Rosemary Cheddar Crackers

Oh yes you read that correctly, made from scratch crackers!
WAY better then any store bought crackers, I swear!
A tad bit time consuming,  but SO worth it.
This was the first time I made this version of a homemade cracker I do have another version I have been making for years, passed down through my family here is the recipe for that Cheese Cracker.

Just in time for the holidays too!
I think that these are a great make ahead treat for your company or if your invited to someones home for the holiday and want to bring a hostess gift or something to share, wrap them up in a cute way, they are sure to enjoy them.

What you will need:
8 oz Sharp Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/3 Cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Teaspoon salt
6 Tablespoons softened butter, preferable no salt added
3 Tablespoons fresh Rosemary, chopped
1 1/4 cup Flour
6 Tablespoons ice cold water

How to make them:
Your going to start by blending together the first 5 ingredients, blend well it will be very crumbly.
Next slowly incorporate your flour.
Dripple in your ice cold water and mix well
Form into 2 balls, wrap into plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour

While that is in the fridge preheat your oven to 375 degrees
Flour your work surface
Roll out your cheese balls until approximately 1/8 inch thin

With a sharp knife cut 1 inch square crackers

Place on a baking sheet using a spatula
Poke a hole in the middle of each cracker, helps the cracker not to rise

I used 2 baking sheets for the 2 balls of crackers
Bake for 12 minutes
Remove when done and place on a cooling rack

Keep these in a glass container for up to 3 weeks, they will soften in time

You can also freeze the balls of cheese mixture until your ready to use.



Enjoy!

Bacon Wrapped Bread Sticks

Oh these are so awesome! Super simple and great for any occasion.
Best of all everyone will love them!

I brought these over to my sisters Halloween party a couple of days ago

What you will need is:
1 box puff pastry, this you will find in the freezer section
1 package of thin bacon (or regular not thick)
1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
5 Tablespoons melted butter
3 Tablespoons chopped rosemary
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 Egg white
Flour for your work surface

How to make them:
Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees
Follow the defrosting instructions on your puff pastry
Once they are defrosted unfold the pastry on to a floured work surface
Brush with egg white
Sprinkle with the cajun seasoning and then the cheese
Using a rolling pin press cheese into the pastry
I found that using a pizza cutter was a smooth way to cut even lengths of dough for your breadsticks
Now cut your dough into about 1 inch widths

(I forgot the cheese on this one! oppsie!)

Time for the bacon!
Cut your bacon in half lengthwise and trim off the fat best you can, ya now there is barely any bacon right!?  sucks....

Now is the tricky part!
Twist together a strip of bread dough with a slice of uncooked bacon, its not going to be perfect, you may have to wrap the bread in half or vis versa! But hey it gives it character

You will want to have ready before you do that a tinfoil lined baking sheet, on top of that a baking grate.
Lay your bacon/bread sticks on top of that
Once your finished up with that melt your butter, mix with brown sugar and rosemary
Brush this mixture on to your sticks

Bake for 1 hour at 375

Let them cool a bit
Now devour!

Enjoy!