Please join me in welcoming Ruth Ament, our newest featured guest chef! Ruth has been a friend of mine for a number of years and is a great source of humor, optimism, and Godly encouragement!

Ruth submitted her recipes for Hummus and Lemon Glazed Gingerbread, which she doesn't recommend eating together. ;)

Originally from Minnesota, Ruth married her beloved Jonno in 2004 and moved to Brisbane, Queensland Australia. They now have two children: Malachi, who will be 2 in April, and Jacinta, a 3-month old little girl.

When asked why she likes her Hummus recipe, Ruth says, "Hummus is a healthy, filling alternative to your typical sour cream based dip. If you are like me and have a toddler who loves to dip things this is a great 'kid snack', as well as a filling snack for anyone. You can also use hummus as a sandwich spread."

Hummus, which is a smooth thick dip or spread made from chickpeas, can be made in a matter of minutes, and then refrigerated while the flavors intensify. Ruth also included instructions for serving, including her personal trick: "If I need to use up flour tortillas I like to cut them into wedges, brush with olive oil and bake in a hot oven just until they start to get crispy. They go very nicely with hummus!"

About her favorite cooking experiences, Ruth says,

"I am the 4th child of twelve and the oldest daughter so I learned to cook at a young age and cooked a lot while living at home. Fortunately for me, I liked it!

"My mom was (and is) so good about having kids join her in the kitchen so my favorite cooking experiences are probably my earliest ones: having Saturday be Baking Day where the whole day was filled with kneading bread dough, making cinnamon rolls or cutting out cookies alongside my mom and several small siblings.

"I really don't know how my mom did it all because I only have two kids and get frazzled having one in the sling and one on a chair next to me while I'm cooking!"

When asked how she fits cooking into her average day, Ruth is painfully honest. "I'll let you in on a secret: sometimes I don't. :-P But I'm working on it. I got a crock pot for Christmas and that has already made my life easier." :D

Ruth is also sharing her recipe for Lemon Glazed Gingerbread. These simple and hearty gingerbread squares are made with whole wheat flour and molasses, which give them substance and sweetness, "making the perfect snack", Ruth adds. "It's a treat that I don't feel guilty eating. :-D" If you're a knitter, you'll want to check out Ruth's humorous additional notes to this recipe for a special touch you can add. ;)

Ruth is a busy mom of two little ones, and when I asked her about her hobbies, I got this reply:

"When I'm not holding babies, changing nappies, nursing or doing laundry... wait, when am I not doing those things? ;-) In addition (and sometimes simultaneously) to these things I spend too much time on the computer looking at cooking websites like this. :-P

"I like reading and researching various topics of interests in the way of health. I also learned to knit and love it. This is one of the things I can multi-task with: did you know that you can nurse a toddler and knit at the same time? Nursing a newborn and knitting is not so easy but that can be done as well. ;-D"

Thanks for sharing your recipes and stories with us, Ruth! :)