I always seem to struggle with what to bring when going to a party, especially when I don’t know what everyone else is bringing…

Do I bring a dessert and bank on being the only one? Do I lean towards something more savory in case people haven’t eaten dinner yet? Do I bring something gluten free so I know there will be at least one thing there I can eat??

These are the questions that I wrestle with a few days prior to the event… I know, I know… I’m a nerd.

All week long I’ve been trying to think of something new I could bring to the Super Bowl party (please tell me you watched the halftime show? Madonna was incredible!) as opposed to my stand by roasted Brussels sprouts.

Yes, I have a stand-by Brussels sprouts recipe. Doesn’t everyone?

I still hadn’t come up with anything and was starting to lean towards bringing something store-bought when J and I decided to make a little trip to our fave Mediterranean/Lebanese restaraunt…

We gorged on baba ganoush, kibbee balls,  falafel, gyros and…. hummus.

I considered myself inspired. I was going to bring hummus to our little shin dig.

I did and it was great. You know what’s even better? We have left over hummus. Oh the possibilities.

I seem to enjoy homemade hummus more than the stuff at the stores… not a surprise really. I find that I like it better without tahini… so I made it without tahini.

I thought I’d share with you.

Grab some garbanzo beans, garlic and EVOO…

Also some lemon juice, salt and cayenne (optional)…

Throw the beans, garlic and some EVOO in the food processor and process. While processing, continue to add the EVOO… this is kind of an “add a little bit and check to see how it tastes” kind of a thing… sorry for all of you type “A” personalities… I didn’t measure.

Once it’s semi-combined, add in the other 3 ingredients…

Continue to process until smooth… then dish up and serve…

This is really a “make it how you want” recipe. If you want more garlic, add more garlic. If you want to throw in roasted red bell peppers… well then by all means do it! If you aren’t a huge fan of EVOO, reserve some of the juice from the beans and substitute that for some of the EVOO.

What’s great about this dish is it’s versatility. You can serve it with pita chips or veggies. Spread it on a pizza crust with some basil. Eat it with a spoon… It’s your prerogative.

Just make sure you enjoy it… that’s all I ask.