Homemade Pita chips

The girls and I had fun making these pita chips, they turned out great!  Careful not to overcook.  I have a favorite hummus recipe I will add later but this one also looks good.
xoxo
Christina

Easy Hummus and Pita Chips

This wholesome dish shows off the flavors of the Middle East

by Judith Fertig, Photographs by Bill Milne
 

Our tasty combo of savory dip and lightly seasoned, baked chips makes a great snack after school or sports practice. It's a tastier alternative to store-bought varieties and so simple to make that kids can do most of the steps — blending ingredients in a food processor, cutting pita chips — with little help. If you're lucky enough to have leftovers, the dip also makes a delicious sandwich spread.

Ingredients

• For the Hummus:
• 1 lemon
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup water
• Olive oil and chopped Italian parsley for garnish
• For the Pita Chips:
• 6 pita breads
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Garlic salt
• Pepper
• 2 tablespoons dried herbs, such as basil or oregano

Prep Time: 25        Cook Time: 35

Instructions

1. First make the hummus. Slice the lemon in half and use a reamer to juice it. Measure 1/4 cup of the juice, then pour it into a food processor or a blender.
2. Add the chickpeas, tahini, garlic, vegetable oil, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and water to the bowl or pitcher and process until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides with a spatula.
   
3. Transfer the hummus to a small bowl or shallow platter and drizzle it with olive oil. Sprinkle the dip with the parsley. Set it aside (it can be kept at room temperature for up to four hours).
   
4. Make the pita chips. Heat the oven to 400 F. Separate the two round halves of each pita by poking a hole in the seam, then tearing the bread along it. Use small cookie cutters (ours measure 3 inches) to cut the pita into shapes.
   
5. Arrange the pita shapes on two baking sheets. Brush the tops with the olive oil, then sprinkle them with the garlic salt, the pepper, and the dried herbs.
   
6. Bake the pita for 7 minutes or until the chips are lightly browned, rotating the pan halfway through. Let the chips cool on the pans on wire racks. Serve with the hummus. Leftover chips can be stored in resealable bags up to one week. The dip can be covered and refrigerated up to five days.
   

Tips:

Before juicing a lemon, press and roll it on a countertop with the palm of your hand. This breaks up the membranes in the fruit and makes it easier to extract the juice.

Variations:

For a dip with more sophisticated flavor, replace the tahini in the main recipe with peanut butter. The substitution adds a nutty, slightly smoky taste to the hummus.

Nutritional Information:

Easy Hummus and Pita Chips. Per serving (2 tablespoons dip, 4 chips): Calories 165 Total Fat 8 g (13% DV) Saturated Fat 1 g (5% DV) Cholesterol 0 mg (0% DV) Sodium 260 mg (11% DV) Total Carbohydrate 18 g (6% DV) Fiber 2 g (10% DV) Sugars 2 g Protein 4 g (8% DV)

Kids Sculpting dough

For the independent modeler, this simple dough recipe is the natural choice. There's no cooking on a hot stove, and the more your child squishes, tugs and pounds it, the more this pliable stuff cooperates. Suitable for either dying or painting, this dough has a distinctly homemade look when dry.  

****We love it here in the Prows house, I learned it from Jaquoy! Great activity for when friends come over for a play date or on a rainy day, or just because- because it is FUN! The girls love sculpting cool things and then painting their creations. Much easier to use then clay for little people.

xoxo
Christina

MATERIALS

2 cups flour

1 cup salt
1 TB oil

3/4 c water
Food coloring (optional)

Have your child combine the flour and the salt in a medium bowl, then pour in the hot water and stir well. Knead on a floured board for at least 5 minutes, working in food coloring if desired.

WHAT TO MAKE:

No-Cook Dough's sturdiness makes it a winner for molding chunky beads or small figures (large ones have a tendency to crack during drying). The recipe also rolls out nicely with a rolling pin; your child can cut the flattened dough with a butter knife or cookie cutters, creating shapes that make great holiday ornaments, pendants, pins and refrigerator magnets.

DRYING TIME:

Depending on the thickness of the dough, air-drying will take anywhere from 1 to 5 days. Small or thin shapes can be dried more quickly by baking them on a cookie sheet at 200 degrees for about 2 hours.

STORAGE:

No-Cook Dough will keep for up to a week when refrigerated in plastic bags or sealed containers.

Chickpea Snackers

• 1 can (15.5 oz) Eden Foods Garbanzo Beans (Chick Peas)
• 1 teaspoon Swanson Organic Cumin (Ground)
• 1 tablespoon Swanson Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon Swanson Ultra Himalayan Crystal Salt

Heat oven to 350° F. Toss all ingredients together in a bowl. Pour onto a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake until crunchy, about 45 minutes; check on them frequently and stir or shake to ensure even roasting. Let fully cool before covering to avoid losing the crunchy texture. Eat as a snack or sprinkled on a salad.

Makes 4 servings.