Brooke’s Homemade Cheese Crackers

This week is all about the Best Of ChowMama 2009! To help ensure that you begin 2010 with a recipe box loaded with quick and healthy recipes that your whole family will love, I’ve hand selected my favorites (recipes that I return to over and over again) and the most popular recipes as measured by traffic and comments (ones that worked out well for me and you).

Today I serve snacks and apps. The list isn’t long, but it’s a handful of keepers. Tomorrow? Healthy sweet treats and desserts.

Simplest Edamame Hummus (12+ mos)
*this garlicky, lemony puree is heaven. a fun way to serve nutritious edamame, it’s a healthy snack that you can eat as you would hummus, on anything from pretzels to pita. honestly, this dip transcends the snacks and apps category—just serve alongside simply prepared lamb or as a spread on veggie or turkey burgers.

Red Pepper Walnut Spread (& all about super healthy walnuts) (12+ mos)
*when i discovered how shockingly good for you walnuts are, i had to find new and interesting ways to cook with them. this scrumptious mediterranean dip will help you take super walnuts beyond predictable oatmeal topping and pesto ingredient.

Brooke’s Homemade Cheese Crackers (& all about the value of self-feeding) (10+ mos)
*this recipe is among my absolute favorites of the year. make these easy crackers once and you’ll never serve a Ritz or water crackers again. if you’re one of those baker types, these might even displace more regularly consumed cheddar bunnies. this recipe, from my dear friend (and new mama!) brooke, makes fresh, natural, delectable homemade crackers with hardly any effort. these are perfect for first finger foods and fancy cocktail parties alike.

Kale Chips (10+ mos)
*now these were a trend this year, huh? with so many recipes floating around for kale chips (aka roasted kale, kale crisps, crunchy kale…), why mine? because of the cider vinegar, of course. i’m certainly not the only one who tosses the greens with vinegar before oven roasting, but it’s not the norm. and having tried it both ways, believe me, go with vinegar. irresistible.