Throw a girls' poker party

Pita Parmesan Crisps
These are great substitutes for packet crisps and so much more adventurous. Great on their own or serve with dips. They can be made several days in advance and stored in an airtight container.
Makes about 24

3 pita breads
1 clove of garlic, crushed
black pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried thyme
75g/2¾oz freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 5. Carefully separate the two layers of the pita bread by using a serrated knife and cutting all the way round. Cut each half into four wide strips and place on a baking sheet.

Mix the garlic and pepper into the oil and brush each pita strip. Sprinkle evenly with a little thyme and top with the grated Parmesan. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and the strips are crisp. Cool and serve.

Spicy Bean Dip with Taco Chips
Put the hummus on hold and try a dip with a difference. Serve with store-bought taco chips or the pita Parmesan crisps. Can easily be made several days in advance and reheated in the microwave just before serving.

1 x 400g / 14oz can of borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
25g/1 oz butter
1 small onion, chopped
½ tsp chilli powder
½ tsp ground cumin
125g/4½oz mature Cheddar, grated
salt and pepper

Heat the butter in a frying pan and fry the onion until soft but not coloured. Add the spices and fry for another minute. Puree the beans in a food processor until smooth, adding a little water if necessary, then add to the pan and fry with the onion mixture until warmed through. Remove from the heat and add the grated cheese, stirring until melted. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Chocolate Dipped Pretzels
What would Valentine's Day be without the chocolate? Again, another strange sounding combination but one you won't want to stop eating. You can use the traditional pretzel shapes or pretzel sticks. Whichever one you use, dip only three-quarters in the chocolate to give yourself a non-sticky handle.

75g/2¾oz (or a good handful) pretzels, rounds or sticks
100g/3½oz dark chocolate

Break the chocolate into small chunks and melt in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Or melt slowly and carefully in a microwave. Dip the pretzels, one at a time in the warm chocolate and leave to set on a piece of greaseproof paper. Serve round pretzels in a bowl and the sticks in a small glass, chocolate side down.

Get to grips with the game of poker and how to bet