HOMEMADE TORTILLAS CHIPS

This recipes is easy and healthy and so tasty right out of the oven.  We like to make these on the weekend when we are watching a movie.  What spices you add to the chips is optional depending on your taste.  You can make them hot or mild.  Store any leftovers in a zip lock bag.  I often have the leftovers for lunch with re fried beans as a dip (got to get that protein!). These chips taste amazing if you take the time to make your own salsa.....recipe for salsa is the next post. You can also use flour tortillas, or whole wheat tortillas.  Actually a mix of flour, whole wheat and corn is great.
 
HOMEMADE TORTILLAS CHIPS

-1 pkg of corn tortillas (white or yellow)
-vegetable cooking spray (butter flavor or olive oil)
-garlic salt or whatever spices you want to use....paprika, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper

Heat over to 350 and spray several cookie sheets with cooking spray.  Spray 5 tortillas with cooking spray, turn them over and spray the other side.  Sprinkle one side with garlic salt and a little cayenne pepper or other spices as desired. Stack the 5 tortillas and cut in half with a pizza cutter (or sharp knife).  Cut in half again.  You should have 4 pieces.  Cut these pieces again until you have 8 pieces.  Lay the pieces alternately on the cookie sheets. Spray the tops again lightly with vegetable spray.  Leave some space between each one or they won't get crispy around the edges. 

Bake for about 8-10 minutes until the edges are brown and starting to curl.  Watch them closely after 6-7 minutes because they burn quickly.  Dump them into a bowl and repeat process until you have as many as you want.

****Before you take them off the cookies sheet you can sprinkle come veggie mozzarella cheese on top and stick them back into the oven for a few minutes until the cheese starts to melt.

Serve with salsa, veggie sour cream, veggie cheese.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Like the Mock Tuna recipe, hummus is very versatile and full of protein.  I hate the store bought versions and have ultimately thrown them out they tasted so bad. This is great on crackers, pita chips,  pita sandwich with veggies, on quesadillas, spread on celery, used as a dip with veggies.  I have tired other recipes but this is my favorite.  If you like more heat add Tabasco, or the Delallo Hot Pepper Garlic Sauce I mentioned on 9/1/10.  This is made with roasted red peppers in a jar, but I have been meaning to try roasting my own.  It appears to be easy and will probably taste even better. The original recipe called for 1/3 cup of lemon juice but I found it too lemony so I reduced it to 2 Tbl.

ROASTED RED PEPPER HUMMUS

2 cloves of garlic minced

1 (15 oz) can of garbanzo beans

1/3 cup of tahini

2 Tbl of lemon juice
1/2 cup roasted red peppers
1/4 tsp of basil

Drain and rinse the beans.  In a food processor combine the beans, garlic, tahini and lemon juice. Process until smooth, then add the peppers and basil and pulse the food processor just until the peppers are chopped.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Adding some heat!

I picked this sauce up recently at our local grocery store. Actually I bought this by mistake thinking it was something else, but I am glad that I made the mistake.  If you can't read the label it is Hot Pepper Garlic Pasta Sauce. But I can't imagine using it on pasta right out of the jar....it is really hot!  Just a tiny bit added to a recipe is great. Some of my family  members like spicy things and others do not, my husband included.  He likes a little bite to things sometimes, but not as much as I do.  Our sons all like spicy food, so this sauce will appeal to them.  When I make hummus I add a tiny bit....maybe 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp at the most, and it adds a really nice flavor. You can add a touch to veggie fajitas, quesadillas, salsa, bread dip etc.  I really recommend this product to those who like the heat!  http://www.delallo.com/

"Mock" Tuna Salad

This recipe does not taste like tuna, but it is a mild substitute and I love it, and ever better it passed the "hubby test."  I recently did a blind test with two of our granddaughters, and while the 7 year old didn't hoot and holler, the 5 year old thought it was tuna! This can be made with all ingredients listed, or made kid friendly with just some celery and vegenaise. I also like it spread on flatbread type crackers, or on some celery.  Another way to serve it is to make a salad tossed with your dressing, then add a scoop to the top of the salad.  This is one of my 10 favorite recipes. This will keep for several days in the refrigerator. You may want a smaller quanity so just cut the ingredients in half.

2 cans of chick peas rinsed and drained
1/2 cup of finely chopped red pepper
1 celery stalk finely chopped
1-2 Tbls fresh parsley chopped
1-2 green onions chopped (optional)
1/2 cup of vegenaise
salt and pepper to taste.

Using a food processor or blender, pulse the chick peas until they are flakey. In a large bowl toss the rest of the ingredients then add the chick peas and mix well. If you want some spice add a teaspoon of Delallo's Hot Pepper Garlic Sauce.  See link under the Misc category. 

Awesome Garlic Bread

Awesome Garlic Bread  1 (not low-fat but oh so good)

-1 skinny baguette or any kind of french bread will do
-oil oil
-2 to 3 cloves of garlic peeled and left whole

Turn on broiler. Cut the baguette into approx 1/2"slices.  Paint both sides lightly with olive oil and put onto a baking sheet. (I have a good paint brush that i keep in my kitchen just for cooking) You can also spread the oil lightly with the back of a big spoon. Broil for about 2 minutes (watch it closely it burns quickly) you want it golden brown.  Take out of the oven and turn the bread over and return to the broiler for another 1 1/2  minutes or so until the other side is done.

Take out of the oven and using an oven mitt to hold each piece, rub one side the bread with the garlic cloves.  Rub a lot around the edges.....the garlic really catches along the edges. You can serve immediately or put back into the warm oven (broiler off) to keep for a few minutes.

**Variation:  to save some time you can cut the baguette lenthwise, and just paint the one side with olive oil and broil on one side only.  Cut into individual pieces and serve.