Hummus is a delicious, hearty, and incredibly easy dip/spread that you can prepare to eat in a variety of ways— with fresh veggies, pita chips, on a bagel or a sandwich, etc. If you are living on the east coast, this would be something good to prepare now (in case your power goes out later!), and you may even have lots of the ingredients in your cabinet already. 

The method to making hummus is easy— simply toss everything in a food processor and blend until smooth, regularly checking on the flavors making sure it is seasoned to your liking. I personally add in a can of (mostly drained) garbanzos to start, and then slowly work in the other ingredients. 

Here is a basic idea of what you’ll need to add in:

Homemade Hummus with Za’atar

• 1 Can (~2 Cups) Garbanzo Beans
• 1/3 Cup Tahini
• 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
• 1 Tsp. Salt
• 2 Cloves Garlic
• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• Pinch Paprika
• 1 Tsp. Fresh Parsley
• Za’atar (Optional, as garnish)

This ingredient list is all an estimate— I personally like less lemon juice and more garlic and parsley.  Once you’re all done blending, spoon it into a serving dish and drizzle with olive oil…

And sprinkle with paprika and za’atar on top. 

Colorful, beautiful, and tasty, too! Enjoy!

The crab dip that I made for the Christmas Eve Party was a hit, and, if can say, it was quite delicious. The classic Italian Christmas Eve includes seven fish dishes, so the crab dip was a good fit. Let me point out that ashamedly, as a Baltimore girl, I did not have Old Bay in my spice cabinet. DiBruno Brothers only had Old Bay “spice rub,” so I used it a little more sparingly. Use as much as a you like! I got a lot of compliments on the dip and assured everyone the recipe was easy and that I would share it here, so here it is:

Hot Crab Dip

• 3 packages cream cheese
• 2 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1 large sweet yellow onion (vidalia)
• 1/2 lb. lump crab meat
• 3 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
• Franks Hot Sauce
• Salt and Pepper
• Paprika

1. Dice the onion and give the crab meat a rough chop. I suggest fresh crab meat if possible, because sometimes canned meat can have a tinny flavor.
2. Combine all the above ingredients, reserving 1tsp. Old Bay and 1/2 cup Parmesan for topping. Use a dash of Franks, salt and pepper to taste, and a dash of paprika. Give them a good mix.
3. Place mixture into a baking dish. Top with remaining Old Bay and cheese.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until bubbly and browned. Serve with crackers or a crusty bread.