Homemade hummus

If there is one thing you can save money on, it's homemade hummus. It's really easy so it's worth the effort. Nate asked for some recently and I refuse to spend $5 on a 1/4 pint when I can make a pint of homemade for a fraction of the cost.

Here is the recipe I use that came from Family Circle Magazine.

Roasted-Pepper Hummus
1 whole head garlic
2 teaspoons vegetable oil (I use olive)
2 16-ounce cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, drained
Juice of 2 lemons, about 5 tablespoons
1/4 cup tahini
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch ground cumin
Chopped parsley to garnish

Cut the top off of the head of garlic, exposing the cloves. Place in a small microwave-safe bowl and drizzle with oil. Add 1 tablespoon water to the bowl, then cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on hight for 2 to 3 minutes, depending on size of the garlic. Let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes, then uncover and squeeze soft garlic from papery skin.
In a food processor, combine garlic cloves, chickpeas, roasted peppers, lemon juice, tahini, hot pepper sauce, salt, cumin and 1/4 cup water. Process until very smooth and mixture has even texture. Add more water for a creamier dip. Refrigerate until serving, then garnish with chopped parsley.

NOTES:
You can find tahini with the Middle Eastern foods at most supermarkets. It's sesame seed paste. I know a lot of people leave it out. I buy a jar and leave it in the refrigerator. It's a tad expensive, maybe $4-$5 for a jar, but it will make many batches of hummus.

TIP:
Many of the recipes I pull from magazines, I slide into plastic protector sleeves and store in 3-ring binders. When I need a recipe, I just pull it out and put it on the counter. I don't have to worry about messy food ruining an entire cookbook. When I am done, I can wipe it with a wash cloth and put it back. I keep my most used recipes in the front of the book.