The Best Homemade Hummus (with Lots of Herbs)

homemade hummus

A mixture of chickpeas & cannellini beans goes into this herby hummus

As someone who loves nothing more than spending time in the kitchen, it often amazes me how little time people are prepared to put into what they eat. I’m fully aware that everyone is leading increasingly hectic lives and that sometimes a bowl of cereal on the sofa is all that can be managed, but at the same time I’m secretly eyeing up those sweaty slices of pre-packaged bread or cakes full of hydrogenated oils and thickening agents and wondering why anyone would even dream of eating them. Continue reading

Homemade Garlic Bread Baguettes

homemade_garlic_bread

Garlic bread. The ultimate in comfort food, this simple snack was elevated to superstar status back in 2003 by Bolton-born Peter Kay’s famous sketch. Since then, it’s become nigh on impossible for people in the UK to pass a packet, produce a plate or merely mention the stuff without some smart arse chipping in with a round of ‘Garlic bread?’ intoned in a slightly nasal Northern accent.

Kay may have had his reservations, but there are few things more satisfying than the simple combination of good bread and garlic. Bruschetta made from toasted bread straight off the barbeque –  rubbed with garlic and drizzled in olive oil – is one of life’s greatest pleasures, but for something with a little more rib-sticking clout, it’s hard to beat a buttery stick of good homemade garlic bread. Continue reading