Food and Fiction: Great Book Club Recipies

Roasted Garlic Hummus
1 bulb garlic, unpeeled
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 19-ounce can chick peas (garbanzo beans), drained reserving 1/4 cup liquid
1/2 cup tahini
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Pita chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut 1/2-inch slice off top of garlic bulb. Drizzle olive oil over garlic bulb. Wrap garlic in foil. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until garlic is soft then set aside. In food processor, place beans, reserved bean liquid, tahini, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Squeeze roasted garlic bulb into food processor over the other ingredients. Cover and blend on high speed, stopping blender occasionally to scrape down sides, until smooth. Serve with pita chips.

Tangy Chicken Pasta Salad
2 boxes Betty Crocker® Suddenly Salad® classic pasta salad mix
1 large green bell pepper
2/3 cup balsamic vinegar dressing
1/3 cup cold water
2 cups cooked breaded chicken tenders cut into strips
1 1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes
1 cup halved purple grapes

Empty contents of pasta pouch (from salad mix) into 3-quart saucepan 2/3 full of boiling water. Gently boil uncovered 12 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding bell pepper during last 2 minutes of cooking. Meanwhile, in small bowl, whisk together contents of seasoning mix packet, the dressing and cold water until blended; set aside. Drain pasta with bell pepper; rinse with cold water. Shake to drain well. In a large bowl, stir pasta with chicken, tomatoes and grapes. Pour dressing mixture over pasta and chicken. Serve immediately, or refrigerate and serve chilled.

“Stephanie” Plum Crumble
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 packets of cinnamon roll flavor instant oat meal
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 pound plums, halved, pitted, cut into wedges
1 tablespoon plum brandy
Vanilla ice cream

Mix flour and instant oatmeal packets in a medium bowl. Add butter and mix with a pastry blender until the mixture forms a coarse meal with moist clumps. This may be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss plums, sugar and brandy in medium bowl. Transfer glass loaf-size baking dish. Cover with crumb topping. Bake until fruit bubbles and topping browns, about 1 hour. Cool slightly. Serve warm with ice cream.