Hummus

This is adapted from my mom's recipe. The tahini is a little hard to find; you can find it in health or ethnic food stores. You can still make this without it, or even throw in some sesame seeds in the food processor instead.

2 cans garbanzo beans, drained
1/4 cup tahini (sesame butter)
3 T chopped cilantro (a handful of leaves)
2 -- 4 cloves garlic
juice of one large lemon
2 T water
1 T olive oil
a pinch cumin
Process in food processor until fairly smooth.Makes about 3 cups.Serve with warm pita and raw vegetables such as lettuce, chopped cucumber, diced tomatoes, chopped bell pepper, olives, or sprouts. Or use as a dip with chips or crackers.
Or make pinwheel sandwiches by spreading 3/4 - 1 cup hummus on a piece of lavash bread (or torilla), add lettuce (with the crunchy part torn out) or baby spinach and any of the other vegetables mentioned above. Roll it up and slice.

Orzo Pasta with Garbanzo Beans

1 1/2 cups orzo pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
3T lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
15 oz can garbanzo beans
2T chopped fresh oregano (or a little less dried)
Feta cheese
salt and pepper

Sautee garlic over medium-low heat in the olive oil until tender, being sure not to let it brown. Lower heat, and add lemon juice, oregano, salt, pepper, and garbanzo beans. Meanwhile, cook orzo in abundant salted boiling water until tender and drain. Place orzo in serving bowl, and pour sauce over, then toss to coat. Crumble in as much feta as you want before serving.


If you want to use dried garbanzo beans, let them soak in lots of water overnight, then drain the next morning, and cook them with lots of water in your crock pot on low for about 6 hours. They should be firm, and not mushy. The beans will have a weird, clear skin on them that you'll need to try and get off. Rolling small amounts of the beans around in a dishcloth works pretty well.

Annette's Amazing Chili

This is an amazing recipe I got from one of those old Relief Society Cookbooks. Annette (whose recipe this is) was actually my Young Woman's leader, and this woman could cook! Mmmm! This Chili is really tasty- I like that it actually tastes homemade, and I think the sugar gives it a fun twist. Hope you enjoy.

Annette's Amazing Chili
1 lb. hamburger
1 lb. ground sausage
1 onion, chopped
1 to 2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 quart jar tomatoes, diced and undrained (or 2 cans diced tomatoes)
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
1-2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp salt
1 T sugar (I used brown sugar)
1-2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans
*I also added 1/2 to 1 cup of salsa and to make it go further, three more cans of beans: black and 2 chili beans. I drained some, but not the chili beans.)

Cook and stir hamburger, sausage, onion, and garlic is saucepan until cooked through. Drain. Stir in tomatoes with liquid, celery, chili powder, salt, sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 1 hour. Stir in beans, heat to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer until thick and heated through. (I threw it all in the Crockpot to simmer for quite a while- you could just do that after you brown the meat.)

4 Bean Chilled Salad

Hi girls! My husband actually hates beans, but I wanted to post this anyway. My neighbor brought it to a BBQ the other day and I really loved it, hopefully you will too. It is so colorful and yummy.

2 cans green beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can yellow/green beans (also called wax beans)
1/2 green pepper, diced
diced purple onion (optional)

Drain beans. Combine with green pepper and onion. Cover with following sauce:

1/2 cup veg. oil
1/2 cup water
1 cup apple cider vinegar (or regular kind)
1/2-3/4 cup sugar to taste

Soak overnight or for at least 8 hours.