Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Daring Bakers September Challenge: Lavash Crackers

Good day cyber friends and lurkers! You all remember how we discussed me needing a few extra brain cells, more than likely due to the fact that being a youngest child myself, I suffer from "test dummy syndrome" as explained here? Well, I had a code blue massive brain fart and forgot all about my September Daring Bakers Challenge until yesterday, 3 days AFTER the deadline. Whooo hooo, I rock!

This month's challenge was Lavash crackers hosted by Natalie of Gluten A Go Go and Shel of Musings From The Fishbowl. This challenge made my toes wiggle because some of the old hens in my former homeschool group always talked about how they made their own crackers (actually, they made EVERYTHING themselves off their homesteads. big showoffs, hee hee) and I wanted to be one of the "kewl" kids too. We had our choice of spices/toppings so long as our crackers were vegan, we also had the choice to go gluten free. This was my original plan, but being as the aforementioned brain fart removed all recollection of deadlines, I had to just use what I had on hand, which was whole wheat. The sauce was a free-for-all of whatever your heart desired so long as it was vegan and gluten free.

First I had to gather all my ingredients and get them to the table so I could sit and cook (anyone remember that "Sit and Be Fit" exercise show?). Well here's my pure genius answer to transporting those goods:
I'm thinking a basket, horn, and some tassels will make this baby ROCK!

My temporary baking high was immediately shot down when I opened my rolling mat to find this:

Friends, we are gathered here today to say goodbye to our beloved Tupperware Pastry Sheet. It was a good pastry sheet and its sixteen years of service will not be forgotten. Let us have a moment of silence to reflect upon its great starchy victories. *tear

After the memorial service I carried on with my cracker making fun. I've said before how I LOVE to make kneaded bread type goodies. There is just something therapeutic about it. See even Mr. Happy Kneaded Dough is smiling!


Oh look Khris came home just in time to witness his mom playing with bread dough. Doesn't he look proud? BTW, there's those honking after work drinks he brings me.


Wanna know what's funny about making Lavash at midnight? You find yourself entranced by the grainy planes of whole wheat numminess. Looooook deep into it...Feel it's power......Ohmmmmmmm.


I made two batches, one just for me with crushed pecans sprinkled on top (inspired by John of Eat4Fun) and another with cinnamon sugar. The first batch (with pecans) turned a bit too brown. The second batch I turned the heat down to 325 and it worked smashingly. As for my dipping sauce I blended 2 cups defrosted frozen mixed fruit, 4 pepperoncini, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon until smooth in my new blender that my boys got me for my birthday, .

Whoaaaa momma was it tasty! I love the yen and yang of spicy and sweet. I will absolutely make this again and I'm thinking of making it thicker to have a pita type bread. Forgive the bad pic, it was 2:00am and I decided that everything should be shades of BROWN!

For the recipe please check out our hostesses' sites: Gluten A Go Go and Musings From The Fishbowl. Also be sure to check out the other Daring Bakers and drool over their hard work.

8 comments:

JJ said...

My eyes are old and I can't read your yellow on yellow font. Are you trying to drive me mad??

Mom told me about the house. Woo Hoo! Give Skipper a hug for me and telling him to get better soon!

An Apron Straitjacket said...

yellow on yellow font? hmmmm, what kind of drugs do they have you on anyway, lol. I have light green font on dark green background or maybe my monitor is WAYYYY off and I'm unknowingly blinding people all across the world. Sounds like some evil world domination scheme eh?

Eat4Fun said...

Congratulations on completing the challenge! Everything looks good and you have a very informative, humorous writing style. Also, thanks for the mention on your blog :-)

An Apron Straitjacket said...

Any time John, whoot you rock!

Joni, I finally got the yellow on yellow violence. Actually "Skipper" had to point out that you were talking about my header. I'll set the minions to work on correcting this immediately, err ummm eventually is more like it. :)

Jacque said...

That's the spirit. Glad you got it done... they do look yummy!

Lisa said...

You are hysterical! 1) I love the Hilary Skank err, Swank in the above entry referring to Chad Lowe, and 2) The dough smiley face floored me! There's more, but I'm NOW on this teeny laptop at a rehab facility awaiting surgery, and it's tough to type on, much less see what I'm typing! However, seeing the walker was like seeing an old friend, as they deck the halls here like mice lining up for a cheese tasting.

OK OK..too long, so I'll end this by saying your crackers and dip look mahhhvelous and mouth watering! :)

Lucy..♥ said...

What a fun blog you have ;-) and your crackers look yummy. I had never made them before myself and found that they were a fun challenge. Thank you for coming by, you'll be seeing more of me ;-)

Anonymous said...

I certainly hope you have caught your breath by now...oxygen deprivation isn't a good thing. Thank you for stopping by.
Lavash looks great but let's face it...crackerz is crackerz!! I would however be remiss in not wishing you a belated Happy B-day. I hope sponge Bob square wig hasn't driven away in your nifty new Miata though!!