Hummus Love

Happy Weekend!!! I cannot tell you how glad Saturday is here! We have

a pool party with some of John's former co-workers and an engagement party for some of our best friends (Brent and Erica!) today...I can't wait!

I'm here today to talk about hummus, which is easily one of my top five favorite foods. I cannot be without it. If it looks like we're running out, I either go to the grocery and immediately replenish our supply (usually with the mondo Sabra tub from Costco), or make a big batch. I eat hummus with chips, veggies, apples, on salads, on sandwiches, in stir fry's...the list goes on.

Some people make hummus without tahini (ground sesame seeds), but I feel that it is crucial for the authentic hummus flavor and texture. While a jar of tahini is often expensive (like $8 - $10), it will last you forever, thus making your overall cost of homemade hummus much cheaper than the store bought kind. (Especially if you're buying the small containers sold at the grocery store, not on sale...they totally jack up the prices!)

My faaavorite hummus recipe will always be this recipe; however, I felt the need to switch it up a little bit lately. Here are two more recipes that I've enjoyed.

First we have Curry Honey Hummus, courtesy of The Edible Perspective. Hop over to Ashley's blog for the recipe! The only change I made was to use Agave Nectar instead of honey since I was out. This hummus has a strong curry flavor, which I love, but if you're not a huge fan of curry then make sure to back off on the recommended amount.

Next up we have Ina Garten's recipe for hummus, found in her latest cookbook, How Easy is That? I'm a big Ina fan so had to give her recipe a try. The verdict? It was good, but a little heavy on the garlic - and that's coming from a garlic lover! I'll try this one again with less garlic next time. I topped it off with some chopped green onions before I brought it over to Jill's house as an appetizer a few weeks ago.

Ina Garten's Hummus

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:

2 cups canned chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved

1/3 cup tahini

4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)

6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)

8 dashes Tabasco sauce

2 teaspoons salt

Directions:

Place the chickpeas, 2 tablespoons of the reserved liquid (you can always use water here if you forget to reserve), tahini, garlic, lemon juice, Tabasco, and salt in a food processor. Process until fully combined and pureed. You can adjust the consistency of the hummus here (I always do) by adding more water, lemon juice, or olive oil. Cover and refrigerate to allow the flavors to blend.

That's it! Easy peasy. Do you have a food that must be in your fridge at all times? If so, what is it?

Have a beautiful weekend!