Hummus

Hummus has become something we make on a fairly regular basis lately. Plus, one time I was making it and I allowed Robby to push a chair up to the counter and help me measure and dump things in. So, now any time I am in the kitchen, he grabs a measuring spoon or cup and goes and slowly drags a large chair from the table while saying "HUMMUS! HUMMUS!"  The word "hummus" to him now means "I am coming to help you cook Mom!"..... which can also be intrepreted as "I am coming to make a mess and make it 10 times harder for you to make whatever it is you are trying to make, Mom!" Hahaha. Man, I love that kid.

Anyway, on to the recipe:

1 can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and heated in the microwave for 90 seconds (I do this just to soften them up a bit.... it probably works fine without doing it... but, I always do, and it always turns out great... so I never change what I do!)

2 LARGE cloves of garlic (don't skimp... unless you are a garlic wimp)

¼- ½ tsp cumin

Dash of cayenne to taste

Juice of half a lemon

Salt to taste

3 tsp Tahini
            *Tahini is sesame seed paste. I think you should be able to get it at most grocery stores these days. Sometimes it is by the peanut butter... sometime it is in the ethnic isle..... you'll have to look around or ask someone who works there. It can be a bit pricey. But, we make good use of it. You can probably make the hummus without... but, I am sure the results won't be exactly the same

Olive oil
 
Add all ingredients (except oil) to a food processor (a blender would probably work as well). Blend for 30 seconds just to get things going. Then, start to drizzle in olive oil a little at a time. You will see it start to smooth out and come together better. You will probably need to stop and scrape down the sides to make sure everything gets well blended. Add olive oil a little at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. It is up to you how thick or thin you like your hummus.  Allow it to blend for a while until it becomes very smooth.
 
Note: If you want to cut back on the fat content, you can just add a little olive oil and then use water for the rest until it reaches the right consistency. (Or I have read recipes that say to add the liquid from the can of chickpeas. I have never done that so I cannot say whether or not the results are good...).
 
HUMMUS is super tasty on pita bread. It is also good on crackers or used as a spread on sandwiches.
I have started making my own pita bread lately, which we enjoy. Recipe to come.