Old-Fashioned Cheese Straws

No Southern celebration would be complete without the ubiquitous cheese straw. Whether it’s a tea party, wedding reception, or awards luncheon, the cheese straw will usually make a fashionable appearance. While many old-fashioned recipes have fallen out of vogue in recent years, the simple yet sophisticated cheese straw has surprisingly managed to grow in popularity, and we’re all the better for it, in my opinion.

Now that we’re in the midst of the holiday season, I felt compelled to create a batch of these savory delights and share my recipe with you. If you perform enough research, you will find that practically every family in the South possesses their own cheese straw recipe that has been handed down for generations, and a simple Google search will reveal that modern cooks have tweaked and refined the basic cheese straw in a multitude of ways to suit their own tastes. I choose to keep my recipe very simple and straightforward, allowing anyone to put his or her own individual touch on it. If you like a spicy cheese straw, feel free to add cayenne pepper or Creole seasoning. Want a zestier cheese straw? Go wild with Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder! As long as you keep the basic components of this recipe, you can tweak the seasoning in any way you desire.

Here are a few additional tips: I use a cookie press to create my cheese straws, but if you don’t own one, then please don’t feel as if you have to rush out and purchase one for this recipe. You can also pipe your cheese straws using a pastry bag or free form them by hand. Using a sharp cheddar will impart a more full-bodied flavor, and grating your own cheese (as opposed to purchasing the pre-grated stuff) will yield a more uniform dough, as cheese that has been freshly-grated by hand will be much more pliable. Happy holiday cooking!

Old-Fashioned Cheese Straws

3 cups grated cheddar cheese*

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups self-rising flour

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. paprika

*I recommend using a sharp cheddar. Not only is it the traditional cheese of choice, but it also imparts a fuller, bolder flavor.

**If you prefer a spicy cheese straw, you can add ½ tsp. of cayenne pepper or Creole seasoning.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine cheese, butter, salt, and paprika in a large mixing bowl, and beat with an electric mixer until thoroughly combined. Continue to beat the mixture, adding flour gradually until all of it has been thoroughly incorporated.

There are multiple options for preparing the straws. If you have a cookie press, prepare the press with a star disc, fill the canister with dough, and press the straws in roughly three-inch strips. You can also fit a pastry bag with a large star tip to create the straws. Additionally, you can free form the straws by hand. If you wish to roll out the dough and cut strips, make sure to chill it beforehand so that it is easier to work with.

Place the straws on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes or until the straws are light and crispy. This recipe makes many cheese straws, so you will probably have to bake them in several batches. If upon cooling you find that the straws are underdone or not crispy enough for your liking, you can place them back on the parchment-lined baking sheet and continue to bake them until they are fully done, checking on their progress every two or three minutes. 

(Elegant cheesy goodness, served on my mom's Christmas china that we've been using as far back as I can remember!)

 

Enjoy, and Happy Holidays!

 

Mexican Lasagna

This year has been incredibly busy, and admittedly, I haven't given my blog the love and attention it deserves, so I wanted to squeeze in a few more posts before we ring in 2017!

This recipe for Mexican Lasagna is one I've been mentally concocting for years, but I never allowed the idea to materialize until now. Every year for Halloween, I make a delicious pumpkin chorizo dip, and I've been wondering for quite some time what to do with the leftover chorizo stored in my freezer. Well, I finally decided to make the Mexican Lasagna a reality, and how I wish I'd done so earlier!

This recipe, like practically every other lasagna recipe in existence, is a bit tedious and time-consuming. However, this makes a LOT of food, and the results are well worth the time and effort! This is a particularly great dish to prepare for a crowd, and you are free to add whatever other ingredients or garnishes you wish! 


Mexican Lasagna

1 lb. ground chorizo
1 lb. ground beef
2 tbs. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
4 oz. can of chopped green chiles
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. cumin
2 cups prepared salsa
3 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
3 cups grated Colby Jack cheese
18-24 corn tortillas
Sliced avocado
Sour cream

In a large heavy-bottomed pot, bring the olive oil to medium-high heat. Add the onion, and sautee for five minutes or until the onion begins to become translucent. Add the garlic, chiles, salt, pepper, and cumin, and continue to sautee for 2-3 minutes. Add the chorizo and ground beef, and continue to sautee for 8-10 minutes or until the meat is completely cooked. Strain off the excess fat. Reserve the meat mixture. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large greased rectangular baking dish, assemble the lasagna. Pour a bit of the salsa on the bottom of the dish, then top with tortillas arranged to completely cover the bottom of the dish (6 should do the trick). Then top with some of the meat mixture, some of the cheese, some of the salsa, and then continue to alternately layer these ingredients until the baking dish is full. Make sure the top layer consists of tortillas and cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the top layer of cheese has melted and the tortillas have begun to crisp. Allow the lasagna to cool for five minutes. Serve with sliced avocado and sour cream. 

Grande!

 

 All that taco-y goodness in a tidy little square!

 

Enjoy!

 

Shrimp & Grits

Being a lifelong Southerner, the surging popularity of shrimp and grits in recent years has been somewhat mystifying to me. While grits were a pantry staple in my household as I grew up, in my adulthood, I discovered that they are occasionally a rather polarizing dish, as even many Southerners possess an aversion to them. Furthermore, throughout most of my life, in regards to restaurant fare, the humble grit always seemed to be relegated to the breakfast menus of small-town greasy spoons. These days, however, one can easily find at least one dish containing grits at most upscale Southern eateries. I can only suppose that pairing this rather modest yet controversial dish with the decadence of seafood has resulted in a seismic shift where people are now opening their hearts and cupboards to the culinary magic of grits. After all, shrimp and grits is a pretty magical combination.

Now, if you are a fellow Southerner and are confused by hearing food television personalities describe shrimp and grits as a “classic Southern dish,” fret not – you are not alone. I felt the same way for quite a long time until performing a minimal bit of research on this dish, and while it is indeed classic Southern fare, it is not as ubiquitously Southern as some would have you believe. The dish originated in the coastal areas of the Carolinas and Georgia and has only recently made its way to other parts of the South.

Also, if you have sought out and sampled shrimp and grits at many different establishments as I have – I may have a bit of an obsession – you will have noticed that every individual chef prepares his/her own version of this dish. My personal favorite variation is served at the lovely Kitchen on George in Mobile, AL where a piping hot bowl of goat cheese grits is topped with fresh gulf shrimp in a delicate lemon butter sauce. Sheer divinity! I also appreciate their simple approach to the dish which can often be overcomplicated by many restaurant chefs. I’ve sampled variations that contained a plethora of additional ingredients such as sausage, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, scallions, multiple cheeses, etc., etc., etc., and while individually these accoutrements occasionally succeed at enhancing the dish, when added all together, they can detract from the subtle sweetness of the shrimp and delicate texture of the grits – which is what you came for, right?

The shrimp and grits I am preparing, though, was inspired by a different variation I sampled at Gilbey’s, a lovely restaurant in Orange Beach, AL. Their version of the dish surprised me as they prepare theirs using a mirepoix, which I had never encountered before. (F.Y.I., a mirepoix is a combination of chopped onion, carrots, and celery which originated in French cuisine.) Their French-inspired variation delighted me greatly, and I decided that I wanted to base my homemade version on theirs. Now, you may look at my recipe and think, “Wait a minute! You just complained about excessive ingredients in this dish!” OK, granted, but what is important is to choose ingredients that complement the dish rather than overwhelm or overcomplicate it. The mirepoix enhances the sweetness of the shrimp and adds a nice textural element. Bacon, in a small quantity (Don’t overdo it!), helps contribute to the savoriness of the dish. Also, Gouda grits are basically the best grits ever. Trust me on this. 

Feel free to take this dish and make it your own! If restaurants can do it, then so can you. Feel free to add or omit whatever ingredients you like. Furthermore, if you don’t have the means to cook shrimp very often, then perhaps consider making grits a part of your culinary repertoire. They’re incredibly versatile and can be served as a side dish (perhaps with a bit of parmesan, cheddar, or Gouda added) just as easily as they can be served for breakfast (with plenty of butter)! Give grits a chance!

Shrimp & Grits

Shrimp:

½ lb. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 strips of bacon, chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 rib of celery, finely chopped

1 tbs. flour

1 cup shrimp stock*

½ tsp. dried thyme

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

*If you don’t have any shrimp stock on hand, just use chicken stock or broth. Trust me; it will be fine!

Grits:

1 cup stone-ground grits

4 cups water

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

2 tbs. butter

1 cup Gouda, grated

Prepare the grits first. In a large pot, bring the water and salt to a boil. Stir in the grits, and reduce the heat to medium to low-medium. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. (Also, pay attention to the cooking directions on your package of grits for any useful suggestions. If you’re using a variety other than stone-ground, make sure to follow the instructions on the package.) Once the mixture has become thick and creamy, add pepper, butter, and cheese. Stir until the butter and cheese have thoroughly melted. Cover and reserve.

In a large skillet, bring the chopped bacon to medium-high heat and cook until browned and crispy, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Remove the bacon from the skillet, and reserve it in a bowl lined with paper towels. Add the vegetables to the rendered bacon fat in the skillet along with the salt, pepper, and thyme. You may want to add a bit of the shrimp stock to help deglaze the pan. Cook the vegetables for 10 minutes or until slightly browned and tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the flour, and cook for an additional minute before adding the stock and the reserved bacon. Stir vigorously and allow the vegetables and sauce to cook for 5 minutes or until thickened. Add the shrimp, and continue to cook for 5 more minutes until the shrimp is completely pink and no longer translucent. (If the shrimp is not pink and completely opaque, it is not fully cooked, so make sure to monitor your shrimp carefully.) Remove from the heat once the shrimp is fully cooked.

Serve as desired. 

(Creamy and dreamy!)

 

Enjoy!

Classic Cheese Soufflé

Classic Cheese Soufflé

In the pantheon of seemingly intimidating and near-impossible dishes to prepare at home, soufflé holds a pretty prominent position. Granted, while a homemade soufflé can be a little fussy when it comes to preparation, there is absolutely no need at all to be intimidated by this dish. The ingredients are actually quite humble and mainly consist of typical kitchen staples that everyone keeps on hand, and the prep-work itself isn’t all that taxing. Trust me, if you can mix ingredients and whip egg whites, then you can make a soufflé!

The key to a successful homemade soufflé is mise en place (French for “putting in place”). In the culinary world, this term refers to having all your ingredients prepped, measured, and ready to go before you begin to prepare a dish. Mise en place is especially important for a recipe like soufflé that involves several steps, and once you get it going, you really don’t want (or need) to stop and separate eggs or grate cheese. Having proper mise en place will undoubtedly assure a successful soufflé! Also, keep in mind that this really isn’t a “make ahead” dish. A soufflé should really be prepared just before you plan to serve it, and it should be served immediately once it has finished cooking. So you can definitely see here how proper mise en place is important for this recipe!

I’ve made soufflés before, but I was most recently inspired to prepare one after dining with loved ones at the fantastic Grille 29 in Birmingham, AL during our annual holiday shopping outing. One of their desserts is a marvelous chocolate soufflé that we all adamantly adored, and its sheer deliciousness inspired me to prepare my own soufflé of a more savory persuasion. I love a cheese soufflé mainly because of its versatility. It’s rich-tasting enough to be served as an entrée, perhaps accompanied by a salad, but it’s also light enough to be served as an appetizer or a brunch dish accompanied by fresh fruit. I hope my following recipe inspires you to try to make this classic dish yourself!

3 tbs. butter (plus extra for greasing)

3 tbs. all-purpose flour

At least ¼ cup finely grated parmesan

1 cup milk

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

4 egg yolks

7 egg whites

1/8 tsp. cream of tartar

1 cup grated cheese*

*For this recipe, you can really use just about any kind of cheese you like. In my most recent preparation, I used a Vallagret, a very mild Swiss cheese made by Mississippi State University, which made for a very delicious soufflé! You can also use regular Swiss, gruyere, or cheddar. Just make sure the cheese you use is a *good* cheese and not something overly processed.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Make sure to adjust the racks so that the soufflé will have room to rise properly. Prepare a large soufflé dish by greasing the inside very liberally with butter. Then, sprinkle the parmesan in an even coating throughout the inside of the dish. (If you don’t have a soufflé dish, that’s fine. Just make sure to use a casserole dish with a flat bottom and tall sides. For individual, smaller soufflés, you can use ramekins. This recipe will make one large soufflé or approximately eight small ones.)

In a saucepan, bring the milk to medium heat. Make sure it doesn’t boil but that it stays warm. In another pan, melt the butter at medium heat, and add the flour, salt, and pepper. Cook for two minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and add the milk, whisking vigorously until everything is evenly blended. Then, whisk in the egg yolks until they are thoroughly combined, and then whisk in the grated cheese until the entire mixture is evenly blended.

For preparing the egg whites, make sure to use a glass or metal bowl and an electric mixer. In the bowl, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar and beat on high speed until the whites form stiff peaks. (The process is similar to making a meringue, sans sugar.)

In a large mixing bowl, gently fold the egg whites into the cheese mixture one small batch at a time. Do not beat or whip too vigorously, but continue to fold in the egg whites until they are all thoroughly incorporated into the cheese mixture. Pour the mixture into your prepared dish, leaving at least one or two inches of space at the top, and bake for 30-35 minutes. If your oven has a tendency to overheat, you may want to reduce the temperature to 375 degrees. Make sure that you don’t open the oven door too early, or your soufflé could deflate. The soufflé should be lightly browned. (If you’re using ramekins, reduce the cooking time to around 15 minutes.)

Once the soufflé has finished cooking, remove it from the oven and serve immediately as desired. 

 

(As you can see here, we used a typical Corningware dish for our large souffle, and it still turned out perfectly!) 

 

(Perfect little dishes of fluffy, cheesy goodness!)  

Enjoy! (And Happy New Year!)
:)