Crackers?

The thought just never occurred to me to make crackers before!

Homemade rye crackers

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup dark rye flour
  
• 1 cup all purpose flour
  
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds. You can use caraway seeds if you want.
  
• A liberal pinch of salt. A teaspoon maybe.
  
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
  
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  
• 1/3 cup of canola oil. I'm trying to use peanut oil more often but I used canola oil.
  
• 1 (generous) teaspoon honey. Maybe I'll try some maple syrup next time.
  
• 1 teaspoon of turbinado sugar, to boost the sweetness a little.
  
• 1/4 cup water. As much more as you think you need. The air was really dry, I probably used 1/3 of a cup or so.
  

Heat your oven at 375. Mix all the dry ingredients and add the oil and honey. Then work the water in with a fork slowly until it looks, well, "doughy". Cover it for 10 minutes. Then divide the dough into 4 balls. Put a ball between some wax or parchment paper and roll it out to about 1/8 inch think. I don't bake. So I don't have a rolling pin. I used a wine bottle. Wine bottles make good rolling pins. I have plenty of wine bottles. I cut my crackers out with a pizza wheel and I dotted them with a fork. I put them on a baking sheet and I baked them for about 10 minutes.

They're really very good!

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The reason I just happened to have rye flour around the house is because this time of year I just love homemade Boston Brown Bread!

I know I know the brown bread recipe uses whole rye flour. Not dark rye flour. I bought the wrong stuff last time. And it is a suitable substitute. Sift together, 3 times:

• 1 cup stone ground corn meal
  
• 1 cup whole rye flour
  
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1 teaspoon double acting baking powder
  

Some whole wheat will be left in the sifter, just mix it back in. Beat together:

• 3/4 cup dark molasses
  
• 2 cups buttermilk. I use the powdered buttermilk.
  
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
  

Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mix. Add in a cup of currants or raisins.

Brown bread is steamed. Spray the inside of a coffee can with cooking spray, wipe it and fill it about 2/3 full with the brown bread batter. You'll probably have enough for 2. I get a stock pot going with a couple of inches of water and I use a ring or a tuna can with bottom cut out on the bottom. That's for the coffee can to sit on. You want the water to just reach the bottom of the can.

Put some aluminum foil over the top of the coffee can and secure with it an elastic band, put it in the stock pot, cover it tightly and steam it for an hour and a half.

Replenish the water as it boils away. I keep a kettle going for that.

I really don't know where I got that recipe I've had it since I was a teenager. It's really good! Don't forget the currants. I didn't have any - but they do make a difference.

It's very easy to make and this bread freezes beautifully.