Day 271: Roasted Carrot Hummus and Armenian Crackers
This morning after being poked awake at 7:30 by W, instead of going to the gym (this makes it sound like the gym would be my normal routine, when really I just keep meaning to make it my normal routine) I made my way downstairs and lugged in the Saturday paper, then curled up on the couch with a lovely espresso and wedge of banana bread. All three of us shared a down comforter and we all had our own plates banana bread, and W had Goodnight Gorilla to read, and even though it was far too early for a weekend, all was very cozy and dreamy. Mike flipped open the paper to the Living section and there, filling the front page, was a photo of our disastrous kitchen, with W and I at the counter, backs to the camera, blocking the zucchini and avocado W was concentrating on chopping, oblivious to the photographer shooting a) my back rolls, and b) the whole kitchen, not just the counter area that I had cleaned and cleared for his arrival. He was going to shoot W helping me make dinner, and I offered to clear away the clutter on the other side of the stove and overflowing (but not with bread) breadbox if it was visible. I told Mike not to bother mopping the floor. I suppose it is an accurate depiction of dinnertime at our house, except that W had clothes on and wasn’t running around in circles with the dog barking, screaming AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! And my drawerful of kitchen gadgets wasn’t emptied out all over the floor.
The insert was a photo of a lovely kitchen from a showhome or IKEA catalog or something with the caption: The Dream. Beside it, my kitchen, with the caption: The Reality.
Went down to 17th Avenue to apply a bowl of cafe mocha to my face (at Beano they use grated Bernard Callebaut chocolate), but the lineup was too long, and the outside benches were scattered with newspaper sections, some exposing my very un-Martha kitchen to everyone who had the patience (or didn’t have the toddler) to wait. Ended up at The Palomino for lunch, or rather a late breakfast, but far more than anyone would ever really eat at breakfast: mine was eggs Benny over pulled pork (I decline to comment; suffice to say I’m often disappointed with eggs Benny and should have known better, plus they looked like a set of bad implants), W had French toast stuffed with peanut butter and grilled bananas (a great concept, and something I might try at home, minus the grilling, but all he actually ate was the side of bacon), and Mike will always order a burger topped with a fried egg if there is one to be had on a menu (unfortunately the fried egg was hard-cooked, which sort of defeats the purpose of the yolk oozing out and mingling with the burger fixins’). Everything was accompanied by a shocking quantity of hash browns; the spicy, spongy cubed kind. Lunch planted itself in our guts and held a sit-in all afternoon, straight through dinner.
But in the evening we needed something to nibble on, and fortunately it was the day I was to make snappy flatbread crackers for my Daring Bakers challenge. Thankfully it wasn’t much of a challenge, but I’m so glad to have tried them, especially considering crackers/flatbread of this kind go for about $8 a package at most gourmet shops. They are just flour, oil and water. They were easy and fantastic, and such a basic recipe could take on any flavouring well. (I actually had chopped a bunch of garlic and then kneaded the dough with my garlicky hands, and it infused the crackers with the subtlest hint of garlic.)
I try to leave well enough alone with these recipes, but couldn’t help a few tweaks: you can use honey or sugar instead of agave nectar, which most people don’t keep on their shelves, and when I make crackers I like to sprinkle the surface with salt or spices and then roll again lightly with the rolling pin to press them into the surface, so that they don’t roll off once baked. And although the recipe said ‘makes one sheet of crackers’, if you do roll the dough out paper thin you fill two rimmed cookie sheets, the large ones, so really you get two sheets, and need to cut the dough in half, otherwise it would drape over all four sides and probably bake up into a giant inverted rectangular bowl.
To go with, I made a batch of roasted carrot hummus. Generally I make this only when I have leftover roasted carrots, but I was in the mood so roasted 3 in my toaster oven especially for the occasion. Add a roasted (or steamed, or boiled) carrot or three and a hefty shake of cumin to any hummus recipe to make it.
Armenian Crackers
AuthorJulieAdapted from The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering The Art of Extraordinary Bread, by Peter Reinhart.
In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, yeast, salt, oil, honey and just enough water to bring everything together into a ball. (You may not need the full 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. water, but be prepared to use it all if needed.)
Sprinkle some flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Knead for about 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
Let it sit at room temperature for 90 minutes, or until the dough doubles in size. (You can also retard the dough overnight in the refrigerator immediately after kneading or mixing).
Mist the counter lightly with nonstick spray and transfer the dough to the counter. Press the dough into a square with your hand and dust the top of the dough lightly with flour. Roll it out with a rolling pin into a paper thin sheet. You may have to stop from time to time so that the gluten can relax. At these times, lift the dough from the counter and wave it a little, and then lay it back down. When it is the desired thinness, let the dough relax for 5 minutes. Line a sheet pan (or two) with baking parchment or spray it with nonstick spray. Carefully lift the sheet of dough and lay it on the sheet, cutting it in half and dividing it between two sheets if you need to.
Preheat the oven to 350F with the oven rack on the middle shelf. Mist the top of the dough with water and sprinkle with seeds, salt or spices. Be careful with spices and salt - a little goes a long way. If you want to pre-cut the crackers, use a pizza cutter and cut diamonds or rectangles in the dough. You do not need to separate the pieces, as they will snap apart after baking. If you want to make shards, bake the sheet of dough without cutting it first.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crackers begin to brown evenly across the top (the time will depend on how thinly and evenly you rolled the dough).
When the crackers are baked, remove the pan from the oven and let them cool on the pan for about 10 minutes. Snap them apart or snap off shards and serve.
Ingredients
Directions
In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, yeast, salt, oil, honey and just enough water to bring everything together into a ball. (You may not need the full 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. water, but be prepared to use it all if needed.)
Sprinkle some flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Knead for about 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
Let it sit at room temperature for 90 minutes, or until the dough doubles in size. (You can also retard the dough overnight in the refrigerator immediately after kneading or mixing).
Mist the counter lightly with nonstick spray and transfer the dough to the counter. Press the dough into a square with your hand and dust the top of the dough lightly with flour. Roll it out with a rolling pin into a paper thin sheet. You may have to stop from time to time so that the gluten can relax. At these times, lift the dough from the counter and wave it a little, and then lay it back down. When it is the desired thinness, let the dough relax for 5 minutes. Line a sheet pan (or two) with baking parchment or spray it with nonstick spray. Carefully lift the sheet of dough and lay it on the sheet, cutting it in half and dividing it between two sheets if you need to.
Preheat the oven to 350F with the oven rack on the middle shelf. Mist the top of the dough with water and sprinkle with seeds, salt or spices. Be careful with spices and salt - a little goes a long way. If you want to pre-cut the crackers, use a pizza cutter and cut diamonds or rectangles in the dough. You do not need to separate the pieces, as they will snap apart after baking. If you want to make shards, bake the sheet of dough without cutting it first.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crackers begin to brown evenly across the top (the time will depend on how thinly and evenly you rolled the dough).
When the crackers are baked, remove the pan from the oven and let them cool on the pan for about 10 minutes. Snap them apart or snap off shards and serve.
Hey Julie,
You guys looked so cute!!! (You should also mention the great picture on the next page!)
How many people really have the dream kitchen anyway.
Great picture of W! Sorry you had ‘bad implants’ for brunch. Your homemade snack certainly looks more delicious!
Can you post the pictures that were in the newspaper for those of us who don’t live in Calgary?
Oops – I didn’t notice another picture on the next page! I’ll look for it.
I loved that picture! I thought, “wow, she’s so brave and chilled out to have not totally cleaned up the counter, what a relaxed mum!” You shouldn’t have said anything, then we would’ve thought they “styled” it that way on purpose to better illustrate their “perfect” kitchen juxtaposition position photo…also didn’t notice any back rolls, just thought you both looked very blonde and Ikea-ish yourselves…Love your blog, very fun to read about your nightly forays. Did you ever read “Julie and Julia”? (On sale at Indigo now) Your blog makes me think of that, it’s a hilarious book about one woman’s atrempt to cook out of Mastering the Art every night for a year.
I thought the first picture was very relaxed and great. The second one was gorgeous too! And the article made you sound like a relaxed, hip mom who has a handle on a busy life 🙂
Aren’t we all uber critical of stuff like that sometimes 🙂 Go to my facebook page and look at some of my pics…..I can’t even look at some of them (Juno week in paricular) because I agonize over fat upper arms (which could be fixed with more gym…hahaha!).
So, that said, again I thought you both look fab!!
Cathy
just say the word and some of us fans can organize reconnaissance into that dastardly photogs kitchen in the dead of night, load up the fridge with out-of-date products, processed foods full of nitrates and other unmentionables and shove dust bunnies absolutely everywhere. just say the word.
I loved the photos in the Herald, too. I thought you both looked natural and like you were having fun – and that’s the way it should be. 🙂
I laughed and laughed at your posting this morning! The pictures are great. My sister has two kids and her kitchen is always immaculate and austere. That’s just not NORMAL!! I suspect she doesn’t actually use it. Your kitchen looks well-loved. It’s awesome!!
Oh no, there is no need for a midnight reconnaissance of any sort! I’m not angry, I was just a little surprised/taken aback to see such a large photo on the front page (one that I didn’t even realize was taken), and that it was used to illustrate messy reality and contrast the “perfect” kitchen, the dream… I realize that most peoples’ idea of a dream kitchen looks much like something out of Canadian House and Home, but not mine. I love my old countertops that were salvaged from the U of C science lab, and the wonky floors, and the bolted-in old laminate table that used to belong to my friend’s Grandma. A granite island I could take or leave. (I would love a gas stove though.)
It’s not that I wanted everyone to think I live in an immaculate kitchen, I just didn’t realize as I offered to clear away the clutter that I thought I had pushed out of view, that it was the whole point. I hope I didn’t embarrass my Mom too much.
just kidding about reconn although i do have mental picture of foodies as spies and that’s a pretty funny image!
you’ve got to remember you have faithful fans and i’m pretty sure your mom is your biggest fan…
Mmm, your lavash looks wonderful!
I want to see the picture and can’t see the picture!
The link does not work for me. Boo hoo.
If you can attach in an email maybe?
Not to worry, Julie. We love you, messy kitchen and all.
x
love this healthy recipe. really nice photo of your child in the header, too.