It's a Cracker Challenge - no, that's not racist, really...

It's hot outside and I feel like staying in the air conditioning and baking. So I thought crackers (for the cracker - it's just a north west Florida thing) would be a good idea. I started looking thorough my cracker binder for a few recipes to try (yes, I have a binder dedicated to crackers - get over it). I settled on five. They are: Cheddar-Cayenne Coins - 1st made 13 Dec 2008; Bleu Cheese Shortbread - 1st made 1 August 2003; Rosemary Cheese Bites - 1st made, um today; Parmesan Rosemary and Walnut Shortbread - 1st made 14 May 2006 on Mom's Day*;  Parmesan Rosemary Icebox Crackers  - 1st made, um today too. 
So today I made all five doughs and now have them in the fridge and I'm damn tired (also made stuffed plum tomatoes). 
Tomorrow is the Cracker Challenge. 
So noting the quantity of cheese in the above recipes, I grated lots o' cheese. and unfortunately, I also grated my thumb as well - crap-tacular. I needed one of those finger condoms that the people who compete on cooking challenge shows get - where do I find those? My fix, inelegant as it was, was a paper towel wrapped around my thumb. It's the tinniest** of cuts about the size of a grain of arboiro rice - tiny, but it bled like a ... you know what. 
So it's summer and I seem to roast tomatoes in one way or another every weekend. This weekend, as last weekend, it's roasted plum tomatoes with fresh bread crumbs, garlic, parsley (from the garden) and bleu cheese. It takes relatively crappy tomatoes and makes them sublime. 
I went to Bailey's today and got some jewel-like yellow and red grape tomatoes in preparation for the 4th of July.
I'm working on a menu for the 4th of July - California French Bread - evil itself, but so very stupidly good. Corn cakes with something on top - not sure about the something, but I'm thinking avocado w/lime and sour cream. And then those beautiful tomatoes w/ scallions, basil (from the garden) and a vinaigrette. Still thinking. 
Photos to come... ]


* totally made up holiday for card companies - just saying. 
** I had no idea tinniest was spelled that way - who knew?

Cheddar-Parmesan Crackers

Yield: 3 dozen crackers, serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

4 ounces cheddar, coarsely grated

2 ounces Parmesan, finely grated

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened and cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons water, plus more if needed

Directions

In the bowl of a food processor, place all ingredients except the butter and water. Pulse 5 times. Add the butter and pulse again until the butter pieces are the size of BBs. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse just until the dough holds together. If the dough is still crumbly, add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it reaches the right consistency.

Turn the dough out onto a large piece of waxed paper. Roll the dough into a log, 9 to 10 inches long, and square off the ends. Refrigerate, well wrapped, for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. Or freeze it for up to 1 month. (You may want to cut the log in half or in thirds to freeze if you think you will want to defrost a smaller amount at a time.)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

To make the crackers, cut the log into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the slices on a baking sheet 1-inch apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the crackers are a light golden color. Turn the crackers and bake for 3 to 5 more minutes, or until they are golden around the edges. Cool on a rack. Serve at room temperature.

Recipe courtesy Laura Werlin, via Sara's Secrets

Comments from the Counter: These are the best cheddar crackers ever and I have made them since 2006.

Still having issues with temperature and time – not sure what to do, but the old oven may be part of the problem – it burned at 375 degrees in the old oven, but this one is better, I think.

I use more cayenne - it gives a nice heat at the end of the cracker taste - very good. Heaping 1/4 tsp of both mustard and cayenne.

Not this time, but previously I have made these after freezing them - just as good and nice to have on hand. 

These are truly the best cheese cracker in my extensive repertoire -- I mean if you have a section 2" thick in your recipe binder just for cheese crackers ... probably not stable mentally, but you have some damn good crackers.