Homemade Cheese Crackers

Let me say a few things first.  These are AWESOME.  SO SO SO GOOD.  But, if you make these you might go insane.  This was the most frustrating thing I have ever made.   Seriously.  My thumb might never be the same.  You put the dough in the freezer and then roll it out.  Rolling frozen dough is HARD.  The rolling pin slips off the ball of awesomeness and SMACKS repeatedly into your thumb. 

If you have kids either 
a) make these when they are NOT around or b) plan to expand their vocabulary.

This recipe makes a bowl full.  Like the kind of bowl you get when you buy dishes.  A soup bowl.    So it is A LOT of work, for a small amount, yet SOOOO worth it in the end.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons COLD butter cut into chunks
• 8 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Chili powder
• Kosher Salt for sprinkling
• cold water

Directions: 

1. Put all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until crumbly.
2. Add cold water one tablespoon at a time until it forms a dough.  Pulsing after each addition.  I used 4 tablespoons.
3. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in freezer for at least 30 minutes.
4. Remove from freezer and let it sit for a few minutes.  This is the hardest part.  Mentally prepare yourself for what you will do next.
5. Place the ball in between new plastic wrap or wax paper and roll it out.  THIS IS HARD.  My rolling pin repeatedly slipped onto my thumb.  Not an enjoyable feeling.  You want to roll it out until it is a 1/8 inch thick.  Once it starts warming up it is easier. I rolled, smacked, beat, and cursed at the dough.
6. Place on a cookie sheet and cut with a pizza cutter/sharp knife into one inch squares.
7. Sprinkle with Kosher Salt.
8. Bake in a preheated 350F  oven for 25+ minutes.  The original recipe I found said 25 minutes.  I changed the recipe and I had to bake mine for about 29 minutes.  You want to check for crispness.  They will crisp up a bit after you take them out.  Just make sure they aren't soggy.
9. Remove from oven, cool and HIDE THESE.  They are so good!!

ENJOY!!!

Fruit Oatmeal Bars

I just had to put the most important thing first.  The picture.  These are phenomenal.  

I had frozen strawberries and blueberries from earlier this year so I threw those in.  I am planning on making more this week.  I think this time around blackberries are in order.  I'll let you know how those turn out!  I am SO glad I found this recipe.  

I made these in two separate pans.  I had an 8x11 and a 9x5.  I had enough base, but not enough filling.  So I increased the filling. But honestly...can you ever have too much berry goodness?

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rolled oats, divided*
• 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (or run regular whole wheat flour through a sifter a couple of times)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 4 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp. canola oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract

*3/4 cups oats for the base of the bars and 1/4 cup oats for the topping

Fruit Filling Ingredients:

• 6 1/2 cups  blueberries, raspberries, cherries, blackberries, strawberries, fresh or frozen, divided*
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup and  2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup orange segments
• 1 1/2 tsp. grated orange zest
• 1 tsp. vanilla

 *VERY versatile recipe.  Just choose what you want to use.  I did mine half blueberry and half strawberry

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F).
2. Put the oats in a blender or food processor and run until finely ground. Transfer to a bowl and stir in both flours, sugar and salt.
3. Add chunks of butter and use a pastry blender or you fingers to incorporate it into the flour mixture until crumbly.
4. Whisk egg, oil, vanilla and almond extract in a small bowl. Pour into flour mixture and stir until it everything is combined. It will be crumbly.
5. Transfer 1/2 cup of the mixture to a small bowl and stir in the remaining 1/4 cup rolled oats (or nuts or a combination of the two). Set aside for the topping.
6. Line a 9×13″ or two 9×5″ pans with foil or parchment paper. Spray the lined pan with cooking spray. Spread the dough evenly in the pan and press firmly into the bottom to form a crust. Set aside.
7. Combine 4 1/2 cups berries, orange juice, sugar and cornstarch in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is very thick, 4 to 5 minutes. This could take up to 10 minutes if you started with frozen fruit.
   
8. Stir in the remaining 2 cups of berries, oranges, orange zest and vanilla.
9. Spread the fruit filling over the crust. Sprinkle the reserved topping over the filling.
10. Bake the bars for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake until the crust and topping are lightly brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
11. Let cool completely before cutting into bars, at least 1 1/2 hours.

12.  After cooling I removed the bars by lifting them out of the pan by the tinfoil.

       Then I placed them on a cutting board and cut these with a spatula. 

13.  Once cut I wrapped these individually in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

Back to the Cutting Board

Kale Chips

I had extra kale left over from the salad.  So you know what they say...When life gives you kale you make kale chips!

My snack.  Can you tell I have a house full of kids?

Ingredients:

• Kale
• Olive Oil
• Kosher Salt, to your taste preference

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 300*F
2. Wash kale, dry, derib, and cut into bite size pieces.

       3.Add kale to a bowl
       4.  Pour in the Olive Oil and salt.
       5.  Toss well.
       6.  Put on baking sheet.

     7.  Bake for about 20 minutes, or until crisp.  Make sure you don't burn it!

It shrivels a lot!

   
     8.  Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.

Enjoy your snack!