Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Bruschetta Recipe!

Woops, he did it again! Clark from Hashcapades created another bruschetta recipe - using Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, it's made with:

Lilly's Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Chicken, Red Onion, Roasted Red Pepper, and Provolone! Layer ingredients and put in oven at 450 degrees for 6 minutes.

Don't forget to check out Clark's blog, Hashcapades. Full of awe inspiring recipes focused on a single subject - hash (this is not your momma's corned beef hash)!

Bruschetta Recipe

Here is another easy recipe from Clark at Hashcapades. He used the Smoked Tomato & Basil Hummus to make a delectable bruschetta, and was kind enough to tweet both the recipe and the photo!

Lilly's Smoked Tomato & Basil Hummus, Tomato, Grilled Artichoke, Basil and Provolone Cheese Bruschetta - layer ingredients and put in oven at 450 degrees for 6 minutes. Nummy num nums... thanks Clark!

Don't forget you can say hello to us on Twitter, and also Facebook. We'd love to hear from you!

Lilly's Hummus Recipes

People often tell us about their ideas for Lilly's Hummus recipes and serving ideas, so many that we are currently updating the web site to include them all! Most of them are very simple.

Hummus Sandwich Wrap (pictured above served with a side of veggie chips):

Lilly's Smoked Tomato & Basil Hummus

Tomato/Basil Tortilla (or choose another flavor)

Sliced, Fresh Tomatoes

Fresh Alfalfa or Bean Sprouts

Fresh Minced Red Onion

Folding the tortilla will be easier, if you first warm it in the microwave or toaster oven for about 30 seconds. Spread Lilly's Hummus down the center of your warmed tortilla. Place tomatoes, sprouts, and onion onto the hummus. Fold one end of the tortilla over (about a quarter of its length), then fold over the other two adjacent sides, forming a burrito shaped sandwich. Enjoy!

Bruschetta: -from Clark at Hashcapades

Lilly's Roasted Red Bell Hummus

Cooked Chicken (your favorite cut)

Avocado Slices

Tomato Slices

Cotija Cheese

Sliced Baguette toasted with Olive Oil

Toast 1/2 inch baguette bread slices that have been smeared with Olive Oil. This is a good stage to season with salt and pepper to your taste. Spread Lilly's Roasted Red Bell Hummus onto the toasted bread slices. Place onto those, your chicken, then sliced tomato and avocado. Crumble Cotija Cheese over the top. Place onto cooking sheet and warm under the broiler for a few minutes, until cheese begins to melt. Serve!

Spicy Jalapeno Nachos:

Lilly's Roasted Jalapeno Hummus

Your Favorite Tortilla Chips

Grated Jack Cheese or Soy Cheeze

Fresh Tomato Salsa

You can scale this recipe up or down, depending on how many people you serve. Yourself? A crowd! Place tortilla chips onto a plate or platter. Scoop Lilly's Roasted Jalapeno Hummus into the center of the plate. Grate Jack or Soy Cheese over the hummus and tortilla chips. Place into a microwave, or better yet - a toaster oven and remove when tortillas begin to lightly toast, and the cheese melts. Spoon fresh tomato salsa over the top of the hummus. Serve warm!

Portland's Urban Growth Boundary

Cooking Up A Story is a show and web site about food, people, and sustainable living. Check out their recent article/show about Portland's urban growth boundary and it's relationship to the threatened perimeter Oregon farms.

Urban Growth Boundary:

Oregon Agriculture, Economy, and Managed Growth (video)

Photo by Kevin McNeal on Flickr

Portland Reigns!

Photo by Susan Seubert

"This Oregon city gets almost everything right: It's friendly, sustainable, accessible, maybe even a model for America's future."

National Geographic Traveler sites Portland as the innovative, forward-thinking city to beat, and we agree! Here is a link to their article.

How Do You Like Them Apples?

The fall season has officially begun, the leaves are just beginning to turn color. There is a crisp feeling in the air, the tummy begins to crave seasonal treats - the question begs to be asked, "how do you like them apples?"

The Columbia River Gorge's Hood River Valley in Oregon, is a bounty of scenic fruit orchards and farmlands to enjoy. Out of them are produced heirloom and classic apples and pears. Apple varieites such as Spitzenburg, Rome Beauty, Newtown Pippin, Winter Banana, and Ortley can trace their heritage back 100 years or more.

Photo by Shoothead on Flickr

Many of these fantastic apples must be tasted at the farm, for they are not produced in large enough quantities to ship elsewhere. Try a U-Pick stand such as Alice's Orchard in Hood River, which is apart of the "Fruit-Loop" mapped out area of fruit stands throughout Hood River.

Or, the Draper Girl's Country Farm, which also produces non-pasteurized Apple Cider, as well as a selection of U-Pick produce. Don't forget many of the local Farmer's Markets offer stands stocked with many of the seasonal, varietal heirloom apples, such as the Portland Farmer's Market locations.

Last night I attended a potluck, and listened to a talk given by chef Kelly Myers of Nostrana, an Italian restaurant here in Portland, Oregon.

Kelly talked to us about her use of fresh local foods as a food professional, and covered topics such as sourcing fresh ingredients from farmer's markets, seasonal purchasing, and risk taking when trying new and unusual ingredients - such as specialty potatoes, chantrelle mushrooms, and chrysanthemum greens.

Photo by janetleejohnson on Flickr.

When we began making Lilly's Hummus, we originally introduced it to the customers of the Portland Farmer's Market - a wonderful and relaxed venue to both meet Portlanders, and gain valuable immediate feedback for your market fare! It was remarkable to note through the Spring, to Summer, to Fall seasons which vegetables were available for purchase, and I ended up inventing quite a few vegetarian dishes (and fruit desserts) based on what was available from month to month.

Photo by tillwe on Flickr.

Whether I purchase Red Chard from a local farmer's market, or from Food Front, or New Season's Market, it has continued to be a favorite of ours - a carry over from our market days. I like to sautee it in olive oil, splash a little balsamic vinegar over it, quickly steaming the greens. Then I season them with crushed pepper, pepper flakes, sea-salt, and a little bit of minced garlic. Doesn't get any better than that!