• 1 cup warm water (110-115°F)
• 1 package (2¼ tsp) Yeast
• 1 tsp sugar (for proofing yeast)
• 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1¼ tsp salt
• 2 tsp olive oil
• additional oil for cooking

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix the water, sugar and yeast together, and let sit for about five minutes until foamy.
2. Add 2½ cups of the flour, salt, and olive oil. Mix until a shaggy dough is formed.
3. Sprinkle the last ¼ cup flour onto your clean work surface and turn out the dough.
4. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
5. Add more flour (if needed) to keep the dough from sticking to your hands or the work surface.
6. Set the dough back in the bowl and add another teaspoon or so of olive oil (or use pan spray), then turn the dough until it’s coated.
7. Cover with a clean dishcloth or plastic wrap and let the dough rise until it’s doubled in bulk, 1-2 hours.
8. Once the dough has doubled, gently punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface.
9. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and flatten each piece into a thick disk.
10. Sprinkle the pieces with a little more flour and then cover them with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap until you’re ready to cook them.
11. Roll one of the pieces into a circle 6-8 inches wide and about a quarter inch thick.
12. Sprinkle with a little extra flour if it’s starting to stick.
13. If the dough starts to spring back, set it aside to rest for a few minutes, then continue rolling. Repeat with the other pieces of dough.
14. Warm a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until drops of water sizzle immediately in the pan.
15. Drizzle a little oil in the pan and wipe off the excess.
16. Lay a rolled-out pita on the skillet and cook for a minute, until you see bubbles starting to form and edges look set.
17. Flip and cook for another minute, until large toasted spots appear on the underside.
18. Keep cooked pitas covered with a clean dishtowel or in a warm oven while cooking the rest of the pitas.

Notes

• Pitas are best when eaten immediately after cooking.
• Leftover pitas will keep in an airtight bag for several days and can be eaten as they
  are or warmed in a toaster oven.
• Baked pitas can also be frozen with wax paper between the layers for up to three months.

Scalloped Oysters Recipe:

1. Sprinkle 1/4 cup crumbs in a buttered 8″ pie pan.
2. Moisten carefully with 1/4 cup milk.
3. Cover with  half of the oysters.
4. Repeat these three above-mentioned steps.
5. Sprinkle with the remaining crumbs.
6. Moisten carefully with the remaining milk.
7. Dot with butter.
8. Bake in a moderately hot oven, 375°F, for 40 to 45 minutes.
9. Serve immediately.
10. Makes 3 to 4 servings.

List of ingredients required:

• 3/4 cup fine cracker crumbs.
• 3/4 cup milk.
• 2 dozen fresh medium oysters.
• 2 tablespoons butter.

Frozen veggies are just as tasty and rich in nutrients as fresh vegetables, sometimes even more. If frozen vegetables are not properly prepared, you lose a lot of nutritional value and more importantly, the taste.

There are a number of misconceptions about how you should cook frozen vegetables. People make a huge mistake when they thaw the vegetables. The best way is to simply cook or steam the vegetables directly from frozen until they are hot right through by using just a little bit of water or none at all.

Frozen vegetables are generally blanched in hot water or steamed to kill off any nasty bacteria. This means that some of the cooking has been done for you, so that you don’t use a lot of your time in preparing a meal.

Tips and tricks for preparing frozen veggies:

• Prepare frozen vegetables directly from frozen without thawing.
• Do not boil vegetables for long periods of time since it destroys nutrients and the taste.
• For the perfect bite, steam your frozen veggies in a covered dish in the microwave and add only a little water (not more than the bottom third of the vegetables) for a couple of minutes until hot right through. Depending on the size of your vegetables, it could take between 3 and 6 minutes.
• Fry frozen veggies in a pan with a little bit of butter until they are hot right through. Add a little crushed garlic, salt and pepper to enhance the taste.

By making these small changes to your cooking style, you can feel better knowing that soggy, limp and tasteless vegetables are a distant memory. No need to be embarrassed by your cooking again. Now you can look forward to crisp and tasty veggies that are quick and easy to prepare. No one will hide their veggies or look down when they have to eat your veggies again.