Last week I blogged about a wine tasting party that I hosted. More specifically, I taunted you with photos of delicious food without telling you anything about it.

For my other blog I’ve been doing a lot of research about food: not just cooking it and then forcing my friends to eat it (which I know, is weighty responsibility) but consequently learning more about it from experts that have dedicated their lives to their passion.

I’ve also been reading more about where our food comes from. After watching Food Inc. a few months ago I realized that each person is responsible for what we put in our bodies. What is right for one person might not be right for another.

Sometimes, it really is easier to buy bagged spinach or canned soup but when I can make my own bread, granola or salad dressings I do. And even though Kashi Whole Grain crackers are a staple in my kitchen cabinet, when I have time to make tasty crisps and crackers from scratch, I jump on the opportunity.

And it’s easier than you think.

Seriously.

Have you ever made a quick bread? If you can me a simple quick bread, you can make your own rosemary raisin pecan crisps.

These bad boys keep for about 5 days (in an airtight container) but they produce a lot of crackers. Make them for a party or if you have more than a few people to feed.

Rosemary Raisin Pecan Crisps
Adapted from Dana Treat
Makes 6-8 dozen crackers

2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds (optional)
1/4 cup sesame seeds (optional)
1/4 cup flax seed, ground
1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt.  Add
the buttermilk, brown sugar and honey and stir a few strokes.  Add the
raisins, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, flax seed and rosemary
and stir just until blended.

3. Pour the batter into two 8″x4″ loaf pans that have been sprayed with
nonstick spray.  Bake for about 45 minutes, until golden and springy to
the touch.  Remove from the pans and cool on a wire rack.

4. The cooler the bread, the easier it is to slice really thin.  You
can leave it until the next day or pop it in the freezer.  Slice the
loaves as thin as you can and place the slices in a single layer on an
ungreased cookie sheet. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees and
bake them for 15 minutes.

5. Flip them over and bake for another 10-15
minutes, until crisp and deep golden brown.  Remove from the sheets to
a cooling rack.  They will continue to crisp as they cool.