Homemade Bagel Chips: An Easy, Tasty Way to Use Up Those Stale Bagels

If you're single or don't have any children, you may have encountered this dilemma before: You buy a loaf of bread or a gallon of milk. Before you know it, the bread is moldy and the milk is spoiled. Your one appetite isn't enough to finish all the food on your own.

Next time you get a package of bagels and find they've reached their expiration date, don't fret. Instead of feeding them to the birds, dog, or worse, the garbage disposal, try this yummy recipe for homemade bagel chips.

The ingredients are simple. You need your bagels, a few spices of your choosing, and olive oil. First, pre-heat your oven to 425 Degrees. Next, slice up the bagels into wedges about ¼ inch thick. Place into a bowl and drizzle olive oil onto the bagel chunks. Then sprinkle your favorite spices on top. This is kind of a "whatever is in the pantry" experiment. Use whatever you can scrounge up. Most recently my bagel chips with topped with garlic powder, garlic salt, oregano, and basil. But the possibilities are endless. You could try cayenne pepper and chili powder for a spicy kick, or cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg for something sweet (this might be tasty if you're using raisin bagels). If you have those neat popcorn seasonings on hand, you could try ranch, parmesan, or sour cream & onion. When you've picked your seasonings and sprinkled them on, toss the bagels around in the bowl so that they are coated nice and evenly on all sides. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 425 Degrees, being sure to check frequently so that your chips don't burn. You'll need to turn them over as well. Total baking time varies, from around 8 to 16 minutes. You'll know when your chips are done because they will be golden-brown and crispy. (And the delicious scents will be wafting through your house!)

How easy was that? You've spent less than 30 minutes and created a late-night snack or a movie theater munchie. This recipe is a great way to get the kids involved in the kitchen; not only is it easy, but they'll like experimenting with different flavors and getting to use their hands to mix the bagels up. These homemade chips are healthier and cheaper than the ones you'd buy at the store! You can even pair with a dipping sauce, perhaps a horseradish, ranch, or honey mustard, and you'll have an exquisite appetizer which you can bring to a social gathering. And no one has to know that those bagels were almost tossed in the trash!