CHEF JEFF -- ONE BYTE AT A TIME: Witches Knuckles

Need a recipe for adults who are hosting a kids' Halloween party? Try this one.

Witches' Knuckles

1 cup water

½ cup butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

4 eggs

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

4 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, grated

1 egg yolk, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water

9 pieces of sliced pepperoni cut into quarters

Dried whole rosemary leaves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Place water and butter in medium saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Take off heat and stir in flour, salt, cumin and chili powder. Return to heat. Cook, beating constantly with wooden spoon until dough pulls away from sides of pan. Remove from heat. Stir until slightly cool. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in mustard, cheese.

Put dough in plastic resealable bag and cut ½-inch hole in one corner. Squeeze 3-inch-long fingers onto baking sheets. Brush them with egg yolk mixture and press pepperoni fingernail onto each tip. Lay a few rosemary needles just beneath nail and in the middle of finger as knuckle lines.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until fingers are crispy, golden brown.

Yield: 36 knuckles.

Grab more food tidbits at the Chef Jeff blog at GrandForksHerald.com.