Salad and Hummus

Preparing to move to a tiny island is so cray.

You get to spend every waking (and should-be-sleeping) minute thinking about all the things you can cram into a few suitcases, because everything is thrice the price on the island or not even available. It's kind of fun, like a really twisted and kind of stressful game.

Jared and I have spent the last three weeks hopping between family reunions and a trip to Seattle to see his family and our adorable new niece, baby Mae. See here:

Even while on vacation we've been buying up some last essentials and securing an apartment. 

The only problem is that every time we think we've finally got everything we need, we think of ten more absolute necessities to add to the list. (By the way, for all you readers out there, Kindle Paperwhite, or Kindle Fire?)

This is all to say that we're really busy and really enjoying it!

But the real point of this post is to publish two of my new favorite recipes. Recipes are something we will not be making room for in our bags, so I want to make sure I have online access to my favorites.

While in Seattle, Jared's amazing mom made us the most delicious salad EVER, like every night.

I loved it so much that Jared and I even made it on the night that we cooked dinner there, and as soon as we arrived home in Utah I made it for my family. This is a big deal, seeing as I've probably only made a salad once since being married. Usually the work required to do so outweighs the taste satisfaction I gain from it. Not with this one though.

Along with the salad recipe, Jared's mom sent me home with a hummus recipe. I've tried to make hummus on numerous occasions before, but each time it has been a disaster because I'm too lazy to go find tahini. 

This recipe, however, calls for sesame seeds instead of tahini, and my mother randomly has sesame seeds in abundance, so I gave the recipe a try for dinner tonight. LIFE. CHANGING. Never again will I buy hummus. This is so much fresher and cheaper. And SO EASY. You must.

So without further adieu, I present to you Salad de Maison and Sesame Seed Hummus

SALAD DE MAISON

Juice of 1 lemon (or 1.5 T)

3+ cloves garlic, crushed 

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 c vegetable oil

1/4 lb. bacon, diced

2 heads romaine lettuce, torn in small pieces

2 c cherry tomatoes, halved

1 c coarsely grated Swiss cheese

2/3 c slivered almonds, toasted

1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

1 c croutons

Make dressing. Combine lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Beating continuously with a fork, slowly add vegetable oil in a stream. Let stand 3 hours. Saute diced bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels. In a salad bowl, combine romaine lettuce, tomatoes, Swiss cheese, almonds and bacon. Toss with dressing, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Garnish with croutons. 

Yield: 8 servings.

HUMMUS

1 T olive oil

1/4 c lemon juice

1/4 c raw sesame seeds

15 oz can chickpeas with liquid

15 oz can chickpeas, drained

1+ garlic clove, peeled

1 t cumin

salt to taste

Place olive oil, lemon juice, sesame seeds, can of chickpeas with liquid, can of drained chickpeas, garlic, and cumin into blender and secure lid. Blend until completely smooth, as long as necessary (I had to run my blender longer than I usually do to get rid of all the lumps). Season to taste with salt.