Week 3: Cracker attack!

I love crackers.  Mmmm... cheese and crackers, radish dip and crackers, peanut butter cracker sandwiches.  Anybody got a cheese ball?  Over the past year or so, I've been able to rid my house of most boxed food ( ie. processed food), crackers and cereal are the exception.  So, this week we are tackling the cracker.  I will be making my own versions of animal crackers, graham crackers, cheese crackers and ritz-type crackers.  First up-animal crackers.

I started with a recipe from Taste of Home for Oatmeal Animal Crackers.  It seemed like it would taste good, but there were a few things that I didn't like about it.  The recipe called for too much sugar, used shortening and called for white flour.  I halved the recipe, because if it ended up a flop, I didn't want to have 5 dozen gross animal crackers.  Here are the changes I made.

1/2 c. sugar

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 cup butter, cold and cut in cubes
1/4 cup hot water
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour

In a food processor, add the first 4 ingredients and pulse to combine.  This will also break down the oats into more of a flour consistency.  Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles course cornmeal.  Add the hot water and vanilla and combine.  Slowly add the flour and continue to pulse until the mixture forms a stiff dough.  Let rest 10 minutes.  Divide into 2 batches and roll the first half to 1/8" thickness.  Cut with cookie cutters or use a pizza cutter.  Bake at 350* for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.  Repeat with second half of dough. 

Keep in mind this was only half a batch and I ended up with about 4 dozen 2 inch heart cookies, so if you double the recipe for a whole batch, you had better like these crackers!  :)

I was worried that I'd rolled them too thick and that they would be too "cakey" and not "cracker-y," but they all seem to have a decent crunch and this afternoon, there's only a dozen left, so they are kid approved!

Updates:
Soda-had a sip or two at a ball game b/c I was too lazy to hoof it to the water fountain.  It was gross and when I got back to the car, I drained my cup of ice water.  And, when I walked down the snack aisle to pick up some pretzels, I wasn't even tempted to put anything in my cart.  Definite progress has been made!

Salad Dressings
I found a very promising recipe for a Caesar dressing as well as a ranch.  I'm waiting for a bottle to be empty to make more.  That will probably happen this week sometime.  I'll post results! :)