Tag Archives: Raleigh

March 9, 2013 · 10:17 AM

Cumin flatbread

The mornings are still chilly and I don’t want to go straight in to the garden yet! I need something warm in my tummy first.

A quick morning Moroccan bread is just what’s in order!

Cumin Flatbread

1 1/3 cups warm water (105F to 115F)
1 (1/4 ounce) envelope dry yeast
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced lemon peel (yellow part only)
2 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon cumin seed
1 tablespoon sesame seed

1. Place warm water in bowl of heavy-duty mixer. Sprinkle yeast over and stir to
combine.

Let stand 10 minutes. This is proofing the yeast. If it doesn’t smell yeasty and become cloudy and foamy your yeast may be old and dead.

Add oil, lemon peel, salt and ground cumin.

Using dough hook attachment, gradually beat in flour. Continue beating 5 minutes.

Turn out dough onto lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth dough forms,
about 2 minutes (dough will be very soft).

2. Lightly oil a large bowl. Add dough; turn to coat. Cover with a dish towel or plastic and let rise
in a warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 400°F Line 12×18-inch baking sheet with heavy-duty foil. Brush foil with oil. Place dough in pan. Using fingertips, press out dough, covering pan completely (dough will be very thin). Sprinkle with cumin seeds and sesame seeds. Bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Loosen bread from foil. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Gus says; “Do I smell food?”

Adapted from Bon Appetit “Taste of the World”, Conde Nast Publications, 2008

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Filed under cooking, Food

Tagged as Cooking, Cumin, flatbread, Raleigh

February 17, 2013 · 8:59 AM

A little snow in the garden.

We had a light snow yesterday that became sleet later in the day then back to light snow all night. Its beautiful on the garden since it wasn’t heavy enough to caused damage to the trees or shrubs.

Snow on the Dwarf Palmettos and Holly Fern.

Snow on the Buddha.

Front yard along the drive.

The Basjoo Bananas.

The cars.

Dinner last night was tomato soup with roasted potatoes!

I will add the recipe later today.

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Filed under Food, Weather

Tagged as Raleigh, snow, tomato soup

December 6, 2012 · 11:00 AM

Birds…and other wildlife.

In my neighborhood in Raleigh there are many pockets of woods and wild areas. I have seen everything from hawks, coyotes, and some kind of large rodent. It was either a beaver or a nutria. I am not sure but it was big!

I have several feeders around the patio to feed the many birds in the neighborhood. There is even a small swamp area about a mile away on the Walnut Creek flood plain. The creek runs just South of my neighborhood. It begins at Lake Johnson, runs through NCSU’s Cenntinial Campus where it is dammed to create Lake Raleigh, than it continues to run East just inside the beltline along I40 until it runs through Walnut Creek Park and then it empties into the Neuse River after it goes under Barwell Road. Part of the Raleigh Greenway takes the same course.

The Raleigh Walnut Creek Wetlands Center is located on State Street. 59 acres of wetlands and an education center. http://www.raleighnc.gov/arts/content/PRecRecreation/Articles/WalnutCreekWetlandCenter.html

I have seen many species of birds from geese flying over the neighborhood to hawks hunting the very plentiful squirrels. Even a few of the very large and rare Pileated Wood Peckers.

The squirrels are the most problematic. They will chew anything they can! They have chewed holes in nesting boxes. Holes in lids to the garbage cans. Destroyed any plastic feeder but I have found these wire feeders that have survived their assault. I keep then filled sunflower seeds.