You may already have saltine crackers in your pantry. Whip up a creative appetizer, snack or dinner entrée using crackers. Caterers serve many appetizers on crackers at cocktail parties. Get creative and use ingredients you have in your pantry or refrigerator. Saltines can be used in a number of dishes, both sweet and savory. Try using saltine crackers for baking an entrée dish or a sweet treat.
Appetizer
Think outside of the box when it comes to cheese and crackers. Place sharp cheddar cheese over a cracker with a slice of pear. Or dab a spoonful of apple butter or berry jam to contrast the sharpness of the cheese. Top a cracker with brunch items such as sliced cucumber, smoked salmon, cream cheese and chives. Serve a garden-inspired appetizer by stacking herbed goat cheese, cherry tomato slices and fresh basil on a cracker. A simple appetizer for grownups should have strong flavors and depth. Spread blue cheese over a cracker and add a few chopped walnuts.
Snack
Kids like bite-size snacks. These are also good for grownups looking for a fast, nutritious snack. No one will refuse a peanut butter, banana and chocolate-topped cracker. Simply spread peanut butter, top with a slice of banana and drizzle chocolate fudge over a cracker. Eat breakfast as a snack by simply topping a cracker with a piece of bacon and slice of hardboiled egg. Instead of a sandwich, make a sandwich on a cracker. Spread a drizzle of honey mustard on a cracker, place a slice of roasted turkey breast, and top with fruit preserve. Make a Mexican-inspired snack with a refried bean, avocado and salsa-topped cracker.
Cracker-Crusted Entree
Replace bread crumbs with crackers for a crispier crust on meat, fish or chicken. To make cracker crumbs, place crackers in a resealable plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin until you have bread crumbs. Try a simple and healthy recipe for baked fish. Using cod fillets, season with salt and pepper. Rub Dijon mustard over the fish and coat the fish in the cracker crumbs. Bake until golden brown for a crispy cracker-crusted fish dish. You can also use saltines for baked chicken fingers.
Cookies and chocolate
Because saltines have salt, they contrast well with chocolate. For a chocolatey treat similar to chocolate-covered pretzels, dip saltines into tempered chocolate. Before the chocolate dries, add some colorful sprinkles. Pine bark makes a decadently sweet dessert made with saltines. Line a pan with saltine crackers and pour a caramel mixture over the crispy crackers. Top with chocolate chips and bake in the oven for six minutes.