Tasty Tuesday

I've really gotten the hang of making different types of flatbread. When we were having fajitas the other week, I gave flour tortillas a try. They were easy and cheap to make, and they tasted great. Not to say I'm going to stop buying tortillas (because it is handy to have tortillas on hand for quesadillas), but these are great for a special meal and they use ingredients that you probably have on hand.

Flour Tortillas

Ingredients

• 3 cups Unbleached Flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• ½ teaspoons Baking Powder
• ⅓ cups Canola Oil
• 1 cup Hot Water

Preparation Instructions

Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder with a whisk. Add the canola oil and mix with your fingers until all the oil is incorporated and the mixture looks like fine crumbs. Add 1 cup of hot water and mix until a ball is formed. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for about 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into 12 balls and roll out one at a time on a floured surface. Brush off excess flour. Cook on a hot, ungreased griddle over medium-high heat. Turn the tortilla when brown blisters form on the first side. Stack the totillas and serve warm.

Here's another easy flatbread to try. These pitas make great sandwiches, and I like to toast the leftovers to make pita chips. The boys have been having them with hummus for lunch. The best way to cook any flatbread is on cast iron. I love using my cast iron griddle for it.

Arabian Pita Bread

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 -2 teaspoon sugar
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons oil

Directions

1. Mix yeast, water and sugar.
2. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, dried milk and salt.
4. Pour in the oil and yeast/water mixture and stir well.
5. You might need to add more flour or water, depending on the absorbency of the flour.
6. Knead dough briefly, divide into 18 egg sized balls.
7. Place on a floured surface, cover and let rest for 15-30 minutes.
8. Roll one ball out and cook in a skillet until large "bubbles" form.
9. Flip pita over and cook the other side for a few more minutes.
10. I flatten it out with a spatula.
11. Keep bread warm (wrap in a towel or place in a ziploc bag) while cooking the rest of the bread.
12. These freeze well.

This chicken souvlaki was sooo good. It tastes like the chicken version of gyros. It was great on the homemade pita bread, and I've been eating the leftovers in a salad.

Chicken Souvlaki

Ingredients

• 1 pound Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
• 4 teaspoons Cavender's All Purpose Greek Seasoning
• 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 12 ounces, weight Drained, Non-fat Plain Yogurt
• 1 whole Cucumber, Chopped
• ½ whole Yellow Onion, Chopped
• 2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
• Salt
• Pepper

Preparation Instructions

Most of this recipe is in the prep. You marinate the chicken for several hours before you grill. I do it before I leave the house in the morning.

Pound out the chicken breast until they are about 1/2 inch thick.

Rub down with olive oil then season both sides generously with the Cavender’s Greek Seasoning Salt. I live on the East Coast and have found it in most big grocery chains.

Wrap the chicken in cling wrap and refrigerate for several hours.

Grill on a counter top grill or outside grill for that matter about 3 minutes. Let sit for a minute or two then slice into strips.

The night before, place 12 oz of plain non-fat yogurt in a coffee filter then set in a mesh colander set over a bowl and drain it in the fridge overnight. I do this because I like the Tzatziki thicker so it stays on the sandwich. But if you forgot to drain the yogurt the night before you can use Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is just a tad more expensive than regular yogurt.

While chicken is grilling, chop up the cucumber and the onion. Mix the cucumber, onion with the drained yogurt, add the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.

I also chop these up before I leave for work in the morning and stow them in the fridge. Just one less step in the evenings when my boys are melting from hunger and I need to feed them within the first 30 minutes of hitting the door.

Place grilled chicken strips and tzatziki into warmed pitas folded in half and enjoy.