Halloween Treats

Oh, how I love Halloween! When I was younger it was all about the costumes and the goodies - caramel apples, popcorn balls and candycandycandy! Then as I got older and started exploring Paganism, it also became about the last harvest, about remembrance, divination, the thinning of the veils between worlds. Oh, and candy. :D

I love browsing Halloween magazines and websites and looking at all the disgustingly named foods - Swamp Dip, Brain Pate, Witches Fingers, etc. I'm not sure when Halloween changed from being about the spooky to the gross, but it's kind of fun.

What I like to do is put a Dia de los Muertos twist on my Halloween festivities, since the two holidays have so much in common and are so close together. El Dia de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) is observed in Mexico on November 1-2. Families visit the graves of their loved ones, clean the stones, place fresh flowers there, and spend time visiting, eating, praying and sharing. Skulls made of pressed sugar and decorated with icing and non-edible items such as sequins and feathers are a popular symbol of this holiday, as is Pan de Muerto - Bread of the Dead. This bread is flavored with orange and anise (which symbolizes love), and decorated with bones made of dough.

Not being a fan of anise myself, I probably won't make the bread this year, although I have made it before. I still plan to put a Mexican twist on some of the foods I plan to provide for the party. The menu, so far, includes:

Black bean rollups
Toasted, spiced pumpkin seeds
Hauntingly Good Hot Chocolate
Jell-O shots - it isn't a Zedral Z party without them

I'd also like to make popcorn balls but I think that would be too much of a hassle. Caramel apples are another choice, and I did bring a bottle of corn syrup back from the U.S. with me, so I could do that.

If you want to make the black bean rollups (which I cut into little pinwheels), I suggest using a tomato/sundried tomato-flavored tortilla so you can have the orange and black colors together for the holiday. I can't get flavored wraps here, though, so I will have to make do with plain.

Ingredients: (adjust for the number you are feeding, of course)

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
big handful cilantro
1- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder OR 1/2 a canned chipotle plus a good dollop of the sauce - depends on how hot you like it, but remember that chipotle is a strong smokey flavor
salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

To prepare the tortillas, I lay the tortillas on a cutting board and slice off about an inch on two sides. That way you don't have beanless "overhang" when you roll. You can slather those ends in leftover bean dip and eat them. Cook's privilege!

Spread the tortillas with a layer of the bean mixture. You should get 4-6 tortillas' worth.

Topping options:

Sliced green onions
Grated cheese
Thinly sliced tomato and/or avocado

I normally just sprinkle on some sliced green onions and grated cheese. Use Cheddar or Monterrey Jack if you can get it. I use gouda with cumin seeds, which is delicious. Roll the tortillas and chill for at least 30 minutes. Slice into pinwheels and put a tray to serve. Oh, and stand back! These things move fast.