Dilled Humus Spread

During the heat of the summer I like to make lunches that require little to no cooking.

I’m particularly fond of vegetables fresh from the garden—cucumbers, ripe juicy tomatoes, radishes, peppers, carrot strips, and sugar snap peas. I used to buy hummus quite often for dipping these delectable edibles, but have decided to make my own hummus since I found the missing recipe in a card file recently. I’ve made it twice in the last two weeks and it doesn’t last long. It is high in protein, low in calories, easy to make, delicious, and fits into the no-cooking category. Even my grandchildren love it. Find the blog entry for “A Beautiful Pea Green Boat” for another way to feed it to your children.

This recipe for Dilled Hummus came from a friend that I met in Texas. She was originally from Iran and invited me to her home for dinner quite often. This hospitable lady shared many recipes with me and this was one of my favorites.

  

Ingredients:

1-15 ounce can of garbanzo beans rinsed and drained, (or save money and buy them dried and cook them yourself.)

¼ cup tahini (or substitute 3 tbsp. peanut butter, and 2 tablespoons sesame oil)

3 tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 minced garlic cloves

2 teaspoons fresh chopped dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed (not dill seed)

¼ teaspoon salt

dash of pepper

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
2. Place in small serving bowl and sprinkle with more dill.
3. Serve with toasted pita bread cut into wedges, or tortilla chips and crudités of your choosing.

 

4. Or why not try this? Place hummus along with your favorite veggies in a pita pocket and top with sour cream or a Greek style cucumber yogurt dip.
5. Take this in your lunch and you’ll be the envy of the peanut butter and jelly crowd.

Picnic and Reunion Fare—Brown Rice, Tomato and Basil Salad

The 4^th of July reminds me of picnics and family reunions with cousins, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews galore—the perfect time to catch up on the latest family news and savor the recipes you remember from your childhood. I will be attending these celebrations this summer and will be looking out for some new recipes to add to my repertoire. May you also have the joy of family and friends to share your picnics and reunions.

This year I’ll bring some healthy salads to have with that pulled pork barbecue. Try this Brown Rice, Tomato, and Basil Salad with your vegetables straight from the garden.

Ingredients:

2 ¼ cups water

1 cup long-grain brown rice

2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 tablespoon white wine vinegar

2 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound ripe tomatoes chopped into ½ inch cubes

1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat water, salt, and rice in medium sized pot and bring to a boil. Stir once, reduce temperature to a simmer and cover. Cook for 40 minutes until water has evaporated. Turn heat off, cool and transfer to a large serving bowl and fluff with a fork.
2. In a small bowl whisk: vinegar, sugar, and olive oil. Poor over cooled rice.
3. Add chopped basil and tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Make at least six hours ahead. Cover and chill or place in refrigerator over night. Bring to room temperature to serve with your favorite picnic fare.

No Need to Knead Bread

My four year old granddaughter ate a variety of vegetables and fruits when she was younger, but the older she gets the pickier she becomes. Last weekend she and her little brother came to have dinner with Poppy and me. I had prepared a healthy nutritious meal ahead of time: there was roasted chicken, pasta salad, a green vegetable salad, No Need to Knead Bread, and for dessert, chocolate zucchini muffins with fruit.

Both children were hungry and started eating right away. Lana had never tasted my No Need to Knead bread and being a carb-eating child, I was sure she’d like it. But she was reluctant to taste anything with green specks on top. I talked her into “just one small bite” and she loved it. While she worked on the second piece, the bread basket disappeared. Since she wanted more, she took her brother’s. So you have the Princess’s stamp of approval on this bread that is easier to make than a cake mix.

I love making breads as you’ve probably guessed by now. I have tried many different recipes for peasant breads, some were too refined, some too soft or didn’t have that homemade flavor. But this recipe was just about perfect. It’s not only delicious, but it has a wonderful chewy texture and is one of the easiest and most versatile breads I have ever made. In fact this recipe is so easy that I have written it in my children’s book. It doesn’t have to be kneaded—so I have renamed this yeast bread the No-Need-to-Kneed Bread. Be sure to let your Prince or Princess help with this one.

You will need: A large mixing bowl, wooden spoon, measuring spoons and cups, and a large jellyroll pan brushed liberally with extra-virgin olive oil, and sprinkled with cornmeal. Set aside.

Ingredients:
2 cups of warm water Toppings:
2 teaspoons of yeast Fresh Rosemary
2 teaspoons of salt Pepper
4 cups of unbleached flour
Crushed garlic
Grated Parmesan

Directions:

Pour the warm water, about the temperature of a baby’s milk, into a large bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top. Stir just until the yeast is dissolved, then add the salt and flour. Mix until the flour is just moistened and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Spray a piece of plastic wrap with olive oil spray, and place on top of the bowl. Cover with a dish towel and keep in warm and draft free place. Let it rest for about an hour or until the dough is spongy and about double in size. Brush olive oil onto a jellyroll pan sprinkle with corn meal and set aside.

The next step is the most difficult. When the dough has risen until about double, carefully remove the towel and plastic wrap. Spray or brush olive oil on your hands and on top of the dough. Carefully cup your hands and work your way around the edges of dough while the bowl is tipped over the baking pan. When it is completely on the pan, drizzle more olive oil on top, and gently pull apart leaving small holes. This should be about the size of a large pizza. Don’t be afraid that it will end up flat. It is very forgiving and will rise to the occasion.

Sprinkle the dough with coarse salt, chopped fresh rosemary, pepper to taste, crushed garlic, or a sprinkling of dried garlic. Grated Parmesan or your favorite cheese sprinkled on top is fine too. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes until your masterpiece is light brown. Serve with Italian food or after baking 20 minutes add some marinara sauce and pizza fixings. Place back into the hot oven and bake until it's bubbly and beginning to brown. We have done this at our home, and it has become our favorite pizza crust. With a green salad this will serve six to seven people. Even your picky eaters will love it.

Have you got any good recipe for your picky eaters? Send them to us. Maybe we can try them.