Garlic Pita Bread Chips

Years ago, I remember my mom making pita bread chips to go with our supper. I've never had them since then, but I still remember really liking them. It occurred to me about a week ago that I could make some pita chips of my own, and so I began to assemble my ingredients.

I wanted to make my pita chips somewhat healthy, so I used whole wheat pita bread, and I got my garlic flavoring by infusing my extra virgin olive oil, instead of using garlic salt. You just need to grab two or three of these yummy pita chips and you'll have the perfect snack!

 

Put the extra virgin olive oil into a small pot, along with the parsley and salt. Turn your stovetop burner to a medium heat. Once you have crushed the cloves, take off the skins and drop them into the olive oil.

Leave the oil on the stovetop for about three to four minutes, or until the oil starts to simmer. Once the oil is bubbling, take it off the heat and let it sit for at least ten minutes before using it.

While you are waiting for your oil to infuse, take your pita bread and cut each round flatbread into eight pieces. You'll be making little triangles, and you should have thirty-two triangles when you're finished.

Lay them out on a parchment covered cooking sheet.

When your oil has sat for the appropriate amount of time, take a kitchen brush and lightly brush the pita bread on their tops.

Stick the pan in the oven for ten minutes, and then take it out and flip the pita bread. Brush the second side with oil, and put the pan back into the oven for another ten minutes.

 

 

Yields 8 servings

Ingredients:

Four whole wheat pita breads (or eight pita pockets)

3/4 C. extra virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves

1 t. dried parsley

A pinch or two of salt

 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

 

Put the extra virgin olive oil into a small pot, along with the parsley and salt. Turn your stovetop burner to a medium heat. Take your garlic cloves, leaving the skins on, and crush them. You can do this by pounding them once or twice firmly with the bottom of a pot or pan, or by using the flat of a large kitchen knife. Once you have crushed the cloves, take off the skins and drop them into the olive oil. Leave the oil on the stove top for about three to four minutes, or until the oils starts to simmer. Once the oil is bubbling, take it off the heat and let it sit for at least ten minutes before using it.

 

While you are waiting for your oil to infuse, take your pita bread and cut each round flatbread into eight pieces-in half, in quarters, and then into eighths. You'll be making little triangles, and you should have thirty-two triangles when you're finished. Lay them out on a parchment covered cooking sheet.

 

When your oil has sat for the appropriate amount of time, take a kitchen brush and lightly brush the pita bread on their tops. Stick the pan in the oven for ten minutes, and then take it out and flip the pita bread. Brush the second side with oil, and put the pan back into the oven for another ten minutes.

 

After your pita chips have cooled, arrange them nicely on a pretty plate and put the remaining olive oil into a little bowl for dipping. If you're going for a super healthy snack, I wouldn't recommend dipping your pita chips, but it sure adds a lot of flavor!

 

 

Chocolate Mint Cheesecake

I love cheesecake!!! I've tried many kinds of cheesecake (chocolate, caramel, vanilla) but I've never in my entire life had a chocolate mint cheesecake. I had a vision in my head of a perfect, cool, mint green cheesecake that would have the perfect blend of chocolate graham cracker crust and sweet, minty cream cheese filling. I set out to make such a cheesecake. Unfortunately, I didn't give my cream cheese enough time to sit on the counter, and my batter ended up a little lumpy, but it tasted terrific!
 

Cut the cream cheese (make sure that your cream cheese has been sitting on the counter for at least an hour before you start) into small blocks and put them in a large bowl.

 

Add the sugar. Using an electric mixer, combine the ingredients until they are perfectly blended. (Don't beat the cream cheese and sugar for any more time than necessary, as overbeating can incorporate air into your batter and cause the cheesecake to crack while baking.)

 

Add in the eggs and the mint extract and blend them into the cream cheese mixture.

 

 

Once the eggs and mint extract have been combined into the batter, stick the prong of a fork into Wilton's Kelly Green food coloring and add it to the batter. 

 

Don't be overzealous: a little of the food coloring will go a VERY long way! Give the batter a quick whirl after every administration of food coloring, but don't beat it too much. Continue to add the coloring until you have reached a mint green that satisfies you; I added the coloring at least four times before I got the color that I wanted.

 

When you have finished coloring your cheesecake batter, pour it into your pie crust and stick it in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes.

 

Cut yourself a nice slice, add a nice dollop of whipped cream, and top it off with hot fudge!

 

Yields 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 9 in. chocolate graham cracker pie crust

16 oz. cream cheese

1/2 C. sugar

2 eggs

3/4 t. mint extract

Wilton's Kelly Green food coloring

 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the cream cheese (make sure that your cream cheese has been sitting on the counter for at least an hour before you start) into small blocks and put them in a large bowl. Add the sugar. Using an electric mixer, combine the ingredients until they are perfectly blended. (Don't beat the cream cheese and sugar for any more time than necessary, as overbeating can incorporate air into your batter and cause the cheesecake to crack while baking.) Add in the eggs and the mint extract and blend them into the cream cheese mixture.

Once the eggs and mint extract have been combined into the batter, stick the prong of a fork into Wilton's Kelly Green food coloring and add it to the batter. Don't be overzealous: a little of the food coloring will go a VERY long way! Give the batter a quick whirl after every administration of food coloring, but don't beat it too much. Continue to add the coloring until you have reached a mint green that satisfies you; I added the coloring at least four times before I got the color that I wanted.

When you have finished coloring your cheesecake batter, pour it into your pie crust and stick it in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Watch it towards the end to make sure your cheesecake doesn't get brown on top. After it has finished baking, let the cheesecake sit on a cooling rack for an hour or so before sticking it into the fridge. Your cheesecake should refridgerate for a few hours at the minimum, and I usually let my cheesecakes sit in the fridge overnight.

Finally, your chocolate mint cheesecake is finished! Cut yourself a nice slice, add a nice dollop of whipped cream, and top it off with hot fudge. Delicious!!!

 

The Perfect Breadstick Topping

If you are anything like me, you love breadsticks! I have yet to eat a breadstick that I don't like, and I make them every time we have pizza. As the official breadstick maker, I have experimented with the dough and the "seasoning," if you will, over the years and I think that I've finally hit perfection.

 

Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper. Put one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil on the parchment paper, and use a kitchen brush to spread the oil evenly across the paper.

 

Roll out your pizza dough on top of the oiled parchment paper, and then brush the second tablespoon of oil evenly on top of the dough.

 

Sprinkle the garlic powder on top of the dough, followed by the parmesan cheese, and then the oregano.

 

Put the pan into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.

 

When the breadsticks are finished, remove the breadsticks from the pan. Taking a pizza cutter, cut the breadsticks into sizes that you prefer.

 

 

 

Yields 10 servings
Ingredients:

16 oz. of pizza dough

2 T. of extra virgin olive oil (divided)

3/4 t. garlic powder

1 1/2 T. parmesan cheese

1 t. oregano

 

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

 

Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper. Put one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil on the parchment paper, and use a kitchen brush to spread the oil evenly across the paper. Roll out your pizza dough on top of the oiled parchment paper, and then brush the second tablespoon of oil evenly on top of the dough. Sprinkle the garlic powder on top of the dough, followed by the parmesan cheese, and then the oregano. Put the pan into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. (Mine took 15 minutes.)

 

When the breadsticks are finished, remove the breadsticks from the pan. Taking a pizza cutter, cut the breadsticks into sizes that you prefer. I cut mine nine or ten times vertically and once horizontally, in the middle.

 

You have finished making the most perfect breadsticks ever! I promise you, once you start eating these you won't be able to stop!