Red Pepper Almond Hummus and Keeping It Simple

As I'm thinking many of you probably did this past week, I am just on the other side of a really nice few days with the family. Mom and Dad flew into Chicago, now the residence of both their children, and we spent a relaxed few days taking in the sights, smells and (clearly...do you know us at all?) tastes of an unseasonably warm city.

This would be Brother giving us a tour of his most recent campus home.

As Dad rightly noted, we just don't see each other very much these days so to get a couple weeks in one month's time feels like a luxury.

The other luxury is getting to play the tourist. I've lived in Chicago for going on seven years and I hadn't been to the Field Museum in that time. That is a tragedy and something we spent four full hours rectifying on Thanksgiving morning. We were first in line and got what felt like a private tour of the birds of North America, geologic treasures, the special Whales exhibit and the like. That's the kind of prioritizing you can expect from holiday Langsens.

It was decided early in the planning stages that me making Thanksgiving dinner was going to be more fuss that it was maybe worth for 3-5 people. I'm still not entirely sure I agree but I know when to defer and I don't regret the dearth of dishes in my kitchen (the dearth of turkey leftovers is another story). And while we ate really (Longman & Eagle), really (Leopold) well throughout the city, I'm pleased as punch that my favorite latest snack was appreciated by the whole family throughout the weekend.

If I were to venture a guess at your thoughts, I might wonder what the big deal was. Hummus is generally four ingredients tops and it's just not terribly tricky. To that end, you would be completely correct. It's easy. But a couple quick tweaks to traditional hummus makes this stuff completely addictive, not to mention versatile, delicious and delightfully cost-effective as a holiday potlucker.

Red Pepper Almond Hummus

• 1/2 small jar of roasted red peppers (no juice)
• 1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (Bush's is a client and a favorite...the two are not mutually exclusive)
• 1/4 cup whole raw almonds
• 2-3 TB olive oil
• 1 tsp Sriracha (more if you like the heat)
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• Thick pinch of smoked salt and some freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Put all ingredients in a food processor then turn it on.

2. Throw a cracker in and adjust as needed by adding more of whatever you please to the food processor then whirring again.

3. That's it. You're done now.

Covered in the fridge , this will keep beautifully for a week. The likelihood of this lasting for a week is slim at best. If you're really looking to go the extra mile, might I recommend spreading the stuff on toast, layering slices from half of an avocado on top, drizzling a little extra Sriracha and topping it with a fried egg. Just in case you were looking for ideas.

Someone to Watch Over...My French Toast

There's not much out there that competes with the all-around goodness and simplicity of French Toast. I'm not even going to bother qualifying that with an "in my opinion." If you want to argue it as fact, I'll go to the mat for French Toast and I will do so with vigor.

That isn't to say that there aren't higher forms available. Like anything else, a French Toast variation can fall into a quick hierarchy based on the sum of its parts. Let's go ahead and name that most important quality. It's not the bread (though clearly challah is a superior choice). It isn't the presence of exceptionally fresh eggs (just the yolks, apparently). It's not the maple syrup or the amount of butter used to fry impossibly thick slices.

You are running out of patience for my chosen approach, I can tell. We can skip the part where I decry "it" not to be cinnamon or orange zest either.

It's the company. The person who passes the syrup across the table. The one watching the oven timer to ensure the bread has been dried out just enough to promote optimum batter absorption. My company for the affore-heralded French Toast? Unparalleled but wholly familiar to longtime readers. I managed a weekend in the woods outside Seattle earlier this month with Pop, a man of the hour every hour and one for the ages at every age. I think the shot above is a few years old but it best captures the two of us doing what we do best. Scallops in that instance, rather than French Toast.

We did a good amount of cooking, exploring, napping and general indulging (balanced by some elevation run-run-running on my part). A trip out to Denny Creek took us over the river.

And through the woods.

And back to grandfather's house we went...for additional exercising of hereditary feast talent.

I'm especially proud of this one. Yes I know, pride comes before the fall. But fall was already in high season when I got to Seattle and I am just fine with the hubris that comes with a beautifully stacked lox bagel. That is a work of art. Bless you, Blazing Bagels.

Other moments when we patted ourselves heartily on the back included the day we decided duck pâté, apple slices, crackers and pomegranate seeds counted as lunch.

And the night we decided to find out how sole would taste fried in truffle butter over leeks and chantrelles. In my defense, I did manage to get a lot of vegetables on the plate and we went with lemon sorbet for dessert.

But I think if I had to pick a dish to represent the weekend, that French Toast was it. I mean that was it. Top of the pile and that pile was covered in blueberries. I have to give thanks to Christopher Kimball because Pop had prerecorded the demo we modeled our own toast after on America's Test Kitchen (recipe linked). We added some orange zest and were lucky enough to find eggs at a roadside stand in Woodinville (assured they were exceptionally fresh).

I try to get out there a couple times a year. I love that part of the world but I'm in it for the company. One night after dinner we sat and listened to music for an hour and a half. When his favorite version of "Someone to Watch Over Me" came on, he belted it out with a lack of self awareness that comes with being 92.5 and not giving a damn for anything but things that give joy.

And yes, as the years have gone on there are other, shorter conversations that come up. It would be ridiculous for us to pretend that this will go on forever in kind. I think it's comforting to both of us that it's addressed in the form of him sending me home with paperweights and books and old photos. This time he pledged to be at my wedding "no matter what" and, should that come to pass, I suspect he might come disguised as a French 75 for a different kind of toast altogether. Pop is and will remain a bit of magic. It's not a secret, it's a treasure.

Comeback Kid- Revisiting the Morning Person Project

Just about two years ago, I embarked on a shift of sorts, known around these parts as "The Morning Person Project." The premise was pretty simple. Some of the most accomplished people I know are early risers and it seemed to be the best time to regularly get a workout in. I also, frankly, just needed more hours in the day.

In 2011, all of this is still true and even though I haven't mentioned it in awhile, I think I can tentatively say I'm actually enjoying it. There are a lot of things that seem to be a matter of "fits and starts" but mornings aren't one of them. If consistency can be a challenge for you as well, you know what these little victories feel like.

In addition to just generally being part of the world a little earlier and, ideally, bouncing some endorphins around, I've come to take great care in planning what was at one time my least favorite meal- Breakfast.

I've always done good thinking while cooking and it turns out this is no different in the earlier bit of day. It helps wake up the other side of my brain and it also sets the stage for some good moves later on. With that in mind, I've put my three latest favorites below. None of them, when prepped accordingly, is at all time consuming and they work best when rotated.

Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Parfait: Greek yogurt with two heaping tablespoons of pumpkin puree, topped with cinnamon and a scant handful of Scholars Inn Granola (thanks, Molls!). This is for the sweet tooth mornings and it genuinely tastes like getting dessert for breakfast for 230-250 calories*.

Avocado Toast: A piece of whole wheat toast with half a mashed avocado, hot sauce or salsa, seasoning and one of Bruce's eggs over easy. 300-320 calories*

Breakfast Beets: Pictured in this morning's golden incarnation at the top of this post and in a glorious deep purple above, this is my latest favorite. Maybe atypical as breakfast goes but it feels a little fancier without the extra work. Any fresh herb will do (tarragon and basil are my favorites), just roast your beets the night before (I do mine in foil), leave them out on a plate or refrigerate overnight and then rub the skins of easily in the AM. Chop, add cottage cheese, herbs, lemon juice (+zest if you're up for it) and a couple cracks of good black pepper. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and tell me it's not genius. Thanks to my dear man, Jamie Oliver. (275-300 calories*)

*This is not about to become a calorie counting blog but I'd already counted them up and am usually at least curious so there you have it.

As for the rest of the morning, it goes a little like this:

• 5:15 Alarm goes off. I get one snooze if I need it (i.e. I am *this close* to unlocking the keys to time travel and need to finish the thought before that pigeon stops talki...zzzzz)
• 5:32 Okay, for real this time. Radio on, ice water poured and four mornings out of five I'm into the workout clothes I laid out on my way to bed. This is very important because I am not firing on all cylinders and something as simple as no clean sports bras could still be a deal breaker. I've made progress but I'm no saint.
• 5:54 Shoes on, teeth brushed, cat fed, face splashed. Jog to the gym. Or run if it's 5:57 already (it usually is).
• 5:59 Deep breath. It's cool and it is that very particular brand of early morning air that feels a bit private. The second freshest breath of the day.
• 6-7 Any assortment of sweaty things. So long as I can wring out my ponytail at the end, I'm in pretty good spirits and, no, I don't think that's gross.
• 7:05 Back to the house, kick on the coffee, finish that glass of water.
• 7:10-7:25 Stop sweating. Morning edition is on and I am now listening to the news, attacking my Reader and drawing a picture of what the day is going to look like.
• 7:30-8 Wash, dry, sparkle. You know the drill.
• 8-8:15 Breakfast with a crispy side of email.
• 8:20-8:35 Off to the races with a good chunk of day already behind me.