baked pita chips

Ingredients
12 pita bread pockets
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon italian herbs

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
Combine pepper, garlic, salt, onion powder, and herbs in a small bowl. Brush the pita with olive oil.

Cut each pita into triangles (like slicing a pizza).

Place triangles on lined baking sheet.

Bake for about 7 minutes, or until lightly browned and crispy. Keep an eye on them - they go from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds.

Ingredients
4 garlic cloves
2 cups canned chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste)
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil - plus more for drizzling
2 tablespoons water or liquid from the chickpeas
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

Directions
Turn on the food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop the garlic down the feed tube; process until it's minced. Add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor and process until the hummus is coarsely pureed.

Taste, for seasoning, and serve chilled or at room temperature. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
Keeps well in fridge for a week.

2 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes, unpeeled
Kosher salt

For the Aioli:
1(1/2-inch thick) slice white bread, crust removed
2 tablespoons Champagne or white wine vinegar
6 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 cups mayo
2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
parsley

Rinse the potatoes and put them in a large saucepan. Cover them with cold water, add 1 tablespoon of salt, and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, until they are just tender. Drain the potatoes in a colander.

For the aioli, tear the slice of bread into pieces and place in a bowl. Pour the vinegar over the bread, and set aside for 5 minutes.

Place the garlic cloves, zest, juice, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the bread, and puree into a paste. Add mayo and process until it is incorporated. Place in a serving bowl.

Slice the potatoes in half and place them on a serving plate. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and decorate with the chopped parsley.

1/2 cup chunky salsa plus more for serving
1 pint grape tomatoes - sliced in half
1 cup drained black beans
1 zucchini - shredded on box grater
8 flour tortillas
monterey jack cheese (i bought a bag of mexican cheese - 2 cups)

combine salsa, tomatoes, beans and zucchini. spread mixture over tortilla. top with cheese, cover with another tortilla

heat pan over medium heat. brown on both sides (about 4-5 minutes per side).

i keep them warm in a 170 degree oven while i cook the rest.

1/2 pound firm tofu (I used a half of a 14 oz package)
1/2 cup coarsely grated carrots
1/2 cup shredded Napa cabbage
3 tablespoons finely chopped red pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
2 teaspoons finely minced fresh ginger (I used a microplane to make it into a paste)
4 cloves garlic (made into a paste with microplane)
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp schezwan seasoning (optional)
Bowl of water, plus additional water for steamer
35 to 40 small wonton wrappers
Non-stick vegetable spray, for the steamer

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

Cut the tofu in half horizontally and lay between layers of paper towels. Place on a plate, top with another plate, and place a weight on top (a 14-ounce can of vegetables works well). Let stand 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, cut the tofu into 1/4-inch cubes and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the carrots, cabbage, red pepper, scallions, ginger, garlic, cilantro, soy sauce, hoisin, sesame oil, egg, salt, schezwan seasoning, and pepper. Lightly stir to combine.

To form the dumplings, remove 1 wonton wrapper from the package, covering the others with a damp cloth. Brush the edges of the wrapper lightly with water. Place 1 teaspoon of the tofu mixture in the center of the wrapper. Shape as desired. Set on a sheet pan and cover with a damp cloth. Repeat procedure until all of the filling is gone.

Using a steaming apparatus of your choice, bring 1/4 to 1/2-inch of water to a simmer over medium heat. Spray the steamer's surface lightly with the non-stick vegetable spray to prevent sticking. Place as many dumplings as will fit into a steamer, without touching each other. Cover and steam for 10 to 12 minutes over medium heat. Remove the dumplings from the steamer to a heatproof platter and place in oven to keep warm. Repeat until all dumplings are cooked.

I also fried them in a pan with a bit of vegetable oil to make them crispy on the bottom. It only takes a few minutes and it makes them.

I served them with gyoza sauce (from Trader Joes).