Pumpkin Hummus

I've been meaning to post this because a few people have wanted this recipe, so here it is. I guess it is from a Cooking Light Magazine. But, of course, I have added and taken away from the original recipe, so you get Cardine's bastard child of the original recipe.

Pumpkin Hummus

2 Tbsp Tahini (sesame seed paste)*
2 Tbsp Lemon juice
1 tsp Ground cumin
1 tsp Olive oil
3/4 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Ground red pepper (cayenne pepper)
1 15 oz can Pumpkin
1 Garlic clove, chopped

Throw all of the ingredients into your choice of blending apparatus until smooth. Taste it. If it needs more ground red pepper, add some more. If desired, add 2 tsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley. I didn't. Spoon into serving bowl. If desired, sprinkle with pumpkin seeds. I didn't. Eat with...


Cardine's Pita Chips (Inspired by Warnser's Tzatziki, which is the best tzatziki known to mankind) ahem, Warnser... you need to post that recipe... or sell it. Or market it. Or something.

Some:

Pita
Olive Oil
Garlic Salt
Pepper
Paprika

Pretty much, you cut up the pita bread. I like to cut it in half and then make multiple cuts perpendicular to the first cut to make inch-wide strips. Approximately. Get a bowl. Pour in some olive oil. Add some garlic salt to taste (watch out because it settles on the bottom a little). Add some pepper to taste. Add some paprika to beautify.

Brush both sides of pieces of pita with the olive oil mixture. Fry both sides of pieces of pita in a frying pan or on a skillet until desired crispiness. Really, it's all about personal preference. I like to get them a little crispy, so they've gotta stay on until they start to brown up a little.

If you serve this stuff to my family, you've just gotta keep the pita chips coming. They will scarf it up with the pumpkin hummus.


* If you live in a town that doesn't cater to tahini-purchasing folks (or rather, folks who are attempting to purchase tahini), then you may need to make your own like I did. I found a recipe online for it, but I think it turned out like non-literal poo, so this is the recipe that I'm going to post for it. I tweaked the original to get mine.

Tahini

2 Tbsp Sesame seeds
1/2 tsp Sesame Oil (If you don't have it, by all means use olive oil)
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Water

Blend the sesame seeds in your choice of blending apparatus until smooth. Add oil and salt. Blend again. Slowly add water while blending. It should turn out paste-like. If it's too chunky and not enough pasty, then add a little more water. Pretty much, add water until the pasty consistency is reached. If it was already too much water, then do your best to use it anyway. My experience is that it'll still be okay.