96 Cent Hummes

Over the last year or so I have become terribly addicted to Hummus. Seriously no one would understand my addiction... Including my own husband. Hummus is just one of those things that is so easy, so healthy, so filling, and just so GOOD! Now that we have gotten over the fact that I love hummus so much I will go on about what this blog is actually about.

As I have become addicted to it, my addiction has become expensive. Paying $3.00 to $4.00 per container of hummus I think is outraged. Who could seriously charge so much for some garbanzo (chickpea) beans, tahini paste, whatever flavoring inquires them, maybe some lemon or garlic, and olive oil. I mean what a profit they are making charging people $3.00 or $4.00 for a container of hummus that they could eat in one sitting. People are crazy!

As an attempt to become self sufficient, I decided to inquire about making my own hummus. After finding numerous and numerous recipes online that all required "tahini paste" (sesame seed paste) as a main ingredient I was a tad bit bummed. Tahini paste is another one of those mystery ingredients that tends to cost a fortune. I am however, not willing to pay the $6.89 cents per bottle of tahini paste to make my own hummus. On to another solution.

I started with a can of chickpeas that cost me a whopping .50 cents in the food processor. I added the juice of 1 lemon that cost me .33 cents. I added 3/4 cup of olive oil (not sure how much this cost since I buy it in bulk, so we will count this as free.) I added 2 tbsp of toasted sesame seeds that cost me .08 cents at Central Market. You must add the sesame seeds, it gives the hummus the sesame seed taste but without the cost of the $6.89 cent tahini paste. I added salt and pepper and 2 cloves of garlic chopped. A whole clove of garlic cost .50 cents so two cloves probably cost 8 to 10 cents. Blended well in the processor. Placed in a bowl with dried parsley, Cayenne pepper, and additional olive oil for drizzle. So needless to say I made hummus for .96 cents and let me tell you I am forever an "anti-store bought hummus" lover.

Needless to say the purpose of this post was to not only inform you how easy you can make your own hummus, but to also advise you to not fall in the trap of prepared foods. You can easily make something at home, just as tasty, and be able to control the ingredients for one third of the price of the shelf stable prepared foods you find today in today's super markets.

So to the old store bought hummus OUT and homemade fresh hummus IN!

Happy Hummus Eating!

P.S. Trying putting anything and I mean anything to change up varieties. Here are a few suggestions:

Blue Cheese Hummus with walnuts

Spinach Artichoke

Vegetable Hummus (bell pepper, onion, etc.)

Ranch Hummus (add a package of Hidden Valley Ranch dried dressing)

Olive Hummus (do a mixture of black, green, kalamata olives)

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

There are endless options in making hummus! Pick a new one each week and you will never run out! Enjoy!

Tacos De Lengua (Beef Tongue Tacos)

BEEF TONGUE TACOS?!?!?!

Can you believe someone would actually eat a beef tongue?

Well one suggestion in life when it comes to eating... never knock anything until you try it.

When I was growing up my mom was married to an authentic Mexican man. Coming with that territory came with us eating every aspect and area of every type of meat. Nothing goes to waste in Mexican cuisine. I remember eating beef tongue. However, I remember beef tongue being called "Barbacoa." In a sense, yes beef tongue is Barbacoa meaning shredded beef, but its so much more than that.

Now starting with the idea that yes in fact is is a tongue. It can be a tad bit creepy opening the package and holding a tongue in between your two hands. Whatever you do, do not run your hands down the taste buds... you will forever be grossed out. However, after cleaning and cooking the beef tongue slowly in a crock pot for 6-8 hours. You will have one of the most flavorful, tender "shredded beef" that you will have ever tasted.

I didn't really have a specific recipe for this. I kind of just went for it. I rinsed the tongue well and place it in a crock pot. After having done that, I put one Corona beer along with enough water to cover the tongue. Threw in one onion chopped, cilantro chopped, 1 jalapeno halved, 2 limes juiced and thrown in, some cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper. And just a tad bit of vinegar for some twang. I cooked it in the crock pot for close to 8 hours, took it out to cool for an additional 1 hour.

After cooling, I shredded the meet. You must first take off the layer of taste buds. It will fall right off if cooked correctly. The tongue is very fatty. As you begin to shred the meat you will find loads of fat. Discard the fat. I found that out of a 4 pound tongue, I actually had about 1 1/2 pounds of meat with the rest been discarded.

After shredding the meat, I prepared a skillet. Tossed the meat with a little salsa and additional lime, salt, and pepper.

Serve in crispy taco shells, with fresh squeezed lime, sour cream, and some minced onion. Oh and don't forget your favorite salsa.

These had to have been probably one of the BEST TACOS I have ever had! So much flavor and so delicious.

Try them out... Its all about mind over matter to this taco.

P.s. Those taco shells are homemade. I will never buy prepared taco shells ever again! WHAT A DIFFERENCE!

EAT MORE TONGUE!!!

Snickerdoodles.

YUM O

Enough said!

It is What it Isn't

Can you believe this soup came from a package? Believe it because food never has to be what it says it has to be.

This wonderful looking soup started off as a powder soup mix that was supposed to be "Cheddar Potato Soup." Now I am normally not the type of person that would ever use an "instant" soup mix. Sometimes however being a student, I am exhausted by the time I get home and the idea of cooking just blows right out of my mind. However I would much rather eat at home then have to go eat... grease filled "who knows whats in the mystery meat" food from a fast food restaurant.

But the powdered soup mix... doesn't have to be what it seems. (yes it is a powder which can be a thought of disgust to start with... but here me out for a minute)

The soup mix was a Cheddar Potato soup mix. What better would go with this, than broccoli. I don't know about you but I am a huge fan of frozen broccoli. I mean what a deal at the grocery store. What a steal.

I added the broccoli to the soup once it came to a boil with a little cream. After the broccoli was warmed through, I took my emerson blender and broke down the broccoli. Topped the soup with some homemade croutons and an addition drizzle of cream and olive oil.

Wa- la. Gourmet gone fast.

The point is.... something doesn't ever have to be what it seems. Take something that is bland, old, boring, and "not homemade." Make it to something special and no one will ever know... you didn't slave on the stove for hours making the fabulous soup.

P.S. Try making homemade croutons.. and you will be hooked for life! Here is my recipe:

Garlic Croutons

- 5 pieces of thick cut bread- cut in to 1 inch cubes

- 2 tbsp of olive oil

- 2 cloves of garlic- finely chopped

- Salt and pepper to taste

- Dried oregano

- 1/2 tbsp of garlic pepper salt

Combine all ingredients and bake on 400 degrees for 15 minutes turning once. Enjoy!

MSG... Flavor Enhancer or Digestive Disaster

MSG

Monosodium Glutamate

I was in Central Market the other day picking up a bag of rice. I just happen to hear a lady talking to her son and was very intrigued. She states, "No wonder this is so good... there is MSG in it. I can't believe Central Market would carry MSG." So here is my thought on MSG....

When I was younger I heard so much about how MSG is so HORRIBLE for you. How it is a filler, how is can affect your immune system, how it can do this and how it can do that. I remember walking into an Asian restaurants and seeing signs posted everywhere " Our Food Contains No MSG." What in the world is the problem with this stuff I would wonder?

MSG belongs to a larger group of chemicals that are labeled "glutamate's." Glutamates are the building blocks of protein. Now the problem I have with such a controversy over MSG is that glutamates are in things that people eat on a daily basis but yet they see MSG and have cow in the middle of the grocery store.

Now don't get me wrong, while I think eating everything Raw would be the perfect way of life, sometimes we just cant help our self in buying processed foods. But did you know that MSG is naturally found in tomatoes, Parmesan, and mushrooms. (No wonder I love all three of those)

I have to say... I do not see such a huge controversy over MSG. You decide whether you eat it or not. Its a flavor enhancer, and I'm not willing to give up tomatoes, Parmesan, and mushrooms for any means.

Whats your thought on this?

Oh and by the way to the lady who threw a fit in Central Market... they carry a bag just like the picture on aisle 7! You better shop somewhere else... because Central Market carrys MSG! :)

The Obsession...

Food.

Gosh its something I just look forward to. This is something I have been wanting to do for a long time, but just havent done it. This blog will strictly be about anything and everything having to do with food. It involves the cooking, the controversies, the recipes, the restraunts reviews... everything. The passion I have for cooking is like no other. While cooking is not my future career, I plan on one day opening my own little diner.

Over the years I have learned so much about food and the experience provided in it.

Check it out... try some of the recipes.. and please feel free to share yours with me.

Ill be posting very soon!

Thanks for stopping by.