Recipe: Mambo Italian Hummus

Another version of Hummus with pine nuts Image via Wikipedia

From Denny: Folks from Lebanon moved to Louisiana a good 150 years ago, with some additions in the past few decades. Locals here love their Lebanese food as much as the Cajun cuisine and there are plenty of small family restuarants to prove it true!

Heidi Chustz, a local nutritionist recently featured in our local newspaper had this to say about the health benefits of cooking with fresh herbs:

• Mint — Soothes digestive tract and reduces the severity and length of stomach aches. The antifungal properties of mint are thought to play a role in the treatment of asthma and other allergy conditions. It may prevent some cancers such as colon, skin and lung cancer.

• Lemon grass — Studies have shown that lemon grass has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Mixed with pepper, it’s a home therapy for menstrual troubles and nausea. When drinking it as a tea, it can be an effective diuretic.

• Oregano — Known to have strong antibacterial properties.

• Parsley — Excellent source of some nutrients, such as vitamin C, vitamin A, folic acid and iron, that are important in preventing many diseases.

• Basil — Oil in basil has been shown to inhibit growth of several types of bacteria, many of which have become resistant to antibiotics. It is a good source of vitamin A and magnesium.

She does caution the following for those with compromised immune systems and old age:

"Anyone who is taking cardiac medications, diuretics, calcium channel blockers, blood pressure medications, psychotherapeutic medications, diabetes medications and certain over-the-counter medications to talk to their doctors, pharmacists and dietitians regarding possible drug-herb interactions."

Aside from that herbs are fabulous for your health and a tasty joy to add to your every day cooking!


Mambo Italiano Hummus

From: Rebecca Mason

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

2 cans cannellini beans

Juice of 1 large lemon

1/4 cup chopped parsley

2 tbls. chopped fresh oregano

1/3 cup chopped sun-dried tomato

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Sprig of fresh oregano

Directions:

1. Purée beans in food processor until smooth; add lemon juice while processing beans.

2. Remove from processor and put in bowl and set aside.

3. Purée herbs and sun-dried tomato in processor. Slowly add oil until it makes a loose paste.

Video: Beautiful Fruit and Floral Cocktails Served with Chocolates!

From Denny: This NBC video was developed for Valentine's Day but these cocktails are good year 'round. The one demoed in the video is most unusual and refreshing for the summer season.

Where's the chocolate? Not in the cocktails but I'd definitely serve these cocktails with a side dish of your best dark chocolates to complement the fruit and floral tastes.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Here are the recipes:

L’Amour de Fleur

From: Michael Cecconi

INGREDIENTS

Drink

• 1 ounce pink peppercorns

• 1 ounce kosher salt

• 2 ounces sugar

For the drink

• 2 ounces gin

• 1 ounce fresh lime juice

• 1 ounce simple syrup

• 1/2 ounce Rothman and Winter crème de violette (Available at Astor Wines and Morrell)

• 4-6 mint leaves

• 1 pinch dried lavender flowers (available at Dean and DeLuca and Kalustyan’s); give them a good crush before you drop them in the shaker

• Edible pansy flowers (optional; available at Kalustyan’s)

DIRECTIONS

For the drink’s spice rim: Coarsely grind pink peppercorns in either a spice grinder, mortar and pestle, or mini-processor; mix with salt and sugar in a bowl, then pour onto a plate. Moisten a rocks glass with simple syrup, then dip it into the spice mixture. (There should be enough spice mixture left over for several cocktails.)

For the drink (serves 1): Combine all of the ingredients in a shaker; add ice, shake, and then pour through a julep or other fine strainer into an ice-filled, spice-rimmed rocks glass. Garnish with an edible flower sprinkled with a bit of the spice mixture.

The Honeysuckle Rouge

From: Michael Cecconi

INGREDIENTS

For spiced red wine and honey syrup:

• 2 bottles inexpensive red wine

• 3 star anise pods

• 2 cardamom pods

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 5 cloves

• Zest of 1 orange*

• Zest of 1 lime*

• Zest of 1 grapefruit*

• Zest of 1 lemon*

• Pinch of salt

• 2 cups honey

• 1 cup hot water

For the drink

• 2 ounces Anejo Tequila

• 2 ounces Spiced Red Wine and Honey Syrup

• 1/2 ounce lemon juice

• Thin round of lemon for garnish in cocktail

DIRECTIONS

For the Spiced Red Wine and Honey Syrup: Combine all the ingredients, except for the honey and hot water, in a large pot, bring to boil and reduce to roughly 1 pint (about 25 minutes at a hard boil). Pour through a fine strainer and set aside. Stir honey and water together until fully mixed. Combine one pint of the spiced red wine with one pint of the honey syrup. The spiced red wine and honey syrup will keep in a refrigerator for a week and freezes well, too.

*Save fruit for juicing or eating.

For the drink (serves 1): Combine tequila, spiced red wine and honey syrup, lemon juice, and ice in cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass, then garnish with a thin slice of lemon.

Sparkling Sunset

From: Michael Cecconi

INGREDIENTS

For the pomegranate syrup

• 2 cups sugar

• 1/4 cup water

• 1 quart pomegranate juice*

For the drink

• 3/4 ounces pomegranate syrup

• 1 ounce fresh orange juice

• 1 ounce Plata (silver) tequila

• 2 ounces dry sparkling wine

DIRECTIONS

For the Pomegranate Syrup: Combine sugar and water in a medium-size pot over high heat, and boil until the syrup thickens and uniform bubbles appear on top (around 15 minutes; do not allow syrup to caramelize). Reduce the heat to low, and slowly, carefully add the pomegranate juice, stirring constantly. Turn off the heat, cool, and refrigerate. The Pomegranate Syrup will keep for a week and freezes well.

*Juice fruit like you would a grapefruit: Cut it in half and then use a countertop citrus juicer to extract the juice.

For the drink (serves 1): Pour pomegranate syrup into a flute. Combine tequila, orange juice and ice in a cocktail shaker, then shake. Using the back of a spoon, strain the liquid into the flute, on top of the pomegranate syrup. Top with the sparkling wine, then serve to guests with a small spoon and encourage them to stir the ingredients together.