A few weeks ago I went to Biscotti's for Stephany's, one of my good friend's, birthday. I was beyond excited, because it being on a Thursday night (out on a work/school night???) and with all of my friends and I being so busy, I rarely get to have time to relax with my friends. Biscotti's is a local gem where birthday dinners are a must in that it is known for its wine, salads, and CAKE. All a great combination in my book and luckily this visit I wasn't lacking in any department. Before we were able to order our food, one of the girls ordered a combination patter that had mango salsa, brushetta, and black bean hummus. Being starved to death, we dug in and where surprisingly shocked of how scrumptious the black bean hummus was. Normally, I don't reach out on the supermarket isle and buy hummus for myself, since most of the time it can be lack luster in the flavor department and can catch up with you on the calorie count (health food? I'm still skeptical). This black bean hummus though was exploding with a southwestern flavor that gave boring hummus a new view in my eyes. I couldn't have enough and despite having six of us girls splitting 3 (double chocolate, bread pudding, and carrot) cake, I later found myself dreaming about that hummus.
Fast forward to this weekend when yet again my parents went out of town leaving me to my own devises. Being a (soon to be) 24 year old, when my parents go out of town I normally revel in the idea of being by myself and cooking myself something that I want when I want it. Do not think that I'm complaining and am being starved, but when you return home from school the notion of cooking dinner is decided by what the majority wants to eat. Having had weeks to brood over what to cook, I decided that black bean hummus was exactly what the food gods ordered to finally quiet the cravings that I've had for it ever since that glorious September night at Biscotti's.
The major obstacle I found was that while the Crabtree's have 4 (count them: 1, 2, 3, 4) Bundt pans, we did not have a food processor. That just goes to show the type of food we southerners typically lean towards, since the notion of needing a food processor to make hummus never would have come up in my household before. Therefore, I went out and both myself an early birthday present and got one right before going to Publix to pick up the ingredients I needed. The recipe that I decided to follow a Cooking Light winner for their 2008 Ultimate Reader Recipe Contest entitled “Spicy Black Bean Hummus”. The name is very literal, and not to be corny but is literally the best hummus I’ve ever eaten.
Fast forward to this weekend when yet again my parents went out of town leaving me to my own devises. Being a (soon to be) 24 year old, when my parents go out of town I normally revel in the idea of being by myself and cooking myself something that I want when I want it. Do not think that I'm complaining and am being starved, but when you return home from school the notion of cooking dinner is decided by what the majority wants to eat. Having had weeks to brood over what to cook, I decided that black bean hummus was exactly what the food gods ordered to finally quiet the cravings that I've had for it ever since that glorious September night at Biscotti's.
The major obstacle I found was that while the Crabtree's have 4 (count them: 1, 2, 3, 4) Bundt pans, we did not have a food processor. That just goes to show the type of food we southerners typically lean towards, since the notion of needing a food processor to make hummus never would have come up in my household before. Therefore, I went out and both myself an early birthday present and got one right before going to Publix to pick up the ingredients I needed. The recipe that I decided to follow a Cooking Light winner for their 2008 Ultimate Reader Recipe Contest entitled “Spicy Black Bean Hummus”. The name is very literal, and not to be corny but is literally the best hummus I’ve ever eaten.
You first start off by chopping the garlic in the food processor...(I love garlic so I used 2 cloves instead of 1)
Then you add all the other ingredients....
Grind, grind, grind
Add some olive oil and voila! I know now you all want the recipe so here it is....
Spicy Black Bean Hummus
Ingredients
· 1 garlic clove, peeled
· 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
· 1 tablespoon tahini (roasted sesame seed paste)
· 1 teaspoon ground cumin
· 1/4 teaspoon salt
· 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
· 1 small jalapeño pepper, chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
· Dash of crushed red pepper
· 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
· Dash of ground red pepper
· 1 (6-ounce) bag pita chips (such as Stacy's Simply Naked), carrots, sliced green peppers, etc.
· 1 garlic clove, peeled
· 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
· 1 tablespoon tahini (roasted sesame seed paste)
· 1 teaspoon ground cumin
· 1/4 teaspoon salt
· 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
· 1 small jalapeño pepper, chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
· Dash of crushed red pepper
· 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
· Dash of ground red pepper
· 1 (6-ounce) bag pita chips (such as Stacy's Simply Naked), carrots, sliced green peppers, etc.
Preparation
· 1. Place garlic in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Add lemon juice, tahini, cumin, salt, black beans, jalapeño pepper, and crushed red pepper; process until smooth. Spoon bean mixture into a medium bowl, and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with ground red pepper. Serve with pita chips.
Note: I have been dying for a good turkey sandwich so I toasted up some bread, added Boar's Head turkey, sliced tomato, spinach leaves, pepperjack cheese, and a smear of hummus on the bread.
Add Sun Chips and Diet Cherry Coke, my other guilty pleasures and I think I upgrabbed the commoners lunch to a kings (or in my case, a queen).
