With Halloween just around the corner, it's time to get ghoulish. This recipe for a Beet 'n Bloody Mary will help you bring the appropriate gross factor to all your spooky events that require Halloween hooch. You know, spirit filled spirits. Or canned heat with meat. Ok, I'll stop...

NOTE: To enjoy this drink, you must not hate the earthy taste of beets. If you're not a fan of the red root, skip the beet juice and do all tomato or Clamato juice, whichever you prefer.

Step 1: Recipe & Tools

Prep time: 1 hour
Servings: 2 x 16oz drinks

Recipe

6 ounces of quality vodka (approx. 6 fingers of spirits. hehee.)
6 ounces of tomato juice
6 ounces of beet juice*
3 fresh lemons, juice of
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
12 drops of Tobasco sauce
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
ice

*It can be a pressed juice combo that has beets in it like the one pictured. Or if you're not a beet fan, replace the beet juice amount with more tomato juice.

Garnishes

slice of lemon
black salt
2 celery stalks
6-8 red carrot witch fingers** (see step 2)
2-4 spooky edible eyeballs (click here for the how-to instructable)
8-12 short bamboo skewers

**Safeway sells baby rainbow carrots that include a dark red ones. I usually buy two bags of them to ensure that I will end up with enough red ones.

Tools

2 x 16oz glasses with a wide opening
pairing knife
alcohol measuring glass
bar shaker
long mixing spoon
lemon juicer
measuring spoons
small plate

Step 2: Making Witch Fingers

After picking out the most 'finger' looking red carrots, use a pairing knife to cut/carve a fingernail shape out of the tip of each, like pictured.

Step 3: Prepping the Ghoulish Garnishes

Cut the celery stalks so that they stick out above the rim of the glass about 5-6".

Press a bamboo skewer into the bottoms of each of the fingers and eyes.

You want to break the skewers off at a length that will make it so the bottoms of the fingers are just below the liquid line once the glass is full and the eyeballs look like they're floating. I can't give you exact dimensions, as all your glasses will be different sizes, so you're just going to have to eyeball it. (snicker)

The size of the opening of your glass will determine how many body parts to try and fit in and still have it look good. Initially I started with four fingers, but in the end decided on only three. And you might have room for two eyeballs in each of your drinks. Feel free to play around with quantities.

Remove the garnishes and set them aside.