Cheez-Its Of the Future (Happy 2012!)

Dear Mouse,

Happy New Year!

Get these out of my house!

Why not double the recipe, I said to myself.

I may not know much, but I know some things. To wit: On New Year's Eve, it is permissible - nay, imperative!! - to do certain things. One may - nay, must! (I dont know what's going on here either) - cover oneself in glitter, feathers, white vinyl, and a tiny hat (aka, a 'fascinator').

One may/must fling glitter from the balcony upon people in the drinks line below (they didn't mind.) One must refuse the offer of an absinthe cocktail, if one knows what is good for one. One must, on the other hand, accept the offer of champagne pretty much every time it comes around. And, if at all possible, one must have these cheese crackers on hand to eat with said champagne, because they will make you feel like this:

Gemini & Scorpio's "Glitter Ball" @Irondale Arts Center in Brooklyn

After two New Years Eves in the kitchen, I decided to get out of the house.Photo by Mrs. Mighty Hunter.

For xmas this year, Mrs. Lawyer (who, as predicted, was horrified by this handle and made me promise to change it) gave me this beautiful, excitingly user-friendly Dorie Greenspan cookbook.

Cheez-Its on Page 10

So, ok, full disclosure: I actually made these, as you know, for our multi-apartment Moveable Feast on New Year's Day (we really must do that again), so I didn't actually get to have them with my official 2012 toast. But if I could have found a way to smuggle these treats into the Glitter Ball you betcha I would have. They are crisp yet buttery, sharp with cheese but not greasy, and delicate despite said butter and cheese. They are a perfect foil for dry champagne, if that's what a foil is. Oh, how delightful. Seriously, get them out of my house.

You will need a food processor. I know, I'm always all "fight the power! who needs machines!" but I kind of feel like you dont' want to try these without one. It is 2012, though, and that means in a few short years robots will do all of this for us anyway.

Happy New Year!

Love,

The Boo

Dorie Greenspan's "Cheez-It-Ish Crackers"

Ingredients

8 tbsp (1 stick) cold unsalted butter cut into 16 pieces

1/4 lb (about a cup) grated cheese (Dorie says gruyere, comte, or emmenthal... I went black pepper parmesan)

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp white pepper

pinch of cayenne (optional - but come on. put it in.)

1 C plus 2 tbsp flour

Butter, cheese, salt, and pepper(s) into food processor. Pulse until butter breaks up and mixture forms small curds (mine didn't, dont worry, just get it all broken up.) Add flour and pulse again until you see large curds (this does happen and it's kind of neat.) Turn dough out onto work surface and gently knead til it comes together. Divide in two balls, pat into disks, wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. (3 days???)

Center rack in oven, preheat to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Working 1 disk at a time, roll dough out between sheets of plastic wrap/wax paper to a scant 1/4 in thick. (You will want to let it soften up a little before you try this, I found). Using a small cookie cutter (or a vitamin bottle cap, if you're me), cut the dough into circles. (gather scraps together and make them into more circles.) Dorie says you can also make it easier by shaping the dough into logs and doing a 'slice and bake' thing. Place the rounds on the baking sheet and bake for 14-17 minutes, til lightly golden and firm to touch. (In my oven, 15 min was perfect.) Serve warm or room temp, and invite some people over for the love of god.