Hummus

4 cups garbanzo beans (2 1/2 cans)
  1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)
  1/3 cup warm water
  1/3 cup olive oil
  lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
  4 garlic cloves, to taste
  1 1/2 tsp. salt
  2 tsp. ground cumin
  black pepper, to taste
  (optional:  add one small can of black olives with garlic, cumin, etc.)

  Combine garbanzo's, tahini, water, olive oil and lemon juice in a food
  processor.  Process until smooth and creamy, pausing once or twice to
  scrape down the side of the bowl with spatula.  Add garlic, salt, cumin and
  pepper (to taste) and process until smooth.  Taste and correct seasoning if
  necessary.  Add more lemon juice if needed.  Scrape into storage container,
  cover and refrigerate until ready to use.  Makes one quart.  Serve with
  pita bread.

Chicken-Pasta Salad

  package chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces - stir fried until
  cooked in a bit of oil.  Add some pepper and salt.  Then put on paper
  towels to drain.

  Cook pasta until done.  Drain.

  Use a variety of veggies:  snow peas, cherry tomatoes, carrots, mushrooms,
  black olives, green olives, red bell pepper, broccoli - whatever!!!!
  Stir-fry this in water for a couple of minutes but no more than that!!!

  Combine chicken, pasta and veggies with some chopped Italian parsley or
  cilantro in a BIG bowl.  Squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice over this.
  Now, use a store bought bottle of Italian salad dressing (preferably low
  calorie) or make your own and pour over, tasting until you decide it is
  enough.  At this point, you may add some cheese cut up into bite size
  pieces (cheddar is best).  Let sit in refrigerator for several hours.  Put
  in a festive bowl and serve!!!

Pecan Cookie Balls

  1 cup butter (softened - room temperature)      _ cup sifted powdered sugar
  2 tsp vanilla                                                           2 cups sifted flour
  _ tsp salt                                                                2 cups finely chopped pecans
  _ cup powdered sugar for rolling cookies in.

  Gradually add _ cup powdered sugar to the butter, cream thoroughly, add
  vanilla, flour, salt and chopped nuts and blend well, chill. Shape into
  smal balls  about the size of large marbles. Place on greased cookie sheet and        bake at  350 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly brown. Remove from oven,
  put powdered sugar into large pan and roll the cookies gently. You may need
  more powdered sugar as sometimes it melts while rolling cookies.