October is National Orthodontic Health Month

Everyone loves this time of year.  We get to dress up, pretend we are someone we are not such as superheros, princesses, or even monsters.  We think the best part of Halloween is that it is a free time to eat those devilish goodies.  However, those goodies can do a lot of damage to our orthodontic patients.  Remember to stay away from chewy, sticky, gooey candy when trick or treating.  Those special treats can cause wires and brackets to break resulting in some not so happy little ghouls or goblins.  Here are some examples of "brace friendly" candy, 3 Musketeers Bars, Hershey Chocolate Bars, Candy Corn or Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

If you are hosting a party we have some "spooktacular" brace friendly recipes listed below.  You may also visit http://www.braces.org/NOHM/ for more information about National Orthodontic Health Month.  Have a safe and Happy Halloween!

FRIGHTFULLY FABULOUS CUPCAKE SANDWICHES
(American Association of Orthodontists/MCT)


INGREDIENTS

12 cupcake liners
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup warm (not hot) water
3/4 cup mayonnaise

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
2 cups cake flour, sifted

2 teaspoons baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 12-ounce can of chocolate frosting
1 16-ounce container of whipped topping
Assorted braces-friendly candy pieces, such as chopped peanut-butter cups, chocolate bars and melt-in-your-mouth candies


DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners and set aside.


2. Combine cocoa powder, water, and mix until smooth. Fold in mayonnaise. (Make sure cocoa mixture is not hot to prevent breaking of mayonnaise).


3. Add vanilla and whisk until smooth.

4. In mixing bowl, combine sugar, cake flour, baking soda and salt and mix slowly until well incorporated. Add wet cocoa mixture, mix on medium-high until well blended. Scrape down the sides and blend for another 30 seconds.
 
5. Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full of batter. Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool on rack. Slice each cupcake in half horizontally, and serve the halves with chocolate mousse or frosting, whipped topping, and assorted candy pieces. Kids can build the sandwiches by spreading one-half of a cupcake with mousse/frosting or whipped topping, sprinkling on candy pieces and placing the other half of the cupcake on top.


Serves 12. Recipe provided by Michael Chiarello for http://www.braces.org/.


MUMMY DOGS

INGREDIENTS

32 Hillshire Farm Lit'l Smokies
1 (8 oz.) can refrigerated crescent dough rolls
Mustard or Ketchup, if desired

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Unroll dough, separate at perforations, creating 4 rectangles.  Press perforations to seal.
3. With a knife or a pizza cutter cut each rectangle lengthwise into 8 strips making a total of 32 strips.  Wrap one strip of dough around each Lit'l Smokies, stretching dough slightly to look like bandages, leaving part of tip exposed to create face.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 12-14 mins. or until golden brown.  Draw features on tip of Lit'l Smokies with mustard to create a face.  Serve with mustard or ketchup, if desired.