Cheddar Puffs

Hey there–  Last weekend I was up to my elbows in hors ‘doeuvres for a pot luck party with friends.  We set out plate after plate of pretty little bites.  My contribution were these light, tender, cheesy cheddar puffs.  It’s easy to eat too many of these little guys– Larry called them “addictive.”  But it’s simple to make a big bunch of them and I thought you might like the recipe for holiday get-togethers coming up.

CHEDDAR PUFFS
1 stick butter
1 cup water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup flour
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup cheddar, grated

Put the water, butter and salt in a large saucepan and bring them to a boil.  Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the flour a bit at a time until it’s all blended.  Let this sit for 5 minutes to cool.  Use an electric mixer to beat in the eggs one at a time.  Then stir in the cheddar cheese.  Drop the dough by small spoonfuls onto cookie sheets sprayed with cooking spray  and pop them into the oven at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes until they are a beautiful and golden.  Eat them warm or at room temperature.  If you make them ahead, you can reheat them at 350 degrees for a few minutes.

Serve them up with a bountiful board of cold meats– salami, ham… and a bit of cheese along with some olives and dried fruit for a light late night dinner.