Honey Tahini Dressing

I'm currently facing a dilemma--an utterly disastrous dilemma.  I have no bread. [Unless you count the soft pretzels I made on Sunday as bread... but let's face it I can't really make a PB&J with a soft pretzel...]  I also don't have much other food, since my time in Bloomington is coming to an end I'm trying to let my pantry dwindle (and it's taking a serious amount of self-control at the grocery).  I do have lettuce, lots of freezer food, and some incredibly stale pita bread, which lent itself perfectly to a deconstructed felafel salad :)  This creamy dressing tied it all together, the rich tahini harmonizes perfectly with the sweet honey and acidic lemon striking a refreshingly satisfying balance.  I found myself scraping the left over salad dressing off my plate with the pita chips and tomatoes--it was that good.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

 This speedy hummus is wonderful with pita chips, piped onto cucumber slices for a quick appetizer, or used as a spread on sandwiches.  Feel free to mix it up, utilizing different ingredients to flavor such as- sun-dried tomatoes and basil, cilantro, or roasted garlic.
 

• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 can garbanzo beans/chickpeas (15 oz) drained
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 2 whole roasted red peppers
• 1/4 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• pinch of cayenne pepper

1. In a food processor, add garlic, garbanzo beans, tahini, and lemon juice.  Process until smooth, then add roasted red peppers, basil, paprika, and cayenne.  Pulse until desired consistency is achieved.  Transfer to a container and chill until time to serve.  Store in the refrigerator.

Yields ~ 2 cups.