By Last week of training camp. The team is coming together in the way teams do in the last days before the season — tighter, sharper, the summer looseness burning off and something more serious coming through. We had a fight at practice Thursday — two offensive linemen, nothing serious, more emotion than aggression, the product of two weeks of close quarters and heat and competition. I let it run for one second and then stopped it and used it. "That right there," I said to the whole team, "is what it looks like when you care. Now use that." They used it. Good practice after.
I've been writing this blog mostly to keep writing, not because I have cooking to report. But I made something this week that felt like coming back. I made posole on Sunday — a full pot, the way Gloria does it, with dried hominy and pork and red chile and epazote. I started it Saturday night and let it go overnight and by Sunday morning the house smelled like Las Cruces and like every Sunday I grew up with, and that smell had Ruben in it the way all smells of home have Ruben in them now. I served it for Sunday dinner with all the garnishes: dried oregano, diced onion, lime, shredded cabbage, tostadas. The kids ate it without complaint. Lisa had two bowls. I said what I always say before posole: "Feed your people." I meant more than usual.
I called Marisol this week. She's in Las Cruces with Alejandro, staying with her mother. I asked how Alejandro was doing. She said he still asks for his father sometimes, but less than he did. That sentence cost me something. I told her she was doing great. She said you too. We both knew that wasn't true yet but we meant the trying of it, and that was enough for now.
The posole was the main event, but it’s the garnish table that I keep thinking about — the small bowls of oregano and diced onion and lime, the tostadas standing in their basket, the way everyone reached past each other to build their bowl the way they wanted it. That table, with its little offerings, is where a meal becomes a gathering. This easy taco hummus is built for exactly that table: fast to make, deep with spice, and sturdy enough to hold a tostada loaded up by a hungry kid. It belongs in the middle of whatever spread you’re putting out for your people.
Easy Taco Hummus
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 10 minutes | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2–4 tablespoons cold water, to thin
- 1/4 cup canned diced green chiles, drained
- Toppings: diced tomato, shredded cheese, sliced jalapeño, fresh cilantro, drizzle of olive oil
- Tostadas or tortilla chips, for serving
Instructions
- Blend the base. Add the chickpeas, tahini, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and cayenne (if using) to a food processor. Process for about 1 minute until the mixture begins to come together.
- Adjust consistency. With the processor running, add cold water one tablespoon at a time until the hummus reaches a smooth, creamy consistency. Scrape down the sides as needed and process for another 1–2 minutes for the smoothest result.
- Add the chiles. Add the drained diced green chiles and pulse 3–4 times to incorporate — you want a little texture here, not a fully smooth blend.
- Taste and season. Taste and adjust salt, lime, or spice to your preference. The flavor should be bold and a little smoky.
- Serve and garnish. Spread the hummus into a wide, shallow bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and top with diced tomato, shredded cheese, sliced jalapeño, and fresh cilantro. Serve alongside tostadas or tortilla chips.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 195 | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Carbs: 22g | Fiber: 6g | Sodium: 310mg