krismulkey.com: Cheesy Crackers and new Trés Chic wine from Spain

We're still out of crackers here. So when I saw the recipe on Smitten Kitchen for Goldfish crackers I had to make them immediately. I seriously read the recipe and headed straight for the kitchen.

I dug through Elli's collection of mini cookie cutters hoping I would find a mini fish. I didn't. So the little heart cutter was going to have to work. Because I seriously wanted to make them right then.

The crackers are light, and cheesy and addicting.

Whole-Wheat Goldfish Crackers
(from Smitten Kitchen)

1 1/2 c. sharp cheddar cheese grated
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 t. onion powder
1/4 t. salt
cayenne pepper (optional)
onion salt (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350º
2. Mix all ingredients in a food processor for about 2 minutes until the dough forms a ball. I added a few shakes of cayenne pepper to give them a little kick. This is optional.
3. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8" thick.
4. Use mini cookie cutters about 1" in size.
5. Sprinkle a little garlic salt on top before baking (also optional.)
6.. Baked on an ungreased parchment lined cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes.
7. Store in an airtight container.
8. Share with your kids, or not. We enjoyed them with a glass of wine.
Makes about 100 little crackers.

The recipe is really simple to make. You could definitely do this with your kids. Don thought it was a lot of trouble for goldfish crackers. I don't know what he's talking about. He didn't do anything but eat them. If I want to make goldfish crackers than I can. And I will. What does he care?

Now let's talk about the happy juice. You didn't you think I forgot about the wine did 'ya? Ha.

We tried a few new wines from Trader Joe's. These are really inexpensive, as in less than five bucks. Normally I wouldn't even buy these wines because they're too cheap. But I got an email from Louis, the producer, in SPAIN. So I had to try them. Yes, SPAIN! He found me. Sweet!

And you won't believe this. One of the wines, the cheapest of the cheap, was tasted by Robert Parker, Jr. and got 86 PTS. Here's what he, and the Wine Advocate, had to say.

"The least expensive wine to be recommended in these pages in close to 30 years, the 2009 La Granja Tempranillo is a 100,000 case cuvee made at a cooperative in Cariñena. Dark ruby colored, it offers up a nose of red cherry accompanied by a whiff of incense. Sweet, ripe, and tasty on the palate, this nicely balanced effort will deliver uncomplicated, straight-ahead pleasure over the next 2-3 years."

Now, I'm not sure people will actually cellar this wine for a few years. But it's definitely worth grabbing a case and throwing it in the hall closet (err, cellar.) Come on, it's $47.88 for a case. Ha! That's just a little more than those darn kabobs. And twelve times the fun.

I love making new friends. Especially friends that make yummy wine and live in Spain. I'm not sure I would have tried this if I hadn't heard from Louis. So gracias!!