as you expect to need, to allow for breakage. The remaining dough can become regular cookies (or just eat it raw, like I do).

Bake the cookies until they just start to brown. They need to be kind of crisp in order to stand up. Cool completely.

Use the directions for cake-like brownies (so they will be thicker and give you a better base for holding the cookies). Make the brownies in a 8 x 13 pan. Bake like the directions say.

While the brownies are baking, use the decorator icing to put faces on the ghosts, and words on the tombstones.

Cool the brownies for about five minutes. When they are nearly set, press the cookies into the brownie pan so the ghosts and tombstones are standing up. It may help to make a slit with a blunt knife first, and insert the cookies there. If necessary, you can prop the backs of the cookies with toothpicks.

Serve to oohs and ahhs, then consume. Or just consume.