What to do with a bunch of saltine crackers….

[Lemonii]

I have ¾ of a box left of saltine crackers at home and don’t know what to do with them. I could just throw them out, I don’t like to eat them myself…I got them for a recipe over Christmas and only used a quarter of the box. Who’s got an interesting recipe to use a whole bunch of them… Superbowl is coming up, maybe something for that party?

[Joebob]

Just read what I would guess is an excellent use of 1 1/2 sleeves; From npr.org: Bill Smith's Atlantic Beach Pie.

[sr44]

This will take care of 12: http://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/...

[rcallner]

I'm sure OP's original 3/4 box is long gone, but for future saltines - they make a lovely crushed breading for large panfried oysters.

[tcamp]

This is a fabulous spring or summer dessert.

Soda cracker pie:

3 egg whites, beaten stiff. Add 1 cup sugar (the amount can be reduced) and 1 tsp vanilla. Roll 16 double soda crackers fine but not too fine. Add 1/2 tsp baking powder. Fold in egg mixture. Add 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped. Butter a 9X9 pan and bake in 325 oven for 30 minutes. When cool serve with sweetened strawberries or peaches and top with a layer of whipped cream.

[Querencia]

Clam Casserole: 24 saltines crushed, 2 8-oz cans chopped or minced clams with all the juice, 2 eggs beaten, 1 1/2 cups milk, 1/4 cup melted butter. Mix all together and bake in casserole 45-60 minutes. I found this in a New England church members' contributed recipes cookbook---if you like the flavor of clams it is surprisingly good.

[chefj]

In Maryland we did a very similar dish with Oysters. A staple at Ham and Oyster Dinners at the Firehouse, Elk's Lodge etc....
http://www.all-fish-seafood-recipes.c...

[Debwin]

2 sleeves of saltines, half cup olive oil, garlic powder, lots of ground cayenne...put in ziplock bag, shake, and let marinate a few hours...no baking,,,will stay crisp...addictive!!!

[creamydeluxe]

I heard that it is the binding agent in the totally addictive Peruvian aji sauce, it's like garlicky crack.

[archstreet]

Half a sleeve of saltines (at least) and room temp tonic water are my "getting over a headache" meal. Don't forget the Excedrin!

[Veggo]

If you could learn to eat 10 Saltines in one minute without drinking any liquid, you could get rich winning bar bets.
It can't be done.

[1POINT21GW]

Seems like this guy did it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpDDwU...

[kaleokahu]

Oh, I could really have done without watching that.

[MuuMuu2]

Try this: My ex-hubby's "Fire-crackers" Place 3 - sleeves of saltine crackers in a gallon size zip lock. Mix 1/2 cup canola or light olive oil, 1 t. cayenne pepper, 1 t. paprika, 1 t. crushed red pepper, 1/2 t. lemon pepper, 1 1/2 t. powdered ranch dressing mix. Pour over crackers in bag, gently toss to distribute over crackers, let sit for a couple of hours or overnite. Trust me, it's yummy - spicy and crunchy! And everyone will want to know how you made it! Shhhh....

[geminigirl]

doesn't this get mushy from the oil? it sounds good though...

[jenwee]

the crackers absorb the oil pretty good. Here is my cheapo version of fire crackers: 1 box of saltines, 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes , 1 (1 ounce) package dry ranch salad dressing mix, 1 tsp of garlic powder, and 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil.

My coworkers eat them at every pot luck :)

[sarah galvin]

ceviche

[toodie jane]

nutella?

[broncosaurus]

Just dump some sardines on top of them. Sardines and Saltines...that's some find dineing.

[alliedawn_98]

Another Southern food using saltine crackers is to mix a sleeve of saltines with a quart or a 14.5 oz can of chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, and enough mayo to make a creamy salad. My mom almost always made that when we had fried fish.

[bigjimbray]

They go great crumpled up and put into you chili bowl. or in soups of any kind.
like someone said earlier in meatloaf. or coatings crushed and put on like breadcrumbs. I have used them for years with cheeses or peanut butter.

[KaimukiMan]

A friend of mine uses them instead of bread crumbs for stuffing/dressing. Just substitute an equal portion of coarsley crumbled saltines for bread. Very tasty.

[kagoo]

Well, you all might think I'm crazy, but here's a very old South Philadelphia tradition: saltines and potato salad. My mother (85) remembers buying them two for a penny at the church fair when she was a little girl. It's a great combo. (Especially with my mother's potato salad!)

[Lori SF]

Pork chops use good quaility meat-

My mom use to take the crackers and a rolling pin on foil to make almost bread crumbs texture, not as fine.
beat two eggs in a wide enough plate with sides for dipping

Heat vegetable oil in iron skilley till slightly smoking-
season the pork chops with salt and pepper, dip into egg mix and then crackers coating well..cook about 5-7 min. on each side you want the cracker coating to be med. brown, best that the chops are not too thick.
Serve with mash potatos and greens, excellent.

[alliedawn_98]

If you use cracker meal, then you can substitute saltine cracker crumbs instead. The best fried shrimp I've ever had used cracker meal or cracker crumbs, then an egg/milk wash, and then back into cracker meal before frying. They can also be used in place of bread crumbs in some recipes. I've used them as a binder for meatloaf and salmon croquettes. A simple snack that my kids love is a saltine cracker with a little peanut butter and a marshmallow on top. Put it in the oven to brown and puff the marshmallow. My dad made that when I was a kid as a Sunday night treat. I also like them with a bit of tuna or chicken salad on top!

[jfood]

It hard to believe that 3/4 of a box of saltines have survived a month. No chance they would have that longevity at casa jfood.

These little beauties should be used as a centerpiece, not shoved into something else where they are filler or the like. They can handle stuff all by their little lonesome. Here are a few add-ons to saltines that make them fly out of the box.

1 - Peanut butter - In the 60's jfood used to make little pb sandwiches with crackers to eat in front of the TV. Throw some on one side, turn it over, smash very light onto another and place on a plate. A big glass of milk and it time for Boston Legal. Even better than ice cream.
2 - Chopped Liver - what's better than enjoying all that cholesterol.
3 - Cheese - Open faced sandwiches with some nice soft cheese also in front of the TV
4 - Tomato Soup - Hate to throw jfood under the bus, but a bowl of Campbell's Tomato soup (made with milk not water) and a pile of crackers is a wonderful end of the day. And to top it off make yourself a grilled cheese sandwich on the side.

[Springhaze2]

Hi jfood. Too funny on the tomato soup comment! Campbell's Tomato soup made with milk is a perfect comfort food. While saltines work I love cheddar crackers - like Goldfish or Cheeze-Its and grated cheddar cheese as a topper. Have you ever tried the Pacific Natural Tomato and Roasted Pepper soup? Now that is perfect with just plain saltines.

Anybody ever hear of adding marshmellows to your typical bowl of Campbell's Tomato soup (made with milk, of course)? My FIL does that...I have never heard or seen it before.

[Emme]

And we used to do Ritz crackers w/ campbell's tomato w/ milk mixed in.

[missfunkysoul]

Dip your saltine-peanut butter sandwiches in chocolate and you'll have a very tasty treat from my husband's hometown in Central PA - club sandwiches! They are the tastiest little things, great with a glass of milk.

I also make stuffing with them....

[punkin712]

OMG - when I read jfood's post, I was thinking, "Amateur...he should try dipping those little beauties in chocolate."

Even funnier is that I'm also from Central PA - is it possible this is a regional delicacy?

[missfunkysoul]

I don't know of anyone else who makes them but Costa's... they are SO good! My father-in-law always gives me a bunch to take home when we go back to visit :)

[minisma]

Cooks Illustrated has a bacon wrapped meatloaf which uses a sleeve of saltines to bind. It's really very good....my go-to meatloaf recipe. Put them in a bag and steamroll with your rolling pin. Freeze the rest.

[broncosaurus]

Recipe?

[boogiebaby]

Throw them in your food processor to make crumbs and then use that to coat chicken or fish instead of breadcrumbs.

[babaoriley7]

I like this but with Pork Tendreloin for sandwiches

[synergy]

Can't stand eating the store bought crumbs. I always make my own breadcrumbs from any crackers I have, melba toast,tortilla chips, pretzels...you name it. I add my own seasoning too.

[Gio]

A savory way to use saltines is to use them to top baked fish:
Crumble them and mix with minced garlic, FGBP, minced parsley.
Sprinkle salt and pepper over fish (any fillet of a white fish will do), top with the crumb mixture, drizzle with fresh lemon juice, sprinkle with paprika. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes at 375*.

BTW: that chocolate covered saltine looks terrific!

[jacinthe]

Very similar to the pine bark idea:

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives...

The original recipe calls for matzo, but you can easily sub with saltines. I've made this many times, and it's always a hit.

[dolores]

jacinthe, how many saltines or Ritz equal 4-6 sheets of Matzoh, do you think? It looks delicious.

[jencounter]

I just made this yesterday - you need enough saltines to cover the bottom of a sheet pan in one layer. I'm not sure the number, but that may give a better idea.

[Katie Nell]

Here's another one that I bookmarked to try: Cashew Caramel Cracker Bars http://www.leitesculinaria.com/recipe...

[Springhaze2]

I use them in place of flour in potatoe pancakes. Grind them in a food processor or mini chopper.

[Amuse Bouches]

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recip...

[aussiewonder]

exactly what i was going to recommend. thanks for posting! i've been looking for this since i fell in love w/ it at a christmas party.

[dolores]

Or make a dandy crabmeat/cracker stuffing for lobster for you and however many other people you really like, and eat it all before Sunday?

http://tinyurl.com/2lm6m2

[synergy]

Someone at work recently made these. They were addictive!!!! She also put chopped nuts on top.

[ginnyhw]

They were at my office too- must be the easy cookie recipe of the year! Our baker used chocolate chips and Heath Bar crunch topping.

[Val]

Yep, the pine bark is just awesome and so easy! People really freak over them, too!

[scuzzo]

I've had a similar thing, but with almonds and no chocolate. Either this should be spectacular. The sweet, salty, butter, crunchy goodness is quite mind blowing.

[DGresh]

So can the pine bark be made ahead? I have some time this afternoon and want to bring it as a hostess gift this weekend (4 days from now)

[Val]

Well, I've made pine bark many, many times but never that far ahead...I think you'd be okay, really.

[chelleyd01]

totally ditch all the other ideas and make these. I let the boiling sugar go a few extra minutes and I only use good butter. I also sprinkle with a little sea salt and toasted pecans!

I made 3 batches for Christmas goodie bags...HUGE hit.