Homemade Hummus!!

I've been cleaning out the pantry this week. Winter is coming and I want to make sure I don't have any old cans or food up in there!
A staple of  my pantry has always been cans of garbanzo beans, (chickpeas).
They're a fantastic addition to so many different dishes!  Salads, pastas, currys, casseroles!!
If you're feeling super adventurous, you could even whip up some falafel or chickpea patties.   If they really get you going, you could get chickpea flour for baking!  Gluten free!
Garbanzos are a massive source of fiber, and naturally have a lot of protein, folate, and zinc!
Anyway, enough of the chickpea praising.  
On to the Hummus!

You will need:
A food processor (mine is a mini)
1 can of garbanzo beans
1 tablespoon bean liquid
1 lemon (juiced)
3 cloves of garlic (peeled)
1 teaspoon of salt 
3 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 tablespoon sriracha (optional, or any hot sauce)

Drain the beans and be sure to preserve a few tablespoons of the liquid!!

Throw the garlic into the food processor, and pulse it until minced.  
After that, put in the remaining ingredients and blend until coarse.

Taste!  If you think it needs anything else, just throw it in and blend it again.
More salt? Add it!
More spicy? Add it!

When it's all blended to a smoothish consistency, transfer it to a sealable container, drizzle a little olive oil on top.  Maybe even sprinkle some chili powder!  Refrigerate or serve!
Enjoy!

You can chill it and it will keep for up to 2 weeks.
It's such a great base for so many things.  Add some fresh herbs!  Add some roasted red pepper. Add some roasted garlic!  So many options.  What kind of hummus would you make?

Beer Bacon Barley!!

Barley is a spectacular grain.  

It is rich and earthy.  When you cook it, it plumps beautifully and makes for a fantastic POP when you eat it!  The texture is chewy and satisfying.
This recipe is really basic but packs huge flavor.
You will need,

6 slices of bacon, chopped up
half an onion, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
kosher salt
black pepper 1 cup pearled barley
1 can of light beer
2.5 cups chicken or beef stock

In a medium-sized dutch oven or saucepan, render the bacon over medium heat.  Remove the cooked swine bits and add the minced onion into the liquid bacon fat.  
Sauté until translucent, then add the garlic. 

After the garlic has been in for about 5 minutes, add in the barley.  Stir it around for a few minutes and get it all toasty.  It will smell heavenly.  

Pour in the beer and stock, add the swine bits, stir to combine, and cover.  Lower the heat to lowlow and simmer for 90 minutes.  

Yes.  Ninety minutos.

After a half-hour, you can stir it.  But only that one time.  

When the timer goes off, fluff it all up and enjoy!  The grains will get super plump, more than doubling in size.

Great as a side dish, but also a phenomenal topping for salads!

Tarragon Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta!!

Even though it's been in the 90s all week, I still felt the need to make something autumny, you know, since it's September and all.
(Hot weather in the fall?? = Hautumn.  High Fashion)
Well, what's more cozy than oven-roasted butternut squash drenched in goat cheese sauce?

OVEN-ROASTED SQUASH!!
To roast the squash, preheat the oven to 400.
In a bowl, dump your raw squash (cut into 1-inch chunks), and,
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons fresh tarragon (2 tablespoons if you're using dried)
several skrunchies of the pepper mill 

Mix it all up until the squash is well coated, and then transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet or cast-iron skillet.

Roast for 25-30 minutes, giving it a stir or two partway through.  

While the squash is roasting, bring a pot of salted water to a boil.  
When the edges of the squash get toasty browny and it's soft, pull the pan out of the oven and drop the pasta into the boiling water.  Any pasta will do.  (Below is info on how to make zucchini sgetti, perfect for those who are gluten-free!!)
When it's al dente, strain it.  KEEP SOME OF THE PASTA WATER!!  

In a large bowl, combine the hot pasta and hot squash and then crumble 4-6 ounces of goat cheese on top and mix well.  Add some hot pasta water 1/4 cup at a time.  
The goat cheese will melt and create a gorgeous, creamy smooth sauce--completely coating all the noodles and squash bites!
ENJOY!!

ZUCCHINI SGETTI!!
Fill a saucepan halfway with water, set on high heat and add a tablespoon of kosher salt.
Take 3 zucchini, slice off the ends, and peel them.  
With a mandolin set to small julienne, slice up the zucchini lengthwise.  Careful of your fingers!
If you don't have a mandolin, you can use a julienning veggie peeler.
When the water reaches a boil, drop in a handful of the zucchini.  Count to 30 and take it out!  You can use tongs or a spider.
No need to add anymore salt, the boiling water seasoned it for you!
Wait a few moments for the water to boil again, and then cook the rest of the zucchini. 
Done!  Easy peasy!  You want to be careful not to overcook it.  No one wants mushies.  You want to keep a slight bite to the strings.
Combine with your favorite sauce and mix-ins and enjoy! You can twirl it and slurp it just like regular spaghetti!