Homemade Crackers and a Giveaway!

When I entertain I usually serve cheese and crackers in addition to any other hors d'oeuvre's I may prepare.  A cheese and cracker tray is an appetizer that most everyone enjoys. 

It's easy to make something as simple as cheese to look nice when you use the right serving pieces. 
I love the look of white or metalware or a combination of both when I entertain. 
Metalware serving pieces are timeless and look so elegant on a buffet.

I recently had the opportunity to experience first hand the beauty of the Beatriz Ball Collection.
Beatriz Ball pieces are made entirely by hand, using the ancient art of sand casting; pouring a premium quality alloy of molten aluminum into sand molds, and then going through four levels of polishing. Beatriz Ball offers beautiful bowls, ice buckets, trays and platters in addition many other beautiful pieces.  Beatriz Ball is the perfect place to shop for the bride and groom!

The company sent me this gorgeous Soho Charcuterie half wood cutting board made of an FDA safe, easy-care 93% aluminum alloy, and wood.  My cheese and cracker tray never looked so good!!!

Have you ever wondered how to make your own crackers at home?
They are super easy to make and you can customize them with your own toppings, such as sesame seed, fennel seed, sea salt, poppy seeds or cracked pepper.
You use a simple dough of flour, water and oil with just a touch of salt and sugar.
I decided to make round crackers with a scalloped cookie cutter.

I was happy with the way they turned out.
They were a nice change from crackers from a box.

Homemade Crackers

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
4 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 cup water

Optional toppings:  sea salt, sesame seed, cracked pepper, fennel seed, poppy seed
(I used sea salt, sesame seed and cracked pepper)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Sprinkle a large baking sheet lightly with flour; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer whisk together the flours, sugar and salt.
Add the water and oil; mixing until a soft, sticky dough forms.
Sprinkle your work surface with flour.
Remove dough from mixer and divide into two halves.  Shape dough into a square with your hands.
Roll out the dough into a rectangle roughly 1/8 inch thick.  Press a small cookie cutter into the dough as many times as you can.  Remove excess dough.  Using a small metal spatula, place individual crackers onto your baking sheet.
Roll out dough again and cut additional crackers until you have used all of your dough.

Using a pastry brush or your finger, brush the surface of each cracker lightly with water.
Sprinkle with desired toppings.  I used sea salt, sesame seed and cracked pepper.

Bake crackers until crisp and just slightly browned; about 7-10 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack.  Crackers will keep for about a week in an air tight container.

Yield - 75 -100 crackers, depending upon the size of your cutter.

Now for the giveaway!
Beatriz Ball is giving one of my readers this beautiful Vento Alex Pedestal Bowl.
It's the perfect bowl for serving sauces, sides and desserts with style! (Value $88)

HOW TO ENTER: To enter to win, simply visit Beatriz Ball and leave a comment on this post letting me know your favorite piece.

You can receive up to FIVE additional entries to win by doing the following:

1. Become a fan of Me and My Pink Mixer and Beatriz Ball on Facebook. Come back and let me know you became a fan in an additional comment on this post.

2.  Share the giveaway on Facebook.  Come back and let me know that you did in an additional comment on this post.

3. Follow @meandmypinkmixer on Instagram. Come back and let me know you’ve followed in an additional comment on this post.

4. Follow @mypinkmixerblog on Twitter and tweet about the giveaway. Come back and let me know you’ve followed in an additional comment on this post.

5. Pin an image from this post on Pinterest. Come back and let me know that you did in an additional comment on this post.

Deadline to enter: Wednesday, March 5, 2014 at 11:59pm EST.

Winner: The winner will be notified via email; if the winner does not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be selected.

This giveaway has ended and the winner has been notified by email.