HANIELA’S CHEESE CRACKERS

Posted in Appetizers by sallybr

I am a bit late to share this recipe, as I’ve made these delicious crackers back in December. They are super easy and the baker’s ammonia gives them a very unique and pleasant texture. If you have a bottle of this special leavening agent hanging around (maybe because you love baking Springerle), give this recipe a try… If you don’t have bakers’ ammonia, just use regular baking powder.

CHEESE CRACKERS
(from Haniela’s blog)

1 cup all-purpose flour (143grams)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated
1/2 tsp baking ammonia (or baking powder)
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp dry rosemary
4 tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces
3-4 tbsp cold water
1 tbsp kosher salt for topping or sea salt

Heat oven to 400F.

Combine flour, salt, ground black pepper, rosemary, grated parmesan cheese and baking ammonia in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until combined, Add cubes of cold butter and pulse until coarse mixture forms.

Gradually, while pulsing, pour cold water until the dough starts to form a bowl as you process it. Scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface, gather it with your hands, and flatten it into a disk. Roll out the dough 1/8 thick between 2 parchment sheets or silicone baking mats. Lightly dust the surface with flour.

Slice the rolled-out dough into about 1-inch wide strips and then cut 1-inch strips perpendicular to the first set of stripes. Slide the baking sheet or silicone mat onto the baking sheet or rimless cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt or kosher salt. If desired, use chopsticks to make two small holes in the center, or make the wholes with a small icing tip.

Bake crackers in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until the edges are golden.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: These crackers are similar in the overall method to the ones from Caro, that I blogged about last year (for my post click here, for Caro’s post click here). The main difference is indeed the baker’s ammonia, so make them both and see what you think. Personally, I think one cannot have too many cheese cracker recipes! Salty, flavorful, delicious!

ONE YEAR AGO: Shrimp Tacos with Jicama-Mango Salsa

TWO YEARS AGO: Mini-Egg Brownies

THREE YEARS AGO: The Luck of the Irish

FOUR YEARS AGO: When life gives you Eye-of-the-Round

FIVE YEARS AGO: Carrot Cake Macarons

SIX YEARS AGO: Soup Saturday: Say Goodbye to Winter

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Manchego and Poblano Soup

EIGHT YEARS AGO: A Smashing Pair

NINE YEARS AGO: Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

TEN YEARS AGO: Crispy Chickpea and Caper Spaghetti

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Spring has Sprung!

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Chickpea and Fire Roasted Tomato Soup

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Double Asparagus Delight

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Sun-dried Tomato and Feta Cheese Torte

15Feb2017

INCREDIBLY SIMPLE TIMES FOUR

Posted in Appetizers, Breakfast & Brunch, Desserts, Desserts, Sweets, Incredibly simple, Side dishes, Small Dishes by sallybr

Here I am to share with you not one, not two, but four recipes that are so simple you could make them in your sleep. Each delivers a lot more than you’d expect in flavor and you will find yourself making them again and again. Not necessarily in your sleep.

From top to bottom, left to right, here they are:

CHEESE JALAPENO CRACKERS. Credit should go to Angela, from Divalicious Recipes. Recently she composed a post with 50 ideas for low-carb appetizers very well-timed for a Super Bowl party. These crackers are pure cheese, with a kick of Jalapeno. I made only eight for the two of us. There was a bit of an argument over the last one, we could not quite agree on who had the right to grab it. I won. Determination is everything.

My version, 50:50 Monterey-Cheddar & Parmigiano.
Baked at 350F for about 10 minutes.
Watched them like a hawk.

MARINATED CUCUMBER SALAD. I saw this recipe at FoodTV the other day, a show I don’t normally watch called Valerie’s Home Cooking. I admit to having a bit of a problem with Hollywood folks turned into FoodTV chefs. Maybe I should open my mind a little? Nah, I like my mind the way it is… Anyway, her recipe sounded great but I adapted on my second time around because she used too heavy a hand on the sesame oil. It pretty much overpowered the delicate cucumber.

In a small bowl mix and whisk well:

1/2 cup rice vinegar (unseasoned)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil.

Slice one cucumber as thin as you can make it, a mandoline could be helpful. I used a Persian cucumber, so I did not remove the seeds, but if you only find regular ones, removing the seeds is a nice touch. Delicately mix the cucumber slices with the dressing, refrigerate for half an hour if you have the time, but it’s good right away too.
So refreshing!

FRIED EGG OVER LABNEH WITH ZA’TAR. This is unbelievably good! I confess I’m addicted and have it several times each week for my lunch. I know you will find the combination a bit odd, but trust me, it is to die for. Just smear some labneh or thick Greek yogurt on a plate. Squirt a bit of lemon juice and a little salt (no need for salt if using labneh). Sprinkle za’tar all over, use a heavy hand if you are a za’tar lover. Fry an egg whichever way you prefer, for this concoction I like a little bit of a crisp edge. Rest the egg on top of the cold labneh or yogurt mixture. Swoon!

I use different spices sometimes. Sumac goes well, Ras El Hanout is superb, but za’tar is hard to beat. There’s something about the mixture of the runny egg yolk with the cold seasoned yogurt, I never tire of it. I first saw this combination at Maureen’s beautiful blog, she also included in her cookbook Rose Water and Orange Blossoms, which I own.

BLUEBERRY CHIA PUDDING. I am usually pretty slow to jump on fashionable ingredients, and most of my adventures with chia seeds have been unremarkable. Not this one. It turned out so good I would serve it for company without thinking twice. It is creamy, sweet and tangy at the same time, the coconut flavor so subtle it would not offend those who are not too fond of it. All you need to do is remember to soak the chia seeds the day before, or at least a couple of hours in advance. A minute in the blender, and there you have, Nirvana in a bowl. You can find the recipe here, but I highly recommend you get the book My New Roots, where you’ll find this one and a multitude of other interesting recipes.

for the recipe, visit Les Petites Pestes

Sometimes simple is all we need…

ONE YEAR AGO: Raspberry Chocolate Truffles

TWO YEARS AGO: Red Velvet Cupcakes

THREE YEARS AGO: Valentine’s Day: The Finale

FOUR YEARS AGO: Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

FIVE YEARS AGO: Dan Dan Noodles

SIX YEARS AGO: Sophie Grigson’s Parmesan Cake

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Antibiotics and Food

2Nov2015

CHEDDAR CHEESE CRACKERS

Posted in Appetizers by sallybr

Today I finally share a recipe made for a very special reception hosted at our home a few months ago. These are simple to make in the food processor and have great texture. You know when you bite into a cracker and it feels kind of hard, but in 2.5 seconds it dissolves in your mouth releasing all sorts of enticing flavors? These are exactly it. The recipe I used was inspired by two sources, Fine Cooking and America’s Test Kitchen, you can certainly adapt it to your own taste. They are a bit spicy, so if you prefer to take the crackers into a different path, omit the cayenne, go for cumin or even some curry, that could be wonderful too. Most important thing is to use good quality Cheddar and Parmigiano cheeses because their flavors will be quite prominent in the crackers. I guarantee you will have no leftovers at the end of your party…

CHEDDAR CHEESE CRACKERS
(inspired by ATK & Fine Cooking magazine)

1 cup extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 + 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
8 tablespoons butter, cut in pieces and kept cold
3 tablespoons water

Process cheddar, flour, cornstarch, salt, cayenne, and paprika in food processor until combined, about 30 seconds. Add butter and process until mixture resembles wet sand, about 20 seconds. Add water and process until dough ball forms, about 10 seconds. Transfer dough to counter and divide in half. Roll each half into 10-inch log, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap logs and slice into ¼-inch-thick coins. Place coins on prepared sheets, ½ inch apart. Bake until light golden around edges, 22 to 28 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let coins cool completely on sheets before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: It is easy to open several boxes of crackers to serve alongside cheeses and spreads. But nothing takes a cocktail party to another level like homemade crackers. And homemade bread, of course. These keep very well at room temperature inside a can, so you could prepare them in advance and impress that special group of friends stress-free. Wait for the question “What brand of crackers are these? They are so good!”. To that you follow with a short pause… and say as nonchalantly as possible… “These? Oh, these I made myself…” A little bit of Hollywood never hurt a cocktail party, trust me on that…
.

I shared these photos before, but I must say it gives me some pleasure to look at them again, thinking about the marathon of preparation I went through before the party…