When it comes to food and music for me there is no boundary. Wow the crowd at your next gathering with these two dishes!

An arepa is a small, unleavened corn patty that is split open like a sandwich and stuffed. It is a common food found Latin America. To make arepas, you will need to find arepa flour, a precooked corn flour, not to be confused with masa harina. This flour can be found at specialty food stores or Latin markets. After you prepare your dough, you can grill, bake or fry the arepas and stuff them with meat, beans or cheese.

 

 

Instructions
Things You’ll Need

1 1/2 cups arepa flour
Salt
1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp. canola oil

1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine the arepa flour with a pinch of salt. Slowly add in hot water, a little at a time, just until the dough comes together. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for five minutes.
2

Remove the plastic wrap and knead your dough for five minutes. Keep your hands moist and add water as you go to form a smooth, moist dough. Form your dough into 3 inch disks. At this point, the arepa dough can be wrapped in individual portions and refrigerated or frozen for later use.
3

Put your canola oil in a non-stick pan and cook the arepas until a slight crust forms on either side. Move to a baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
4

Serve by slitting the arepa horizontally so you can stuff it with meat, beans or cheese.

 

Hummus: A staple of Middle Eastern cuisine, hummus is a dip
made from mashed chickpeas (garbanzo beans), and seasoned with
lemon juice, garlic and tahini (sesame seed paste). It is believed that its
origins trace back to 400 BC, when Plato and Socrates write about the
benefits of hummus in their diets.

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Slow Cooker Chickpeas, cooled, recipe follows
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/3 cup tahini, stirred well
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
  • Powdered sumac, optional

Directions

Place the chickpeas, garlic, and kosher salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process for 15 to 20 seconds. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and process for another 15 to 20 seconds. Add the lemon juice and water. Process for 20 seconds. Add the tahini. Process for 20 seconds, then scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil.

To serve, transfer the hummus to a bowl and drizzle with additional olive oil and sprinkle with sumac, to taste, if desired.

Slow Cooker Chickpeas:

  • 7 cups water
  • 1 pound dry chickpeas, sorted and rinsed
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • Special equipment: a 2 1/2-quart slow cooker

Place the water, chickpeas, and baking soda in a 2 1/2-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for 4 hours, or on low heat for 8 to 9 hours, or until tender. Drain and serve immediately, or use in desired dish.