Homemade Cheez-Its

I'm the first to admit that I love me some junk food. The salty sweet combo is one of my faves and though I try to keep 'em to a minimum, when I do snack I want it to be the real deal. I love Cheez-Its but if you check out the ingredients there are some questionable fillers like petroleum that I'd rather keep out of my body.

I played with this recipe, originally for cheese straws, and made it my own. It's really simple, fast and is great for parties or as a road trip snack. I enjoy making the cheeze-its spicy and cheddar cheese gives them their familiar orange color. However, the recipe is versatile, so feel free to experiment. I have used bleu and parmesan cheese, as well as Italian seasoning.

Homemade Cheez-Its

1 1/2 cups cheese, (I used Cheddar and Gruyere) 

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cut into 4 pieces

3/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon sriracha garlic sauce

1/2 teaspoon paprika 

1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence 

1 tablespoon half & half

Preheat oven to 375. In a food processor combine all ingredients, except half & half and mix until combine. Pour in half & half and pulse for 10 seconds until a dough ball begins to form. On a floured surface roll out dough until about 1/8 inch thick and cut into roughly 1 inch squares with a pasta roller. Bake until barely golden, roughly 15 minutes. 

Leftovers: Quiche

{Caramelized Onion, Cheddar, Purple Potato and Chive Quiche} + {Zucchini, Buttercup Squash, Green Bean & Goat Cheese Quiche}+{Tomato, Bell Pepper, Greens and Mozzarella Quiche}

'Vegetable Anxiety' has been rampant in the C.S.A community as the New York Times reported this summer. The abundance of veggies in a farm share can be overwhelming for some and as the season is winding down it's time to finish up the harvest by using clean-out-the-fridge recipes and making use of the rest of our farm fresh veggies. Quiche is great for making use of all your miscellaneous veggies left over. 

summer's abundance: mise en place of delicata squash, chard, green beans, zucchini's, habanero peppers, purple potato + bell peppers

The Basics:

The basic of quiche building is simple and dependent on your personal preference. I generally go with some sort of cheese then veggies, herbs & spices, and of course eggs! I like to layer the cheese throughout the quiche but the bulk should be on the base of the pie, to add more cheesy goodness to the crust.

Here are 3 easy and simple farm fresh quiche inspirations! Let me know your ideas and which is your favorite!

Basic Quiche Crust-

1 cup flour

pinch salt

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup water (canola, vegetable, olive oil)

Combine dry ingredients, whisk together oil & water and combine. Roll out in 9 inch pan, I like to use my cast iron skillet.

Caramelized Onion, Cheddar, Purple Potato and Chive

1 onion caramelized

1 bunch chives, minced

1 purple potato diced

salt & ground pepper, to taste

4 large eggs

1/2 cup cream

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 

Zucchini, Buttercup Squash, Green Bean & Goat Cheese

1 Zucchini, quartered 

1 bunch green beans, frenched

1 baby buttercup squash, diced

salt & ground pepper, to taste

4 large eggs

1/2 cup cream

1 cup soft goat cheese

Tomato, Bell Pepper, Greens and Mozzarella

1 Tomato, chopped

2 bell peppers, diced

1 bunch greens, kale, chard etc., shredded

salt & ground pepper, to taste

4 large eggs

1/2 cup cream

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, whisk eggs, half-and-half and herbs/ seasonings together. Lay curst in pie pan and shape. Add cheese layering veggies and pour egg mixture on top. Bake covered with tinfoil for 40 minutes. Remove foil and cook until golden. Enjoy!!!

This recipe is very basic, all veggies can be modified. Keep your basic crust and egg mixture and explore some creative combinations with your leftovers!