One of the joys of our new living arrangement is that every night Mom, Jedd and I get together for a cocktail at 7:00 and we all unwind from our day.
(By “unwind,” what I mean is Jedd and Mom talk enthusiastically about their gardening plans, and I read things on my phone while chiming in the occasional dinner idea for what they’re growing. It’s not that I’m uninterested, it’s just that a lot of it goes over my head. Soil acidity isn’t in my wheelhouse, and predicting whether or not rotating tomato plants with peapods is going to be better for the soil in three years isn’t on my bingo card. So, I stick to the things I’m knowledgeable about like – well – you can make pesto from every herb growing in the garden! Also, do they want Green Goddess chicken for dinner? How about a chopped salad with bacon, their cherry tomatoes, and Mom’s chives with a homemade ranch vinaigrette? And then I wander off and take photos of the garden.)
That sort of unwinding, and stretching the legs with a glass of wine in hand.
Summer in Vermont is short, so it’s lovely to just sit in the backyard and luxuriate in the sounds of birds, neighborhood kids, dogs, and every once in a while, to enjoy the wafting scent of a tomato plant or ripe jalapeno.
But, who’s kidding who – you’ve got to have a little nosh to go with the cocktails.
And I’ve fallen in love with buttery, herby, and cheesy little crackers.
The reasons are three-fold:
- I always have the crackers on hand.
- I always have dried spices on hand, and I usually have something fresh in a vase on the counter.
- They’re fast. And when you’ve just finished work, changed your clothes, washed your face, brushed your teeth, swiped some mascara on, fed the cats their dinner, and have an appointment for cocktails in the backyard – you don’t want to spend time prepping something frivolous. You just want fast cheesy deliciousness.
So, grab those crackers, butter, cheese, and dill and turn that oven on a super low temperature. You’ve got a snack to enjoy!
Parmesan Dill Oyster Crackers
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter
- 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 225 degrees.
- Line a rimmed pan with parchment.
- In a small bowl combine the butter with the oliveoil, parmesan, dill, and black pepper.
- Microwave on high for 15 seconds.
- Toss the crackers with the butter mixture on the pan, until well coated.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
Store these crackers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.