Recipe(tried): Warm and Cozy Halloween Night Menu - Chuck Wagon Stew, Jello Pumpkin Pie

Happy Halloween everyone!!! What a day! Many of the children today at school were so excited about tonight!! Since hubby and I don't have any little ones (at least not yet) to take trick-or-treating tonight we decided to spend the night indoors with friends and relatives watching scary movies (The Changeling - a wonderful haunted house movie and another to be chosen later tonight),and eating a cozy meal of stew. Of course, we will take time out to see the full moon tonight on this Halloween! How neat that the full moon is going to occur on Halloween!!! I had been searching for a good stew recipe to fix this year, and lo and behold manyhats posted her Chuck Wagon Stew the other day, and I decided it was the one. I elected to throw it in the crockpot early today as I had so many things to do after school let out. It is just yummy, and so filling on a cool night such as this. With it I will serve Jiffy Corn Bread Muffins (from a mix) slathered with butter, tossed salad, and for dessert Jello "pumpkin" pie. There will also be chocolate chip cookies for those who like to munch during the movies (myself included). I hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable halloween night!

Chuck Wagon Stew (originally posted by manyhats)

3-1/2 pound boneless chuck roast
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of onion soup
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in half or
quarters ( I actually cubed mine)
2 cups carrots, peeled and cut diagonally in
2 inch pieces

1. Trim and cut meat across grain into about 8 slices.
2. In a large, heavy pan, brown meat in shortening over medium-high heat. Pour off fat.
3. Stir in soups, water, pepper, and the horseradish. Heat to boiling, cover and cook over low heat for about 1 hour.
4. Add potatoes and carrots, stirring often, cook for 45 minutes or until done.
This stew makes its own sauce without thickening! You can skip the meat browning step, throw it all in a crockpot and let it go all day. Adjust the veggies to your own liking.

Jello "Pumpkin" Pie
This pie is really made of orange jello. It is called Pumpking because it is orange and it is served as part of the halloween meal here. It is so quick and yummy!!

1 3.5 oz box of orange jello
1 cup boiling water
1 pint vanilla ice cream, somewhat melted (we like blue bell homemade vanilla)
1 chocolate crumb crust (crush oreos and mix with melted butter for texture or purchase ready made one)
Reddi Whip Topping
Candy corn and pumpkins (harvest mix is nice)

Mix jello with water. Stir until melted. Add softened ice cream (if necessary microwave the ice cream for 1 minute to soften for recipe). Stir until completely melted.
Allow to chill in the refrigerator about half an hour. Pour into crust. Chill about 2 to 3 hours until firm. Decorate in shape of a pumpking face using reddi whip. Place candy corn and pumpkins around the edge of crust.