Authentic $2 Hummus

Authentic hummus is easy to make and is a wonderful dip for veggies, apples and pita.
The word hummus means chickpeas in Arabic and the dish's origins are unknown. The spread is very popular in the Middle East and in America. Here is how you can make your own.

What you'll need

1 can of chick peas ($1 at Cub Foods)
1 tablespoon of plain yogurt (not flavored)
1 tablespoon of Tahini *
2 teaspoons of paprika
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
dash of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 onion, chopped (you can also use scallions if you prefer)

* Tahini can be bought in any store these days and can usually be found in the ethnic or organic sections. It is expensive, usually around $6. But the container is large and keeps forever in the fridge, so you'll get lots of use out of it.

Place all ingredients in a mixer and blend until smooth. You may want to add a bit more olive oil or yogurt to get the right consistency.
Transfer in a serving dish. Sprinkle with paprika and drizzle with olive oil for presentation.
If you want to create a flavored hummus just add the desired ingredient to the mixture. For example, if you like roasted red pepper hummus, then roast a red pepper and add it to the blender. Chive hummus is also great. Just sprinkle 2 tablespoons of dried chives into the mixture. I like Sesame Seed flavored hummus, so I add a teaspoon or two of sesame seed oil to the mix.
Enjoy!