In Sock Monkey Slippers-Beet cheddar crackers with flax seed

With today being another snow day, I wanted to be able to make a recipe that Mia could help out with and enjoy. I searched and searched and all I could come up with were cookies that I had no interest in making. But as I was scrolling through the blogs I frequent most for ideas or recipes, I found the perfect savory snack for a snowy day. On one of my favorite blogs, Smitten Kitchen, I stumbled upon and old recipe, Cheese Straws, and was immediately inspired to create these…Beet Heart Shaped Cheddar Crackers with flax seed. I choose to add beets not only to add a little healthy kick but because I had a childhood friend that was severely allergic to red dye #40. I mean it made her turn into a wild tornado of CRaZY and from the age of 5, I decided to stay far away from red food coloring. I really did think about these things when I was a kid. It is a miracle that I grew up partly sane (notice I said partly). With Valentine’s Day around the corner, Beet Heart Shaped Cheddar Crackers are the perfect simple, savory, and flaky snack for everyone!
Beet Cheddar Crackers with Flax Seed (makes 35 hearts)
inspired and adapted from Smitten Kitchen’s Cheese Straws

• 1 1/2 cups (about 6 ounces) grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cut into 4 pieces
• 3/4 cup flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
• 2 ounces (1/4 cup) pureed beets*
• 1 tablespoon half-and-half (I used milk, because that’s what I had)

* A quick note: If you follow this blog than you know that we still puree food even though Mia is over 2 years old. I find I can put practically every puree into anything. To puree a beet: Preheat oven to 400°. Wrap the beet in foil and place on a baking sheet to catch any juices. Place in oven and roast for 50 minutes or until you can pierce the beet with a fork. Remove and allow to cool. Peel the skin off with your hands. Quarter with a knife and place in a food processor or blender for 1 to 2 minutes until smooth. Freeze in ice-cube trays and once frozen store in freezer bags. Each cube is an ounce. Keeps for 3 months.
Preheat oven to 350°

In a food processor, combine the cheese, butter, flour, salt and the ground flax seeds in five 5-second pulses until…

the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. (You caught me, I forgot to add the flax seeds and had to add them after I added the beets).

Add the beet puree and half-and-half and process until the dough forms a ball, about 10 seconds.

On a lightly floured surface, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough till it is 1/8-inch thick. Honestly, you could go thinner than this for a crispier texture.

With your favorite cookie cutter, I chose a heart because it’s Valentine’s Day and the dough is perfectly pink/red, but you choose whatever you want, press the cutter into the dough. Repeat until all of the dough is used up. You will have to gather, re-roll, and use the cookie cutter at least twice.

Place the hearts on an ungreased baking sheet. If you have parchment paper use it.
Place on the middle rack in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until crackers are hard to the touch.

Remove from the oven and set the crackers on a rack to cool. Serve at room temperature.