ARTICHOKE HUMMUS

My hummus jar was empty today -- boo hoo. It was time to come up with a new hummus recipe. I thought I'd try my own concoction, and artichokes were on my mind. A pantry check turned up 1 can of quartered artichoke hearts which I decided to marinate before making the hummus. I guess it's no surprise that I liked this hummus, because I like all hummus. (Is the plural hummuses or hummus?) How long will it take to run out of hummus ideas? It will be fun to find out. In the meantime, here's another recipe for my favorite snack, hummus:

Artichoke Hummus
1/4 cup marinated quartered artichoke hearts *or marinate your own, see below
1 heaping cup garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp. tahini
1 garlic clove
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 nice dashes of ground red pepper
1/8 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. paprika
1-1/2 to 2 Tbsp. marinating liquid from jar

*To marinate the artichokes, in a quart-size jar, combine the following:

1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. McCormick Basil-Garlic Seasoning Blend
2 nice cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
13.75 oz. can of quartered artichoke hearts, drained

Refrigerate for 1 hour or more before making hummus.

When ready to make the hummus, spoon out 1/4 cup artichoke hearts from the jar, taking as little liquid as possible, and place the hearts in the work bowl of a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients, except the marinating liquid. Pulse till everything is mashed up and fairly smooth, about 1-1/2 minutes. Scrape sides and bottom of work bowl. Add enough marinating liquid to make a smooth hummus. Taste and make any flavoring adjustments that are needed. (This was perfect for me, but you might like more cumin or more paprika, or even some sea salt.) Yield: 1-1/2 cups

If you're wondering what to do with the rest of the artichokes, try them on a green salad. And the marinating liquid makes a great salad dressing, so you really can use up everything.