22

May

Hummus, 3 Ways

Hummus is an amazing food. Of course, it’s middle-eastern based but is found in multiple countries and types of cuisine. “Hummus” is the Arabic word for chickpeas and also this chickpeas-based dip. Hummus can be traced back thousands of years. Could the apostle Paul have eaten it on one of his tours in what is now Greece?  Perhaps. I picture gorgeous cliff views of ocean and amazing sunsets. Nowadays, you can order hummus at a Mediterranean restaurant, even buy a number of varieties at the grocery store. But why, when you can make it fresh in 10 minutes?

Traditional Hummus
*Adapted from Ina Garten’s recipe and OhSheGlows*

1 can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and 2 TB of liquid reserved (or 2 cups cooked)
1/4 cup tahini (roasted sesame seed paste)
Juice of 2 lemons + grated rind of 1 lemon
3 garlic cloves
6-10 drops Tabasco or 2 TB your favorite salsa
1 t. sea salt + more to taste


Directions: Using food processor, mix all ingredients together until desired consistency. (I prefer creamy.) Serve in a dip bowl, top with 1/8 teaspoon of smoked paprika and drizzle with olive oil. Done.


You can purchase tahini at most grocery stores, but you might have to ask where it is. (Sometimes in the “International foods” section, sometimes near the peanut butter, sometimes in the “Healthy foods” section.) This “Traditional Hummus”recipe is great! However, to mix it up, I like some variety. Have you noticed my love for things in THREE’s? This hummus is no exception.


Using this same base recipe, here’s how you can vary it:


Hummus with pine nuts
Toast 3 TB pine nuts in toaster oven using a foil-lined tray. Be sure and sprinkle the nuts with sea salt if they are unsalted. After toasting, combine 2 TB of nuts in food processor. Top hummus with remaining pine nuts for garnish and drizzle olive oil, too.
 

Roasted red pepper hummus

Roasted red pepper hummus
While traditional recipe is still in the food processor, add 1/3 cup of roasted red peppers. Top with paprika and olive oil. The hummus will have a tint of red.
 
4-Pepper Hummus
Use any four peppers you like, but try these: 
1 TB roasted red pepper
1 t. fresh jalapeno (or 1 TB chipotle)
1 t. serrano pepper
2 TB green bell pepper
You can use a teaspoon or tablespoon, depending on how spicy you’d like it.
 
Italiano Hummus 
Add the following into the food processor, along with the traditional recipe:
1 (extra) garlic clove
2 TB fresh basil
1 t. fresh rosemary
Dash of salt and pepper
 
Spinach and garlic hummus
1 (extra) garlic clove
1/2 cup cooked, drained spinach or 2 cups raw spinach
Dash of salt and pepper 

“Traditional” hummus, with a little lemon and smoked paprika on top

HOW TO EAT HUMMUS:
As a dip
As a sandwich spread
As a “sauce” on the side of grilled chicken, pork, beef

DIPPERS:
Pita bread
Pita chips, multiple varieties
Bell pepper strips (red, yellow, green, orange)
Carrots (baby, ripple chips)
Broccoli and cauliflower florets
Squash, zucchini or cucumber strips or rounds
Tortilla chips
Breadsticks

A Trio of Hummus, packed for a picnic
Happy Sunday, friends!
~Laurel~

15 years ago Short URL

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13

May

Orange Cocktail

Well, my last blog post disappeared into oblivion. Sad.

I was going to tell you about this awesome Fruit on the Bottom cocktail we devoured last night…

 I was going to show you that it’s really simple to make, both kid-friendly or spiked for grownups.

Then I was going to give you the recipe. But it’s too late…the post is gone.

 Well, my memory is coming back to me. This sunny treat is too good to let the internet’s black hole swallow this blog entry up!

orange bottom cocktail

22 quarts water
juice of 4 limes
juice of 5 lemons 
2 TB chopped mint
small can of mandarin oranges
1/2 cup sugar (or 1/3 cup agave)
amaretto liqueur
151 rum (or whatever you like)
tools:
large pitcher, medium bowl, tall wooden spoon for stirring, 1/2 cup measuring cup, 1 TB measuring spoon, mesh tea infuser, citrus zester, 6-8 glasses for serving

pour water into a large pitcher. add sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved.
juice citrus in medium bowl, straining seeds out. zest 1 lemon and 1 lime into bowl.  pour into pitcher. put mint in a mesh tea infuser and drop into pitcher. pour drained can of oranges into pitcher.
chill concoction in fridge for 1-2 hours, allowing mint to infuse with the citrus liquid. serve either virgin or spiked. virgin: pour liquid into 12 oz glasses, spooning a few oranges into glass and garnishing with lime and orange. spiked: pour liquid into 6 oz glasses, adding 2 TB (1 oz.) amaretto liqueur and 1 TB 151 to each glass. stir. garnish with lime and orange.

 

~Laurel~

15 years ago Short URL

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05

May

Spinach and Strawberry Salad

There are certain places you just don’t go to for produce. There’s one grocery in town that usually has less-than-extraordinary (okay, gross-looking) fruits and vegetables. However, today, they surprised me. The strawberries were absolutely bright, shiny and divine, as were the crisp, green spinach leaves. It is officially my summer (yay for grad school, no finals!), and that calls for the first salad of the season! I grew up with so many spinach and mandarin orange salads, it would make your head spin. But it’s tasty and has ingredients that we’d usually have in the fridge. Here’s a little spin on an old fave.

spinach and strawberry salad

makes 4 side salad servings, double for 4 entrees

6 cups fresh spinach
1 cup strawberries, about 8
1/4 cup chopped pecans

slice strawberries lengthwise. toss all ingredients together and top with sesame dressing.
optional toppings: shredded cheese, mandarin oranges, pineapple bites, grilled tofu/chicken/shrimp


fat free sesame seed dressing
2 TB sesame seeds
3 TB white wine vinegar
juice of 1 1/2 lemons
1/4 cup sugar (3 TB agave)
combine all ingredients together, stirring until sugar dissolves. serve immediately and/or store in fridge.
  
Happy Cinco, Happy Summer!

~Laurel~

15 years ago Short URL

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