Life Changes - Snacks

I did not make resolutions exactly, but I definitely feel like it is time for me to put into practice many of the things that have been bopping around my head for the past 3 years. Every time I would get to this mental place in the past we would be moving, I would be pregnant, or some other crazy life change would take priority.

The more I learn about food the more inspired I am to make as much as humanly possible myself, from scratch. In a perfect world it would all be whole grain, organic and non-gmo, but I have to start somewhere so I am starting with snacks! My goal is to shop on the "outskirts" of the grocery store: produce, dairy and meat. Avoiding the middle aisles as much as possible, as this is where the preservatives are prevalent. Many things are very easy and cheaper to do yourself, and I will do my best to share my successes and failures here with you!

That being said I have not tried the following recipe yet! But….I thought this was a good example of the type of food I would love to make vs. buy. I plan to try it, maybe tomorrow….and I will let you know what grade the girls give me!

 

Homemade Cheese Crackers

(Yields about 40 crackers — Adapted from Country Living goldfish crackers recipe)

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons cold
unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 (7-ounce) bag grated extra-sharp 2% reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or paprika)

5 tablespoons cold water

Combine flour, butter, cheese, salt, and cayenne in a medium-sized bowl. Stir until crumbly. Stir in water, a tablespoon at a time, until dough comes together, similar to making a pie crust. (You may not use all the water.)

Wrap dough in plastic wrap, press into a disc, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350º. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (this is important).

Place dough between two pieces of parchment paper. (It's sticky!) Roll to 1/8-inch thickness. Carefully flip dough in parchment over, and gently peel off the top layer. Using a pizza cutter, trim dough into a rectangle, then cut into 2-inch squares. Carefully transfer squares onto baking sheets, using a spatula if needed. (I poked holes in the top of mine, though I'm not sure they made them puff up any less.)

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until crackers are just slightly turning light brown. Taste one for crispness. If they are not to your liking, bake just a few minutes longer–I baked mine for a full 25 minutes.

You can store these in an airtight container for up to 5 days–but I guarantee you they won't last that long. If crackers are soggy after storing, re-crisp in a preheated 400º oven for about 4 minutes.

 
 

Pasted from <http://dishtell.com/2011/07/24/homemade-cheez-it-crackers/>