Turkey Hummus Sandwiches with Black Pepper Honey

Yep, this is definitely my Summer of the Sandwich.  And not just any sandwich...the open-faced sandwich. And not just any open-faced sandwich...open-faced sandwiches made with bread that has been toasted on the grill for that fabulous, just a tiny bit charred taste.  For some reason I've gotten fixated on them and they are showing up on my supper menu almost once a week. Not only is there the whole grilled bread thing going on, but there's nothing like the feeling of walking in the door at the end of the day and getting that merry Sandwiches-For-Dinner feeling...oh yes!

And in this particular case, it was another excuse to whirl up the millionth batch of that Five Minute Hummus I am also fixated on lately.  Hey, there could be worse vices to have, right?  And if you are not the hummus-whirling-up type, your favorite supermarket brand will work just fine.

So, once you have walked in the door and are all in a good mood due to it being Sandwich Night, here's the drill.  Slice up some nice thick slices of whatever hearty bread you like.  I like the sourdough bread at Panera...it's fresh and has that scrumptious sourdough tang to it.  Brush your bread with a little olive oil and pop it on the grilled just long enough to get those delicious char marks going.

Once it has cooled a little, slather on some hummus.  Don't be shy, slather it on thick.  Now drape some thin-sliced deli turkey on top...and here comes the best part, the part that takes this from regular sandwich status to Superstar Sandwich Status.  Put about 2 tablespoons of honey in a microwavable measuring cup and nuke just until it is melted - this probably won't take more than 10 seconds.  Now grind a generous amount of black pepper into it, swirl it around, and then drizzle it over your turkey sandwich.  The sweetness of the honey and the snap of the black pepper are going to make beautiful music with the rest of this sandwich.

Sandwich Night!  It makes you feel this good:



Almost, anyway!  Here's the recipe.

Turkey Hummus Sandwiches with Black Pepper Honey

• 4 slices hearty bread, your choice
• Olive oil
• 1 cup hummus
• 1/2 pound thin sliced turkey
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Fresh ground black pepper

1. Heat grill to medium high.  Brush both sides of bread with olive oil and grill until both sides are toasted to your liking.  Remove and cool slightly.

2. Spread each slice of bread with 1/4 cup hummus.  Divide turkey among sandwiches and lay on top of hummus.

3. Heat honey in microwavable measuring cup until liquid, about 10 seconds.  Grind a generous portion of black pepper into honey and swirl to mix.  Drizzle over sandwiches and serve.

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Guaca-Hummus!

Now that the Southern husband and I are well into our Friday Night Lights experiment, I'm starting to get a little more adventurous with the whole appetizer thing.  And this particular recipe is based on my general theory of if I like one thing, and I like another thing, combining those two might turn into true love.  (Hey, it worked for Reeses Peanut Butter Cups and if it's good enough for peanut butter and chocolate, it's good enough for me.)

Anyone, here's the deal on this one.  Either whip up or buy a batch of your favorite hummus.  Either whip up or buy a batch of your favorite guacamole.  (I am in the "whip up" camp on both of these, and if you are looking for the world's fastest and best hummus recipe, look no further and click here.)

Now find a serving bowl and spread the hummus on the bottom.  Scatter some shredded cheddar cheese and chopped scallions on top.  Spread the guac over all this.  More cheddar, more scallions and some chopped tomatoes.  A little chili powder, and you are done!

A few notes about this one:

1. I found the recipe on the Cabot Cheese site and this gives me another chance to say, Cabot Cheese?   You rock!!

2. The original recipe had the guac on the bottom and the hummus on the top, but I am ornery and switched them around.  You do what feels right to you.

3. I used blue corn tortilla chips with this just for the sheer drama of it all, but celery, pita chips, cucumber rounds and your finger will all make lovely scoops for this.

I think that's all there is to say about this one!

Guaca-Hummus, adapted from the Cabot Cheese recipe

2 cups guacamole
8 ounces Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar, divided
4 green onions, thinly sliced, divided
2 cups hummus
1/4 cup diced tomato or red pepper, whichever you prefer
Mild or hot chili powder

1. In medium glass bowl or 7-by-11-inch glass baking dish, spread guacamole in even layer. Scatter with half of grated cheese and half of scallions.
2. Next spread hummus in even layer, followed by remaining cheese and scallions.
3. Sprinkle with tomatoes or red peppers and dust with chili powder. Serve with tortilla chips, veggies, etc.

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Five Minute Hummus

One of the questions I get a lot is, how do I make and photograph and then EAT all this stuff and not weigh 500 pounds?  (The questions usually are asked in a much nicer way than that, but that's the general drift.)  And while I'm not as slender as I was before I got-married-had-a-baby-started-a-food-blog, I'm so far still fitting into the same size Levi's I've been wearing for the last 10 years or so.  One of the answers I always give (and it is very true) is this: small plates!  I'm a great believer in eating things that are truly delicious, and I'd rather have a little bit of bacon then a whole lot of celery.

However, from time to time I have to resort to, shall we say, a more strict eating regimen?  Just for a little while until the Levi's can be buttoned without the whole lie down on the floor trick.  And this time, I am going for Mark Bittman's routine which he calls Simple Till Six.  The basic gist is this: you eat like a vegan from the minute you wake up until 6pm...and then you eat the way you always eat, maybe watching things a little more carefully, but in general, going your usual bacon-loving way.

So I've been doing this for the past month or so, and it's actually been pretty great, both for my Levi's and in terms of coming up with some interesting recipes that rely exclusively on veggies, fruits, whole grains, nuts and anything else that doesn't involve meat/poultry/fish/dairy/eggs/bacon.  And that I, food-worshipper that I am, actually LIKE.  So, I am going to start a new "vegan" tag on these recipes so I can keep track, and the first one I made and adore is this one.  I can't believe I have been buying overpriced, pre-packaged, not-as-good hummus at the supermarket when I can literally make it in LESS than 5 minutes at home.

I'll put the recipe in formal form below just to be all official, but here's basically what it is: Dump the following items in your food processor: one can of drained chick peas, 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, a clove of garlic, 2 tablespoons tahini (this is optional but I like the taste).  Press the on switch and let it rip until it looks like hummus.  You can thin it down with a tablespoon or two of water if you like your hummus really smooth.

After that, feel free to garnish it with a little paprika, maybe an extra swirl of olive oil, and then it's just a matter of deciding what you will be scooping it up with.  Pita chips, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices and your finger all work equally well.

And at 6pm, I'll be breaking out the bacon.

Five Minute Hummus, from  Real Simple

• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
• 1 clove garlic
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil, plus more for serving
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste; optional)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

1. In a food processor, puree the chickpeas and garlic with the olive oil, lemon juice, tahini (if using), cumin, and ¾ teaspoon salt until smooth and creamy. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons water as necessary to achieve the desired consistency.
2. Transfer to a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the paprika before serving.

Click here for printable recipe