Charski Cheese Crackers - Picture Heavy ;)

[Vanessa120]

Thank You Charski for this super easy cracker making idea!!!

Charski Cheese Crackers

I followed your directions to a "t" and they were perfect! Of course I took some pictures.....

[BigBravesGirl]

I'm coming to YOUR house!

Here's the recipe in case anyone needs it:

Originally Posted by Charski

Yes! In their cold cheeses department, they have something by Cello brand - it's a tray of cracker-sized sliced cheeses, in 4 flavors - cheddar, gouda, swiss, and something else. I make THOSE into almost instant crackers!

Preheat the oven to 400*. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the cheese slices on the paper with about 1 inch in between - I can get 4 x 5 rows on there, so I get each flavor x 5 "crackers" - put them in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, it will vary with your oven. Mine takes 9 exactly. Watch them after the first 7 to 8 minutes, you want them to be JUST browning up around the edges a bit and they'll get all bubbly.

Remove from oven and let stand a minute, then I use a paper towel to blot up the excess oils - slide the parchment off onto a countertop to let them cool quickly.

Remove from paper and enjoy!

DH and I make and eat these with a tin of sardines for lunch most weekends. We've come to prefer them over any other crackers and they're so simple!

[BigBravesGirl]

Which cheese makes your favorite cracker?

[Vanessa120]

Originally Posted by BigBravesGirl

Which cheese makes your favorite cracker?

Love the AGED CHEDDAR!!!!! They go great with Taco Salad in place of tortilla chips.

You're welcome to come any time!

[BigBravesGirl]

My friend has a Costco membership. I'm going to ask her to pick me up a package of this cheese. Thanks for the pics!

[fourstubbs]

YAY! I have some of that cheese in the fridge...mine is the italian cheese platter though. I guess I can still try it! Great idea!!! Thanks Vanessa and Char!!!!!

[Charski]

Oooo, Vanessa! PURTY and looks exactly like mine, right through the lining up and cooking!

We love those things. I have two full packs and one partial pack of those cheese platters in my fridge right now!

Mary - there is an Italian version?! What kind of cheeses are in it? Is it Cello? Was it from Costco?

DETAILS, Woman!

[fourstubbs]

Hey Char!!! The brand is Via Del Gusto and the cheeses are: Asiago, Provolone, Mozzerella and Fontina. I bought these at Sam's. I need to try this for sure!

[Charski]

Oh yum, Mary. I bet they wouldn't be hurt by sprinkling a little garlic powder on before baking...just sayin'....

[Phos4us]

Ohh love those kind of cheese crackers! Have to keep a lookout of the pre-cut selection. So much easier!
I often also make the microwave version with provolone. My kids plough through those in time!

Yes to the garlic and/or onion powder - and a little sprinkling of ground sesame seeds makes a toasty/tasty addition too

[fourstubbs]

Originally Posted by Charski

Oh yum, Mary. I bet they wouldn't be hurt by sprinkling a little garlic powder on before baking...just sayin'....

Now that is a great idea...also, it is so handy because they are already uniformly cut (yes, I am compulsive, I need to have them all of same size and shape!!) and ready to go! Quick eats!! My kids are going to be here this week...so I love how quick these can be ready!!

Sesame seeds do seem like a great addition too phos4us! What about a little bit of crushed chili? MMM...

[Vanessa120]

The batch I made this morning, is gone! I was saving some for my husband (he gets home from being out of town tonight), but my 15 year old spotted them. He says they taste like "Cheez-its".

[Charski]

Isn't it great when they like something that is actually GOOD for them!

[Tilly]

Originally Posted by Vanessa120

The batch I made this morning, is gone! I was saving some for my husband (he gets home from being out of town tonight), but my 15 year old spotted them. He says they taste like "Cheez-its".

That is just what I thought, sooooo easy!

[Squigglywiggly]

I wish we could buy those here in NZ. *drools*

[LindaSue]

Was that the Gouda that kept its square shape?

[Vanessa120]

Originally Posted by LindaSue

Was that the Gouda that kept its square shape?

No, I think it is the Havarti.

[Tilly]

Originally Posted by Squigglywiggly

I wish we could buy those here in NZ. *drools*

Can you purchase blocks of cheese and slice them yourself?

[Charski]

Yes, Tilly, that works fine, I'm just too lazy to do it - all the work is done with these nice presliced trays AND I like the variety!

That's just me though.

A lot of peeps use the presliced Deluxe American cheese for this - cut each slice into quarters or smaller, then proceed as above.

Again - me 2 lazy.

[judytab]

I have been making cheese crackers lately in the microwave with mild cheddar cubes and swiss cheese. I had them with tuna salad yesterday and it was really good. I used to use deluxe American but they taste too salty to me.

[Tilly]

Originally Posted by Charski

Yes, Tilly, that works fine, I'm just too lazy to do it - all the work is done with these nice presliced trays AND I like the variety!

That's just me though.

A lot of peeps use the presliced Deluxe American cheese for this - cut each slice into quarters or smaller, then proceed as above.

Again - me 2 lazy.

Sorry not you, but the person from NZ who said they don't have those neat trays of sliced cheeses. I know at one time I had considered purchasing a meat/cheese slicer. (Smaller than the ones you see in the deli.) So I thought perhaps that if that person that could not purchase sliced cheese trays, they could slice their own, maybe? Maybe I misunderstood what that person was saying? And since I have access to sliced cheeses, that is what I am going for, yeh!!!!!

[Kaarren]

I make these a lot in the microwave with either Amer Cheese or shredded sharp cheddar. Just 1 min will do it! When I first started LC I fried cheese in a skillet. Messy.

Does baking the cheese in the oven make it taste better?

Also, put salsa on the cheddar 1/2 way thru or so...mmmm

[Charski]

I don't know that it tastes better, but I can do a whole lot more at a time. Also I broke one of my brand-new dinner plates trying to nuke cheese one time! So I just do the oven thing these days.

[LindaSue]

If you can't get the pre-sliced little squares of cheese like Charski uses, the next best thing are the cheese slices that you can get in any grocery store. Just cut each slice into four squares. Cheese slices come in lots of flavors too. At Kroger I can get Swiss, cheddar, colby and Havarti slices. Oh, and pepper jack.

[sapphyretwins]

I have a ton of shredded parmesan cheese (big thing from Costco) that I was going to try this with. Just put small mounds on parchment paper on a cookie sheet and bake. That'll work, right??

[LindaSue]

Originally Posted by sapphyretwins

I have a ton of shredded parmesan cheese (big thing from Costco) that I was going to try this with. Just put small mounds on parchment paper on a cookie sheet and bake. That'll work, right??

I've seen them make them like that on TV, and they looked great, but I've never had luck with parmesan cheese.

I just made a batch of them using Swiss cheese slices that I quartered. They came out wonderful. They seem more cracker-like when baked in the oven vs. the microwave. However, Swiss cheese tends to taste a little burnt even though I didn't let them get very brown. If you don't bake them long enough though, they don't get crisp in the center. One nice thing about Swiss cheese crisps is that Swiss cheese has very little salt in it so you can add your own salty seasoning to the crackers. I sprinkled mine with some nacho cheese popcorn seasoning.

By the way, a 6 ounce package of Kroger Swiss slices made 32 crackers in two batches (4 rows of 4 on the baking sheet). I reused the parchment paper for the second batch.

[ladeeda]

Would this work in the microwave like the Deli Deluxe. They used to have flavors. One slice in 16 pieces...lay in circle on large piece of parchment (12- 14" sq) about 1/2" between pcs. Micro 50seconds to 1 minute. Perfect little crackers. Dee

[judytab]

Originally Posted by LindaSue

One nice thing about Swiss cheese crisps is that Swiss cheese has very little salt in it so you can add your own salty seasoning to the crackers. I sprinkled mine with some nacho cheese popcorn seasoning.

By the way, a 6 ounce package of Kroger Swiss slices made 32 crackers in two batches (4 rows of 4 on the baking sheet). I reused the parchment paper for the second batch.

The fact that swiss cheese isn't as salty is why I like to use it if I want to put something on it like tuna salad, etc. In those cases, I don't add any salt to it. I find that the saltier cheeses (like Deluxe American) overpower whatever I put on it - in fact they taste too salty just plain.

[EveH]

I have this little wire cheese slicer that has a rectangular base of acrylic. I can do an average block of cheese in seconds with it and they are all the same size because it has a line to go by on the block that holds the wire. Really fast and easy and lots cheaper. I've had it forever, mine is acrylic but Target has them made from wood. I also use it for Spam or small cans of ham. Even slices every time.

I love Pepper Jack cheese crackers.

[Squigglywiggly]

Originally Posted by EveH

I have this little wire cheese slicer that has a rectangular base of acrylic. I can do an average block of cheese in seconds with it and they are all the same size because it has a line to go by on the block that holds the wire. Really fast and easy and lots cheaper. I've had it forever, mine is acrylic but Target has them made from wood. I also use it for Spam or small cans of ham. Even slices every time.

I love Pepper Jack cheese crackers.

Hmm maybe I should try to hunt down one of those, sounds easier than slicing a block LOL.

I haven't tried the parmesan ones yet either - I must!