Grazing with Gary: 'Cracker Crack,' and more home-baked gifts

Well, this week found me down for the count with the flu, so I missed all the holiday activities around our area. I did get reports that Country Christmas in Old Town Auburn had a huge crowd and a ton of great vendors. All my local shop owners said it was a great night for business. Lucky for me they are repeating the event again this Saturday. I got to watch a lot of Netflix. First I thought Squid Games the Challenge was going to be about calamari and other ways to cook octopi. Well, it was not, but this competition kept me on the edge of my bed until the end. And a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors could be worth $4.55 million. Then it was on to Great British Baking Challenge. Now this was real cooking, and these people are amazing. No lie, sometimes I have to Google what some of the items are. As we get closer to Christmas, we will continue to offer gifts from the heart, home-baked gifts to give from your kitchen to their home. The first recipe is for what people call "Cracker Crack." My friend put out a plea for someone to make her some, so I had to check out what all the fuss is about. And I have to say it shocked me!! The second recipe is for spicy and sweet nuts. Now Pampered Chef introduced a candy nut maker this season, and I have been using it quite often. Nine minutes is great for a wonderful gift. But this recipe is baked in the oven low and slow. Try it with different nuts. The last recipe is for my favorite gift I would receive and that was teriyaki sauce. This is a sugar-free version, and I find it delicious. Try it on fish, chicken and stir-fried vegetables. Happy Cooking!! Peppermint Bark Ingredients 50 saltine crackers (from 1 16-oz. pkg.)2 (11-oz.) pkg. white chocolate chips (about 3 1/3 cups)2 (10-oz.) pkg. 65% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips (about 3 1/3 cups)12 peppermint candy canes or 30 hard peppermint candies3/4 tsp. peppermint extractFlaky sea salt Directions Line a 13- by 18-inch rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Arrange crackers in a single layer on prepared baking sheet without overlapping; cut crackers to fit into any gaps as needed. Place white chocolate chips in a medium-size heatproof bowl; place bittersweet chocolate chips in a separate medium-size heatproof bowl. Place candy canes in a large heavy-duty Ziploc plastic bag; seal bag and use a rolling pin or meat mallet to crush candy into small pieces. Set it aside. Fill a medium saucepan with water to a depth of 1 inch. Bring to a simmer over medium-high; reduce heat to low so water is barely simmering. Place bowl of white chocolate chips over saucepan, making sure bottom of bowl does not touch water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until chips are melted and smooth, about 8 minutes. Remove bowl from heat; stir in peppermint extract. Pour melted white chocolate evenly over crackers. Using the back of a spoon, spread in an even layer. Gently tap baking sheet on countertop to even out surface. Chill until starting to set, about 10 minutes. Place bowl of bittersweet chocolate chips over simmering water, making sure bottom of bowl does not touch water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until chips are melted and smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove bowl from heat; pour melted bittersweet chocolate over hardened white chocolate layer, spreading evenly. Gently tap baking sheet on countertop to even out surface. Let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with crushed candy and sea salt. Chill, uncovered, until completely firm, at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Break the bark into large (about 3-inch) pieces. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 1 week. Spicy and Sweet Nuts Ingredients 3/4 cup granulated sugar1 tablespoon light brown sugar2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary1 teaspoon kosher salt1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/2 teaspoon ground ginger1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper1 large egg white4 cups pecan halvesVegetable cooking sprayWax paper Directions Preheat oven to 275°. Stir together the first 8 ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk together egg white and 1 Tbsp. water in a separate medium bowl until foamy. (No liquid should remain.) Add pecans, stirring to coat. Add pecan mixture to sugar mixture, stirring until evenly coated. Spread pecans in a single layer on a lightly greased (with cooking spray) aluminum foil-lined half-sheet pan (about 17 x 12 inches). Bake at 275° for 50 to 55 minutes or until sugar mixture hardens and nuts are toasted, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread immediately in a single layer on wax paper; cool completely (about 30 minutes). Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days. Sugar-Free Teriyaki Sauce Ingredients · 1 cup low sodium tamari sauce (or coconut aminos) · 4 tablespoons brown sugar substitute (Splenda or Monkfruit Sweetener) · 4 cloves garlic (finely minced) · 1 tablespoon rice vinegar · 2 tablespoons ginger (minced) · ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum Instructions 1. Add the tamari or coconut aminos, brown sugar substitute, garlic, rice vinegar and ginger to a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Mix well to help the sweetener dissolve. 2. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes. 3. While stirring continuously, add the xanthan gum slowly. Keep mixing for a few minutes until the sauce thickens. 4. Remove from heat and allow to cool.