Home Cooks Online

Recipe by guest author, Heather Forsyth.

Near my town there lives three sisters who have retired from "real" jobs to start a company called Prairie Sisters, making jams, butters and other condiments they sell through the co-op and local farmers markets.  One of their most popular items is Prairie Fire Jam, a sweet and spicy jam good with either cheese or meat.  They have a recipe for Prairie Fire Crackers which showcases the jam which I tried recently and then, because it's what I do, tweaked until I liked it better.  The original version was a little too sweet and not enough fire for me, so I decreased the amount of jam, added an egg yolk to make up for the missing moisture, and added a little cayenne pepper.  If you have an especially hot brand of pepper jelly (or jam), you may want to stick to the original version (noted in the recipe).  Depending on how thick you cut them, the texture is similar to a shortbread cookie (go figure, with all that butter!).  They're a lovely accompaniment to cocktail hour.

Pepper Cheese Crackers

• 1 1/2 c. flour
  
• 1/2 c. butter (1 stick)
  
• 1 c. shredded pepper jack cheese
  
• 2 T. pepper jam (original recipe called for 1/4 c.)
  
• 1 egg yolk (not in the original)
  
• 1 T. fresh jalapeno, chopped
  
• pinch of salt
  
• 1/2 t. cayenne (optional added heat)

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until blended.  Spoon the dough into a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper, form into a log, and chill at least 30 minutes.  Cut chilled dough into very thin (1/4" or less) slices.  Bake until lightly brown and crisp (check on them after about 8 minutes).  I found they browned much faster on the bottom than on the top, so I turned them over after about 8 minutes and cooked them a couple minutes more, top side down.