Snow Day...sort of

Today was a snow day in Houston, TX. Except that it didn't snow. It did, however, mean that school was closed for the day. This called for a celebration! So, a potluck pj party was organized for tonight.

I'm a fan of the potluck. I think it's a great, stress-free way to host a party. I also like trying a variety of food and drink. This potluck is a peculiar one. Most of the guests are bringing either alcohol or dessert. I have no objections to that, but I figured (eventually) we would need sustenance. I decided on a roasted carrot hummus and a filling spinach and quinoa salad.

A roasted carrot hummus has been on my to-do list for a few days. Mainly because I had a huge bag of baby carrots sitting around which never seemed to end.


Anyway, I decided to roast them in the oven with some cumin and garlic and then, add them to a puree of chickpeas for a truly unique hummus.

I started with a lined baking pan, a handful and a half of baby carrots, a sprinkle of cumin and a couple cloves of fresh garlic.


Then, I coated the whole thing in a generous amount of olive oil (didn't use the mister this time) and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. It all went into a 400 degree oven for about 25, maybe 35 mins. I took them out regularly and shook, stirred and flipped. The result? The most beautiful and most fragrant roasted carrots I have ever seen. I could've eaten the whole batch plain. They were perfect.


I whizzed these up with about 1 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas, a tablespoon or two of tahini paste and the juice of one lemon. The hummus is the perfect dip. Sweet but layered with flavor.


I then went to work on a spinach and quinoa salad. I made the Sweet & Savory Quinoa Salad and tossed it with about a half pound of fresh baby spinach. But, I wanted to take it one step further so, I caramelized a few more slices of apple with some Earth Balance, a small amount of cinnamon, nutmeg and sage and a few tablespoons of sugar. I then added a handful of chopped walnuts to the apples and toasted up the combo until tender but not gooey. I used this to top the salad. It looks delicious and tastes even better. Its the perfect marriage of sweet and savory (which btw, if you have caught on, is kinda my thing right now.)


Oh, I also made a big batch of minestrone soup today with this week's leftover veggies. And since its cold out, I have a feeling it will run out fast. And, yes, a day off, snow day or otherwise, usually translates into a day of cooking.

Anyway, I am all ready to go for our fun-filled girls night. I've got the salad, the hummus and the wine glasses.


Time to shower, bundle up and head out.