Chris Penny Team Real Estate Blog

Homemade Hummus with Garlic Toasted Pita Chips

Before firing up the grill, make a crowd pleasing appetizer with two simple snacking favourites: organic pita bread and homemade hummus.

Ingredients for Hummus:

• 1 15-oz can of chickpeas
• ¼ cup of tahini
• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• ½ to 1 tsp. salt to taste
• ½ clove fresh garlic 
• ½ tsp. cumin
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. water for smoother consistency (optional)
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes

Pour tahini and lemon juice into a medium sized bowl, thoroughly blend until thickened. Finely mince half of the garlic and add to tahini mixture, along with cumin, salt, and red pepper flakes for a spicy kick! Rinse and drain liquid from chickpeas. Add chickpeas to tahini mixture and blend until smooth. 

Garlic Toasted Pita Chips

Ingredients:

• 2 12-oz. bags of organic pita bread
• 1 stick unsalted butter 
• ½ clove fresh garlic
• ¼ cup sea salt

You’ll love the buttery taste of these pita bread chips. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut around the perimeter and split each pita into two rounds, then cut each round into eighths to yield 16 pieces. Continue this process until all the pitas have been cut. Place pieces on a large cookie sheet. Combine butter and minced garlic and melt in a small saucepan on the stove. Lightly baste garlic butter onto pita pieces and bake at 400 degrees for 3 minutes or until crisp. Drain chips on paper towel and place in colourful towel lined wicker baskets for dipping into your delicious homemade hummus.

Sudbury Pastured Pork Ribs

No backyard party is complete without some juicy, lip-smacking spare ribs. Sudbury’s pastured pork makes the perfect entrée to please any crowd. The secret is in the sassy and sweet sauce!

Ingredients for Sauce:

• 4 cups ketchup
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup yellow mustard
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. Liquid Smoke

Combine all ingredients in a large sauce pan and cook on low heat, simmer for 30 minutes.

Rib Ingredients: 

• 3 slabs of Sudbury pastured pork ribs
• Dry rub: garlic powder, seasoned salt, paprika

Remove silver skin from ribs; rinse and pat dry. Sprinkle both sides of ribs with seasonings. Place them in a baking pan, cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. 

Heat grill and place ribs on grill with the lid on. Cook ribs slowly, turning often to avoid burning. The key to great smoked ribs is to grill until the slab is no longer heavy. A lighter weight signals when ribs are done. Once ribs are done, place in a clean metal pan, add sauce and cover tightly with foil. Place in a 250 degree oven for one hour until meat falls off the bone. 

Shrimp Pasta Salad 

Your guests will beg for seconds of this amazingly good shrimp salad which uses tricolour pasta for a festive summery look. 

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb. fresh or frozen fully cooked deveined salad shrimp
• 1 tsp. seasoning salt 
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 bag tricolour Rotini vegetable pasta (or whichever your favourite is)

Boil pasta in water for 15 minutes or until tender; drain and set aside. Add ¼ tsp. each of the garlic powder and seasoned salt to pasta.Thaw (if frozen), rinse and thoroughly drain shrimp on a clean, dry towel. Place shrimp in a bowl and add ¼ tsp. each of garlic powder and seasoned salt. Add shrimp to pasta and gently combine with salad dressing. Add cayenne pepper to taste and mix well. Chill in the refrigerator and serve in a clear bowl lined with fresh Sudbury grown baby spinach.

Red, White and Blueberry Trifle

Sudbury’s farm raised strawberries and blueberries are the stars of this dessert.

 Ingredients: 

• 2 quarts fresh strawberries
• 2 quarts fresh blueberries
• 1 large angel food cake
• 1 large tub of whipped cream

Rinse strawberries and blueberries. Sprinkle with sugar and refrigerate overnight to sweeten and create a light syrup. Cut a store bought angel food cake into 1-inch squares. Starting with the angel food cake, build your berry trifle using a footed glass bowl. Next, add a single layer of whipped cream, followed by a layer of strawberries. Add another layer of cake, followed by a layer of blueberries.Top your trifle off with the last layer of whipped cream and garnish with a strawberry, sliced and fanned for extra flair!

A backyard party featuring local Sudbury produce and meat is the perfect way to celebrate summer with family and friends. Bon appetit!

Photo credit: hummus, ribs, trifle