Make Your Own Oyster Crackers

Ingredients:

Oil for brushing the dough
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
6 tbsp cold butter, cut into bits
2/3 cup iced cold water
1/2 tsp salt or sea salt plus more for sprinkling

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add butter, and work with your hands until a crumbly dough forms. Slowly add 1/2 cup ice water and mix with a fork. Continue adding water 1 Tbs. at a time mixing until the dough forms a ball.

Divide dough in half. If dough is sticky, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10-20 minutes. With a rolling pin, roll dough out to 1/8 - 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into squares (or whatever shape you desire). Place on baking sheet, brush with oil, and sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool. 

Store in an air tight container. Makes about 32 one inch square crackers, or 60-70 smaller crackers (depending on how you cut 'em).


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Cost Breakdown:

• 1 3/4 cups Flour = 20¢ - 28¢
• Oil = less than 2¢
• 1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder = 5¢
• Butter = 75¢
• Salt = 5¢ 

Price per batch = $1.07 - $1.15
Price at the grocery store = $2.30-$4.20 

Store brand ingredients: Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Soybean Oil With Thbq For Freshness, Salt, Yeast, Malted Barley Flour, Sodium Sulfite, Enzymes (Protease), Baking Soda. Allergy Warning: Contains Wheat And Soy. May Contain Traces Of Milk And Eggs.

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Simple Homemade Mayonnaise

2 large egg yolks (freeze the egg whites if not using right away)
3 Tbs. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup vegetable oil (canola or light olive oil are good)

Preparation:

With a whisk or a beater, mix egg yolks, lemon juice, and salt in a medium sized bowl.

While whisking, drizzle oil in a little at a time, making sure to incorporate completely before adding the next bit of oil.  As you're whisking, your mayonnaise will begin to emulsify.

Because it is made with egg yolks, the mayonnaise will have a yellow color (this is normal).

Once all of the oil has been incorporated, you can add extra ingredients (such as a 1/4 tsp. dijon mustard and 1 tsp. white wine vinegar, or additional lemon juice,  or herbs like tarragon).

Put any mayonnaise not immediately used into a clean glass jar or lidded container and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Makes about 1 1/4 cups of mayonnaise.