Hardtack

When pioneers crossed the continent in horse-drawn or oxen-drawn wagons, the journey often took them several months.  Hardtack was one of the food supplies they packed because it could be kept for a long time without spoiling.  Here's a recipe for hardtack you can make in your kitchen at home!

WARNING!:  Okay, kids, they called it hardtack for a reason.  It is very, very hard - so hard, in fact, that if you try to eat it without soaking it in liquid, you might break a tooth!  So, follow the pioneers' example: soak the hardtack in water, hot tea, or soup before you try to eat it.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Mix the flour and salt together in a medium-sized bowl.  Then, add the water and stir it all together with a wooden spoon.
Knead the dough on a floured surface until it's smooth.
Roll the dough out until it's about 1/4" thick.
You can cut out pieces of dough using a cookie cutter or washed out can.  You can also have an adult help you cut out squares of dough using a knife.
Use a fork to poke holes in several places on each piece.
Place the pieces of dough on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes.
Carefully take the hardtack out of the oven and set aside to cool.
Be sure to soak the hardtack before attempting to eat it.  It tasted yummy with a nice warm bowl of soup!