Fancy Herbed Crackers

Let's HEAR IT for spring.

Truly my favorite time of year. I tend to become one of these irritating people, smiling and singing and trying my damnedest to whistle during this time of year. I can feel it in my bones - trading suntan lotion in for dry skin lotion, lovely afternoon lunches taken outside to get as much Vitamin D as possible, laugher, friends, longer days, sandals, grilling, skiing, and generally unfurling myself mentally and physically from the tightly-curled ball I have become during the winter months.

I love spring.

So in the spirit, this post includes a recipe that involves no cooking whatsoever. And people will think you've slaved over a hot stove for hours. It has become one of my favorite afternoon snacks that isn't as good for you as (but tastes way better than) an apple, but better for you than say, a chili dog. The photo doesn't really do them justice: the crackers have the same consistency and taste as if they have been baked in butter in a single layer on a cookie sheet, then sprinkled deliberately with the herbs. Good news: this recipe involves neither butter nor the irritating and time-consuming frustration of lining a cookie sheet with one layer of freakin' crackers.

Our good friend Nash gave us our first taste (pardon the pun) of this dish as a side to shrimp bisque, and I think it's a great, easier, and perhaps slightly healthier alternative to garlic bread for any dish from casseroles to appetizers to croutons. Be creative. I know it's in you - after all, spring is just around the corner.

Ingredients:

• One large box of saltine crackers - four tubes to a box. I buy the cheapest ones I can find: the special value ones at the Kroger for $.88 a box do nicely.
• 1 1/3 cups canola oil
• 1 envelope ranch dressing mix
• Crushed red pepper to taste (I use about 1 1/2 teaspoons)
• Garlic Powder to taste (I use about 1 teaspoon)
• Dill to taste (I use about 2 1/2 teaspoons)

1. Open the crackers and put all into a gallon size plastic sealable bag.
2. Thoroughly mix together oil, ranch dressing mix, red pepper, garlic powder, and dill.
3. While it's still swirling around, pour it over the crackers in the bag.
4. Turn the bag over, upside down, and sideways every half hour.
5. In two to three hours, the crackers will have absorbed the oil and spices.
6. Store the crackers in an airtight plastic container. They keep a long time.