Cooking for One: Pita Pizza

Brad is on a hiking trip until Saturday which means I have five days of cooking for myself. There is a reason this blog didn't get started until AFTER I was married and was responsible for feeding another person. Cooking for one is hard. The other night, I decided to make a one-serving pizookie and found myself using one tablespoon of a raw egg. Yes, it was a waste of over half an egg.

This week I will attempt to make recipes for one that do not waste food or have exorbitant amounts of leftovers. My first post is a pita pizza. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 piece of pita bread

3 Tablespoons hummus (or more if you like more)

Toppings (you can use whatever you have but good pairings with hummus include: avocado, tomato, carrots, chicken, nuts, bell peppers, goat cheese, ground beef, garlic)

DIRECTIONS: 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread hummus on the pita and top with desired toppings. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 7-10 minutes, until pita bread is slightly toasted. 

SERVING SUGGESTION:

Use any remaining toppings (i.e. the other half of a tomato or avocado) and plate it as a side salad.

Rita's Simple and Perfect Hummus

My grandparents raised their children in the Middle East and as a result, whenever I get together with family on my dad's side, we have Middle Eastern food, talk about funny stories from their childhood travel adventures, and enjoy the amazing hospitality the Arab world has to offer. The staple of every Parker family get-together is my Grandma's hummus. When I was a kid, to be honest, I couldn't stand the taste. Now, I can't get enough. The recipe requires one unique ingredient: tahini. Tahini is a sesame paste made from lightly roasted sesame seeds. You can usually find tahini at a health food store or in the international foods section of your grocery store. Once you have that, chick peas, and three other simple ingredients, you're on your way to hummusland!

INGREDIENTS:

1 can chick peas (boiled for 3 minutes, then pour off liquid)

1/3 cup (or more) lemon juice

1/2 flat teaspoon salt

5 Tablespoons sesame tahini (mix well before measuring)

2 cloves of garlic or 2 teaspoons garlic salt

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients well in a blender and if a little too thick, add water. Place in a flat bowl and pour a little olive oil on top with sprigs of parsley or toasted pine nuts for decoration. Serve with pita bread. Delicious and satisfying!