The Best Hummus You Will Ever Make

Ambitious title, I know. But I hope I’ve enticed your appetite, because you’re in for a treat!

Hummus is one of those small things in life that make me happy. I can’t say no to this dip. Luckily for me, there’s an amazing place to get delicious hummus in Philadelphia. It’s a hummusiya called Dizengoff, where they serve it with different toppings, changing daily. Some days you can get lamb, fava beans, or hard boiled eggs, and others you can expect avocado, chicken skin or beets for example. They come up with really creative flavors that pair so well with their hummus. They also make it extremely creamy, with lots of tahini just how I like it. Finally, they serve it with freshly baked homemade pitas that are like no other you’ve tasted before. It’s such a great combo I could eat it all day everyday.

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The Ultimate Banana Bread

It’s here. It’s finally here. The perfect banana bread recipe. The ultimate. My one and only.

I’ll stop here. I think you get my point and my somewhat overwhelming excitement… You know how some people just make the best baked goods and have a secret recipe that you spend years trying to recreate but ultimately never can? You know, like for chocolate chip cookies? Or banana bread? I know I’ve been looking for the best banana bread recipe for as long as I can remember (or ever since I came to the US and discovered this delectable treat). Three years later, I’m happy to announce that I finally found it!

Fridge Friday: Avocado Chicken Salad, No-Mayo

Another day, another toast! With chicken salad, no mayo anyone? This toast recipe is the last one I’ll post for a while, but as I previously mentioned open-faced sandwiches have been my go-to rushed meals recently. And since this chicken salad is so good, I figured that I’d share it with you even if I recently posted another toast recipe (combining Scrambled eggs, broccoli rabe, and shiitake!).

Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Lemon

I didn’t know banana bread until I came to the US. Not once had I even heard of it. Crazy, right? So when my roommate first asked me if I wanted a piece of her mom’s world-famous banana bread, I hesitated for a solid second before I decided to give it a try.

Homemade NY Bagels

Bread is my guilty pleasure. I grew up eating baguettes every morning and I can’t picture my day starting otherwise. Yet, I was introduced to real NY-style bagels when I moved to the US. When my roommate brought me to Ess-a-Bagel, in Manhattan, a whole new world opened up! These beautiful balls of dough were perfectly chewy outside and fluffy inside. I got the classic sliced lox and cream cheese and I have to admit that it was as good as my usual baguette. Now that I’m home in Philadelphia, I tried a homemade version of these babies and it turned out great! Bon appétit!

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Prep time: 30 min (+60 min rising) Cook time: 20 min

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp dry yeast
• 3/4 cup lukewarm water
• 3/4 tbs white sugar
• 1 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Mix 1/2 the water, the yeast and the white sugar and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then stir it well together.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt, make a well, and pour the yeast mixture and the rest of the water in it.
3. Knead the dough on a floured countertop for about 5 minutes.
4. Slightly coat the dough with oil and let it rise in a bowl for about 60min, covered with a damp towel.
5. Separate the dough in 4 pieces and turn them in round balls. Make a hole in the middle of each one with your thumb. Again, cover the bagels with a damp towel.
6. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Bring water to a boil and put each bagel in the boiling water for 1 minute per side.
7. Sprinkle with your choice of topping right away and bake for 20 minutes on a greased baking sheet.

TIP: you can then make whatever sandwiches you prefer, I love sliced lox and cream cheese, or bacon egg and cheese!