Rustic Hummus

My family loves hummus. I have a son that could live on the stuff. I use to buy a big container of it weekly at Costco. It dawned on me that there was no reason to buy it when I can make it at home for 1/2 the price.
I have tried many different recipes. I have never found one that I loved. They were bitter or just not right. This one is really good.
 To get that super smooth hummus we tend to see you must sit and remove the little skins off of each garbanzo bean. Well after pulling the skins off of about 5 little beans (I had 4 cans of beans rinsed and ready to use) I said the heck with it. We will have rustic hummus. I'm not sitting there and peeling the skins off of 4 cans of beans. So it is up to you on how smooth you want it to look. It tastes the same.
This recipe makes a large bowl. You can certainly half it.
The thing about this recipe is that you can adapt it to your own taste. More of this, less of that. It is a good basic recipe to play with.

Here is what I did:
4 cans garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
1 cup tahini (this is a sesame seed paste you can find at most grocery stores and health food stores. Make sure you mix it well before you use it. The oil and seed butter separate. )
4 lemons juiced
1 Cup extra virgin olive oil + a drizzle or so as needed while blending.
1 bunch cilantro, cleaned and just tear the top leaves off, a little stem is ok. You will be blending it a food processor anyway.
1/2 cucumber, peeled and diced
2 tsp. garlic powder (you can certainly use fresh garlic. This is just easy and works fine in my opinion.)
1 1/2 tsp. salt or more to taste
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. cumin
optional- a drizzle of honey if it tastes too tart from the lemon juice. The lemon will mellow some if you want to wait before adding any honey.

In food processor add tahini and lemon juice. Blend and scrape down sides if needed. Add evoo, cilantro, cucumber, garlic powder, salt, paprika, cumin and blend scraping sides down to blend it well. Add half the beans and blend well. Add the other half and blend well. Scrape down sides a few times during blending to make sure it is completely blended. If it is too thick add a drizzle of evoo or a Tbl. at a time of water.  Taste for tartness and add honey if you want to. Just a small drizzle. As I said before the lemon will mellow out. Now taste for seasonings. Add more salt or cumin etc...as needed. You don't want to under salt this or it will be very bland. The lemons and salt are important ingredients in getting the right hummus flavor.
Serve with cut up veggies, corn chips, pita chips or eat it off a spoon. It all works. We love to use it in veggie roll up as the condiment. YUM.
Enjoy!

Santa Fe Salad

3/4 lb. Zuchinni, cut into rounds 1/4" wide
3/4 lb. yellow squash cut into rounds 1/4" wide
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup green onions, thin slice
1/4 - 1 Cup jalapeno, minced
1/2 Cup pumpkin seeds
1 C cilantro minced

Dressing:
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup evoo
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tbl. minced garlic
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

mix dressing well and pour over cut up veggies. chill for at least 30 minutes.

Dirty Rice

Yum Yum and double Yum. What more can I say. Give it a try and you wont be sorry.


6 Cups chicken broth
3 cups uncooked long grain rice
1 cup chicken giblets (I don't use these but feel free to. I don't eat animal organs so I just leave this out. )
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 pounds ground pork sausage (a spicy breakfast sausage is good.)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried sage
1 tsp. hot sauce
1/2 tsp. black pepper

cook chicken broth and rice in a saucepan over med. heat 30 minutes or till rice has absorbed broth and rice is tender. Set aside.
Combine giblets and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan, bring to a boil and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and chop.
Cook sausage in a large skillet over med-high heat, stirring until crumbles and is no longer pink. Remove sauce and drain reserving 2 Tbl. of  sausage drippings in skillet. Set sausage aside.
Saute chopped garlic and next three ingredients in the hot drippings about 7 minutes or till tender.
Stir together rice, giblets, sausage, veggies, salt and remaining ingredients. Spoon into greased 2 quart baking dish and bake 375 for 10-12 minutes. Or mix everything up in skillet and stir and heat everything together in pan over med heat.

Green Beans with Ham and New Potatoes

With the holidays right upon us I thought I would post this. I read this recipe in a Southern Living magazine years and years ago. This makes a wonderful pot of green beans. You can use potatoes or leave them out. It's up to you. We are making a big pot of these for Thanksgiving this year instead of the ole stand by Green Bean Casserole.
Enjoy!


1/2 Cup butter
2 1/2 Cups diced smoked ham
2 large sweet onions, diced
3 (1 pound) packages frozen cut green beans, thawed.
2 Cups chicken broth
1 pound baby new potatoes, halved
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1 small red bell pepper, diced

Melt butter in large pot over med-high heat. Add ham and saute 5 minutes. Add onions and saute 5 minutes. Add the next 4 ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook 15 to 20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Stir the bell pepper in during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Guacamole

Although its hard to believe based on the temperatures here in Texas. Summer is drawing to a close soon. I for one will be happy to see the cooler weather come back. Or at least as cool as it ever gets here in good ole Texas.
I have been hungry for some Tex-mex and just some summer time foods. I actually am planning a big Tex-mex meal this weekend  with cheese enchiladas smothered in chili gravy, big pot of pinto beans, and Mexican rice. I may or may not grill chicken. I have to see what I feel like. Oh, and of course margaritas. I will post a really easy and wonderful recipe for margaritas later. They aren't the frozen kind but they are delicious and easy because you can make huge batches and you don't have to use the blender.
Anyway, my family is like flies to ......well you know, when it comes to my guacamole. It is a real battle to have enough for dinner time if I make it too early. This isn't a big secret recipe. I have seen everything from guacamole with just mashed up avocados and onion, to some who add in picante sauce (I actually started out making mine that way.) Just like all recipes there is no right or wrong way in my opinion. There is just good. I'm not a food purist. If it tastes good or makes something better then do it. Now I know when to leave a recipe alone as well. I just think its about taste and your food experience. Enjoy it rather than stand on whats right or wrong. Anyway, here is what I do.

Guacamole
4 large ripe avocados.

Everything from here on out is personal choice. You choose how much of each ingredient you like in your Guacamole.
1 jalapeno (stem removed, cut in two and remove seeds and veins. The heat is really in the seed  and veins. So if you remove them you don't have so much fire.) Slice into slivers and then mince.

2 plum tomatoes,  cut in two and with a spoon scoop out all the seeds and wet stuff. After this dice into fairly small pieces.

1/2  a medium onion (use whatever you like, white, yellow, red....) and dice fine

1/2 bunch cleaned cilantro, minced

salt

juice of half a lime

Peel the avocados and place in a bowl. With a fork mash them up as much as you like for your guacamole. Add the rest of the ingredients except the salt and lime. Add the salt last a little at a time till it is salty enough for you. Lastly mix in the lime juice. Taste for salt and of course if it needs more of any ingredient or even more lime. Serve with corn chips.
If you make ahead and want to store in fridge:
I have heard and tried using the avocado seed. Can't say that really worked all that well. What you want to do is cover with Saran wrap. Place it directly on the guacamole and make sure there are no air pockets. Air is what turns it brown as it oxidizes. Place in fridge. When your ready to eat just remove the saran wrap and give it a stir. Taste for seasoning once more and then enjoy.

Tabbouleh Salad

Oh what can I say about Tabbouleh....YUM! This is fresh and green and delish. Make the zucchini burger patties and serve with greek yogurt and tabbouleh salad and you have a great meal. We have ate like crazy people since Thanksgiving and I woke up this morning craving anything fresh and green. So I'm sharing my favorites with you. The more authentic Lebanese recipe has a lot more parsley and a lot less bulgar wheat. This is how we like it. I always double this for my family. It does make a lot though.

Tabbouleh Salad:

1 1/2 cups cracked wheat (bulgur wheat) soaked till soft in 1 1/2- 2 cups boiling water

1/2 Cup chopped green onions

2 -3 diced tomatoes

1 small bunch fresh parsley finely chopped (you don't want huge chunks of parsley.)

2-4 Tbl. finely chopped mint leaves

juice of 1 1/2 lemons

1/2 - 3/4 Cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 can drained chick peas/garbanzo beans. You can also use pine nuts if you prefer. About 3 Tbl. of pine nuts if using in place of garbanzo beans.

Since this is a salad you can add or subtract to suit your personal tastes. You can also use Quinoa instead of the bulgur wheat if you prefer. Just cook and fluff the Quinoa and add it in instead of the bulgur wheat. I do this a lot and we like it just as much. Some people like diced cucumber in their salad as well. This is versatile and you can add whatever makes you happy.

Place boiling water over bulgur wheat and mix. Leave this sit till the wheat has soaked up all the water. The wheat should be dry and have a al dente bite to it. When all the water is absorbed fluff with fork. While wheat is soaking chop veggies and get everything measured for combining the salad.

When the bulgur wheat is read add in the green onions, tomatoes, parsley, mint, chickpeas. Add oil and lemon juice and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and place in fridge. The flavors mellow some. This should not necessarily be sour but should have a good lemon bite it. The lemon is the key to the flavor success of the salad. Without it the salad will be mundane. We almost prefer it fresh as the lemon and everything are at their peak in flavor. But it has a wonderful blended flavor as it sits and chills. Stir before serving.

My Grandma Doris's Sweet & Sour Cabbage

As I said in my post for Grumbersnitz & Kniffles, there wasn't anything my Grandma Doris ever made that I didn't love. This is yet another of her dishes that I loved. You can use regular green cabbage or red or mix them. I make pork tenderloin with this. They just go great together. Of course I have some mashers to go with it. But right now lets just discuss Sweet & Sour Cabbage. Being German she seemed to like recipes with vinegar. Yeah baby.  I will list her German Potato Salad soon. I have always cooked by just adding stuff without measuring. So I will have to make it and measure it all out. But for now here is her awesome Sweet & Sour Cabbage.

Sweet & Sour Cabbage by Grandma Doris

8 pieces of bacon (I use applewood smoked bacon. It is simply the best.)

1 large onion, chopped

1 (16oz) can stewed tomatoes. (her recipe says 1 pound, but she home canned and I don't. So I just work it out.)

1 medium head of cabbage (cut up into bite size pieces.)

1 Tbl. sugar

3 Tbl. vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar. She didn't specify which vinegar to use.)

Cut bacon into small pieces and brown till crisp in pan (large enough to hold the cut up cabbage.) Remove bacon and add onion to pan and fry till tender. Add tomatoes, sugar, vinegar. simmer a few minutes. Add cabbage. Bring to a boil and the reduce to a simmer. cover and simmer till the cabbage is tender (she said about one hour.) Add back the bacon and heat through. Season if necessary. Serve.

Twice Baked Potatoes

Something great and convenient about a twice baked potato. They can be made ahead and reheated right before time to eat. I served these with a wonderful Beef Tenderloin. With a family the size of mine it is a wonderful and easy dish. I have a son who doesn't like cheese. This pic is what his looked like. Had paprika on the top to help brown it. I just used salt, pepper, milk, butter, green onions and bacon in his. Simple and he loved it. The following recipe is for the real people in the world who love and appreciate CHEESE! I swear he was switched at birth. How much of each ingredient you use is really a personal taste preference. Play with it and make it your own.

Adapted from Pioneer Woman recipe.

Twice Baked Potatoes

8 baking potatoes (this serves 16 people. I consider 1/2 a potato a serving. So adjust accordingly. We love leftovers at my house. So I always make more than what we will need. We will have these with a salad for lunch the next day.)

3 Tbl. canola oil (for rubbing outside of potatoes with)

2 sticks butter, melted

1 cup or so of cooked bacon bits. ( I use apple wood smoked bacon cut and fried crisp)

1 cup sour cream

1 cup cheddar cheese and a little more for the top

1/2-1 cup milk

2 tsp. seasoned salt (we use Lowery's. No MSG)

3-6 green onions sliced thin (how much you use is a personal taste thing.)

pepper

Heat oven 400 degrees. I used huge baking potatoes from Costco. Wash the potatoes and dry them off. Oil the outside skin with the canola oil and place on baking sheet. Bake about one hour till cooked through. Let cool and slice in half and scoop out the potato leaving about a 1/4 inch wall of potato in the shell for stability.

Mix all ingredients with the potato and then refill the shells. Top with a little more shredded cheese (at this point you can put in fridge if making them early and pull out and let warm up slightly and heat for dinner.) and bake at 350 degrees till heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly/brown on top. About 15-20 minutes.

Asian style Green Beans

These are the green beans I make with most any Chinese food (Orange chicken etc...) They are really good and really simple.

Green Beans
 Now this is a by sight recipe. You buy a bunch of fresh green beans (enough for the number of people you are serving.) Cut the ends off the green beans and cut them in half. Place in boiling salt water till crisp tender 5-7 minutes usually. Drain. Right before serving heat a pan up with a tiny bit of oil and add some minced ginger and minced garlic (for my family of 6 which was probably a huge handful of green beans each. I used 1 tsp. ginger, and 1 tsp. garlic.) Stir the ginger and garlic in the hot oil for just a second and then add the green beans. Stir fry till they are tender (just a minute or two) then add a few good shakes of soy sauce and then drizzle a little sesame oil and stir fry again for a minute or two. This recipe is really a personal taste thing. What you like is what you use. How much is how much of each thing you like. Start with little and add more. I always add a little more soy sauce to my beans once they are on my plate. My husband likes them just as they come out of the pan and doesn't add anything else to them. I wish I could give you exact measurements. I didn't think to measure anything. So I will give the recipe as is and next time I will measure everything and come back and edit this recipe with exact measurements. You at least get the general idea and they are delicious.

We didn't have any stir fried rice (Lucy Cry here) as we are on a low carb diet and the sugar and bread crumbs were pushing it. We didn't miss it much as the chicken and beans were YUMMY!