Lima Bean Hummus

Lima Bean Hummus

While in N.C. on vacation, I bought a small tub of lima bean hummus. I believe it was made by Roots, and I went for it because I've never met a lima bean I didn't like. This did not disappoint; on the contrary, it was love at first bite. Spectacular flavor and spice. It was so smooth and made a chip feel fancy and a good sandwich feel all gussied up! This is my attempt to recreate. Delicious!

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Southern Cheese Straws

Southern Cheese Straws

Growing up in Louisiana, cheese straws -spicy, orange-cheddar, stick-shaped treats- were de rigueur on many party tables. I adore them, and this recipe, by Kim Severson, is the one I've found that most perfectly matches the taste-memory I have of the ones back home. This recipe is a snap to put together but pressing the dough through a cookie press can take some time. That said, double this recipe because I guarantee everyone will love these and eat more than they thought humanly possible.

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Yogurt-Tahini Dressing

Yogurt-Tahini Dressing

Somewhere between a sauce and a dressing, this yogurt-tahini blend is spiced with lemon, cinnamon, cumin, coriander and sumac and is absolutely wonderful. It'd make a great dressing for steamed potatoes or a dip for veggies or a sauce for roasted root veggies...

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Cheesy Mashed Potato Puffs

Cheesy Mashed Potato Puffs

One day, I bought some russets and boiled them up, planning to make mashed potatoes. But I realized I wasn't much in the mood for plain old mashed spuds so took a left turn. Into the mash went grated Gruyere, crumbled bacon, scallions and some buttermilk. The idea of puffs was running through my mind, so I mashed (heh!) the potato mixture into a ziploc, cut off the corner and played around with griddling these as well as baking-then-broiling them. 

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Fava Bean Crostini

Fava Bean Crostini

A local restaurant makes the most unreal appetizer when fava beans are in season: a fava bean puree atop grilled bread, topped with a shave of Parmesan and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Each bite is out of this world. Obviously, I had to figure out how to make this. Here you go. You'll eat more than you think you can!

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