RECIPE: HOMEMADE CHEESE SNACK CRACKERS

I love CheeseIts and other snack crackers, but don’t like all the stuff found in them. I decided to create my own version, a hybrid of cheese straws and cheese crackers. After quite a few trial-and-error efforts, this is now my favorite snack recipe for movie night, gameday, and they are so nice for a grazing board, too. The recipe doubles and triples if you need an exceptionally large quantity. Just make certain to roll them out thin enough so they can get nice and golden brown so they will be crunchy.

HOMEMADE CHEESE CRACKERS

Makes 100-150 depending on size and thickness.

Note: Block cheese you grate yourself works infinitely better than not pre-shredded cheese. The better the cheese, the better the cracker.

Edges and bottom should be lightly browned.

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces extra sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt, plus more for topping

¼ cup unsalted butter, cubed

Pinch cayenne

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

2 tablespoons ice water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Add the grated cheese, flour and salt to a food processor and pulse several times to combine. Add the butter, a few pieces at a time and pulse a few times after each addition. After the butter has been incorporated, pulse a few more times until the dough is crumbly.

Add the water then pulse several more times.

The dough won't come together in a ball, it will be very crumbly as you can see in the photo above, but it should come together when you press it with your hands. Shape into a disc and wrap it in plastic. Chill for 30 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Roll into a large rectangle, as thin as you can get it; about 1/8 inch thick.

Use a knife, pizza cutter or pastry wheel to slice into 1-inch squares. Use a skewer to poke a hole through the center of each cracker. Place on the baking sheets and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until deep golden brown on the bottom and golden on the sides. If they are too light, they will not be crispy. Let them cool completely before storing them.

RECIPE: PERFECT HARD BOILED EGGS

Hard boiled eggs are tricky and everyone has their own method. I have been using this 5-5-5 method for quite a few years and it is always perfect.

The perfect hard-boiled egg has a tender white and a bright yellow yolk with no hint of green or gray around the yolk. Use a timer to make sure you get the timing exact.

The 5-minute timing is for large eggs. For a small or medium egg, change the time to 4 minutes. For an extra-large egg, change the time to 6 minutes.

METHOD:

Put the eggs in a pot and cover with water.

Bring to a boil over high heat. Set the timer for 5 minutes and reduce the heat to medium high. Stir the eggs occasionally to keep the yolks centered as they boil.

When the timer goes off, turn off the heat. Set the timer for 5 minutes and let the eggs sit for 5 minutes.

When the next timer goes off, rinse the eggs in cold water just until you can touch them. Pop the bottom of each egg and put them back in the cool water.

Peel immediately while the eggs are warm.

Watch the video here!

RECIPE: THANKSGIVING LEFTOVER TURKEY NOODLE SOUP

I like the Thanksgiving leftovers just about as much as I like the dinner… A turkey sandwich made with a layer of cornbread dressing and cranberry sauce is my #1 leftover favorite but next on the list would be homemade turkey noodle soup. The lemon really gives it that rich flavor you sometimes lack in a homemade chicken soup and a little bit of jarred chicken base does make all the difference. This is just as good with leftover or rotisserie chicken. If you plan to freeze the soup for later, freeze it without the noodles and add them upon reheating.

HOMEMADE THANKSGIVING LEFTOVER TURKEY NOODLE SOUP

Makes 6-8 servings, depending on portion size

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large yellow onion, diced

3 large carrots, sliced 1/2 inch thick

5 stalks celery, sliced 1/2 inch thick

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram

2 bay leaves

3 quarts chicken broth, I used homemade but okay use your favorite store brand

1 tablespoon chicken base

3 cups leftover roasted turkey or chicken, chopped into chunks

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

3-4 cups wide noodles, uncooked (I like the No Yolks Extra Wide)

 DIRECTIONS:

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook 3-4 minutes or until slightly softened. Add the salt, pepper, thyme, and marjoram. Stir to mix together. Add the broth and the chicken base plus the bay leaves. Stir to combine and turn up the heat to high. Bring to a simmer and skim off any foam that develops. Add the noodles. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the noodles are cooked. Add the roast turkey or chicken and heat through. Add the lemon juice. Check the seasoning before serving.