Tricks and Treats

Halloween is my favorite holiday. I think it must be the theater major in me that loves dressing up and being someone else. It's also the kid in me. When you're 10 years old you can dress up like a fairy and run around town and everyone smiles and says "how cute." When you're 20-something years old, dressing like a fairy and running around town leads to a completely different reaction.....no one says "how cute" mostly they say "get inside and lock the doors - that crazy fairy lady is running around again." But on Halloween, everyone is 10 years old.

This is a very disappointing Halloween for me. Mostly because its the first year ever I'm not dressing up. There doesn't seem to be much of a point. We didn't go to any parties, and I won't be home for work early enough to catch the trick-or-treaters. Jon has a costume, Ringo looks like a monster, but for me Halloween will just be another Wednesday.

That does not stop me from getting into the spirit though! This weekend was Halloween-fest at home. We rented scary movies, carved pumpkins, and made Halloween type treats. My new favorite Halloween treats? Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds with Black Bean Dip. They capture both the flavors and colors of the season.


Wrapping Halloweenfest up on Sunday night me and the OC girls headed up to LA to hang out with the super-cool LA chicks for Kareokefest 2007. I tried to make cute "Orange" looking cookies to represent. They didn't turn out so hot. Instead I brought cookies with orange frosting. I hate sugar cookies. If I am ever found dead on the floor of my kitchen there can be only one reason - the sugar cookie has finished me off.


Kareokefest 2007 was fun and amazing. I'm not the only one to think so. Please check for more details here and here.







There were goodie bags, great food and even better company. The music rocked all night long and the very talented women rocked harder. I think everyone had a great time. I know I was exhausted when the night ended! It really made my Halloween!

Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds with Black Bean Dip

1 sweet potato
olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 cup black beans
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 Tbsp cumin

1) Preheat oven to 425.
2) Line 2 baking pans with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
3) Slice sweet potatoes (I used 1 and it gave me about 30 slices) and place in a single layer on the baking pans.
4) Brush sweet potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 18-20 minutes.
5) While they're baking, combine 1/2 cup black beans, 1/2 cup sour cream, and 1/2 tbsp cumin in a food processor.
5) When sweet potatoes are done, put a little dollop of the bean dip on each round.