Recipe: Pumpkin Hummus

Can we go from divorce straight to food? I think we can. And we will. Does the mere idea of Pumpkin Hummus make you wrinkle up your nose? Yeah, me too. Lucky for both of us, I made the recipe anyway. I found it last week on the Cooking Light bulletin board. I went on there in search of some dinner inspiration, and came away with a recipe for noshing instead.

I’ve got to say, if it didn’t get rave reviews on the bulletin board, and if I didn’t have exactly the right amount of pumpkin leftover, I might have not made this recipe. It’s certainly not your run-of-the-mill hummus, but it has this odd addicting sort of flavor that sneaks up on you. After you brave the first bite, if you’re like us, you’ll find yourself going back for more and more. And by us, I don’t mean the kids. They wanted no part of it. You can definitely taste the pumpkin, there’s no escaping that, but you also get a slight hint of the garlic and the lemon juice and it just works. If you’re brave, give it a try. You just might find your newest hummus addiction.

And since it’s Thursday night, I’m done here for the week. I don’t have the kids this weekend, sniff, sniff, so have filled it with the gym, plans for dinner and a movie, and less exciting things like painting and catching up on freelancing work. On Friday night, I always look ahead to the weekend, long To Do list tightly clutched, and marvel at how much I’m going to get done in the kids’ absence. And then I blink, and it’s dinnertime on Sunday and they’re back. And my To Do list is still largely To Do.

Before I leave you, my quick submission for this week’s round of Embrace Your Camera…
Tonight, Jamie was trying to decide if the kids look alike. Sometimes I think they really do. Sometimes just a little. In this picture, I think they definitely do.

Project 365
December 2, 2010, Photos #243, 244, 245 and 246
I made a new recipe for dessert, a Nantucket Cranberry Pie I’ll share with you next week. Assuming I don’t forget. What do my kids want for dessert? Homemade pie? Nope. Popsicles.

(Trying to read the joke)

Last night, I ducked out for a Zumba class, and when I came home, the Christmas tree was up. Gotta love when the elves work their magic in my favor.

I think this might be my new favorite picture. Note the little feet on the couch. Too cute.

Pumpkin Hummus
Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light magazine, November 2005

4 (6-inch) pitas, each cut into 8 wedges (I used whole wheat)
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame-seed paste)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon pumpkinseed kernels, toasted (optional)

Preheat oven to 425°.

Place pita wedges on baking sheets; coat with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 6 minutes or until toasted.

Place tahini and next 7 ingredients (through garlic) in a food processor, and process until smooth. Add parsley; pulse until blended. Spoon hummus into a serving bowl; sprinkle with pumpkinseed kernels, if desired. Serve with pita wedges.