Hummus

1 (~15 oz) can chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon red pepper

Put all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until uniform texture is obtained. Eat with crackers, bagel chips, veggies, etc.

Creamy Ham and Asparagus Soup

In a large saucepan with enough water to cover, cook until crisp-tender:

     

1-1/2 cup cut fresh asparagus (1 inch pieces)

Set aside.

1 medium carrot, julienned

2 Tblsp. butter

3 small onions, quartered

2 Tblsp. flour

1 cup milk

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup cubed fully cooked ham

1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 cup half-and-half cream

Salt and Pepper to taste

Grated parmesan cheese, optional

Chopped fresh parsley, optional

In a large saucepan, saute carrot in butter for 3 - 5 minutes; add onions and saute 2 minutes longer or until tender.  Stir in flour; gradually add milk.  Bring to a  boil. Boil and stir for 2 minutes. Add broth, ham, mushrooms and reserved asparagus.  Reduce heat; add cream. Heat through but do not boil.  Add salt and pepper.  Garnish with parmesan cheese and parsley, if desired.

*I'm not sure it you're supposed to add the water with the asparagus so I never have.  If you do, let me know how it turns out.

**I'm not sure what happens if you let it boil.  I accidentally did the last time I made it and it tasted the same, so... 

***Does anyone really use parsley?  Really?

Fry Bread (Linda Butler's Recipe)

Start with:

3 cups flour

1 heaping Tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

In separate bowl :

1/2 to 1 cup instant milk powder to 2 cups warm water

1/4 cup oil

Make a well in the flour mixture, and pour about 1/2 the milk mixture in. Mix. Add more milk and Mix until gooey, but doughy, with hands. Add more flour to make a Soft dough. Let sit for a few minutes. Take a ball, flatten it, (roll if needed), leave a few holes. Fry in very hot oil. (Dough should immediately come to the top.) Turn when it starts to brown.

Creamy Spinach Bake

Ingredients

• 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
• 4 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
• 2 cans (2.8 ounces each) french-fried onions
• 2/3 cup crushed saltines (about 16 crackers)
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

• In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in soup. Stir in spinach and onions.
• Transfer to a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish. Combine cracker crumbs and butter; sprinkle over spinach mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 30-35 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 10 servings.

*Recipe found here. (Actually, I found it in the magazine, but copied and pasted from there for my own ease.)

** I halved the recipe and it still made plenty for our family.