Dana Delish's Delightful Dips

From Dana's moderately cramped kitchen...

WOWZER....WHITE BEAN DIP

2 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
5 cloves garlic
5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons (or Olive Oil Pam Spray)
1/2 cup (loosely packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Cracked red pepper flakes
12 pitas

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the beans, garlic, lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, and parsley
in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is
coarsely chopped. Season with salt and cracked red pepper flakes, to
taste. Transfer the bean puree to a medium bowl.

Cut each pita in half and then into 8 wedges. Arrange the pita wedges
on a large baking sheet. Pour the remaining oil over the pitas. Toss
and spread out the wedges evenly. Sprinkle with the coarse salt, and
pepper. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until toasted and golden in
color. Pam spray with olive oil works the best.

Serve the pita toasts warm or at room temperature alongside the bean puree.

HOORAY for HUMMUS

4 garlic cloves
2 cups canned chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste)
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
2 tablespoons water or liquid from the chickpeas

Turn on the food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop the
garlic down the feed tube; process until it's minced. I have a
microplane, and I actually think that works better to get the garlic
tiny. If you don't have one, GET ONE! It's the best kitchen tool. Add
the rest of the ingredients to the food processor and process until
the hummus is coarsely pureed. Taste, for seasoning, and serve chilled
or at room temperature.

I make the baked pita chips to serve with this too. MMM mmm goood.