Last year my friend Linda went to the annual Christmas bazaar in Fossil. She returned with a bag of oyster crackers that were seasoned just right and had the perfect crunch. They were a savory and fun treat to eat straight out of the bag and as a garnish on soups, salads, and even on pasta. “Do you know who made these delicious crackers, I asked?” She said “No” and then my heart sank. Should I put up a sign at the post office? “WANTED – REWARD: SEASONED OYSTER CRACKER RECIPE”
Once in a while the thought of those crackers would cross my mind and I would long for them, as if I was pining over a long lost lover. Then one day, I attended a benefit dinner and much to my surprise, I saw the crackers in a bowl next to the chili. I felt a surge of sheer delight accompanied by an adrenaline rush. With great excitement I inquired “Who made these?” Turns out it was someone I knew. “No problem, I will give you the recipe”, she said.
I call events like these “pop-ins”. A pop-in is an unexpected occurrence that comes out of the blue and fulfills a desire. They evoke feelings of thrill, awe, and joy. Pop-ins are sweet little blessings that warm the heart. I love to watch for pop-ins every day and feel wonderment when they mysteriously appear. How they come about is sometimes quite remarkable.
This recipe is so simple it only takes about five minutes to make.
Seasoned Oyster Crackers
Preheat oven to 250⁰
One bag of oyster crackers
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon pepper
1 tbsp tbsp dill weed
Finishing salt
Stir olive oil, lemon pepper, and dill weed together in a big bowl. Add the crackers and mix well. Spread the crackers on a jelly roll pan (line it with parchment paper to reduce cleanup) and bake on the lowest rack for one hour. Toss every 15 minutes or so. This recipe can be easily doubled.
When I cook, I usually go more by taste and feel than exact measurements and make adjustments as I go along. You may want to add more or less lemon pepper and dill weed. I use the best sea salt available; not all salt is created equal so I used ground Maldon sea salt flakes. That is Queen Elizabeth’s salt; it says so on the box! Also, the quality of the olive oil makes a big difference. I always use extra virgin olive oil. I try to find olive oil produced in Italy. It’s the best!
Now I know what my friends will be getting for Christmas this year! And I just may include the recipe too.
Wing it Pizza 4.13.23 Last week I visited my dear friend Sunny. Our term of e