Hummus For Dinner

Dinner can be anything, right? It doesn't have to be typical. I was having a craving for hummus about a week or so ago and I really needed to whip up a batch. It turned out to be dinner because I was simultaneously roasting graffiti eggplant (to die for), red peppers and carrots. I usually have a bunch of vegetables on hand, so our whole meal revolved around hummus. Add a glass of wine and a little cheese. Perfect! So, think about all of the lovely things you can dip into this ethereal blend of just a few healthy ingredients . . . endless variety of raw vegetables, fresh homemade bread, your favorite cracker or crostini, warm naan drizzled with olive oil and za'atar, warm pita or toasted pita chips, your favorite tortilla chips, etc. . . You get the picture. It is just so luscious. If you don't have the time to make your own (or if you don't own a food processor), buy your favorite hummus and garnish it up like you're having a big party (remember those?) . . . even if it's a party of one or two! Treat yourself like you're a guest and enjoy the process of preparing all of the accompaniments. Find the right serving dish/platter/bowl/board, swirl some deep grooves into your hummus, drizzle a generous amount of olive oil into your grooves and then add your veg, garnishes, heat, spice, dippers and whatever rocks your hummus world. I friggin' LOVE topping hummus with za'atar, finely minced serrano chiles, homemade pickled fresno peppers, crumbled feta, paprika, ground cayenne. 

Easy KPK Hummus

This is one of those not-really-a-recipe type recipes. Just do it. Make it your own. Adjust the amounts of salt, lemon juice, olive oil, spices etc to suit your personal tastebuds. You just need to know the basics  and the process and then run with it.  This is another thing you'll never buy again, I'll bet!

You'll need a food processor to make this in a snap. OK. 1 batch. Here we go.

Ingredients

3 cans of chick peas

(15.5 oz) (aka garbanzo beans), drained (reserve 1/3 cup liquid)

the juice of 3 lemons

(I know, I know, they're not always the same size)

2 medium cloves of garlic

 grated right into the food processor (or more, if you're Kazoo)

1/2 (half) teaspoon of kosher salt

2 heaping tablespoons tahini

1/3 cup of olive oil

1/3 cup of reserved canning liquid

(aka aquafaba, that's right, bean water)

ground cumin

(freshly ground is great) - a few pinches, to taste

ground cayenne

a few pinches, to taste

Directions

All ingredients into the food processor.

Pulse.

Blend*

Taste.

 All canned chick peas are not created equal.

Adjust. 

S/A - because you might like it saltier, more lemony, more garlicky.

 You understand.

*Blend for 4 or 5 minutes (my secret's out - the key to hummus lusciousness is blending for a long time until it's lighter in color with a fluffier and silkier texture. This gives a looser consistency that makes it "Israeli style hummus". You can also add ice water instead of the canning liquid (or enough of both to equal about 1/3 of a cup) to achieve this. If you like it a bit thicker with more texture, simply blend less and you can also reduce or eliminate the extra liquid. You da boss. Of your hummus, at least.

Hummus Variations

ROASTED BEET HUMMUS (Stunning!) Simply add a roasted beet,

cut into chunks, along with the rest of the ingredients in

the food processor! Check for seasoning. May need more salt.

FRESH HERB GREEN HUMMUS Add a bunch of fresh herbs until you achieve desired flavor & color. Adjust seasoning. Garnish with the same fresh herbs that are in the hummus! This batch from last summer was made with home grown fresh basil, fresh parsley and chives.

RED PEPPER HUMMUS - add a roasted red pepper to the food processor with the other ingredients (more or less for taste and color); jarred is fine. I like the ones simply packed in water and salt. Many come packed in vinegar with herbs and other ingredients. Can't find a pic of this one in "the archives".

THE KPK HUMMUS BOTTOM LINE

1. Up your hummus game

2. Have fun with your hummus

3. Know your hummus ingredients

4. Be a hummus garnish guru

5. Enjoy the hummus process

6. Be the one who's asked to "bring your hummus"

Thank you to anyone reading! I haven't posted in awhile but I really haven't meant to be "ghosting" ya. Will try and get some new stuff posted to re-energize and inspire your cooking game (and mine) with the first day of spring just six days away.

Love,

Katie

& Indy too

Sugar & Spice & Everything Nice ~ KPK Valentine Boxes 2021

Sugar & Spice & Everything Nice ~ KPK Valentine Boxes 2021 

KPK Cookie Fever

So, I've done a little baking lately . . . Here are a few samples of what's been happening in KPK. Coming soon, I'll be posting on the reg. XO. Katie

Holiday Cookie Gift Boxes for Veena

Traditional Homemade Custard Creams (Big with the Brits)

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

My dining room table (just a wee portion of my holiday output)

Starry 

Pecan Shortbread dipped in White Chocolate with more pecans and more white chocolate. More.

Gussied up Pecan Shortbread ~  nonpareils and candy coated sunflower seeds

For Maria's New Year's Party; Toasted Hazelnut Shortbread ~ The Labut Collection

Marbled Biscotti with No Nuts ~ Orange & Chocolate

Traditional Bourbon Creams (I have a thing for the U.K.)

Mark's All Time Fave Biscotti - before their journey to our "West Coast Connection"

Organic Spelt Capellini Pasta with Super Fresh Never Ending Cherry Tomato Marinara. We have a lot of cherry tomatoes…….and they're still wonderful! Add some freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and a  sprig of fresh basil. What else do you need? Oh, right. Vino!!! Note to self: Carbs cannot be bad.

Strawberry Buckwheat Bars

Made with a blend of unbleached flour and buckwheat flour, filled with fresh strawberries and preserves, these are summery and delicious. A few wholesome ingredients and a food processor make these a cinch :). Here's the link to this "healthy-ish" recipe from Epicurious! http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/strawberry-buckwheat-bars-56389816

Enjoy!

Love, Katie

Please note ~ Update: Serve these the day you make them. They're great on Day 1 and still good on Day 2. By Day 3, I found that they  became a bit too soft. Bake 'em and eat 'em :)>.

Fried Asparagus

The simplest of foods cooked with the most basic preparations will provide amazing results. You just need to start with great quality food (in this case, fresh asparagus at peak season) and master some straightforward techniques. This applies to so many things I love to cook and love to eat!

My mom has always fried asparagus. Frying asparagus in olive oil with only kosher salt to enhance the flavor cannot be duplicated in any other method of cooking asparagus. I have grilled and roasted a ton of asparagus. I have steamed it, topped it with fried eggs, poached eggs, shaved parm, etc. etc. Nothing can compare to the flavor of properly fried (ok, you can say sautéed) asparagus. It is divine. It will always happily remind me of my mom and dad and the springtime seasons of my life. Read more about my love affair with asparagus and other funny stuff in this earlier post on KPK: http://katiespassionkitchen.blogspot.com/2010/06/asparagus.html

Here are the techniques for your new most favorite way to make asparagus. No recipe required.

Wash and dry some fresh asparagus. Technique tip #1 - Make sure it is DRY. If you don't dry it, it's going to steam and not brown. Snap off the tough, fibrous bases of the stalks. They'll snap right where the stalk goes from tender to tough. Slice on a diagonal for faster cooking. That's Technique tip #2.  Slice thick stalks vertically. Note: I do like frying the stalks whole also, but slicing them makes them a bit more manageable and they definitely cook faster. You get more browned spots too. Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a sauté pan. More tips. A sauté pan is a nice choice because it has a flat bottom with high, straight sides. This way, you'll have more surface area for great caramelization and the sides will prevent the asparagus from going overboard every time you flip them around. Make sure the oil is hot (medium-high to high heat). Drop in a piece of asparagus. If it doesn't sizzle, the oil is not hot enough. If it sizzles, it's ready. Drop in all of your asparagus. It will splatter and sputter a bit. Don't be afraid to cook it. We're not cooking this over low heat until it's tender and steaming it in it's own juices. You need higher heat for caramelization. Don't move it around for awhile. Let it cook and brown a bit without disturbing it. Caramelization changes everything for the better. Trust me.

With a spatula, flip the asparagus over and allow it to cook on medium high heat until it browns a bit more. Resist the temptation to sprinkle with salt until it's cooked at least halfway. Salting too early will cause the asparagus to release some liquid which interferes with the browning. Now you can flip it around a couple of times until the asparagus is nicely browned in spots and tender. Sprinkle with kosher salt. My favorite is still Morton Kosher Salt. I couldn't live without it.

Taste. If you don't sprinkle with salt, it won't be as delicious. Pile onto a platter or into a bowl and dive in. Enjoy all by itself. Pile onto a plate of scrambled eggs. Make a frittata. Enjoy as a side dish with pretty much anything, lol.  At KPK At The Market, we piled it onto grilled ciabatta bread that had been brushed with olive oil and rubbed with cut garlic. It was a delectable and popular spring special.

Mark always says that keeping things simple is not that simple. Getting simple right is an art. What are you doing here? Go make your asparagus sing!!!

Fried Asparagus

Tips At A Glance

Wash and DRY

Snap off woody ends

Slice on a diagonal and vertically slice thick stalks

 Use a Saute Pan

Heat the Olive Oil

Medium High to High Heat

Allow asparagus to brown and caramelize

Flip, cook until tender and browned in spots

Sprinkle with Kosher Salt

Enjoy and love!

I'd love to hear from you. If you ever eat asparagus any other way again, I won't believe you. 

LOL : )

Eat Spring,

Love,

Katie

Carne en su Jugo

Just as this mouthwatering Guadalajara specialty is bursting with flavor, my head is bursting with a new post about this down home, comforting, flavor-packed bowl of love. But first . . . Happy Birthday to my lovely Mamasita, Amelia. We love you Mama! Before I write, I must bake! Today is also Ashley Rotondi's baby shower. Congrats to Ash & Dan on their upcoming delivery of a cute little guy . . . KPK awaits. First, coconut cupcakes and pumpkin cake for the shower ladies! Watch for the story on Carne en su Jugo right here in KPK. You're going to be able to smell the goodness from your computer screen or hand held device SOON! Love ya, Katie

Christmas Cookies 2014

Mexican Tea Cakes

Lime Meltaways

Pecan Shortbread

Gingerbread Blondies with White Chocolate

Espresso and Chocolate Mini Chip Cookies with Cassia Cinnamon

"Quattro Nut" Butter Biscotti

What To Do with a Pound of CARROTS!

Peel

Trim

Shower

Dry

Coarsely grate using a hand held grater

OR much faster, use the grating disk on your food processor

Crack 4 eggs into a bowl and beat lightly with a fork

Add carrots, fresh herbs & chick pea flour plus kosher salt, pepper & spices

Mix

Heat olive oil over medium high heat and drop 1/4 cupfuls of carrot batter into pan, flattening gently

Fry until golden brown and then flip

Drain on layered paper towels and sprinkle with a bit of kosher salt & cayenne while hot

Eat as you go

Serve with a light and lemony arugula salad or any of your favorite greens or fresh herbs

Carrot pancakes!  Easy, delicious, nutritious and just happen to be gluten-free for those of you curbing your gluten intake. I think I will be trying these with everything from cabbage to zucchini and I will be playing around with the spices the whole time. They’re kind of like potato pancakes and very delicious alongside some lemony greens. The chick pea flour adds a hint of falafel-ness (I know it's not a word) and makes me want to go Middle Eastern with the spices. Use this recipe as another KPK springboard and leap off with your own twists. This lovely recipe comes from Bon Appetit’. They suggest serving these little gems with salted yogurt. I’m sure that would be delicious. P.S. If you make them in advance, just reheat in a 350 degree oven for about 5-10 minutes to warm through.

Carrot Pancakes

1 lb. of carrots

4 eggs

1/3 cup of fresh cilantro or Italian parsley (handful)

1/4 cup of chick pea (garbanzo) flour

kosher salt & pepper to taste

freshly ground cumin, coriander & cayenne or any combination of your favorite spices

Olive oil, for frying

Follow the step-by-step KPK pictorial above and enjoy. The recipe makes 8 pancakes. Mark and I each ate 4.

Oh, btw, real men eat CARROT PANCAKES
(not just quiche)! LOL

      

If you would like to read about
 the vast nutritional benefits
 of carrots, click here.

Make sure your summer includes an abundance of colorful foods!

LOVE,

Katie