MMMmmmm Food!

MMMmmmm Food!

Friday, February 10, 2012

Homemade Cheez-Its!!!


"GET YOUR OWN BOX!"

Well, why get your own box? ...when you can MAKE your own!
(and I guess put in a box if you really want to)!

Got the idea yesterday from: Chicagoist!

You will need:

8 oz. good cheddar cheese
1 cup flour
4 tbsp cold butter
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp ice water

*Preheat oven to 350*
Start by grating the cheese - a food processor does this super fast.
Mmmm cheese.  i hate cheese.  <Read that yesterday.  I don't think he would like this>
Take the grated cheese out and all all the dry  ingredients - pulse till they are combined.
Add the cheese back in with butter cut into small chunks.  Run the foot processor till all the cheese and flour look like a mixture of sand - add 1 tbsp very cold water and mix again.  I needed to add one more tbsp water for it all to come together in a ball.
This is how it should look after 2 tbsp water - cheesy dough ball.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
Once the dough has chilled, flour an area where you can roll it out.
Roll the dough to about 1/8 inch thick.  Then cut into 1 by 1 inch squares.
Place the squares on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  They can be pretty close together because they won't spread out when baked.  Prick the center with a fork or toothpick so it looks just like a real cheez-it!  Finish it all with a sprinkle of salt on top.
Bake for about 25 minutes - I think mine took a little less than that.  I'd set your timer for 20 minutes and check at that point!
Poor little Tazzy :(  He got a T-R-E-A-T for being such a good boy.
I hope people at work want to eat these!!!  I know I don't want them around the house... I'll eat them all.