Crispy Cracked Wheat Taters Recipes

CRISPY CRACKED WHEAT TATERS

Steps:

• Heat 3/4 cup water to boiling in 1-quart saucepan. Add cracked wheat. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 20 minutes. Let stand, covered, 10 minutes.
• Heat oven to 350°. Spray cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat oil in 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook onion and seasoning blend in oil until onions are tender. Stir in cracked wheat, potatoes and cheese. Drop 20 tablespoonfuls into 1 1/2-inch mounds about 1 inch apart on cookie sheet. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until light brown.

WHEAT CRACKERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, stir together the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Pour in the vegetable oil and water; mix until just blended.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough as thin as possible - no thicker than 1/8 inch. Place dough on an ungreased baking sheet, and mark squares out with a knife, but don't cut through. Prick each cracker with a fork a few times, and sprinkle with salt.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until crisp and light brown. Baking time may be different depending on how thin your crackers are. When cool, remove from baking sheet, and separate into individual crackers.

CRISPY WHOLE WHEAT GRAHAM CRACKERS

Steps:

• Make the dough:
• Combine sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, vanilla, golden syrup, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed to moisten, then increase to medium and beat until somewhat light, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add whole wheat flour, and mix to form a soft dough.
• Scrape dough onto a work surface and knead gently to form a ball. Divide in half. Use immediately or wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 1 week; soften for 30 minutes at room temperature, then knead on a bare work surface until pliable and smooth.
• Roll and bake the dough:
• Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350°F. Generously flour a large sheet of parchment and place one portion of dough in the center. Pat into a 5-by-6-inch rectangle, sprinkle with flour, flip, and dust again. Working from the center out and adding more flour as needed, roll the dough until roughly 15-by-11 inches and very thin. Slide onto an aluminum baking sheet and brush away excess flour. Repeat with remaining dough.
• For grocery store look-alikes, score each sheet of dough into twelve 2 1/4-by-4 3/4-inch rectangles and dock with a bamboo skewer or the narrow end of a chopstick (a strictly cosmetic procedure). Otherwise, leave the dough uncut.
• Bake until crackers are tawny brown and firm, though your fingertip may leave a faint indentation, about 20 minutes. Immediately cut along the pre-scored lines with a knife, or cut into free-form shapes using a pizza wheel. Cool to room temperature directly on the baking sheets. Enjoy scrap pieces as a snack, or pulverize into crumbs. The grahams can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks at room temperature or frozen for up to 3 months.
• Mix it up!
• Chocolate: My mom used to sandwich chocolate graham crackers with peanut butter for an after-school snack, a combo I re-create by reducing the whole wheat flour to 10 ounces (21/4 cups), sifted with 1 ounce (1/3 cup) natural or Dutch-process cocoa powder. To retain their deep cocoa color, roll the dough in sifted cocoa powder. Serve with generous smears of peanut butter and a tall glass of milk.
• Cinnamon Sugar: We rarely had sugar-coated grahams in our pantry when I was a kid, but they were always at my best friend's house, and seemed all the more special for their rarity. For the dough, increase the cinnamon to ½ teaspoon. Before docking, dust each sheet of dough with a half batch of Cinnamon Sugar (page 44), or any Sugar Sprinkle (page 46). Otherwise, dock and bake as directed. After the crackers cool, gently tap each against the baking sheet to knock off any excess sugar.
• Coconut (vegan): Replace the butter with 5 1/2 ounces (3/4 cup) virgin coconut oil (solid but creamy-about 70°F) and add 1 teaspoon pure coconut extract along with the vanilla.
• Gingerbread: This variation has all the spicy complexity of a Christmas cookie, with the unique flavor and crunch of a classic graham. Make the dough with sorghum or unsulfured molasses (not blackstrap) and increase the cinnamon to 1 teaspoon. Along with the sugar, add 1 tablespoon orange zest, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, and a few cracks of black pepper.
• Graham Cracker Crumb Crust: Combine 9 ounces (2 cups) finely ground graham cracker crumbs with 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) melted unsalted butter. Scatter into a 9-by-1 1/4-inch glass or ceramic pie plate and press into an even layer over the bottom and up the sides. Bake at 350°F until firm, about 18 minutes. Cool to room temperature for immediate use in your favorite recipe, or wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
• Gluten-Free: Replace the whole wheat flour with 6 ounces (11/4 cups) white rice flour, 4 ounces (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) oat flour, and 1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) kinako.

WHEAT CRISP CRACKERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Mix flour, sugar, salt, and paprika together in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add butter and mix until small crumbs form. Slowly add water and mix until a semi-stiff dough forms. Divide dough in half.
• Roll on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1/8 inch; cut into desired shapes and transfer to a baking sheet. Lightly prick each cracker a few times with a fork or toothpick. Sprinkle with additional salt. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Bake in the preheated oven until crispy and lightly bronzed in color, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cool and store or serve as desired.

CRACKED WHEAT FOR THE KIDS

Steps:

• Cook cracked wheat in butter for a couple of minutes. Add water and bring it to a boil. Cook over low heat for 20 minutes or until tender. Serve with grated Parmesan or serve with plain yogurt, sliced almonds and raisins.

CRACKED WHEAT THINS

Steps:

• Pour boiling water over Red River Cereal.
• Allow to soak for 30 minutes.
• Combine shortening and sugar.
• Add flour and salt.
• Add the soaked grain. You might need a bit more water to get the right consistency.
• Divide dough into four parts and roll each as thin as parchment.
• Slide dough onto ungreased cookie sheet and indent it in squares with a pastry wheel or knife.
• Prick dough all over with force to prevent bubbling.
• Bake 400F 10 minutes.
• Remove, and break biscuits where you have them scored.
• For variety can add poppy seed, onion flakes, garlic powder, cayenne or paprika.