A QUICK BREAK AND SNACK – CINCINNATI, OHIO

Just back from the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center (tomorrow’s blog), we have a little break before meeting Joy and Greg for dinner - so I took a few minutes to whip up a fresh batch of hummus to savor during our next two days of travel.  That reminded me that Elaine had asked me to post the hummus recipe to the blog, so here it is, 5 Minute Hummus.  It took as long to type it as to make it!

The only ingredient I didn’t have on hand the first time I made the recipe was tahini (sesame seed paste – like peanut butter, but made with sesame seeds), which I bought at Whole Foods.  There is enough in the jar to make many batches of fresh hummus.  The original recipe labeled tahini as “optional”, and I suppose it could be left out (it isn’t cheap, and isn’t something most people have on hand), but it does add a smooth richness and additional layer of complexity.  If you don’t have it and don’t want to buy it, I would substitute smooth peanut butter.  I doubled the garlic AND the lemon juice (and wrote those changes into the recipe) – cut either if you wish.

Hummus is a wonderful dish to keep in the refrigerator during the heat of summer.  It’s a great light snack with cold, crisp carrots, celery, cucumber or jicama sticks; it’s good on toast, or in a wrap.  It is a pretty dish to take to a party or potluck, and it’s healthy.  It would be good looking and good tasting stuffed in those popular little Peppadew peppers. 

The same day I mentioned making hummus, an interesting link appeared on one of the food blogs I follow, Casual Kitchen.  If you are interested in more recipes for hummus, check this out -  The Hummus Blogroll: 17 Easy to Make Hummus Recipes.  I’m looking forward to trying Thai Basil Hummus and Curry Pumpkin Hummus.

Enjoy, Elaine – and all you other cooking readers.  If any of you try a recipe (or several) from the Hummus Blogroll, I hope you’ll let me know how it turned out.  I can feel a hummus obsession coming on… :)

Note: a couple of hours after I posted this, a reader pointed out an error in the recipe (forgot the lemon juice).  It’s fixed now.