Oven Baked Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Strips and South of the Border Berry Salsa for appetizers

Serves 8

This is such an easy delectable tidbit to make as an accompaniment to a nice fruit dish or even just for a good nibble or as guest appetizers (and maybe even desert?).  I served it with a Mexican breakfast consisting of my Mexican Egg Casserole which I served with Peppered Corn Muffins and a beautiful bowl of freshly made Poached Pears with Cinnamon and Fennel.  Of course, kids will really go for these and probably you will too.  So beware—put them away before you or your family  eat them all.

Ingredients:

1. 8 inch Corn or Flour Tortillas—at least eight—the fresher the tortilla the better
2. 1/2 C. Sugar
3. 1 Tsp. Cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Cut the tortillas with a pizza cutter or a serrated knife in 8 long strips.
3. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together.  I put this mixture in an empty spice bottle that had a shaker top on it. I actually did not use all of this mixture.
4. Arrange the wedges on a large cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and spray the strips with nonstick cooking spray (I used olive oil spray).
5. Immediately sprinkle the wedges with the sugar/cinnamon mixture—as much or as little as you wish.
6. Bake the wedges in a preheated 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until lightly brown and crisp.
7. Let them sit for a minute or so.  If you are not going to use them immediately, place them in a paper bag and seal till ready to serve.

This goes very nicely with another appetizer:

SOUTH OF THE BORDER BERRY SALSA

Combine 1 cup fresh blueberries, 1 cup fresh sliced strawberries, 1 cup fresh raspberries, 1 seeded and finely chopped yellow bell pepper and 1 seeded and minced jalapeño chili in a medium bowl; toss gently. Add 2 tablespoons each of finely chopped red onion, finely chopped green onion and finely chopped cilantro; toss lightly. Combine 1 tablespoon each of cider vinegar, olive oil, freshly squeezed lime juice, orange juice and honey in a small bowl; mix well. Drizzle vinegar mixture over berry mixture; toss to coat. Serve in a large bowl or in individual bowls with the tortilla chips mentioned above.   Makes 8- ½-cup servings.