Halloween Dinner: Carrots and Black Bean Dip, Black and Orange Pasta

Happy Halloween!! 

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I love pumpkin carving, I love candy, I love dressing up...it's got everything. Jamie and I had some friends over this weekend for pumpkin carving and I wanted to make a Halloweeny dinner. The black and orange pasta recipe came from Epicurious, and then I made a roasted garlic black bean dip with carrots as an hors d'oeuvres. It was yummy - the bean dip was silky and had a great depth of flavor from all of the roasted garlic, and the pasta had a great mix of flavors with the spiciness of the red pepper flakes and the sweetness of the roasted peppers and butternut squash. And, of course, it looks very cool and Halloweentastic. If you have no plans tonight (and need some fuel before braving the crowds for the village Halloween parade), whip this up and celebrate All Hallows Eve in style.

Roasted Garlic Black Bean Dip
Ingredients:
1 whole head of garlic
1 can black beans, drained
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp water (maybe more)

1/4 tsp chipotle powder
1/2 tsp cumin
salt
pepper

Directions:
First, roast the garlic. Set the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the top off of the garlic head, exposing most of the cloves. Place on a sheet of tin foil, drizzle with oil, and wrap the tin foil around the garlic. Roast until the cloves are soft, about 35 minutes. Once soft, remove the cloves from the paper/head with a fork. (Be careful - they'll be hot.) Add the cloves, a pinch of salt, and the chipotle and cumin to a food processor and blend. Then add the black beans, water, and olive oil. Blend until smooth. Adjust water until it's very smooth, and adjust seasoning. Serve with carrots and, if you have them, topped with chopped scallions.

Black and Orange Pasta
Ingredients:
1 lb black/squid ink pasta
1 2 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4" cubes
2 orange bell peppers, cut into 1" pieces
4 cloves are garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp thyme leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425. Toss the squash, peppers, garlic, red peppers flakes, thyme, and olive oil with 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper on a baking sheet.

Roast until tender and starting to brown, stirring once, about 25-35 minutes. While veggies are roasting cook the black pasta in boiling salted water until al dente and reserve 1/2 cup of cooking liquid and drain the pasta, returning it to the pot. When the veggies are done, pour the cooking liquid onto the baking sheet and loosen all the veggies. Pour the mixture into the pot with the olives and a drizzle of olive oil, toss, and serve!