gluten free crackers | Life on a Colorado Farm

Another storm has rolled in complete with W.I.N.D.

This mass of ‘stuff’ is covering the whole sky, now, as I write. Along with the storm comes moisture so OF COURSE the corn is now too wet to harvest. Everyone, including us, has had to pull off the corn harvest. Trucks, combines and grain bins are sitting and waiting.

Corn is back up over 15%

Aren’t you glad you are not a farmer? Or maybe aren’t you glad you are not trying to harvest corn?

What a struggle this year has been.

We also got our water (irrigation) bill for the year. The cost is stunning! Amazingly stunning. And discouraging to say the least.

So moving on….there is nothing we can do about either problem…Finally here is my gluten-free cracker recipe:

Premium Saltine Crackers

1 c white rice flour

1/2 c brown rice flour

1/2 c cornstarch

1 1/ teapoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

3/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablesppons cold butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 c cold water

Kosher salt, for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 425*. In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add cold butter. Blend, using medium speed on handheld and stand mixers, until butter is cut ino the dough and no large pieces of butter remain. When corectly mixed, dry ingredients should resemble lumpy sand; some pea-size pieces of butter will remian. Add water and blend until a dough forms.

2. Place a 12 x 16 inch piece of parchemnt paper on a work surface. Place dough on parchement paper and cover with another 12×16-ince piece of parchment. Roll dough incredibly thin (the above photo shows a too thick roll…so don’t roll it this thick). When you think the dough is thin enough, roll it a little more. The dough will cover about two-thirds of the parchment paper. Remove top parchment paper. Prick the dough all over with a fork. Using a pizza wheel, cut the dough into cracker-size pieces, or a size you like. Generously sprinkle kosher slat all over the top of the dough.

3. Carefully transfer parchment paper with dough to a baking sheet. Bake for 20- 25 miuntes or until the crackers are golden brow.

4. Remove pan from the oven. Allow crackers to cool on wire rack completely.

Makes about 2 dozen crackers.

(adapted from Easy Gluten-Free Baking by Elizabeth Barbone)

Have a nice weekend everyone,

Linda

Two years ago we found out why Terry really has never felt good and why he was so sick. Had been sick for years, why he even remembers really not feeling good as a little kid. Anyway, it turned out that he has Celiac Disease.

Since Celiac Disease is never really cured, but controled through diet, I had to learn how to cook all over again.

Boy, did I make some pretty nasty tasting food during my learning process, but finally today I can say I can now make some good tasting stuff.

Then on Saturday I finally figured out how to make a really good cracker! Crackers have been so hard to give up, and the ones in the stores are so tasteless and expensive I gave up on ever having crackers again.

So if you like Goldfish here is a really good recipe for you! I adjusted the flour so if you can eat gluten you can still make these delightful little crackers.

Homemade Goldfish like Crackers

1 1/3 c unbleached all-purpose flour (for the gluten free person–1 1/3 c all-purpose gluten free flour (I used King Arthur) and 1 tsp xanthum gum)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

If you are using gluten free all-purpose flour sift all the above together three times. This gets air into the mix. If you are using regular flour you only need to sift once.

In a food processor pulse the flour together with 6 Tablespoons of unsalted butter, diced, until combined. Add 1 8-ounce shredded triple cheddar cheese package or cheddar of your choice until finely chopped. Process in 2 egg yolks and 2 Tablespoons water until the mixture forms a ball.

Remove the dough and knead in your hands for a few turns. Divide in half and roll one part between two pieces of wax paper until 3/8″ thick. Peel off the wax paper and stamp the dough with your choice of cookie cutters. I used tiny little leaf cutters as I was thinking fall. 🙂

Place the crackers on greased cookie sheets.

Freeze the crackers on the cookie sheets for 15 minutes. (This is the secret). Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Move the cookie sheets to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Cool the crackers on racks. Store in an airtight container.

The cracker puffs up into cute little shapes.

I hope you enjoy these delightful little cheesy crackers as much as my family does.

Since three of our children and three of our grandchildren all have some form of gluten intolerance they are all really excited that Mom/Grammy has figured out crackers!

Linda