Sesame Crackers

I re-read Stephen King's The Stand a few weeks ago, and I noted that Mother Abigail says "I can still make my own cracker." as a sign of keeping her independance.

Then I see that an online friend has made some crackers. Is that possible?

Then I see a cooking show where they make crackers. That is possible.

I decide this is a sign that I am to make some crackers. Never done it before, but it is surprisingly rewarding. Completely organic and homemade. Some pics and then a recipe below.

Got the dry all ready.

Mixed, kneaded, cut, and ready to roll.

Baked to crispy, nutty goodness.

So without further delay, a Sesame Cracker Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Rack in the middle.

Mix the following dry ingredients:

5 oz whole wheat flour

5 oz all purpose flour

1/2 cup sesame seeds (not toasted)

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder (aluminium free! in crackers aluminium makes them bitter)

Add 3 Tbsp olive oil and mix in pretty well.

Add 6 1/2 oz water and mix well (by hand)

Turn dough out onto a flour covered work surface and knead until well mixed (5 or 6 times did it for me)

Cut the dough into chunks between golf ball and tennis ball sized. Cover and let rise for 20 minutes.

Roll out thin and put on a cookie sheet, with parchment paper works well but isn't required. Several places I looked recommended 1/8 of an inch in thickness, but I found thinner (between an eighth and a sixteenth) was better and gave a more crisp cracker.

Cut into the size you want (in fact you don't have to cut them at all) and bake for 8 to 15 minutes depending on your oven. Pull them when they are golden brown.

Let them cool fully (maybe 15 minutes) and serve. I recommend some hummus and roasted red pepper.

Outstanding.

They will keep for a week or two. You can also substitute or mix with other small seeds, like poppy seeds, if you want.

Lost Days

Hello,

Sorry its been a while since I posted. Had some dental issues and painkillers and blogging just don't match up to well in my book.

As for the food and garden front, I have really been working the bread and making some recipes from my Jamie Oliver cookbook my daughters got me. That guy really knows how to put a good recipe on paper! The garden keeps producing, but had a rough patch over the last week or so.

A lot of rain combined with really cool temps combined with inattentiveness on my part because of the bad tooth and you get a rough time in the garden. A lot of tomatoes split and some bugs got in, but the melons, pumpkins, squash, and peppers sure seem to love this weather. The beans have given up and the onions are still coming in strong.

The herbs have been the kings of the show lately. I cut the basil and oregano back couple of weeks ago and they bounced back strong. The other herbs are doing well, except the tarragon. It was doing really well for a while when it was hot and dry, but the cool and rain seem to have it down.

I need a good tarragon recipe. Got any favorites?

REALLY Tasty Green Beans

Tried a new recipe this weekend for green beans. Its really easy as well.

Boil (a rolling boil) the beans for five minutes.

While the beans are boiling make a dressing (roughly for a pound of beans):

two tbs coarse mustard

two tbs vinegar (I used red wine, but white or rice would work, maybe balsamic)

six tbs olive oil

one clove grated garlic

one small minced shallot

Drain the beans and dress while hot.

We ate every bean that could be reasonable picked with this recipe this weekend.