"Is that hummus?!"

Maybe it's a girl thing, but I LOVE hummus, ie. Sh*t Girls Say.

I'm obsessed! I went through a phase where I was buying huge tubs of it once a week or going through multiple little containers in a matter of a few days.  I knew I had a problem when I hijacked my roommate's hummus while she was in Africa for a few weeks...

It was January in Minnesota and spring semester had not begun.  Like any college student with no responsibility, I had been out painting the town with friends. After trudging up the sidewalk, banging through the door, and shaking off the snow, I settled in front of the fridge. I was looking for something to soak up the copious amount of beer that was making my head fuzzy and my frame wobbly.

I glanced over the contents of my fridge, "Block of cheese... I shouldn't be cutting anything. Eggs... I shouldn't turn the burners on. Cereal... no milk. Lettuce... yeah right."

Then my eyes fell upon it... my roommate's black olive hummus. (Insert angels singing and a glowing halo of light.)

"Is that hummus!?" I thought with the same enthusiastic and hungry tone of the YouTube sensation.  But it was my roommate's hummus, so I settled on the block of cheese (no slicing or knife involved).

That is the last thing I remember of the night. 

The next morning I stumbled down stairs to find an empty hummus container and cracker crumbs laying next to my lack of self-respect on the counter.  I knew then it was time to fess up to my addiction. 

With such a love of hummus and a very tight budget, I began making my own. I found I could save money and make the hummus to my personal taste. Below is a recipe for traditional hummus but once you've nailed down this recipe try adding roasted peppers, artichokes, olives, avocado, and other flavorings to spice it up.

Traditional Hummus Recipe

2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 15-oz cans of of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
2/3 cup of roasted tahini
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup of water
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt to taste

Using a food processor, combine the garlic, chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, water, and olive oil. Process until smooth. Add salt to taste.

Spoon hummus into a bowl and garnish with paprika, pine nuts, olive oil, or herbs. Serve with bread and veggies.

Notes

Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds and can be found in most grocery stores. While tahini is a little expensive ($7-10), a regular sized jar should make about three recipes of hummus.

Store bought hummus will cost around $4 for a 10 oz container, or a little over a cup.  This recipe yields 3 cups for around $5.80.  That is about $2 for the same amount as the store bought stuff.

If you are looking to make your hummus extra creamy and you have a little bit more time on your hands you can shell the skins of the chickpeas before throwing them in the food processor.

Bethany and I are both sad that our vacations are over but we are so happy to be back home blogging! We both were inspired by food and friends on our trips and we cannot wait to share some of that with you. 

As always, keep cooking and loving-

Whitney