With the damp, humid air and murky bayou crawling through the ancient city, Houston always feels a little ghostly. But things get most creepy around Halloween, when ghost tours and spirits glimpses into the city's unearthly history are in full swing. There are also incredibly cute doggie costume contests and somewhat less adorable human costume contests. This year's Halloweekend bashes will feature live music, flowing boo-ze, pumpkin smashing, and moon-howlin' dance parties that will last far beyond your customary bedtime. Here's all you need to do in Houston this #SpookySzn.

House of Spirits: A Haunted Cocktail Soirée
Choose dates 8th – 31st of October
Casa Vega, Missouri City's haunted home, has officially opened its doors for the season. The immersive theatrical cocktail experience spooks you with roving specters, secret games, scary stories, tarot readings, and small handmade drinks to keep you thoroughly boo-zed.
Ticket prices start at $66 and go up from there.

The Halloween Bar Crawl
Saturday, October 22; Saturday, October 29; and Monday, October 31
Midtown Pub Crawl's official Halloween Bar Crawl will travel through prominent Midtown haunts on numerous evenings (including Halloween night), giving you three chances to put on your best costume and join the festivities. Your ticket entitles you to discounts on beverages (and food) at participating establishments, which will have Halloween-themed cocktails, bands and DJs, and picture chances throughout the crawl.
Cost: Tickets vary from $9.99 to $24.99 for three-day tickets.

Thursday, October 27th, Vampire Ball
Doris Metropolitan Modern Israeli steakhouse Doris Metropolitan will deck out the sultry venue for its annual Vampire Ball. Costumes are welcomed, with doors opening at 5 p.m., happy hour until 7 p.m., and DJ beats into the night.
There is no cover charge, but reservations must be made via Resy.

Brunch on Day of the Dead
Saturday, October 29 B&B Butchers & Restaurant
Do Halloweekend justice with a Dia de los Muertos themed brunch at one of Houston's best steakhouses. B&B Butchers will be serving Mexico City-inspired brunch meals and Código 1530 Tequila specialty drinks, as well as DJ sounds, face painting, swag, and an appearance by mariachis.
A la carte, reserve a table via OpenTable from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Halloween Costume Contest & Adoption Event Saturday, October 29 Heights Bier Garten
Kids trick-or-treating in costume are charming, but you know what's even cuter? Costumed dogs And this pet adoption event will have plenty of it. From 2 to 5 p.m., check out the doggy Halloween Costume Contest for prizes, sip beers and munchies, and purchase raffle tickets and rescue stuff.
Cost: Free to attend; $10 to submit your dog in the dog costume contest.

Boos & Brews on 19th Thursday, October 29th 19th Street in the Heights
From 5 to 9 p.m., stroll the shops along historic 19th Street and fill your Halloween pilsner cup with complimentary drinks from local brewers as the kids trick or treat. It's a no-brainer.
Cost: Purchase pint glasses for $20 each to have access to the complimentary beers.

The post 7 Halloween Events Happening In Houston 2022 appeared first on East End Lofts Blog.

Texan Chili 

Chili nights have been a Halloween custom in my household, where we host friends taking turns to devour each other’s variations of Chili and chill. What I love about this dish is that I can leave it simmering on the stovetop, and guests can serve themselves.

Though we all have our own versions, the original Chili did not contain many of the modern ingredients, which may stir a debate of sorts. However, this perfect traditional Halloween recipe of Chili is just what you need to gear up for Trick or Treat. Alternatively, make chili in a Crock-Pot and you will come home to a soulful supper after a busy night of celebrating.

Whole Wheat Empanadas

So versatile, the empanadas are a must-have traditional Halloween snack that makes an appearance on Dia de Los Muertos dining tables almost always. You can fill them up with sweet, savory, or meaty fillings and the best part is that they can be made by the dozens at one preparation. I add a sweet pumpkin filling to half of the batch and a savory chicken filling for the rest. I have even handed them out to the trick ‘o’ treaters, and I won’t lie; they are not usually very happy about it! To add a healthier touch, these empanadas are made from a dough of whole wheat and semolina. The filling can really be anything you fancy, but this time, I am adding a mix of chicken, cheese, and bell peppers.

Traditional Halloween Beef Enchiladas with Homemade sauce

Bloody, oozy, and all things gooey; is how I describe these Enchiladas. The combination of gruesome red-orange and icky yellow and the fact that these can feed a crowd makes it one of the best choices for a traditional Halloween dinner. These beef enchiladas are super simple to make on the same day if you only have the sauce ready. The sauce, I prepare a day in advance, as it freezes quite well and can be used in more than one dish. The tomato passata used in the sauce is basically tomato puree, triple diluted. A large can of tomato puree will do perfectly, just add enough water so it’s the right consistency.

For really well-melting cheese, and that spooky visual effect, use a mix of Queso Chihuahua and classic Cheddar. Piping hot, tangy and satisfying, this traditional Halloween enchilada recipe is not to be missed!

Seasonal Quesadillas

No, I am not going to give you another Jack o Lantern Quesadilla recipe, but a more filling and scrumptious one. To make it better, this quesadilla features plenty of seasonal produce like bell peppers, corn, onions & mushrooms. Additionally, you can customize these traditional Halloween foods with chopped olives, and other fermented veggies. The secret behind getting a crisp tortilla is to make sure you stir fry the vegetables at high heat, so no moisture remains. For the cheese again, use any kind with a nice melt. Serve hot and enjoy!

Traditional Halloween Dips

There can never be enough dips at a party. Especially when it is Halloween. Whether you dip your nachos into guacamole or top up your taco with a refried bean dip, these side dishes are the highlights of any meal. The best feature about dips is that you can use them in a number of different ways and add that extra dimension to your dishes. Two immensely popular dips for this season are:

Guacamole

Definitely takes the first spot on the list. A guac can be as simple or as complex as you would like it to be. For keeping things light and letting the flavors shine through, I love this classic guacamole recipe by Benjamin. A classic take indeed, it never fails to shine.

Refried Bean Dip

Another traditional Halloween favorite is the refried bean dip. Opt for pinto beans, as they give a lovely buttery texture. Fresh cilantro livens up the dish and that squeeze of lemon juice just brings it all together. This recipe for refried bean dip is way more enhanced than store-bought refried beans, so be sure to try it!

Turkey, Brie and Peach Grilled Tacos

Is any celebration even complete without tacos?? To give them a festive touch, there is turkey and luscious golden peach chutney. And cheese. I know right, tempting already!

It is remarkably simple to make, and with a little bit of prior preparation of the chutney, the tacos will be ready to go in no time.

For the turkey, feel free to go with either cold cuts or roasted breast. If not Brie, pick any soft mild cheese. Needless to say, turkey Brie and peach grilled tacos are a deadly combo for Halloween!

Atole 

As a lover of all drinks warm and restorative, I have recently become obsessed with Mexican Atoles. Who knew a drink with corn could soothe my tired mind and body after a fully exhaustive day. Atoles are perfect as the traditional Halloween drink, and the champurrado, is by far, my personal best.

Made from water, milk, masa harina, and chocolate, this delectable version of atole will be loved by all. You can use any dark chocolate you prefer but do opt for brown sugar to give it the sweet notes. Some earthy spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and star anise give the concoction the added bit of heat.

The post 7 of the Best Recipes and Texas Foods for Halloween Weekend appeared first on East End Lofts Blog.