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ffwd: cheez-it-ish crackers
I’ve never been much of a junk food eater, but I’ve always had a soft spot for Cheez-Its. In addition to pretzels and animal crackers, it’s the only thing I would buy from the office vending machine. I find them addictive in any or all flavors: original, white cheddar, or any of the newer ones. It’s a definite weakness. The Annie’s Cheddar Bunny Classics are a close second.
Based on name alone, I was excited about this week’s recipe for French Fridays with Dorie.. Homemade cheez-it-ish crackers? That knowledge could be truly dangerous.
These crackers are way too easy to make. The recipe called for a nutty Swiss cheese, like Gruyère, Comté or Emmenthaler, which would have made these très French. I had a bar of sharp Cheddar so I used what I had. I used my food processor’s fine grating blade on the cheese, then added the butter and seasonings right into the bowl.
A few pulses combined everything into tiny curds that looked a lot like egg salad.
Doesn’t this look like egg salad?
Finally, flour was added to bind it all together. I never got the expected large curds, but the dough was crumbly and moist which kneaded together easily.
Dorie gave a slice-and-bake option. Honestly, I’d take the slice-and-bake option over the rolling pin every time. I formed the dough into three skinny logs, about ¾-inch in diameter. After the logs chilled for a few hours, all that was left to do was to slice the rolls into little coins and bake them.
For me, a single batch made about 10 dozen crackers. I think my yield was high because my logs were on the skinny size. The end result was perfect bite-sized treats. These are perfect for snacking on, while sipping a glass of wine.
Yes, meeting this recipe could be my downfall. They are easy to make and delicious to eat, far superior to their commercial inspiration. I can’t wait to try them with different cheeses. All I can say is, I’m in trouble.
The recipe for these crackers can be found here, courtesy of the Calgary Herald. You can also find the recipe in Dorie Greenspan’s book Around My French Table.
I’m looking forward to reading about what my fellow FFwD bloggers thought about this week’s recipe. Check out their links at here.
I wish all my Dorista friends and their loved ones Joyeux Noël!!!
ffwd: lyonnaise garlic and herb cheese
This week’s post will be short and sweet. I actually made this back in November when the week’s recipe for French Fridays with Dorie was “Cook’s Choice”, and I picked this one. I went back and read my post from six months ago, but not until after I made this light and tasty cheese spread again. It was almost like déjà vu.
To change it up, I had intended to try making my own ricotta (which is on my “must try” tasks for 2012), but, as usual, I ran out of time. The herbs were straight from my back door herb garden, I boosted the garlic (two big cloves), and I remembered that this needed lots of salt, so started with a full teaspoon instead of a pinch.
The ricotta ended up draining for a full day, much more than overnight. About a half cup of whey landed in the cup, so I can only guess that it is drier than it might have been. Once again, I liked the texture, and this time, the flavors seemed to come through better. I think it was the extra salt.
There’s been lots of rushing around in my life this week, so I haven’t had this for an appetizer yet. It makes a lovely spread on toast for breakfast. I also think a few dollops on top of warm chunky pasta would be great. I have enough to try that later in the weekend, but haven’t yet.
I don’t have much else to say about this. Despite my lack of words, I do give it a “thumbs up” rating.
Enjoy the long holiday weekend – summer’s unofficial kickoff. We have grilling and outdoor activities planned. At the same time, don’t forget to remember those who lost their lives serving our country, which is what Memorial Day is really supposed to be about.
Happy French Friday! Check out other bloggers’ homemade Boursin experiences here. For the recipe, you can find it in Dorie Greenspan’s book Around My French Table.
On the porch in Maine, where I’ll be enjoying the long weekend.
A Plateful of Happiness 