Dehydrator Wednesday- Goin' Crackers!

I found a recipe for Flax Crackers in Mary Bell's Food Drying With an Attitude, that intrigued me. I rooted around in the cupboards and freezer, and gathered all of the ingredients (freshly dried jalapenos, frozen bell peppers from last summer, store bought minced garlic, and canned tomatoes. Oh yeah, and sea salt, of which I have a surplus).

 Everything assembled.

 Everything but the flax chopped and blended.

 Flax ready to be stirred in. Be not alarmed by the heirloom Tupperware bowl- it's stained, not dirty (and nearly 50 years old).

 The cracker mixture spread on oiled parchment paper on the dryer tray (there was enough in one recipe to cover two dryer trays). Looks like pureed weenies, doesn't it?

 After an hour, it's looking less weinerlicious.

 After 4 hours at 110 degrees, the cracker sheets were firm enough to peel from the paper and cut into squares (roughly).

 This is an Ulu, or as my younger son called it when he was little- That Alaskan Blubber Cutter. You did know that my maternal grandmother was an Inupiat Eskimo, right? I've had this knife for 30 years or more. I can't say as I've cut any blubber with it, but it surely has worked its way through many a pizza and pan of brownies. And now crackers.

After about 10 hours of drying at 125 degrees, the crackers are done. They don't have the flaky texture that I associate with crackers, they're more dense and a bit chewy, like flatbread. But they're definitely yummy, and they'll be great with meat and cheese, or with dips.

Today's dehydrator adventure? Jerky!!!