Halloween on a Saturday this year … could be fun
12 October 2009

Truth be known, I don’t care one bit for Halloween. Being the mother of three boys, however, I have no intention of depriving them of celebrating this holiday of Pagan origins. Although, the opportunity to plan for ways to entertain, or prepare food, and to get creative in decorating my front porch is always welcome. It’s the annoyance of deciding upon costumes, and then the subsequent door-to-door begging for candy that has crawled under my skin over the years. Then, there are the goriest of gory decorations and costumes that I dread seeing. I want pretty. I want to be reminded of Fall and all its glory, not zombies and vampires to fuel nightmares for my children.

Taking advantage of whimsical and seasonal activities of it with my boys is a favorite thing to do now. We have numerous corn mazes nearby, pumpkin patches, and apple orchards, as well as one festival or another in various surrounding communities each weekend this month. We get into the whole Jack-o-lantern thing - well, they watch as I have fun showing off my skills with knives, and they beg to be able to hurry and roast the pumpkin seeds. To let them expel whatever mischievousness is in their systems, they can spray Silly String on the bushes, and throw rotten tomatoes from the garden, or even do a couple ‘ding-dong-ditch’ pranks on our more tolerant neighbors.

This year, since Halloween falls on a Saturday, I am planning on making it fun for a few of our neighbors and extended family. I will have an outside (weather permitting) buffet set up with various items to help keep us all from eating candy for dinner. Fortunately, some of the older kids are willing to chaperone the little ones through the neighborhood for trick-or-treating. We adults will kick back in the front yard for a change, with cocktails and food by a fire pit and our glowing Jack-o-lanterns, while handing out candy. Come to think of it, this will be a fantastic way to meet even more neighbors!

Halloween may just turn out to be something more enjoyable in my book. Especially if including some of the following goodies.

Hot Apple Cider (Spiking is optional)

Black and White Bean Chili (Recipe below)

Garlic Bread or Texas Toast

Tortilla Cheese Cake (Recipe below) (with tortilla chips and veggies for dipping)

Pumpkin Bars

Pretzels and Sliced Apples with Caramel Dip

Black and White Chili
(Serves 12-15)

• ¼ olive oil
• 2 lbs ground turkey
• ½ lb sweet Italian sausage
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 t ground allspice
• 1 ½ T ground cumin
• 2 T chili powder
• 2 T Dijon style mustard
• 1 can tomato paste
• 1 T dried basil
• 1 T dried oregano
• 1-28 oz. can plum tomatoes, drained
• Juice of ½ lemon
• ½ t cocoa powder
• ¼ c chopped fresh dill
• ¼ c chopped fresh Italian parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 can (15.5 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15.5 oz.) white beans (cannelini or Great Northern)
• 1 can pitted black olives (optional)

Method

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over low heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent. Crumble the ground turkey and sausage into the pot, and cook until browned. (If using beef, try to remove any excess fat.) Stir in the remaining ingredients, except for the olives, and simmer for 15-20 mins. Taste, and adjust the seasoning. Nothing in this is exact when I make it - this is just a sort of guide. If adding olives, add them just minutes before serving. Don’t be afraid to add more liquid if it seems to thick (red wine or dark beer are highly recommended)needed. If you find you have over salted, add some chopped celery and let simmer longer.

Offer sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, green onion and hot sauce for condiments.

Tortilla Cheesecake
(Serves 10-12)

• 1 c crushed tortilla chips
• 3 T melted butter
• 2 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 1 (4-oz.) can, diced green chilies, drained
• 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded, and finely chopped
• 4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 oz. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• ½ t ground cumin
• ½ t lime zest
• ¼c sour cream
• Chopped tomatoes, chopped cilantro, chopped green onion, sliced black olives for garnish

Method

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the tortilla chips and butter. Press into the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan. Bake for 15 mins, and remove from oven.

In a large bowl, blend the cream cheese and eggs. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the sour cream. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 mins. DO NOT OVERBAKE!.

Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 5 mins.

Run a knife around the inside edge and remove from the pan.

Spread the sour cream over the top and decorate with the tomatoes, cilantro, green onion, and olives.

Serve with tortilla chips and raw vegetables for dipping.