Rosemary Olive Oil Crackers

I really needed to use some sourdough this weekend, but I've been enjoying some absolutely delicious naturally fermented local bread (Field and Fire Bakery anyone? If you're in GR you must check it out) and didn't have any need to make bread. Crackers it was! I have a beautiful rosemary bush outside that is doing great and decided a little rosemary, a little garlic, and a little olive oil baked into a simple cracker was a quick, easy and delicious was to use up a little starter to get me through until I'm ready to bake bread again.  

I halved the recipe for these crackers and it was perfect. Just the right amount of dough for one baking sheet. I actually used my pasta roller to roll out the dough to an even thickness. I went to setting 3 on my Atlas pasta roller and thought it was the perfect thickness. But a rolling pin and a little arm strength work just as well. Just keep an eye on the crackers while they are baking to ensure you don't burn some of the thinner crackers. 

Rosemary Olive Oil Crackers
Adapted from King Arthur Flour
Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (60 grams) whole wheat flour
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (125 grams) unfed sourdough starter
• 2 tablespoons (25 grams) olive oil
• 1 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped finely
• 1/2-1 whole garlic clove, finely minced
• oil for brushing
• coarse salt for sprinkling on top

Directions
Mix together the flour, salt, sourdough starter, olive oil rosemary and garlic to make a smooth(not sticky), cohesive dough. If dough is too wet add a few extra tablespoons of flour. Divide the dough in half, and shape each half into a small rectangular slab. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to a couple of hours, until the dough is firm.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Very lightly flour a piece of parchment, your rolling pin, and the top of the dough. Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough to about 1/16" thick. 

Transfer the dough and parchment together onto a baking sheet. Lightly brush with oil and then sprinkle the salt over the top of the crackers.

Cut the dough into 1 1/4" squares; a rolling pizza wheel works well here. Prick each square with the tines of a fork. Bake the crackers for about 20 minutes, until the squares are starting to brown around the edges. When fully browned, remove the crackers from the oven, and transfer them to a cooling rack. Store airtight at room temperature for up to a week; freeze for longer storage.

Crisp Rosemary Garlic Crackers

I love a good cracker. They are the perfect simple appetizer or snack, either on their own or along with a nice slice of cheese or a really good dip. I'm a sucker for almost any type of cracker, but those long thin "artisan" crackers are my favorite. And while there are a lot of really nice crackers out there available for buying, the other week I decided to try my hand at making a batch from scratch. I found a recipe for a beautiful looking artisan style cracker online and just had to try it. I only had to adjust it slightly to fit with the ingredients I had on hand, replacing the assorted seeds (which I didn't have) with some dried rosemary and garlic (which I did). 

The verdict? They turned out wonderfully! I've made crackers in the past, but these turned out far better then any of my past attempts. It really helps to use a pasta roller to get the dough perfectly thin and even. The rosemary flavor really shown through giving these crackers a warm herbal aroma and a nice punch of flavor. I plan on playing around with other flavors in the future, this is only the beginning...

Homemade crackers are great, but there is no doubt that they are not the quickest thing in the world to make. It definitely takes some time to roll out all the dough, cut it into whatever shape you want, transfer them to a baking sheet, and bake them up, but it is all worth it in the end. If you have an open afternoon and are looking for a fun project, try some crackers! They will be worth it, I promise!

Rosemary Garlic Crackers

Adapted from 

True Food

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour (I used 7.5 oz whole wheat and 2.5 oz all purpose)  
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon minced dried rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 cup water (plus 2 tablespoons as needed)
• 3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter), room temperature (I used 1 oz)
• Sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions

In a standing mixer with a bread hook, combine flour, sugar, salt, rosemary and garlic. Slowly add the ghee and water to the mixture. Mix on medium speed until a ball of dough forms, stopping the machine once or twice to scrape the sides and roll excess flour from the bottom of the bowl into the ball of dough. Note: You may need the extra 2 tablespoons water to get the dough to form, but allow it to mix for several minutes before adding any additional water. The dough should be slightly shiny and a little sticky to the touch, but should easily form into a ball without getting all over your hands

Preheat your oven to 425˚F and position the rack to the middle. Divide the dough into four equal parts. Working with one piece of dough at a time, feed one end through a pasta machine on the first setting (see note below if you do not have a pasta machine). I usually do this a few times until I get a nice supple dough. Then continue on to setting 2 and work your way up to setting 6 (this is where I stopped on my Atlas pasta machine).

Lay the flattened strip of dough onto a lightly floured surface and using a bench scraper or sharp knife, slice it into equally sized rectangles or squares, whatever you prefer.

Note: If you do not have a pasta machine roll the dough as evenly as possible with a rolling pin, so it’s about 1/8 of an inch thick (not see-through, but close) strip. If you find the dough snaps back, allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes before continuing to roll it out. Cut into crackers from there. It requires more elbow grease and they’ll have a more rustic look this way. Be sure to flour the surface so it doesn’t stick once you’re rolled the dough out thin.

Place the crackers onto a parchment lined baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with sea salt, pressing the salt in gently to ensure it sticks. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10-12 minutes, turning the pan once partway through for even browning. Be sure to watch them carefully, they’re done when the edges are golden brown. Cooking time will vary based on the thickness of your crackers.

Continue with the remaining three parts of dough until you’ve shaped and baked all your crackers. Depending on the size and shape you should yield about 50 crackers. Serve with cheese, dips, and spreads at your next get together. The crackers will store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week.

Yields: How many crackers you get obviously depends on how big you cut them and how thick you roll the dough out. However, just to give you an idea, I'll let you know that I got 65-70 crackers from one recipe.

Sage and Rosemary Nut Mix

I'm a sucker for any type of snack or nut mix, I just love munching on things and this recipe is one of the best ways to do just that. It's super simple to put together, and is just a bit different than a lot of other mixes I've had, thanks in part to the sage. I hadn't worked a lot with sage until this fall, but I randomly planted a couple of sage plants in my backyard this summer, and then promptly ignored it until just a month or two ago. When I actually started to use the leaves in a couple of different things I realized that I love the soft warmth of this beautiful herb, and the distinctive flavor it lends to dishes. 

Tossing this sage together with a couple of cups of mixed nuts, olive oil and some rosemary leads to a deliciously savory mix that makes you step back and contemplate what you've just eaten. It's the perfect mix for any holiday party, from Thanksgiving to New Years, and beyond. This mix is definitely a winner. 

This recipe couldn't really be easier. Just mix everything together, spread on a cookie sheet and bake low and slow for a couple of hours. That's it! I think my favorite part of the whole mix was how crispy and crunchy the sage leaves became after they came out of the oven. They just melt in your mouth, salty and oily and delicious! I have to admit, not many of them actually made it into the final mix. I may have eaten a few to many before I reached that stage, that's the advantage of being the cook!

Sage and Rosemary Nut Mix

From 

Food and Wine

Ingredients

• 4 cups mixed raw nuts, such as pecans, walnuts, almonds and cashews
• 32 sage leaves, torn into large pieces
• One 8-inch rosemary sprig, leaves stripped
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 200°. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the mixed nuts with the sage, rosemary and olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread the nuts in an even layer. Bake for 3 hours; the nuts should not be browned. Let the nuts cool on the baking sheet until they are crisp, then transfer them to a bowl and serve. Store in an airtight container.

Skillet Rosemary Chicken

If you are looking for a simple and elegant meal that is healthy and delicious, I have the recipe for you. This skillet dish is quick and easy but still super flavorful and impressive looking. It also includes some of my favorite things; rosemary, red skin potatoes, and mushrooms. Trust me, it's a winning combination! I think rosemary is my favorite herb, it is just so yummy! I love it with potatoes, and I love it with chicken, so this dish combines all of that into one pan for a complete meal that everyone will love.

I've made this dish several times now and have found that I really love the mushrooms so I always add extra. If you like mushrooms too, I encourage you to add a few more than the 10 ounces called for. A few extra potatoes never hurt either, if you have room in your pan that is. One word of caution, the original recipe called for the juice of two lemons which I found a bit overpowering. I love lemon, but the juice of two lemons was just too much. I suggest using just one lemon (or not juicing the two lemons too vigorously), but you can adjust to your taste however works best. I also found that adding a splash of white wine was an excellent choice, I think adding wine is always delicious!

Skillet Rosemary Chicken

Adapted from: 

Minimally Invasive

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound -1 pound small red-skinned potatoes, halved, or quartered if large
• Kosher salt
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, plus 1 1/2 tablespoons leaves
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• Juice of 1 lemons (squeezed halves reserved)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4-6 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs or 3 chicken leg quarters
• 10 ounces cremini mushrooms, halved (or more if you like mushrooms)
• splash of white wine

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450. Cover the potatoes with cold water in a saucepan and salt the water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until tender, about 8 minutes; drain and set aside.

Pile the rosemary leaves, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt and the red pepper flakes on a cutting board, then mince and mash into a paste using a large knife. Transfer the paste to a bowl. Stir in the juice of 1 lemon and the olive oil. Add the chicken and turn to coat.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, skin-side down, cover and cook until the skin browns, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken from pan; add the mushrooms and potatoes to the skillet followed by a splash of white wine. Place chicken over mushrooms and potatoes and drizzle with any marinade remaining in the bowl.

Add the rosemary sprigs and the squeezed lemon halves to the skillet; transfer to the oven and roast, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is crisp, 20 to 25 minutes.

Pan-Roasted Carrots

I've never been very good at side dishes. Coming up with the main course is the easy part, but I have a hard time figuring out what to eat with it. I often end up with a salad, green beans or some roasted broccoli, all delicious but not always very inspiring. A few weeks ago, while I was looking for something just a little different to have with dinner, I came across this recipe. It was perfect because I actually had all the ingredients which is amazing. Glazed carrots may not be anything new and amazing, but these were absolutely delicious, the perfect accompaniment to my roasted chicken dinner.

This recipe is fairly straight forward and easy. Cut up the carrots, throw them into a super hot pan to get them nice and caramelized, then just add the rest of the ingredients and cook unit done. Easy as that. A simple recipe that is sure to please. Perfectly cooked carrots, slightly sweetened with a light glaze.

Four beautiful carrots

Peel the carrots 

Start cutting

A bowl of carrots, cut on the bias

Into the pan they go, make sure it's nice and hot

You want them to get dark and caramelized, caramelization = flavor

Finished and glazed, so yummy

Pan-Roasted Carrots
From: America's Test Kitchen, Cooking for Two, 2010
Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick on the bias
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 small sprig of fresh rosemary

Directions
Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the carrots, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the broth and sugar, then add the rosemary sprig and bring to a simmer. reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

Uncover, remove and discard the rosemary sprig, and continue to cook until the liquid evaporates, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.