Greek Salad with Herbed Pita

I am constantly trying new recipes and I find that the biggest challenge is to find one that is healthy and still tastes great. My goal was to create a blog where I could post my favorite recipes so others can add them to their collections. I am not a chef so all recipes are from cookbooks and the internet. I wish I was clever enough to come up with my own recipes though!

My first recipe is from Williams-Sonoma's Food Made Fast: Salad cookbook. It was a birthday gift from my in-laws and I love it! I have found quite a few recipes in this book that are very tasty. I am not surprised that my step-mother in-law chose this cookbook as my gift because she is the Queen of Salads! Every salad of hers that I have tasted has been so unique and so yum! This is an easy salad that is filling enough as a main course, but if you prefer a little more sustenance you can always grill some chicken to chop up and toss in. Also, don't be afraid of making your own salad dressings. It's super easy and tastes much better than that stuff in a jar!

Greek Salad with Herbed Pita
Serves 4

Lemon juice, from 1 lemon

Garlic, 1 clove, minced

Freshly ground pepper

Olive oil, 1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons

Pita bread, 4 rounds

Dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon

Hearts of romaine lettuce, 2, coarsely chopped (note: I just buy a bag of romaine. Half a bag usually does it if you're cooking for two.)

English (hothouse) cucumber, halved crosswise and thickly sliced (also known as seedless cucumbers)

Tomatoes, 2, cut into wedges

Assorted brine-cured olives, 1 cup (I prefer kalamatas)

Feta cheese, 1/2 lb, crumbled

Green onions, 8, thinly sliced

Make the vinaigrette: In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, and a generous amount of pepper. Gradually whisk in the 1/4 cup oil until smooth.

Warm the pita: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut each pita into 4 wedges. Arrange on a baking sheet and brush both sides with the 2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with the oregano and place in the oven to warm for about 10 minutes.

Assemble the salad: Meanwhile, add the lettuce, cucumber, and tomatoes to the vinaigrette and toss to coat evenly. Arrange on plates and top with the olives, feta, and green onions. Place the warm pita wedges alongside the salads and serve.