LEMON-ROASTED GARLIC HUMMUS

Hummus made in a food processor is smooth and creamy, so I'm not understanding why this photo makes it look like a bowl of oatmeal with roasted garlic on top. You're just going to have to take my word for it: this is good stuff. Now that I've taken the leap and am making my own hummus, I'm amazed that I never did it before. I can make hummus whenever I want. It's not a big deal at all. It makes up so quickly -- just throw everything in the food processor, hit the pulse button and zip, it's done. And you can add whatever you want to it to develop your own flavor preferences.

Lemon-Roasted Garlic Hummus
INGREDIENTS: 1 head garlic
1 15 or 16-oz. can chickpeas, drained
1/4 cup tahini
3 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. ground cumin (I use whole seeds and crush them in a mortar and pestle)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. sea salt
2 dashes of cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS: Place garlic head on glass pie pan (or on tinfoil or other small baking surface) and bake at 350F for about 25 minutes, till head feels soft when squeezed. Remove from oven and let cool about 1/2 hour before using.
Pull off cloves from head and slit with small sharp knife to remove the roasted clove. (Most directions say to squeeze the roasted garlic out, but I find this to be way too time consuming. It's easier to just slit the skin -- it separates easily from the clove and you can just remove the clove in one piece.) Place all cloves in work bowl of food processor along with remaining ingredients. Pulse for a minute or two, or till everything is nice and smooth and creamy. You can make this as thin or thick as you like it. For a thick hummus, add the lemon juice after you have pulsed everything else, starting with 1 Tbsp. until you achieve desired thickness. For a thinner hummus, add drained liquid from chickpeas, water or additional olive oil until mixture is as thin as you like it. If you like a hotter hummus, add more cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper. See how easy? Now just enjoy it with crackers, pita bread or veggies.