DIY Home Made Bread & Dip 3 Ways

There is something about a really good anti pesto platter that makes me salivate at the thought of it.  Especially if it's home grown organic produce.  Olives, dips, freshly baked bread, grapes, dolmades...  I could go on...

One of my favourite and Oh So Simple bread recipes is Beer Bread.  Made with 375ml beer (any type) and 2 1/2 cups self raising flour.  Told you it was simple!  All you do is mix the beer with the flour really well, pour into an oiled bread tin and bake for around 35mins at 180c.  After 35mins, drizzle some olive oil or butter over the top and bake for another 10mins.  You can also add olives, capers, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, capsicum and other tasty foods to the mix before baking.

Homemade bread & three dips

Hummus Dip

400gm chick peas (soaked over night) or tinned chick peas
1-2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons chives (finely cut)
salt & pepper to taste (optional)

Drain the chick peas.  Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix into a paste.  Add more olive oil and/or lemon juice if mixture is too thick.
Serve with crackers or smeared on home made pieces of bread.

Parsley Pesto

I have loads of parsley growing in my garden and this is a simple recipe to make good use of that fresh parsley.

A good handful or two of parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 handful of pine nuts
1 handful of grated Parmesan cheese

Wash the parsley well and shake off excess water.  Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix into a paste.  Add more olive oil and/or lemon juice if mixture is too thick.
Serve with crackers, smeared on home made bread, tossed through cooked pasta or as an accompaniment to any dish as a side, sauce or paste.

Olio Aceto

In a bowl drizzle equal portions of Balsamic vinegar and olive oil (about 1/2 a cup each).  Make sure it's a good brand of vinegar and oil.  If it's not a nice tasting brand it won't taste that good.
This is a really good dipping liquid for home made beer bread.  You can also add some chilli for a bit of spice.