For this Make Ahead Monday I wanted to focus on something other than freezer meals. I love stocking the freezer, but there are a few make-ahead staples that never see the chill chest and are worth sharing. Today it’s all about crunchy snacks that double as salad toppers.
I have a soft spot for salads — blame my mom. Every night growing up we’d ask her what was for dinner and nine times out of ten her reply included, with enthusiastic emphasis, A BIG GREEN SALAD. In Northern Michigan winters she planned carefully to make that salad feel fresh and festive, and she loaded it with toppings. That upbringing turned me into a salad enthusiast.
My mom’s salads were never boring. She’d pull together everything edible from the camp kitchen: Baco-s were a perennial favorite, and she’d also add frozen peas, hard-boiled eggs, onions, bell peppers, cheese cubes, raisins, chow mein noodles, croutons, potato chips, corn chips, crushed pretzels — basically anything that could be tossed on top. There’s a truth I’ve noticed: most crunchy snacks that are delightful on their own are also amazing on salads.
These Honey Chipotle Oyster Crackers are a perfect example. Slightly sweet, slightly spicy, with subtle garlic and onion notes, they’re addictive. They handle snack attacks, dress up salads, and add a satisfying crunch to soups. If you ask whether crackers can have aplomb — these do.
The recipe below is given in a moderate quantity suitable for a smaller household. If you’re a heavy snacker or feeding a larger family, double or triple the batch. Stored in an airtight container, the crackers stay crisp for up to 14 days; if they soften a bit, a quick stint in a low oven will recrisp them. Whether you serve them in a bowl for grazing or scatter them over greens, you’ll be glad you made them.
Spring is the perfect time to get your BIG GREEN SALAD on and top it in style. As Vince would say, “Stop having boring salad. Stop having a boring life!”
Honey Chipotle Oyster Crackers | Make Ahead Mondays
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- 1 10 ounce bag oyster crackers
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon water
- ½- ¾ teaspoon chipotle powder
- ½ – ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon granulated onion
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a rimmed 11-inch by 17-inch pan (or another pan of similar size) with nonstick cooking spray.
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In a medium bowl whisk together canola oil, honey, water, chipotle powder, salt, granulated garlic, and granulated onion until smooth. Add the oyster crackers and toss gently to coat evenly. Spread the coated crackers in a single layer on the prepared pan.
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Bake for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes and paying special attention to the edges, until the coating has dried onto the crackers. Allow them to cool completely on the pan, then transfer to an airtight container. Stored this way, they will stay crisp for up to 14 days.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients you use with your preferred tool.
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