chips & dips! {a twist on classic party foods}

Hello everyone!! I took a small break from blogging over the past couple of weeks. I didn't intend to, but between some important school work and getting everything ready for my trip to NYC last week, I unfortunately didn't have time to squeeze in photo-editing and blog-writing. I made these recipes a few days before I left for my trip, in the hopes that I'd be sharing them with you all much sooner. Better late than never though, right? :) There's so much I want to catch up on; thrifting finds, items/places/foods I'm loving, my new-found hobby, and my five day trip in NYC spent mostly in the West Village of Manhattan (but that will have to be a separate post) ;).

I usually buy Newman's Own pineapple salsa with baked Scoops, or hummus and pita chips to keep in the house for a quick snack. And as we all know, salsa and hummus almost always make an appearance at parties as well. Sometimes I'm craving something a little different than my usual go-to salsa or dips, whether it be for a snack or for a party. I've put together 3 of my favorite homemade chips & dips that are great alternatives to store-bought favorites!

Stone Fruit Salsa + Whole Wheat Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Chips

I was watching Cooking Channel one day when I was back home (the only time I'm able to watch it), and when I saw Kelsey Nixon make this salsa and these chips, I knew I'd have to try it! The only substitutions I made were using oil in place of melted butter for the tortilla chips, and using whole wheat flour tortillas instead of regular flour tortillas. Other than that, this salsa/chip combo is perfect! It'd be great for summer parties or even just a quick & healthy snack.

What is stone fruit?
Stone fruit, in plain terms, is a fruit in which the flesh surrounds a large, hard seed (or a "pit" as most of us call it). Plums, cherries, apricots, nectarines, and peaches are all examples of stone fruit. Even almonds are considered part of the stone fruit family!!

Tarnished, scratched, dented, and totally full of character; these are the kinds of thrift shop finds that I fall in love with.

I found the shaker at a shop in Gainesville that is usually a little overpriced, however it was just too awesome to pass up. I came across 'Mrs. Robinson's Fine Restaurant Pies' plates at a thrift shop in my hometown while I was digging through old pots and pans. They were $1.00 each, so I bought both of them. They're much thicker and sturdier than your typical pie plates, so I did a quick search on my phone before purchasing them and read that these are actually a rare find!!! As you can see from the picture, they have a deposit on them. It basically means that in order to by a pie from that restaurant, you'd have to put a deposit down of something like five cents or ten cents. Upon return of the pie plate, you would receive your five or ten cents back. Most people would want their deposit back, so I'm assuming most of these pie plates were returned. On etsy, these are selling for over $10 each!!! I feel very lucky to have found them, especially in my small hometown! They're definitely my new favorite thrift shop find :)

I really really wanted to put these pie plates to use, even if I wasn't baking a pie. I decided to serve my freshly baked whole wheat cinnamon sugar chips in them instead!

These chips are nothing short of delicious. Pure cinnamon-sugary-goodness. I LOVE them! They are unbelievably easy to make and pair really well with the stone fruit salsa.

I'm a sucker for the combination of fruit and fresh basil. In this case, the basil really freshens the salsa and is a nice contrast to the warm cinnamon.

Stone Fruit Salsa with Whole Wheat Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Chips
Yield: 4 servings
recipe lightly adapted from Kelsey Nixon

Ingredients:

For the Salsa

• 3 cups of mixed stone fruit
• I used plums, apricots, nectarines, peaches, and cherries
• 1 tablespoon of local honey
• 1/2 tablespoon of fresh, minced basil
• 1/2 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• pinch of kosher salt

For the Chips

• 3 (8-inch) whole wheat flour tortillas
• 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup of vegetable oil

Steps:

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add chopped stone fruit, honey, basil, lemon juice, cinnamon and salt. Toss together to coat evenly. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl combine cinnamon and sugar. You can add this to a shaker or just sprinkle it on with your fingers. Brush one side of the tortilla with oil, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, then turn it over and do the same to the other side. Stack the tortillas and cut into 8 wedges. Spread them out on a baking sheet and bake for ~10-12 minutes, flipping them half-way through.

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Refreshing Cucumber Salsa

Crisp cucumbers, creamy Greek yogurt, and cool fresh mint come together to create a super refreshing salsa. It's so, so yummy, and everyone who has tried it has fell in love!!

My brother had walked in the house and before he could say much, I told him to "eat this. now." He listened, his eyes grew big, and then with a half-full mouth he demanded to know what his taste buds were so happily enjoying. I told him it was cucumber salsa, and the next thing I knew he was raving about how amazing it was while finishing off the extra I had set aside.

This is definitely a summer must-try, especially for a picnic or outdoor BBQ. Pair it with some homemade baked tortilla chips for an ultimate treat!

Cucumber Salsa

Yield: ~2 1/2 cups

adapted from Taste of Home cookbook

Ingredients:

For Salsa:

• 2 cups of peeled and seeded cucumber, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup of seeded tomato, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup of red onion, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh mint2
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup of lowfat or nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper

For Chips:

• 3 whole wheat flour tortillas
• 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

In a small bowl combine cucumber, tomato, onion, pepper, mint, and garlic. In another bowl whisk together Greek yogurt, lemon juice, lime juice, cumin, salt, black pepper. Pour over cucumber mixture and gently toss until evenly coated. Serve immediately; the longer it sits, the dressing becomes very thin.

To make the chips, follow the instructions listed above for the Cinnamon Sugar Chips. Instead of the cinnamon sugar, sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper.

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White Bean Hummus with Oregano, Garlic, and Parmesan Whole Wheat Pita Chips

This is not your traditional hummus made with chickpeas, but it is just as creamy and packed with protein! (I know, it looks like mashed potatoes, but I promise that it isn't!) I never thought to make white bean hummus until I had it at a restaurant a few months ago. They referred to it as Tuscan hummus, since it was made with white beans instead of chickpeas. It's really tasty and you can make all different kinds if you choose to :) The one I made is a basic white bean hummus because the pita chips are packed with garlic and parmesan flavor!

My oven has a mind of it's own (it's really old), and decides to burn food whenever it feels like it. These pita chips were still really good, regardless of the burnt tips. Garlic, oregano, and parmesan; how could you go wrong?

White Bean Hummus with Oregano, Garlic, and Parmesan Whole Wheat Pita Chips

Yield: 2 servings, or 4 smaller servings

Ingredients:

For Hummus:

• 1 can of white navy beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 garlic clove
• fresh lemon juice, ~1/2 a lemon
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 3/4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
• pinch kosher salt
• good pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• drizzle of EVOO and pinch of dried oregano for garnish

For Pita Chips:

• 2 whole wheat pitas
• 2 1/2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon of grated parmesan
• 2 teaspoons of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano

Steps:

In a food processor, pulse garlic clove until finely chopped. Add white beans, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, salt, pepper, and let processor run. Through the chute, add the olive oil until desired consistency of hummus is reached. It should be about 3/4 of a tablespoon, however you may need to add a little more.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine grated parmesan, garlic powder, and oregano. Brush both sides of the pita with oil and sprinkle with parmesan mixture. Stack pitas and cut into 8 wedges. Arrange on baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, flipping half-way through.

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I recently picked up a new hobby that I am totally in love with!! It's very challenging, it's good for you, it's kickboxing! Because it's summer, the class size is smaller which is always nice. It gives the instructors more time to critique and help you. The owner, Keith, is such a nice guy, and the other instructor, although more tough than Keith, is hilarious and doesn't even realize it. I can already see changes in myself and I push myself to the limit while I'm there. Not only is it a great workout, but it's good for you mentally also. I can't wait to get better and have the ability to kick some... butt... if necessary ;)

Well, it seems as though this post is already long enough, so I'll save the items/places/foods I'm currently loving and my trip to NYC for a new post! I will say though, that I had a fabulous time, and I'm infatuated with that city.... I'll leave you with one of my favorite pictures from the trip. Although it may not seem like much, it captures the beauty of my favorite area of Manhattan.