This is an easy and fun cracker to make especially during the holiday season. Pair it with a favorite dip and you have an impressive snack to offer your guests . . . made by you. They are zippy crackers with a lot of taste.
Party Cheese Crackers½ pound sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until it forms a dough. Form the dough on waxed paper int a long roll and then square off the edges so when you cut them, later, you will have either square or oblong crackers, your choice!
Slice the log 1/4 inch thick and arrange the slices one inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake the crackers for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned on the bottom and around the edges. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool before serving.
Ideas . . .
You can brush the top of the unbaked crackers with a bit of egg white and sprinkle with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, coarse salt, etc.
I’ve added a tablespoon or two of Feta cheese to the mix for a tangy cracker.
Showing posts with label Crackers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Crackers. Show all posts
Friday, December 16, 2011
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Homemade Cheese Crackers!
I'm on a quest to make healthier snack crackers for my family. From my Internet surfing, it appears that I am not the only one. Within minutes, I had three likely recipes at hand The one that appealed to me the most, mainly because I like cheese very much, was one from the recipe page on the New York Times. Thought I'd share. I'm planning on trying it today or tomorrow.
Cheddar Cheese Crackers
By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN (Printed in New York Times)
1 cup whole-wheat or whole-wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (more as needed)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 cup tightly packed grated sharp Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
1/4 cup tightly packed grated Parmesan (4 ounces)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 eggs
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Sift together the flours, salt and sugar, and place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the butter, and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Add the cheese, and pulse several times to distribute it evenly throughout the flour mixture. Turn on the food processor, and add the olive oil and eggs. Stop the machine when the dough comes together. It will be soft and somewhat sticky. If it seems very moist, add another tablespoon of flour and pulse until incorporated.
2. Lightly flour your hands and your work surface. Scrape out the dough and form two equal pieces. Shape into rounds, wrap in plastic and let rest for 15 minutes.
3. Roll out each piece of dough between pieces of lightly floured parchment. Cut into squares or rectangles, and place on the parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, switching the pans after the first 10 minutes from front to back and top to bottom. They will foam in the oven because of the cheese, but that will subside and they will bake crisply. The crackers are done when they are lightly browned. Remove from the oven, and cool on racks. Store in an airtight container.
Yield: About five dozen crackers.
Advance preparation: These crackers will keep for about a week in an airtight container.
Nutritional information per cracker: 28 calories; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 9 milligrams cholesterol; 2 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 39 milligrams sodium; 1 gram protein
1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (more as needed)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 cup tightly packed grated sharp Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
1/4 cup tightly packed grated Parmesan (4 ounces)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 eggs
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Sift together the flours, salt and sugar, and place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the butter, and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Add the cheese, and pulse several times to distribute it evenly throughout the flour mixture. Turn on the food processor, and add the olive oil and eggs. Stop the machine when the dough comes together. It will be soft and somewhat sticky. If it seems very moist, add another tablespoon of flour and pulse until incorporated.
2. Lightly flour your hands and your work surface. Scrape out the dough and form two equal pieces. Shape into rounds, wrap in plastic and let rest for 15 minutes.
3. Roll out each piece of dough between pieces of lightly floured parchment. Cut into squares or rectangles, and place on the parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, switching the pans after the first 10 minutes from front to back and top to bottom. They will foam in the oven because of the cheese, but that will subside and they will bake crisply. The crackers are done when they are lightly browned. Remove from the oven, and cool on racks. Store in an airtight container.
Yield: About five dozen crackers.
Advance preparation: These crackers will keep for about a week in an airtight container.
Nutritional information per cracker: 28 calories; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 9 milligrams cholesterol; 2 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 39 milligrams sodium; 1 gram protein
Monday, July 18, 2011
Beating the Budget with your own snacks . . .
My children like those boxed, cheese crackers that are more salt than cheese to me. I've found the best way to 'regulate' their eating habits is to let them have what they want . . . as long as I make them. Besides, most families would feel special if they got a better quality treat that Mom took the time to make for them. And, you control the sodium and the budget at the same time!
Cheese Crackers
4 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into small bits
4 tablespoons grated, sharp Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt (you can reduce this if you wish)
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons ice water
Combine everything except the egg and water in a large mixing bowl. Mix them with a fork or your fingers until the ingredients look lilke coarse meal. Combine the egg yolk and cold water in a small bowl and mix well. Pour over the flour mixture and, using a fork, mix gently until it forms a dough. Form into a ball and refrigerate for an hour.
Preheat the over to 400 degrees.
Roll out the dough on a large, floured surface to about 1/4-inch thick. Now, you can cut the dough into strips for cheese straws or using small cutters to form cracker shapes. Place them on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes but keep a close eye as you want them lightly browned. Transfer to a rack to cool. No, go forth and impress!
Ideas . . .
Brush tops of unbaked crackers with some beaten egg white and sprinkle with either sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or coarse sea salt. Pepper flakes would make them extra spicy and hot.
Cheese Crackers
4 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into small bits
4 tablespoons grated, sharp Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt (you can reduce this if you wish)
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons ice water
Combine everything except the egg and water in a large mixing bowl. Mix them with a fork or your fingers until the ingredients look lilke coarse meal. Combine the egg yolk and cold water in a small bowl and mix well. Pour over the flour mixture and, using a fork, mix gently until it forms a dough. Form into a ball and refrigerate for an hour.
Preheat the over to 400 degrees.
Roll out the dough on a large, floured surface to about 1/4-inch thick. Now, you can cut the dough into strips for cheese straws or using small cutters to form cracker shapes. Place them on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes but keep a close eye as you want them lightly browned. Transfer to a rack to cool. No, go forth and impress!
Ideas . . .
Brush tops of unbaked crackers with some beaten egg white and sprinkle with either sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or coarse sea salt. Pepper flakes would make them extra spicy and hot.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Salt & Pepper Crackers
A little late for Easter celebrations, but this is a fun recipe for making your own crackers. Naturally, they aren't like the boxed variety . . . I think they are better!
Salt and Pepper Crackers
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup margarine
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
Approximately 3 cup all-purpose flour
Warm water
Cream the margarine in a mixing bowl. Add the baking powder, salt and pepper, combining well. Gradually add the flour until the mixture is crumbly. Add enough warm water to form a soft but pliable dough.
Heat over to 400 degrees.
Roll out small portions of dough at a time. Cut into squares with a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheets and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden around the edges. Cool before serving.
Variations: For different tastes and moods, you can use garlic salt or add chili pepper seasonings. For shiny crackers, brush with beaten egg before baking and top with sesame or poppy seeds.
Boxed crackers are expensive, as you probably know! This recipe make the equivalent of approximately two boxes of store cracker for the cost of about a dollar.
A hint: Parchment paper is terrific for recipes asking for ungreased baking sheets. The baking comes out great and cookies, crackers, etc., slide ride off into the cooling rack.
Salt and Pepper Crackers
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup margarine
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
Approximately 3 cup all-purpose flour
Warm water
Cream the margarine in a mixing bowl. Add the baking powder, salt and pepper, combining well. Gradually add the flour until the mixture is crumbly. Add enough warm water to form a soft but pliable dough.
Heat over to 400 degrees.
Roll out small portions of dough at a time. Cut into squares with a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheets and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden around the edges. Cool before serving.
Variations: For different tastes and moods, you can use garlic salt or add chili pepper seasonings. For shiny crackers, brush with beaten egg before baking and top with sesame or poppy seeds.
Boxed crackers are expensive, as you probably know! This recipe make the equivalent of approximately two boxes of store cracker for the cost of about a dollar.
A hint: Parchment paper is terrific for recipes asking for ungreased baking sheets. The baking comes out great and cookies, crackers, etc., slide ride off into the cooling rack.
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