The following post was written by Lori Pace.
Holiday party time is ALMOST here, and let’s be honest, who doesn’t want their dish to be the talk of the town? We can decorate every corner of our home and give the best gifts, but often, what most people will remember is the food!
I love a party with creative, festive recipes that make everyone want to hover and devour what you spent so much time making! My formula in delivering a hit dish is to do something delicious yet unexpected. Like Hummus – Stuffed Ripe Olives. We have all seen (and love!) variations of cheese-stuffed olives, but stuffing a creamy, flavorful Ripe Olive with hummus is a step up and so delicious when stacked with other colorful veggies.
Making these little bites of holiday happiness is so easy and fun to do that you will wonder why you didn’t make them sooner. You can make your own simple hummus with the recipe below or purchase a high quality store-bought one and cut your prep time down even more. Whatever the case, put your chosen hummus in a piping bag or sandwich bag with an end cut off and stuff away!
Hummus Stuffed – California Ripe Olives
Hummus
1 can garbanzo (chickpee) beans, save the liquid after draining
1 tablespoon lemon juice (or lime in a bind)
1 tablespoon fresh olive oil
1 clove crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (optional, but recommended)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Put all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until you get the consistency you want. For this recipe, you want it thin enough to pipe out but firm enough to hold up.
1 can Ripe Olives, pitted, green or black
Seasoned cheese balls
Red bell pepper, zucchini or other firm vegetable to serve as a base
Drain and rinse the olives, setting them aside on a paper towel to dry out. Add the hummus to a piping bag. Meanwhile, slice up the red pepper or other veggie in large chunks and set aside. Snip the end of the piping bag and gently squirt the hummus into the olive. If your hummus is thicker, you can fill to the top. If it is a thinner consistency, keep it in the olive by adding a garbanzo bean to the end. Spear the veggie, cheese and olive to make a fun and festive appetizer!
