Crazy for CRACKERS! A Tasty Thursday video

Snacks. If you've been following me at all, you know I'm kind of obsessed with snacks. Trail mix, blistered peppers, homemade hummus - and those are just a few of the snacks I've talked about lately.

You might surmise that I'm just a nibbles kind of person.

*Can't decide on dinner? Oooh! Nibbles!*

You might be right. Kind of, anyway.

My favorite part about snacks, though, is sharing them. This is rooted deep in cruiser-philosophy, or at least the philosophy I care to follow, which is "Share an anchorage, will share sundowners."

Sundowners are appetizers, eaten in the cockpit with friends (or just by yourselves), generally with a libation of choice (alcoholic or not) to accompany it. They are a time of relaxation, of casual conversation, of solving the world's problems (or at least the pesky issue with the water maker). They're time to look at the sunset.

And often, the easiest thing to serve? Crackers and cheese, or crackers and dip.

This ease comes to a screeching halt in places where crackers are unavailable. Or stale. Or $7 a box. Or all three. (because in my mind, a $7 box of crackers pretty much renders it unavailable.)

What's a snack-loving, sundowner-sharing cruiser to do?

Make your own, of course. With ingredients you have on hand, in about 15 minutes flat. Customizable with whatever flavors you happen to love and crave and find in the pantry. Yes, I'm crazy for crackers. You will be too.

Homemade crackers (makes a bunch)

1.5 cups flour, your choice. WW, white, almond, gluten-free . . .
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
.5 c water
2 TBS olive oil
(optional: 1/4 c parmesan cheese, rosemary, seeds of your choice, cayenne, cheddar cheese . . .)

Preheat oven to 375
Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. If using rosemary or seeds, hold off.
Mix oil and water, then pour over the dry ingredients and mix to combine. You may need to add more liquid or even more flour - you're looking to make a nice ball of dough that cleans the sides of the bowl.
Plop ball of dough on a lightly floured board. Roll it thin. Really thin. Thin is crispy. Thin is delicious. Thin is cracker-like. Roll it thin.
Transfer dough to a piece of parchment paper * or a silicone baking mat,* then put the whole thing on a baking tray.
Prick dough all over with a fork. This helps keep the crackers from puffing up like mini pita breads.
Cut into squares, or rectangles, or whatever shape you feel like messing with.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown and beginning to crisp up. They will continue to crisp as they cool (if they last that long). Want to be extra sure? Turn the oven off, leave the pan inside, and crack the door a bit. Remove when you can touch the pan with your hands.
OMG so good!

*I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.