Making Homemade Crackers

I have an attitude about gardening and it's summed up in, Why garden if you can't eat what you grow?
How that plays out for me, is expecting plants to justify their space in my garden. To be green and put up a flower now and then, may or may not pay the rent on that space. With an iris, the enchanting fragrance evens the debt for space. A Japanese yew, however, does nothing be exist in its green-ness and it's only in the deadest of winter when I crave something, anything green, that it barely squeaks by.

But caraway, dill, poppies and cumin, those pay the rent on their space twice. Once with flowers or herb leaves, and second by their seed. It's the seed, this time of year that I appreciate most, in making homemade seed crackers. And the hot peppers I've been drying, also earn their keep in my Cheddar Jalapeno crackers (any hottish pepper will work for this). Here are the steps for the Cheddar Jalapeno crackers, from my book, Making Homemade Crackers Using Herbs ($5.95 plus postage, from LongCreekHerbs.com).

Ingredients:
1/2 cup, or about 3 ounces cheddar cheese cubes
1/2 large, fresh jalapeno, seeded (or use 1 Tbsp. crushed cayenne or similar)
1/3 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
4 (about) Tbsp. cold water

Step 1, put everything into the food processor and pulse blend

Step 2, roll out the dough, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Step 3, roll out the dough very thin on floured surface.

Step 4, use a knife or pizza cutter and cut the dough into cracker sizes.

Step 5, prick the crackers with a fork. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet until crisp, 10-12 minutes.

Step 6, cool crackers on baking rack. When cooled, store in air-tight bag (they also freeze well).

Jalapeno Cheese Crackers, ready to eat. They won't last long, these are good!

Jalapeno Cheese Crackers and Herb Seed Crackers.

 Want my books for stocking stuffers or gifts? Homemade Crackers goes well with some of my other books, Easy Dips Using Herbs and The Best Dressed Salad. You can find them here at LongCreekHerbs.com.

Happy gardening (and cracker making).