Sunday, March 28, 2010

Morning Reflections

Parmesan-Thyme Shortbread. A small snack that packs a punch.

It takes a baby to make you realize the luxury of having a peaceful night's sleep and waking refreshed in the mornings. But I'm not going to whine about that. This post is about appreciating the positive side of everything - like how much I enjoy getting the chance to watch the sunrise every morning, while holding my precious bundle close to my heart.

Magical, no?

Nothing quite beats the serenity of a quiet morning. It's times like that when the oddest, most random thoughts tend to pop up in my head. Things like how much I love Ina Garten's kitchen, or why is B's hair growing in patches, or when am I ever going to have time to go get that pedicure my feet so desperately need, or how I cannot stand Kara Dioguardi from American Idol ... and that sends me spiraling into all kinds of negative emotions towards that show! How much does this season suck?! Even my beloved Ellen can't save it from the lack of talent it's suffering from.

Thyme - such a dainty little thing, isn't she?

This morning I started wondering what to do with the whole bunch of thyme I bought from the grocery store recently. I'm waiting to move into my next home before I start growing my own thyme, because it's ridiculous to buy an entire bunch from the store when you only need a few sprigs! It's a lovely herb, but doesn't get used at all in my regular Pakistani cooking. I decided that it was time I started venturing into snack recipes, and perhaps steer clear of desserts for a while (huh, we'll see how long
that lasts!). That's how the idea for this recipe was born, and luckily, Janice from Have Recipes - Will Cook had the perfect, easy recipe for me.

Parmesan-Thyme Crackers
(find original recipe here)

Makes about 20 crackers

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temp
Approx 1 cup freshly grated parmesan
1.5 tsp minced fresh thyme
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Method:
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter.

2. Turn the mixer to low, then add the parmesan, thyme, salt and pepper. Mix until combined.

3. Add in the flour and mix till it all comes together as a soft dough.

4. Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and press into a ball. Then roll it out into a 9-inch log. Wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator for at least 30 mins, or up to 4 days.
Must. Stop. Thinking. Naughty. Thoughts. My parents read this blog - dammit!

5. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the dough into 3/8 inch thick rounds and place them on the baking pan. Bake for 22 mins or until very lightly browned. Rotate pan once during baking. Cool and serve at room temp.

Verdict: The hardest part was stopping myself from tearing into these adorable crackers as soon as they came out of the oven! The smell of the buttery dough, mixed with parmesan and fresh thyme, as it was baking just drove me to distraction. These have a strong, moan-inducing flavor, and beautiful texture, and work perfectly as an afternoon snack when you're craving something savory. Be aware that these aren't low-fat, even though they're tiny, and eating 10 of them in a row will come back to haunt you when next you go jean-shopping (I did, and it wasn't pretty).

20 comments:

Future Grown-Up said...

Oh those look so yummy! I'm not sure if I could roll them out quite as nicely but I'm in awe of your skill in doing so :)

Foodiewife said...

You are reading my mind. I've been wanting to make crackers, ever since I saw Ina make them. Happily, our thyme is growing back-- thanks to my hub's green thumb. This looks so simple. So glad you sound happy. It makes me nostalgic for the days when my son was a baby. SIGH.

Joanne said...

Morning works seem like the best time to just sit and ruminate on the important things in life (like American Idol. Obviously :P). Tragically, I haven't been able to watch this season due to lack of a television. Otherwise I'm sure I'd be ruminating with you.

These cookie/crackers look delicious! I love the use of shortbread in savory things.

Unknown said...

Beautiful sunrise.Thyme in shortbread sounds flavorful and yum,I once made shortbread with rosemary.

Ann said...

I wish I can have them right now! looks so soft and yumm and I can smell the thyme here :)

Anonymous said...

Wow - parmesan and shortbread; sounds delectable! Really nice combination that I'd love to try. :) Nicola

Unknown said...

I have been looking for a really good savoury biscuit, this looks fantastic!
*kisses* HH

Mari said...

I love the picture of the sunrise but where are the pictures of the baby?! =)

nandini said...

I have a nice recipe of a muffin using parmesan, but was on the look out for a biscuit.. Looks terrific!. Sure it will smell and taste good too...
Nice pics muneeba!.

kirsten061 said...

Wow! These look delicious and would be perfect for easter drinks. I always love your recipes :-)

Kerstin said...

Aww, what a sweet post. And I love the crackers too!

Doppelganger said...

Oh, I love this recipe! I'm definitely going to be making these adorable little snackeroos! Finally something that I can bake that I'm willing to eat. ;)

Gorgeous sunrise, girl! That is some view!

Tupper Cooks! said...

Wicked! I want those now!

Deeba PAB said...

Nice cookies Mommy, very nice. I understand the luxury of a good night's sleep now...after mine are 14 and 11! SIGH!!

Jody said...

OK, so I'm a little confused, is it 1 stick which is 1/4 of a pound, or 1/2 pound which is 2 sticks of butter?
I looked at the original recipe and it said the same thing 1/2 pound 1 stick of butter...
These sound so good I really want to try them, but don't want to use too much or, heaven forbid, too little butter. Thanks.

Trevor Sis Boom said...

Beautiful! Its been so long since I made crackers. Have you tried freezing this dough?

Muneeba said...

Thks for correcting me Jody - it's actually 1/2 cup is equal to 1 stick of butter. Have edited the recipe to show that now!

Jody said...

Thanks for clarifying! I didn't mean to "correct" you, I just wanted to make sure I knew what the correct measurement was. I will make them tonight and report back. They just look so tasty.

Trissa said...

How I wish we could all take time to stop and reflect on life more! Thanks for the reminder and the delicious recipe! Enjoy your time with your little one! :)

Duchess of Tea said...

Perfection darling!! I tried the rice and it came out great. My son loved it, thank you for sharing.

Sending you love & hugs and kisses for my darling little angel

Duchess