hummus

adapted from mccormick

drain 1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas reserving 1/4 cup liquid
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. adjust seasonings to taste.

use as a dip for veggies and chips, or in place of mayo in sandwiches and wraps.

oatmeal pancake mix

this is my new favorite pancake mix
from my kitchen cafe

*Makes 10 cups of dry mix

3 1/2 cups rolled (quick) oats
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon salt (i leave out)
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 cup vegetable oil

mix all the dry ingredients together in a mixer with a paddle (or by hand). with mixer on slow speed (or gently by hand), drizzle the vegetable oil into the bowl slowly while the mixer is running. store in an airtight container for up to two weeks at room temperature or indefinitely in the refrigerator or freezer.

to make the pancakes: whisk together 1 cup of mix, 1 cup buttermilk (a combination of half plain yogurt and half milk will also work), and 1 egg. the mixture may seem thin at first but the oats will soak up the milk as it stands while the griddle preheats. heat a griddle and drop the batter onto it. when the edges look dry and bubbles come to the surface and don't break, turn the pancake over to finish cooking on the second side. as a sidenote, buttermilk can be frozen indefinitely for future batches of pancakes, so it's worth keeping it around!

*1 cup of mix will make about 6-7 4-inch pancakes.