GET HUMMUS TO THE GREEK

I LOVE HUMMUS. WE HAVE A LOVE AFFAIR THAT GOES WAY BACK WHEN I WAS STILL RIDING THE BUS TO SCHOOL.  MY FAVORITE PLACE FOR IT WAS SMEARED ON MY GARDENBURGERS THAT MY MOM SO LOVINGLY BOUGHT FOR ME.  WHEN I WAS 17 I WORKED AT A CAFE MAKING SALADS. IT WAS OWNED BY A GREEK FAMILY (AND STILL IS - PROPS TO THE RIVERSIDE!).  ONCE A SUMMER CHERYL WOULD MAKE A DELICIOUS BUCKET OF HUMMUS. AND WHEN CHERYL MADE HUMMUS, I PAYED ATTENTION.  AND WHEN I SAY I PAYED ATTENTION, I KNEW THE MAIN INGREDIENTS, AND THAT WAS ABOUT IT. BECAUSE CHERYL DID NOT USE A MEASURING CUP OR A MEASURING SPOON.  AND SHE WAS NEVER TIMID ABOUT THROWING IN THE GARLIC. AND THAT DAMN HUMMUS ALWAYS TASTED GLORIOUS. SO SHE OBVIOUSLY KNEW WHAT SHE WAS DOING.  SO OVER THE YEARS I HAVE PERFECTED MY HUMMUS MAKING, BUT TO THIS DAY I HAVE NEVER USED ANY MEASUREMENTS.  I JUST MAKE SURE THERE IS LOTS AND LOTS OF GARLIC!!!

I RECENTLY SOAKED SOME GARBANZOS AND SOME BLACK BEANS.  I ALWAYS JUST MADE MY HUMMUS WITH STRAIGHT UP GARBANZO BEANS, WHICH IS THE TRADITIONAL.  BUT TODAY I WANTED TO USE UP MY BLACK BEANS TOO.  I THINK THEY ADDED TO THE TEXTURE OF THIS BATCH.  THEY CERTAINLY DIDN'T TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM IT.  DON'T BE AFRAID TO ADD WHATEVER YOU WANT IN YOUR HUMMUS, YOU CAN'T REALLY MESS IT UP. ALTHOUGH, I DON'T THINK CHOCOLATE CHIPS WOULD BE A GOOD ADDITION. USE YOUR BRAIN TOO :)

YOU CAN FIND SEASAME TAHINI NEXT TO YOUR NUT BUTTERS.  IT IS ON THE PRICEY SIDE BUT IT COMES IN HANDY.  I LIKE TO INCORPERATE IT IN SOME OF MY ASIAN INSPIRED DISHES. AND IT KEEPS VERY WELL AS LONG AS YOU REFRIDGERATE IT AFTER OPENING.  THIS I FOUND OUT THE HARD WAY :(

EMILY'S GARLICKY LEMONY HUMMUS

ABOUT 2 CUPS OF GARBANZO BEANS (LIKE I SAID, I ADDED BLACK BEANS TOO)

1/4 CUP WATER (IF USING SOAKED,DRY BEANS - IF USING CANNED JUST UTILIZE SOME OF THE LIQUID HERE)

2 TABLESPOONS OF OLIVE OIL

2 TABLESPOONS OF SESAME TAHINI

JUICE OF 1 FRESH LARGE LEMON

A COUPLE HANDFULS OF FRESH PARSLEY (OPTIONAL - I JUST HAD SOME ON HAND)

4 CLOVES OF FRESH GARLIC (YOU CAN USE LESS OR MORE - THIS IS MY PREFERENCE)

ADD INGREDIENTS IN A BLENDER/FOOD PROCESSOR AND BLEND WELL. I USED MY TRUSTY MAGIC BULLET - I DID BLEND IN 2 BATCHES, JUST BREAKING UP THE RECIPE IN HALF AND THEN MIXING IT ALL TOGETHER IN THE END.  

P.S - I FIND IT TASTES BETTER IF YOU USE FRESH LEMON AND FRESH GARLIC CLOVES.  THAT LEMON JUICE IN THAT LITTLE PLASTIC LEMON IS NEVER THE SAME. AND THE MINCED GARLIC JUST NEVER HAS THAT SAME ATTITUDE AS A FRESHLY CHOPPED CLOVE. 

HUMMUS - ALTHOUGH NOT A PRETTY FOOD, IT IS AWESOMELY DELICIOUS!!