A green pepper bat finds itself caught in a cauldron of cheese-and-chili Doom Dip. A cheese ghost on a stick gives it the evil eye.

What are you doing for Halloween?

Are your children anticipating their annual rendezvous with jack-o'-lanterns, costumes and candy? Or are your friends looking forward to an October 31 celebration with elaborate disguises, ghoulish laughter and eerie music?

Whichever way you choose to celebrate, its easy to create spooktacular snacks for your party — a witch's cauldron of good 'n gooey dip, a hooty owl-shaped pizza and a help-yourself meat and cheese tray.

Fortunately for party planners, Halloween's history is rich with these images, dating back centuries to ancient peoples struggling to understand fall's change from light, warmth and life to darkness, cold and death.

Black cats, evil spirits, magic and Halloween's emphasis on death came from Samhain (pronounced sow-en), the Celts' god of the dead. On Oct. 31, Samhain decided which spirits danced and which rested.

Skulls, skeletons and ghosts can be traced to November 1, All Saints' Day (established in 835 A.D.), also called Hallowmas. The preceding day was All Hallows' Eve, the source of Halloween rituals. Bonfires — to scare off evil spirits — and parades marked the day. Night-flying creatures like bats, owls and witches on broomsticks became part of this festival of darkness, as did haunted houses.

Halloween came to the U.S. with British settlers. Here, the pumpkin replaced the turnip carried by Ireland's legendary Jack o' the lantern. Poor Jack, having lost his soul to the devil, carried a light in a hollowed-out turnip as he walked through eternity.

Thus, black dominates our Halloween table, though there's a colorful owl (made of pizza crust). His wings are feathered with pepperoni; his eyes are pineapple rings. And there's a witch's cauldron of zippy chili-cheese dip.

To fill out your spooky offerings, put together a quick meat and cheese party tray with salami, pepperoni, cheddar and Colby-jack cheese and crackers. Just arrange and serve.

For a sweet treat, eerie eyeballs made with peanut butter and white chocolate will catch the attention spooks with a sweet tooth.

1 15-ounce can chili with beans1 pound pasteurized process cheese spread, cut up1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiliesMix chili, cheese and tomatoes in 2-quart microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high 5 minutes or until cheese is melted, stirring after 3 minutes.Transfer to cauldron, fondue pot or chafing dish. Surround with chips or crackers.For a bat garnish: Open and flatten a red or green pepper. Trace the outline of a spread-winged bat 4 to 5 inches across. Cut bat shape from the pepper. Float pepper bat atop hot dip.Makes: 15 servings.For the skeleton cheese stick: Cut American cheese slice into shape of skeleton head. Cut stuffed olive in half; push each half into skeleton head as eyeballs.Thread skeleton head on wooden skewer.

1 cup creamy peanut butter2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened2 cups powdered sugar1 (2.1 ounces) Butterfinger candy bar, finely chopped2 cups (12 ounces) white chocolate morsels3 tablespoons vegetable shortening¼ cup chocolate-covered peanuts1 small tube red decorator icingLine 2 baking sheets with wax paper.Beat peanut butter and butter in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in powdered sugar until mixture holds together and is moistened. Stir in chopped Butterfinger. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place on prepared baking sheets. Freeze for 1 hour.Melt morsels and shortening in a large, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on medium-high power for 1 minute 30 seconds; stir. Morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until melted. Remove one baking sheet of frozen "eyeballs" from freezer (keep other sheet in freezer until ready to use).Dip one ball into melted morsel mixture using a wooden pick or skewer. Shake off excess and return to baking sheet. Gently press 1 chocolate-covered peanut on top of the eyeball to make a pupil. Repeat procedure with remaining eyeballs on baking sheet. Refrigerate until coating is set.Repeat with remaining sheet of "eyeballs" and coating. You may find it necessary to reheat morsel mixture before dipping second batch.Before serving, pipe decorator icing around eyeballs to create bloodshot markings. Store in covered container in refrigerator. Best served cold.Makes 33 servings.

These eerie eyeballs make a sweet treat for ghouls and goblins at your Halloween bash.