Pita Crisps!

Don't you just love those baked pita "chips" that are always being dipped into something fabulous at Costco?? Well, I love them! So, I didn't want to have to buy them all the time and thought I would investigate a way to make them.. this is what I came up with...

1 bag whole wheat pitas (6 to a bag)
about 3 T. olive oil (I am going to try grape seed oil next time!)
about 1 t. cumin
about 3/4 t. ground red pepper
sea salt to taste
shredded parm cheese (or what ever your favorite cheese, Asiago would be great too!)

Preheat oven to 350. Mix the oil and the seasoning (not the salt) in a small cup. Cut the pitas in half, as if you were going to stuff them. Then take your kitchen scissors and carefully cut along the seam of each half. Do all of those first... then brush the oil on the outside of the pita halves. Stack two halves, oil to oil and cut into 4 pieces (in half, then in half again is how I did it) with a pizza slicer. Place all the pita pieces, oil side up, onto two large cookie sheets. Salt the pieces and sprinkle with cheese. Place each cookie sheet on a separate shelf in the oven; set your timer for 6 minutes. Switch the pans to the opposite shelves and reset the timer for another 6 minutes. This helps them to cook evenly. Cool on a wire rack. Store in an air-tight container and enjoy as you wish!

Baked Apples with Granola

I don't remember where I saw this, but yumm-o~!

2 large crisp apples (such as Braeburn, Gala or Fuji)
2 tablespoons raisins or sweetened dried cranberries
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
4 teaspoons butter or margarine, softened
4 Nature Valley® crunchy granola bars (2 pouches from 8.9-oz box) (any flavor), crushed
Milk, cream or fruit-flavored yogurt, if desired


Cut apples in half lengthwise. Using spoon, remove and discard cores, making at least a 1-inch indentation in each apple half. In microwavable pie plate, arrange apple halves, cut sides up. If needed, cut thin slice off bottoms to keep halves from tipping.
Fill each apple half evenly with raisins and brown sugar; dot with butter. Cover with microwavable plastic wrap, folding back one edge 1/4 inch to vent steam.
Microwave on High 5 to 6 minutes or until apples are tender. Top each with granola. Serve with milk.