There are days where Zander is just your typical normal boy. He eats normally, plays normally, and is just an all-around kid. And then there are days where I wonder if he’s hiding a homeless boy somewhere in the house and is squirreling away food to share with him. But nope. He’s not hiding someone, he’s literally packing away all that food- and he’s not just eating because, he’s literally hungry All. Day. Long.
These days will go in streaks, generally, about four or five days in a row, and then he’s back to normal. But these hungry days that Zander has? Are driving me crazy because I want him to be eating healthy! Cut-up veggies and fresh fruit only go so far- he needs something that will stick with him at least a little bit!
So I’ve started filling mason jars with snacks, putting them in the pantry and telling Zander they are fair game for him anytime he wants. This week, his mason jar is full of GORP- made with Craisins, dry-roasted peanuts and a very small handful of plain M&M’s. A few weeks ago, though, I was reminded of the homemade Thin Wheat Crackers I’d made a year or so ago, and decided to give those another go and put them in the mason jar.
These were a hit- as they were before. These are so easy to make, and so delicious, but even better, they are satisfying. Since I made them myself, I also know what is in them, so I can feel great about letting Zander have free access to them. One batch of crackers lasted maybe a week or so in the pantry with his appetite. I’ve also determined that the next time I make them, I’m going to try rolling out the dough with my pasta maker, and see if I can get my crackers a little more uniform.
A new batch will be coming in the next week, as it’s been a while since we’ve had some hungry days, and I suspect it will be any day now…
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325ºF.
In a large bowl, combine the flours, sesame seeds, sugar and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles tiny crumbs. Stir in the milk, adding just enough to form a workable dough. Knead it just until it comes together.
Divide the dough into three workable pieces. Roll it out ultra-thin, one piece at a time. Get it as thin as you can manage, while still being able to move it in pieces. (1/16th of an inch thick if possible.) Sprinkle the dough with sea salt and use the rolling pin to press the salt in just a bit.
Cut the dough into 1 x 2 inch rectangles. Transfer the pieces to baking sheets and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the just begin to brown. Remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Makes about 8 dozen crackers.