| What better way to keep in the spirit of Halloween | | | | use this area for illumination effects and decorations... |
| than by turning your buffet table into a feast that may | | | | like a battery operated flickering candle with some |
| almost turn their appetites off instead of on. Creating a | | | | spiders and spiderwebs. |
| "dead body buffet" will let them enjoy what you have | | | | Ribs/Chest - Place a serving dish (crock pot, casserole |
| prepared and leave a lasting impression when it | | | | or pan) in the rib area and fill with boneless barbecue |
| comes to your party decorating skills. There are a | | | | rib meat. Stack bone-in ribs in another serving dish at |
| good many ways to get this done. Let's start with the | | | | an angle in front of the boneless rib meat to create the |
| basic supplies and then move on to the food | | | | "ribs" of the body. If you would rather, you can get |
| possibilities. | | | | some fake bones from a party supply or ask for |
| Supplies: | | | | some bones from a butcher that you can set out |
| - 6 foot long table | | | | purely as a decoration, keeping the center meat in a |
| - Black table cloth (8ft or larger) | | | | heated dish. |
| - Battery Operated Candles and/or table lights (safety | | | | Stomach/Intestines - Inside the pant torso, place your |
| first! battery operated please) | | | | crock pot or serving dish filled with things like spaghetti |
| - Various sizes of serving dishes | | | | (or any pasta of your choice), bratwurst, or any large |
| - Wig (for "head" area - optional) | | | | sausage... really it can be filled with anything you think |
| - Old Men's Dress Shirt | | | | intestines or a stomach would look like. You may |
| - Pair of Old Pants | | | | choose to just fill it with sweet and sour chicken (red |
| - Various food items (see below) | | | | sauce is pretty grotesque), or even some fried chicken |
| The art of creating a dead body buffet lies in the | | | | gizzards complete with a little bloody dipping sauce |
| strategic placement of the applicable food items. The | | | | (Marinara, or Red Ranch Dip) |
| goal is to create a tasty buffet of food that resembles | | | | Hands - the actual arms will be under some serving |
| a dead body, and additional portions of the creations | | | | dishes, silverware or napkins, but the cuff of the |
| are placed in front of the body for easy serving. You | | | | sleeve can be adjusted to border the bowl or platter |
| can start with the body's accessories - a wig, large | | | | where you can serve appetizer "fingers". There are |
| shirt and pants. The wig is easy, that is the head. | | | | many kinds of recipes for fingers, ranging from shrimp |
| When it comes to the shirt, it should only be buttoned | | | | to cookies. It will be your choice here. Make sure to |
| on the "neck" area, and draped over the tablecloth | | | | make a display hand and have the actual items in |
| open, as an additional decoration (sleeves are laid on | | | | separate bowls. You can even create a hand out of |
| the table flat). The pants are the same... use an old pair, | | | | dead finger appetizers and buffalo wings - using the |
| leave the button and zipper open, and put a serving | | | | drummette as a bloated rotting thumb (a light |
| dish of whatever you are using for the intestine | | | | application of BBQ sauce with a little red food dye |
| stomach section. For the pant legs, however, cut each | | | | works great for this effect). |
| pant leg down the front center, just below the crotch, | | | | Legs - This is the area where you can stuff the pant |
| stopping before the hemline. Fold open and arrange | | | | legs with Breadstick Bones, Tinted Kneecaps (dinner |
| serving bowls and dishes inside. It helps to shred the | | | | rolls), or make them bloody-style by having a little |
| clothes up a little for added effect. There are endless | | | | marinara sauce handy. |
| ways to vary the buffet and the above is just one | | | | Feet - You can create some toes the same way you |
| example to get your creative juices flowing. | | | | do fingers, or you can just set aside this section for |
| As far as the food goes, try these options on for size: | | | | condiments and silverware, or other additional dishes |
| Head - Eyes, Bloody Ears and Brain Matter are key | | | | and desserts you want to place on the table. Just |
| here. First, however, place an appropriately sized bowl | | | | decorate it with old boots or shoes (please wash first!). |
| in a wig. This will be your head. Fill with brain matter | | | | Slide the boots and shoes up against the furthest side |
| (either leafy salad,pasta salad, or a specialty brain | | | | of the table (eg: against the wall) and cover with fake |
| appetizer - like a cheese ball made from a "brain | | | | spider webs, bugs,worms, spiders, etc. |
| mold") and garnish with your choice of edible eyeball | | | | All that is left is to put the table together. Drape the |
| creations. It can be a good idea to make the head | | | | tablecloth over the table, then arrange the food in |
| area an appetizer section, so that the actual head has | | | | accordance with their respective body parts and |
| one selection, allowing you to place two more | | | | clothing. Finish by arranging lights and fake spider webs |
| additional appetizers like a bowl of Eyeballs (gelatinous | | | | to create the appropriate spooky effect. Since all |
| eyeballs, deviled egg eyeballs, etc.) or a platter of | | | | party sizes are different, use your imagination to |
| Bloody Ears (shrimp "ears" and cocktail sauce). | | | | arrange the accessories and make your dead body |
| Neck/Shoulders - Not a lot to do here. If you are using | | | | buffet the life of the party! |
| the shirt, you may want to button it up over a box and | | | | |