Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

This week was great week for cooking.  I made several recipes that turned out to be  delicious, so I will someday share them with you.  Today, I have a roasted red pepper hummus recipe to share.  I have made several versions of hummus…plain, garlic, pesto & cumin flavored hummus, but this one is thus far my favorite.  It is great for get-togethers because you can make it the night before, & it’s especially tasty as a sandwich spread.  When I was making it, I kept thinking how great it would be on a panini…so, I tried it out & I’m glad I did.  It would be unfair not to post it, so you can make the roasted red pepper & avocado panini recipe with the leftovers.

I’ve already warned you about my love for garlic, so you can use less if you prefer.  Maybe the onion isn’t necessary (because it does add time), but I’m afraid to mess with this recipe now.  For those of you wondering what tahini is, it’s a paste made from ground sesame seeds.  You can find it in the ethnic aisle of the grocery store or a Whole Foods-like store.  It lasts a long time in the fridge (or so I’m told).

Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 large yellow onion, sliced
3 tbsp olive oil, divided use
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed & drained
1/4 cup lemon juice (aprx juice of 1 lemon)
1/4 cup tahini
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup roasted red peppers
1 tsp salt, to taste
1/2 tsp pepper, to taste
pinch cayenne pepper
Baked pita chips, carrots, celery &/or broccoli for dipping

Directions

• In a medium skillet, saute onion in 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle with some salt & cook for 5 min.  Reduce heat to low & cook, stirring occasionally, for 25 min.
• Transfer to food processor; add olive oil, beans, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, roasted red pepper, salt, pepper & cayenne pepper.  Process for 30 sec to 1 min, or until smooth.
• Add more salt, if needed.  Serve with veggies & pita chips.