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Party Cheese Crackers

Source of Recipe


From "The Best American Recipes 2002 - 2003"






List of Ingredients



• 1-1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces), at room temperature
  
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
  
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 2 ounces), at room temperature
  
• 1 tsp chili powder
  
• 1/2 cup chopped salted pistachios
  
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
  






Instructions



1. In a medium bowl using a wooden spoon, cream the Cheddar, butter, blue cheese and chili powder. Stir in the pistachios. Sift the flour into the cheese mixture and work it in with the spoon until well blended.
   
   
2. Form the dough into three 9-inch long logs. Wrap the logs in waxed paper or plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours, or until firm.
   
   
3. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Slice the logs into 3/8-inch-thick rounds. Place the rounds 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until barely browned on the edges. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store the crackers in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
   
   Makes 6-1/2 dozen crackers.
   
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   NOTES
   
   • If you can only find shell-on salted pistachios, discard any loose bits of papery skin as you shell the nuts.
   
   • You can use a pinch of cayenne pepper in place of the chili powder for similar effect.
   
   • If the ingredients are not truly at room temperature, blending the dough is a real chore. Once the cheeses and butter have softened, however, it's a breeze.
   
   • TIP: We all know it's not easy to shape dough into perfectly cylindrical logs, so we were happy to find this tip: Use scissors to cut down the length of a cardboard tube (such as a paper-towel tube). Line the inside of the tube with waxed paper. Pack the dough into the tube, close it, wrap a rubber band around each end, and refrigerate. After the dough is chilled, unwrap, and you're all set to slice and bake.