Cheese Crackers

Here is one of the more low brow food items to emerge from my kitchen. Saltine crackers have had something of a renaissance with me in the past couple of years. They were once banned due to their lack of nutrition. My figure can't afford eating empty calories. But I also know there is a lot more to food than simple nourishment.

It all started when a coworker and I went to lunch at a nearby diner. The kind of diner with some age on it, where the waitresses call you darlin'. Not one of those retro-themed diners, no this is the real deal, an old timey, been there forever diner. The waitress brought me a couple of those little cellophane packets holding 2 saltine crackers each, along with an individually wrapped pat of butter, to go along with my iceberg lettuce with French dressing salad. At that moment, those crackers smeared with butter tasted so good and perfect with the crispy salad.

And so, I declared the humble saltine cracker "nutrition neutral", and welcomed it back into my life. I had forgotten how darn tasty they can be with peanut butter. I turned them into cheese crackers which are very difficult to stop eating once started. They are so light and crispy and super simple to make.

Cheese Crackers
2 sleeves saltine crackers
1/2 stick melted butter
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
Cayenne pepper

Place the crackers, salted side up, in single layers on baking sheets. Brush with melted butter, then spread the cheese evenly over the tops. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper, to taste. Place under the broiler until the cheese is bubbly, but not brown. Remove the trays and turn the oven to 180 degrees. Bake the crackers for 2 hours until very crispy and light.

I have made these with whole grain crackers--always searching for the nutritional bang for the buck, and also a variety of cheeses. They just don't work as well. In fact, those bags of grated cheese, which I typically reject, work best. Whatever it is they put on the cheese to keep it from sticking together, works great here.