Recently, a good friend threw a surprise 50th birthday party for her husband. As part of the “inside” group, I was asked to supply hummus and dipping items for said party. Approximately, 120 people responded that they would be attending and this threw me into a tizzy. I was totally unsure how to decide how much hummus to make as there would be other “finger” food plus entrees and desserts and, of course, cake.

First, I decided that plain hummus would only be a part of my contribution. I decided to make three different kinds of hummus, including one that contains no beans, and provide three different dipping items. Photos of hummus, as the plating did not take place at my home, look boring so you will not get to see what each looks like but I can tell you that all look good.

Realize that hummus has many uses. The week after the party I spread hummus on a tortilla and then put scrambled eggs on that. My daughter has been taking hummus and vegetables for lunch when she is substitute teaching. I have frequently had hummus and pretzel crisps or pita chips after runs.

Here are three delicious hummus recipes.

HUMMUS

Ingredients
2 garlic cloves, (recipe calls for mashed and then minced but I grated garlic into food processor and then threw the small pieces leftover from grating right in)
2 15-oz cans of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
2/3 cup of tahini (roasted, not raw)
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup water ( I added this last after some processing. One batch used all ½ cup but one batch did not need that much)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Pine nuts (toasted) and parsley (chopped) for garnish

Directions
In a food processor, combine the garlic, garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, 1/2 cup water, and olive oil. Process until smooth. Add salt, starting at a half a teaspoon, to taste.

BLACK BEAN HUMMUS

Ingredients
1 clove garlic (Grate garlic and then toss remaining into food processor)
1 (15 ounce) can black beans; drain and reserve liquid then rinse beans
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
10 Greek olives

Directions
Add black beans, 2 tablespoons reserved liquid, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, tahini, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Mince garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Add additional seasoning and liquid to taste. Garnish with paprika and Greek olives.

BEANLESS HUMMUS

Ingredients
2 cups Zucchini (chopped)
2-3 cloves Garlic
2 tablespoons Lemon Juice (about one lemon’s worth)
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup Tahini
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
2 tablespoons Parsley (chopped, fresh leaves)
1/3 cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes (chopped – I could not find sun-dried tomatoes packed in liquid so had to reconstitute them prior to using. 5 minutes in hot water did it.)
Paprika

Directions
Process zucchini, garlic, lemon juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, tahini, and salt in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour mixture into a bowl, and stir in parsley and sun-dried tomatoes. Set aside and allow sun-dried tomatoes to soak up moisture for about 10-15 minutes or more. Stir well.

Sprinkle a pinch of paprika and drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil just before serving.

Serve with cabbage leaves cut into triangles, like chips, or with cut vegetables like broccoli, carrots or celery. Or create your own combination of scoops!

This makes 4 servings and will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge.