Baked

Hope your week is off to a good start!

I'm a huge fan of the humble cracker, and I make them a lot this time of year. They have so many uses. Dips, soups, and just snacking. Love them. I baked a batch of gluten free crackers with middle eastern spices. So flipping tasty. You can use any spice/herb combo you like, really. I'm loving experimenting with gluten free recipes too. Not that I have to steer clear, but it is a bit healthier especially if you're constantly baking, and eating what you bake. ;)

Snack Crackers - makes about 4 dozen

(a re-worked version of Bob's Red Mill crackers)

3/4 cup all-purpose gluten free flour (I used Bob's Red Mill)

1/2 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch

1/4 cup almond meal

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon onion powder

3/4 tablespoon ground cumin

3/4 tablespoon ground coriander

1/2 tablespoon ground ginger

4 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons water

coarse salt to sprinkle on tops of crackers

Preheat oven to 350f/180c. Place all dry ingredients in a bowl (except coarse salt) and whisk until well combined. Add olive oil and water and stir until it forms a ball ( I use my hands for this bit). If the dough is too crumbly (see pic at left, below), add a teaspoon of water to form a ball of dough. 

Divide the dough in half, and roll out to about 1/8 or 1/16 of an inch. Best to sprinkle a little flour on your rolling pin before rolling out. Use whatever kind of cookie/biscuit cutter you like, to cut out shapes. I used a 2" circle for this batch. Poke a few holes, with a fork, on the tops of each cracker. Transfer, using a thin spatula, to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle tops with a little coarse salt. Repeat with remaining dough. 

Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from oven and place crackers on a wire cooling rack. Place rack back on baking sheet, and bake for another 5-7 minutes. Allow to cool on wire rack. 

I created a small card and packaged some up to give as a little thank you gift, along with some cheese and chutney. They are so good. It's hard to stop eating them! If you make some, let me know what you think.

One more thing...I did up a holiday gift guide over at Poppytalk. If you've got shopping on your mind, check it out!

Back soon,

Janis

Sunday Observations

Wow, that was one fast weekend. Where did it go? Hope you all enjoyed your two days!

Today I observed that scraps of fabric, left over from a DIY project, can make a nice addition to a last minute gift wrap.  

I've decided that arepas are my new favourite food, along with a margarita. You can find these, and heaps more, at Latitude (pic below).  Arepas created by chef Lisa Henderson, traditional margarita by Nick Devine. If you don't know (I didn't), arepas are grilled corn cakes filled with all sorts of goodness. Mine had wild prawns, arugula and smoked paprika mayo. Mmmm.

A little Sunday etsy shopping to share with you. Deedee 9:14 is the perfect place for a mid-century style print.

That's it for now. Back on Monday! Night, night.

janis

Origami Paper Boxes

March 5th 2013 
Hello! It's a couple of years since I posted this, but I will be updating the directions very soon. Perhaps with a video of sorts. My apologies to those who have found my directions confusing. I'm slowly learning how to be a better "instructor". I promise to make it a little more clear for early next week.
Thanks for your patience!
janis
x

I needed to make paper boxes for a party I'll be going to, so I thought I'd share the process with you. They are super easy to make, and are perfect for that little gift that needs just the right size box.

You'll need the following materials to make a 7cm box:
Heavy weight paper (I'm using bits of paper that I have languishing in a drawer)
pencil
ruler
exacto knife
bone folder
white glue or a glue stick

a) Cut a 20cm square for the base and a 14.5cm square for the lid.

b) With a pencil, lightly mark the diagonals of the squares, on the wrong side of the paper. This is the guide for the first folds.

c) Fold corners into the centre of square using the pencil marks as a guide. Crease the folds with a bone folder.

d) For the base, fold two opposite sides to meet in the middle. These folds should measure 3.5cm. Crease and unfold, then repeat this for the remaining two sides.

e) To make the lid, fold two opposite sides - the folds should measure 1.4cm each. Crease, unfold then repeat process for the two remaining sides.

f) There will be a small square formed, by the folds, on each corner of the base and lid. Fold a diagonal crease across each square with the point facing inwards. Repeat on remaining corners on both lid and base.

g) Unfold two opposite sides on both the base and the lid. Refold other sides so they stand up straight. Pull up a third flap and tuck the small creases underneath. Repeat on the remaining side. Glue down the 4 points in the centre of both the lid and base. You may also wish to cut out a small piece of a contrasting paper, to line the bottom of the box. Voila! You have an origami paper box.

That's it for now! Have a lovely day.