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Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Spooky Black Bean Dip & Chile Roasted Sweet Potato Appetizers

Food Network announced that this week's theme would be a "Halloween-themed post (produce related)". Eek!  Cookies, candy or cakes I could handle, but produce?  How to make produce look Halloweenish?  (I love to make up words).  I decided to look through my collection of cookie cutters for inspiration and found a cat.  Don't ask me where it came from...I have never used it and do not remember buying it...but there it was.  And black cats qualify as a Halloween theme, right?

Now I just needed to figure out what produce item was black?  Dark fig skins? olives? blackberries?  I settled on black beans.  The idea of black beans on cat shaped tortillas chips sounded fun.  Roasted diced sweet potatoes dusted with New Mexican chile powder for the eyes was a perfect complement (and a delicious addition).  I really like the final result.  What do you think?

For an easier version...or non Halloween party, skip the cat cutouts and just serve the dip and potatoes with regular tortilla chips. Equally delicious...but not as much fun.  Happy Halloween everyone!


Spooky Black Bean Dip & Chile Roasted Sweet Potato Appetizers

Black Bean Dip 
(makes 2 1/2 cups)

Ingredients
2 cups cooked drained black beans (homemade or canned)
1/2 red onion, coarsely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded with ribs removed
1 medium tomato, chopped
juice from 1/2 a fresh lime
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Place all ingredients in bowl of food processor.  Pulse until smooth.  Taste and adjust seasonings if desired. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Chile Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Follow the recipe for Roasted Sweet Potato Fries using 2 potatoes instead of 4.  Cut the potatoes into small dice and eliminate the dried red pepper flakes. Dust with New Mexican red chile powder and reduce roasting time to 30- 45 minutes

Baked Corn "Black Cat" Tortilla Chips
12 corn tortillas
Halloween shaped cookie cutter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place a Halloween shaped cookie cutter on one of the tortillas. Using a sharp knife, trace the outline of the cutter.  I can get 2 cutouts per cutter.  Repeat with remaining tortillas.  Spread chips on to two rimmed baking sheets.  Do not let the edges of the tortillas touch each other.  Bake 10 minutes or until chips are just beginning to brown.(check every couple of minutes to ensure they do not burn).  Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.  They will continue to crisp up as they cool.  
** note, i like mine plain, but you can spray lightly with cooking spray prior to baking and then sprinkle with salt and/or your favorite seasonings.**

Assembly

Frost each chip with black bean dip. I use a very small spatula to complete this task. Use 2 sweet potato pieces for the cats' eyes and more for decorations.  Serve with remaining sweet potatoes, salsa, the remaining bean dip, crudite and plain tortilla chips.  Add freshly made margaritas and you have a party!






It is  "Halloween-themed post (produce related)" week at Food Network's Fall Fest roundup. Check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends. Share in the comments section and/or link to your blog if you have one. 

Feed Me Phoebe: Leftover Jack-o-Lantern Salad i.e. Pumpkin & Arugula Salad with Miso-Lemon Dressing
The Heritage Cook: Jack-o'-Lantern Black & Orange Soups
The Lemon Bowl: Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
Virtually Homemade: Apple Caramel Cake Pops
Weelicious: Roasted Pumpkin and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds 
Jeanette's Healthy Living: Ghoulish "Bloody Brains" Roasted Cauliflower and Beet Hummus
Devour: Caramel Apples for Halloween
Taste With The Eyes: Braised Oxtail for Halloween?
Made By Michelle: Clementine Pumpkins
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Silky Pumpkin Hummus
Red or Green: Spooky Black Bean Dip & Chile Roasted Sweet Potato Appetizers
Dishing: Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms
Domesticate Me: Spiced Pumpkin Punch
Cooking With Elise: Wicked Good Halloween Recipes
The Sensitive Epicure: Trick or Treat, Spaghetti or Squash? Both
FN Dish: Have a Homemade Halloween

My best,
Diane
california girl in taos
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1 comment:

  1. I even don’t know what kind of spicy dish we are discussing here. But the sweet roasted Potato looks so delicious as well. I will try to make this dish for my Capstone Project Writers, who are specialized in giving the Best Capstone Project Services and I’m also an assistant research writer there.

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