Creamy pesto & chicken pitas with Roasted sweet potato fries

I love to make all sorts of sandwiches, so when I came across this homemade pita bread recipe, courtesy of The Brown Eyed Baker, I just had to try it out.  And I must say, It was definately a success.  This was a super simple, super scrumptious meal for any family...

Homemade Pita Bread

makes 8 pitas

3 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp sugar or honey

1 packet or 1 Tbsp yeast

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cup warm water

2 Tbsp olive oil

Mix the yeast in with flour, salt and sugar.  Add the olive oil and 1 1/4 cup water and stir together with a wooden spoon.  All of the ingredients should form a ball.  If some of the flour will not stick to the ball, add more water

Once all of the ingredients form a ball, place the ball on a work surface, such as a cutting board, and knead the dough for approximately 10  minutes.  If you are using an electric mixer, mix it at low speed for 10 minutes.

When you are done kneading the dough, place it in a bowl that has been lightly coated with oil.  Form a ball out of the dough and place it into the bowl, rolling the ball of dough around in the bowl so that it has a light coat of oil on all sids.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and set aside to rise until it has doubled in size, approximately 90 minutes.

When it has doubled in size, punch the dough down to release some of the trapped gases and divide it into 8 equal pieces.  roll each piece into a ball, cover the balls with a damp kitchen towel, and let them rest for 20 minutes.  This step allows the dough to relax so that it'll be easier to shape.

While the dough is resting, preheat the oven to 450.  If you have a baking stome, put it in the oven to preheat as well.  If you do not have a baking stone, turn a cookie sheet up side down and place it on the middle rack of the oven while you are preheating the oven.  This will be the surface on which you bake your pitas. 

After the dough has relaxed for 20 minutes, spread a light coating of flour on a work surface and place one of the balls of dough there.  Sprinkle a little bit of flour on top of the dough and use a rolling pin or your hands to stretch and flatten the dough.  You should be able to roll it out to between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick - 6 inches in diameter.  If the dough does not stretch sufficiently, you can cover it with the damp towel and let it rest 5 to 10 minutes before trying again.

Place discs on a lightly greased baking sheet (I used parchment paper)  and let rise, uncovered, until barely doubled in thickness, about 30-45 minutes.

Open the oven and place as many pitas as you can fit on the hot baking surface.  They should be baked through and puffy after 3 minutes.  If you want your pitas to be crispy and brown you can bake them for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, but it isn't necessary. 

For The Sandwiches

Spread cream cheese in pita, then add pesto, chicken (sliced from a rotisserie chicken), lettuce, tomato, acacado...etc.

Roasted Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet Potatoes

Olive oil or olive oil spray

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Peel and slice sweet potatoes.  Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Spray  or brush with olive oil.  Put salt and pepper all over fries.  Roast at 400 for 15- 20 minutes.  So nummy!!

     

WHITE CHOCOLATE ORANGE SQUARES...WITH AGAVE & WHOLE GRAIN FLOURS

WHITE CHOCOLATE ORANGE SQUARES

2 cups wonder flour

1  cup agave, divided

2 TBSP orange zest, divided

3/4 cup butter

2 (8 oz.)  packages cream cheese, softened

4 oz. white chocolate chips, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a 9x13 pan with aluminum foil.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, 1/3 cup agave, and 1 TBSP orange zest.  Cut in butter using a pastry blender, until mixture is crumbly.  Press evenly into bottom of prepared pan.  Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until lightly browned.

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining 2/3 cup agave at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Stir in remaining 1 TBSP orange zest and melted wite chocolate.  Pour over hot baked crust, and bake for 35-38 minutes, or until center is set.  Cool completely.  Using foil as handles, remove from pan.  Cut into squares to serve.  Garnish with whipped cream, orange zest, and white chocolate shavings, if desired.  

*Wonder flour  equal parts:  spelt, pearled barley, brown rice.  Grind in mill for a wonderful, nutty flour that is good in almost anything!!! 

COSMIC BROWNIES...GLUTEN FREE

We had a wonderful gluten free shower for a cousin this weekend, my cousin Melissa created a beautiful menu of wraps, coleslaw, chips and salsa, fruit skewars and a dip. Brownies and lemon bars for dessert. I wish I had all the recipes, but here is the one I made.  They are as good as the real thing...I promise, no after taste! 
COSMIC BROWNIES

2 sticks unsalted butter, diced and more for pan and parchment

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate

4 eggs

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 tsp mexican vanilla

1 cup rice flour

Melt butter and chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds.  Mix eggs and sugar and vanilla in a stand mixer.  Add cooled chocolate while mixing until incorporated.  Mix in flour and salt until combined.  

Bake at 350 in a greased sheet pan for 25 minutes.  Cut into shapes if desired.