Good Cracker

[Auriville Cha]

Eveningcracker barrels tend to be a mix of savory and sweet. On cold nights, they should include plenty of protein, which helps us to sleep warmer because our bodies have to work a little harder to digest it. They can include items that can be heated over the campfire or pulled straight out of the cooler. The simpler the better because no one wants to do any major cleanup late in the evening. Finger foods are a great way to go because then there are no dishes.

Before Cracker Barrel opened in Las Vegas, I'd only heard about the restaurant from friends and family who had eaten there while traveling and had wonderful things to say about it. When the chain opened near me, I noticed it was almost always jam-packed with customers.

A Tennessee-based chain, Cracker Barrel has about 660 locations across the US. Aside from serving Southern-inspired food, the chain also offers diners the unique opportunity to buy memorabilia at its stores.

I went to the Cracker Barrel on Dean Martin Drive in Las Vegas. From the second I stepped out of the car, I noticed impressive attention to detail. The parking-lot lines were painted on the pavement in the shape of small fish, which I thought was really cute.

As I walked up, I noticed the porch was lined with different styles of rocking chairs. Ceiling fans placed a few feet apart created a nice breeze and Edison-bulb string lights hung crisscrossed between hanging lanterns.

I was surprised by the variety of products the store carried, spanning from clothing, blankets, toys, candy, collectibles, food products, and more. There truly wasn't a surface that didn't have something stacked on it, next to it, or underneath it.

I could see the store being a nice distraction for customers who are waiting to be seated. Though we were able to be seated right away, I couldn't resist browsing the shelves and picking out some old-fashioned candy first.

The cashier told me the staff changes the theme of the store every month. Every item hanging from the upper walls and ceiling is an authentic antique individually chosen for a Cracker Barrel location. I thought it added a nice touch of authenticity and it made me spend a little more time looking at the decor.

When she brought our drinks, she also gave us a basket of biscuits and cornbread muffins we immediately dug into. I really enjoyed the biscuits because they were flaky without being dry and had a nice, consistent texture.

I wasn't as big a fan of the cornbread muffins because, though they were moist, the flavor was so mild I almost couldn't taste it. I love cornbread so I was let down that these weren't as good as I was expecting.

The Old Timer's Breakfast, which cost $10.49, came with two eggs, grits, an order of buttermilk biscuits and sawmill gravy, and a few different protein options including bacon and sausage. I love bacon so I ordered that option.

At first, I thought the breakfast didn't seem like a lot of food for the price because, to me, it visually looked a little light. I think this was also because the biscuits and gravy came on a separate plate.

Though the Old Timer's Breakfast seemed basic, it was packed with a lot of flavor. I ordered the eggs over easy and I thought they were perfect because they weren't too runny, but also weren't overdone. They came lightly seasoned and I thought they had a subtle, buttery aftertaste like they'd been cooked in actual butter.

To me, the bacon was incredible. The meal came with two thick, perfectly cooked slices that were crispy and chewy with just the right amount of char without being burnt or overdone. I didn't think they were overly greasy but they still had that just-out-of-the-frying-pan flavor.

The gravy was light, but I didn't think it was bland. I thought it was well-seasoned and had a bit of a peppery aftertaste that wasn't overpowering. I haven't had biscuits and gravy a lot so I was surprised by how much I liked the meal.

For the price, I thought I got the biggest bang for my buck with the $14.98 Southern Fried Chicken meal. It came with four large pieces of fried chicken and a bowl of mac and cheese, and for only $2 extra, I added a side of two pancakes.

The chicken was super crispy, with no soggy pieces. The breading was nice and thick, incredibly crunchy, and had a slight peppery kick at the end of each bite. I love crunchy fried chicken so this was a delicious treat for me.

Inside, I thought the meat was also well-seasoned and on the more done side. To me, some bites were a little bit dry but I think that was largely because of how crispy the chicken was. It didn't bother me too much but I noticed I was eating more of a crunchy exterior than a juicy interior.

I thought the mac and cheese tasted like a Southern home-cooked dish. Admittedly, I've only Southern-cooked mac and cheese once, but one bite of the dish at Cracker Barrel brought me back to the creamy, rich, and very cheesy flavor of that meal.

The pancakes were enormous because the diameter of one took up a majority of the plate. I noticed a slight glaze on the exterior, which added a buttery kick to each bite. Even without butter or syrup, I could taste the delicious flavor of the batter.

I'd never had chicken and dumplings before so I didn't know what to expect. I thought the meal would come with a chicken filling inside the dumplings, but the meat and the dough were two different parts of the same dish.

They were served in a bowl with a small amount of thick broth. The dumplings were chewy but firm, sort of like a thick noodle, and the large chunks of chicken and the broth itself had a good flavor. I didn't mind the dish, but out of everything I tried, to me, this one had the least amount of flavor so I'm not sure I'd order it again.

The cabbage was crispy and crunchy, and the dressing had a fresh flavor. The coleslaw didn't have an overpowering flavor or sweetness and it wasn't drenched in sauce. It actually tasted more like a small salad, which I liked a lot.

This side dish contained small chunks of potato so I could actually taste the flavor, which to me, made it seem homemade. It was obvious to me that the dish was made with whole potatoes and not out of an instant packet.

I had a feeling the pie, which was $4.79, would be delicious based on the fried apples but it blew my mind. The streusel had just the right amount of crumble, which contrasted the soft sweetness of the apple interior, and the crust was firm and buttery.

As we ate, multiple staff members checked on our beverages and make sure we didn't need anything. Though the dining room quickly filled up, I thought the service stayed top-notch throughout our entire meal.

To me, every dish had a flavor that seemed homemade. The eggs and bacon from the Old Timer's Breakfast were cooked perfectly, the pancakes that came with the Southern Fried Chicken were delicious, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed side dishes like mac and cheese and fried apples.

Though I thought the fried chicken was a little dry for my taste and the Chicken n' Dumplings weren't for me, I could see myself eating at Cracker Barrel whenever I'm craving the satisfying warmth of comfort food.

I thought the chain's prices were reasonable and the amount of food was a great value. I took quite a bit home and it all reheated well. Since I'd definitely come back, I would rate my experience a nine out of 10.

Next, make your toffee. Line the baking sheet with a single layer of Graham crackers. After that, combine brown sugar and butter in a medium saucepan and boil it for 3-4 minutes. Immediately pour it over the Graham crackers. Make sure it covers the crackers completely!

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Here are some things I do differently. I prebake the mushrooms a few minutes as I find they can exude too much liquid. It also cuts down on oven time for the stuffing which prevents it from drying out on the surface. I add spinach for the health factor. I also replace the dried Italian seasoning with Italian dressing for a slight touch of tang (This was a result of misreading the original recipe turned into serendipity. I liked the slight tang provided from the dressing).

Mushrooms stuffed with a spinach and Ritz cracker crumb filling are fantastic appetizers for parties or snacking in front of the TV. If you have vegetarians in your life, this stuffed mushroom recipe is a keeper!

You could also make this crumb crust with vanilla wafers or Ritz crackers instead of graham crackers. For an easy Oreo crust, see my Oreo Crust guide. And for an easy Biscoff cookie crust, see my Biscoff Pie Crust guide.

Hi! This crust was delicious but became hard and crumbly when I tried to slice the pie.

Should the pan be greased? I baked it at 350 for 10 minutes. maybe to long? Did you bake yours? if not how does it set so it doesnt fall apart.

Hi Mary Ellen, whether or not we bake the crust depends on the specific recipe. Did you happen to pack it in a bit too much? That can cause the crust to become hard and crumbly. You want to pack it in just a bit to help it keep shape. See post above for more tips and details.

So no where on my no bake banana cream pie recipe does it state how long to cook crust and your recipe doesnt explain how long to cook for a no bake pie. So i have no idea how long to cook crust for a no bake pie. frustrating

Hi. I am not a HUGE fan of graham cracker crust (usually store bought) and I tried the Ritz cracker option, which was good but not as sweet. Is there a crunchy type cookie recipe that I can make, and then use to make a crust like this for cheesecakes? Store bought products like Vanilla wafers (which I love) aggravate my allergies and food intolerance. Thanks for the feedback.

Hi R., do you have allergies/intolerances to graham crackers themselves? If not, I would recommend giving this recipe for homemade graham cracker crust a try. The store-bought graham crusts have other ingredients added to them that a homemade crust does not, which could be the cause of you not liking them, or could cause food-intolerance reactions. (Also, I think they taste very stale compared with a homemade one.)

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