Cooking with August Rose! :)

As some of you know, I LOVE to cook! I just realized it may be a good idea to post some of my cooking trials and errors here! Why not? This is my blog. It is mainly about my accessory line, but its also a look into other passions and hobbies of mine! I will also be doing some reviews on recipes I try at the end.

DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT a chef or professional cook. I am just a person who likes to cook and share my cooking experiences!

So anyway, today I got a few recipes from a couple websites and decided to try them out. I first made Safiha صفيحة (Lentil Pizza) I found this recipe on the Arabic Bites website. I wanted to try it because I had all the ingredients and also because the lentil recipe was so similar to another dish I have made called Muhadarra مجدرة . So here it goes:

First you will need to make your dough.

2 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 1/3 cup warm watter
1 1/2 cup white flour (all purpose)
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup olive oil (I used extra virgin)
  You will mix all the dry ingredients first, then add the wet. Once you have it all mixed you must knead the dough for about 5 minutes (Click here to learn how to knead) Then after that you will take a large bowl, grease it (I greased it with a little more olive oil), place your dough in it, cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for 1 hour.

While the dough is rising you can start on the lentils!

1 tsp olive oil (again I used extra virgin)
3/4 cup brown lentils
2 small onions (I used a little more then half yellow)
2 cloves garlic (I used 3)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp Arabic spices (I used Sadaf 7 spices which is a mix of allspice, blk pepper, coriander, cloves, cumin, nutmeg, and other spices)
2 tsp salt
1 zucchini chopped small
2 tbls tomato paste
2 large tomatoes

  So you will begin to saute the onion, garlic, lentils, in about a teaspoon of olive oil. Then add the zucchini, and tomatoes. I added about 3 cups water then the paste & seasonings. I let it simmer for about 45 minutes to let the lentils soften.

Once that is all done, preheat your oven to 400 degrees and grease a flat baking sheet.
Now get the dough, take out a small chunk (bout the size of a golf ball) and roll it out, flat. Place about 2-3 tablespoons of the lentil mixture on top and bake for about 15 minutes or until the dough turnes golden brown. Viola! Let them cool for a few minutes and start eating! :)
 

Next up I will be making a roasted chicken dish! Stay posted!

REVIEW: Everything was pretty good. If you like lentils, you will like this! The dough wasn't anything spectacular, but I did like the texture. Although the spices were bold, the whole flavor was pretty mellow. Don't let the name fool you, it is nothing like italian pizza! I would say give it a try, its pretty healthy, cheap to make, and all in all, satisfying! Enjoy!


xoxo Wendy

While your enjoying your Safiha, shop August Rose!‎

Registering and Buying on Etsy! Let the Confusion END!

So, a lot of people ask, How do I register on Etsy? How to I purchase something on Etsy? Or Do I need a paypal? The answer is simple and I wanted to write this blog to anyone who is a little confused on how to buy from me, or anyone else on Etsy.
The First thing you must do is Create an account. It is FREE!

Registering for an account:
So, go to the Etsy home page and click on Register (the upper left corner)
  Fill in all your information (name, e-mail, username, etc)
  **FYI- your username CAN NOT be changed after creating your account
  Then press SUBMIT & check the e-mail you signed up with (check spam & junk folder too)

The e-mail should contain a confirmation link. You can click it or copy & paste the URL into your browser. After you confirm your account you will receive an e-mail from Etsy letting you now your account is ready for action!

You can now Sign In (upper left corner on Etsy)

BUYING STUFF:
Now, on to the good stuff!

You can browse a numerous amount of items, handmade, vintage, or even some supplies. Although, I LOVE to browse the Jewelry, August Rose, cough cough :)
Once you find an item you like, click on the thumbnail (if you haven't already) and read the description, price, shipping cost, and you may be able to see more pictures.
Once you've decided that you MUST have the item for you or someone else, click on the green ADD TO CART button on the upper right side. You can continue to browse more items or just go to your cart if you want to buy that one item by clicking the CART button on the upper right side.

Once you are in your cart, items you purchased are grouped by the shop you are buying from.
Before you buy, this is your chance to change a few details on the item, such as a
Note: You can mention it is for a birthday, maybe the seller (like me) will add a little card with your item from you. You can mention size, is resizing an option?, let them know! You can also mention you would like your item shipped a certain day. Most notes are meant to personalize your item and make sure the item is delivered the way you request (granted that the seller offered)
Ship to: Is this a gift? You can send this to another address for someone else or just enter your own address if it is a treat for yourself or you are personally handing it to someone.
How you will pay: Depending on each shop, you can pay with paypal, money order, e-check and a few other options. If you would like to pay with debit/credit card, click the pay with paypal button and you will be directed to pay with your card, not paypal. (More info on this below)
Coupon code: You can enter a coupon code, such as : AR10NEW2011 (my 10% off coupon code for any NEW customer in the year 2011 on their purchase)
Move to Favorites: This option lets you put an item to the side so you can buy at a later date.
Contact Shop: This option will let you send a personal message to the shop owner about any questions you may have about the item. This will open a new "convo" to the shop keeper.
Remove: You can always remove an item from your cart if you have had a change of heart :(

Once all that is filled out and to your liking whats next will determine your payment method.
Paying with debit/credit card: To proceed, click the Check out with PayPal button. You will be taken to a page on PayPal. Look for a link on the bottom that says Don't have a paypal account? Then Click it. You will then need to enter your contact and credit/debit card information. You will be asked if you would like to set up a paypal account, but you could decline. You will be then directed back to your etsy page to finalize your purchase.
Paying with paypal: You will be prompted to log in to your paypal account. Verify your information is correct, click continue and you will be redirected to Etsy to complete your transaction.
Paying with check, money order, or another option: You will be prompted to enter your shipping address. Enter a new one or use a previously used one.
Payment using bank transfer: You will provided with the sellers bank information. It will be listed in the transaction email notification and in your receipt in Your Account > Purchases. You will need to check with your bank for more info on how to send the transfer directly from your bank account to the seller's bank account. The seller will not see your bank account information. The funds should be withdrawn from your account immediately, but it may take 2-3 days for the seller to receive the payment. The seller may not ship your order until the payment is received in their account.

After they payment method is figured out, review the details of the order to complete the process, click the green Submit Order button. You will see a confirmation that your order is complete, PHEW!

Congratulations! You've just made a purchase on Etsy. Etsy will send an email to you and the shop.

You can view your order information at any time when you're signed in to your Etsy account by going to Your Account > Purchases.

xoxo Wendy

Shop August Rose NOW

Youtube Promotional Video

Happy Monday Everyone!

So today I decided to make a promotional video on YouTube. Why not make another way for AUGUST ROSE to be seen?? I didn't realize how much time and energy can go into making a 2 minute video. It might have something to do with my slow computer and lack of IMOVIE skills, but I managed it and so far, I am happy with the outcome.

In the video there are pictures of some items available and also a few websites to view everything else. There is also the Adele version of Love Song, originally by The Cure playing throughout. I love that song. I think it is beautifully sung by Adele, that woman can sing anything! I think I will be making some more promotional videos every now & then just to give an update on my shop. They are fun to make and I hope they are just as much fun to watch!

So here it is. Please take a look and enjoy!

xoxo Wendy