Hummus with a twist

There are many ways to make hummus (and many places to buy it), but by far my favorite is from The New Best Recipe (one of the most amazing cookbooks ever!--Love you forever Miss Thells), page 13. I'm definitely a foodie more than a gourmet (foodie=someone who loves & adores food; gourmet=someone who only cooks with certain high end foods and can be a little snobby about their food), and The New Best Recipe caters to both.

A favorite Ru Sister Dinner menu:

• Herb-encrusted, boneless pork chops
• Hummus with roasted red peppers & feta
• Pita bread (quartered or smaller and warmed in the oven)
• Orzo pasta with some kind of sauce
• Steamed veggies

I made this the first time we ever cooked for Elder Walters. An insult to the chef, some newly named foods, and a few glares later, and we had the makings of a House Legend. Most of the food in that menu is thrown together with whatever we have in the pantry, or whatever herbs I am in the mood to add to the pork chops, but the hummus is pretty upfront--why mess with perfection?

Hummus:

• 1 (15 oz) can of garbanzos or chick peas, drained and rinsed
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed through a garlic press (I use so much garlic that I keep a large jar of minced garlic in my fridge at all times - 1/2 tsp = 1 clove of garlic - most labels will tell you that).
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 3 tablespoons juice from a large lemon
• 1/4 c. tahini (sesame butter - can be found in the international aisle, near the salad dressings, or near the peanut butter in multiple grocery stores)
• 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 c. water

Process all of the ingredients in a food processor until smooth, about 40 seconds. Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill until the flavors meld, at least 30 minutes; serve cold.

Makes about 2 cups, serves around 8-10, and can be kept for up to 2 days in your fridge.

Hummus can be served with anything, but my favorite is by adding a few strips of roasted red pepper and some crumbled feta as just a light garnish. I think it adds depth to the hummus, and everything mingles together blissfully. Post your favorite hummus twist in the comments!