Welcome to Adventures and Recipes, the column formerly called ‘We All Eat.’

By SU STELLA/for The Herald  —  On November 21, 2024, I opened my email and discovered I was one of three Oregon Food Bank’s FEAST grant recipients in Oakridge. My project is for a 52-week recipe commitment based on typical food pantry items like green beans, tuna, and peanut butter. I will be including items less familiar, like dried dates and hominy, too.

“FEAST stands for (Food, Education, Agriculture, Solutions Together) Support Fund is a statewide grant program to support community conversations about food that lead to local action.”

I came up with the idea about 10 years ago when my best friend had to get boxes from her local food bank, and every week, she would give me random cans of cranberries, green beans, chickpeas, and pantry items.

It always surprised me because she sold baked goods at the local farmer’s market. She was always canning veggies and salsas. Five years ago, she confided that she did not know how to cook. She baked with mixes and easy recipes and sold them for a profit, she could make steak and potatoes but not really cook.

I watched my mom and grandma cook. My dad baked every Sunday. One of my fondest memories is of my dad and I watching Julia Child and Justin Wilson the Cajun Chef, on an old black and white TV.

Every kid in sixth grade went to a cooking class one morning every week. We made breakfast foods, cookies, cakes, and simple dishes from start to finish. As a teen, I worked in countless restaurants all over the world, from prep cooking to working in front of the restaurant. Plus, I love to eat and travel, so I am mixing the best of both worlds.

I am committed to making at least one recipe every week in the Highway 58 Herald for a year. I will provide different printed recipes in our local food pantry boxes; the same recipes will be free on my website, http://www.AdventuresAndRecipes.com

At the end of this year, I will have a free ebook to share with the Food Pantries and Banks in America. There will be an 8.5×11 paperback for me to sell alongside my books ‘Spice and Herb Explorer’ and ‘Sizzling Hot Pizza.’

My plan for January is to use simple canned ingredients to make dips, snacks, and dishes that can be enjoyed tailgating, after school, or even as yummy side dishes.

Simply Hummus

This recipe is based on the countless ‘classic-style’ hummus dishes that use Tahini. If you do not have Tahini, I listed substitutions below.
There are so many hummus variations on your grocery store shelves to find new flavor inspirations. Be bold, be yourself.

Su Stella photo

2 cans of Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas)

1/3 cup water
1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup olive oil
1 lemon-juiced
1 teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
*cayenne to taste

Open your beans, drain, and rinse
Combine your ingredients
Blend until smooth
Serve with celery sticks

Tahini
Most of the ingredients are very common. This hummus recipe uses Tahini, which is a new ingredient for me. Tahini is ground-up sesame seeds. It has a nutty flavor and is creamy like other nut butters. It helps to smooth and mellow your hummus blend.

Substitutions: You can buy nut butter or blend nuts like cashews or sunflower seeds and make your own butter. Sesame oil will add to the Tahini taste. One recipe website suggested substituting peanut butter, but that is out of my flavor comfort zone.

Chickpea Italiano Dip

Mama Mia, I can eat chickpeas by the handful. I love the taste, shape, and versatility. Whenever chickpeas or Garbanzo beans are on sale, I stock up and buy a few cans for everything from soup to salads to snacks. You can even use the juice as an egg substitute but that is for another week.

2 cans of Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas)

1 teaspoon Onion Powder
1 teaspoon Italian Herbs
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
2 tablespoon Olive Oil
4 cloves Garlic
1 small Onion

Crackers or veggie sticks

Mince your small onion and garlic
Saute them in the oil until browned
Open your beans and drain the liquid into a cup
Save your bean juice for later if your mix is too dry
Combine all other ingredients in a blender until creamy
Add spoons of bean juice if needed
Taste and adjust as you wish
Serve with crackers or veggie sticks

***

Wicked Spicy Black Bean Dip
Are you feeling spicy? This will automatically have some heat from the peppers in the Rotel mix. The chili powder will help it intensify. For those who love to eat lightning add red pepper flakes.

2 cans Black Beans
1 can Rotel-Style Tomatoes
1 teaspoon minced Garlic
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon Cumin
1 Lime

*Options – 1/2 cup Cilantro or Cayenne Pepper, a dollop of Sour Cream, or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.

Open and drain your beans and tomatoes
Juice your lime and discard the scraps
Blend all of your ingredients until smooth

I sincerely hope that you enjoy these new dishes. I plan to give the world some exciting new taste ideas every week and some fun facts, tidbits, and kitchen hacks.

With the Superbowl coming up, I recommend you check the Highway 58 Herald or my website, http://www.AdventuresAndRecipes.com, every week for new recipes and adventures.