Every good Southern holiday gathering should (and usually does) have a bowl of cheese straws.
Every good Southern town also has the “cheese straw lady.” Someone who makes THE BEST and if you are lucky enough, she will make and sell a few extras around the holidays.
Cheese straws are easy enough to make, but they require the best ingredients and a few rules.
1. Always use sharp or extra sharp cheese
2. Grate your own cheese, the pre-grated type has been coated with cornstarch to prevent sticking and this disrupts the cheese straw making
3. If the dough becomes to warm, place in the refrigerator for a few minutes, but keep it loose enough to go through the cookie press
Cheese straws
2 cups plain flour
1 pound extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 stick butter
½ teaspoon ground red pepper
1 ½ teaspoons salt
Grate the cheese, melt the butter and pour over the cheese, stir to combine. Let this sit a t room temperature for 2 to 3 hours. Mix the pepper and salt into the flour. Slowly work the dry mixture into the cheese mixture. A tiny amount of water can be added if needed. Using a cookie press with a star tip or a flat ribbon tip, press the dough onto ungreased cookie sheets or onto parchment paper. Cut into 2 inch pieces. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Do not brown. Remove to cooling racks and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container for 1 week, or store frozen for 1 month. Frozen straws can be reheated in the oven for a few minutes to become crispy again.
Cheese wafers
2 cups plain flour
2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 sticks softened butter
2 cups Rice Krispies
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
½ - 1 teaspoon salt
Paprika for tops (optional)
Combine dry ingredients. Add in the butter and the cheese. Mix thoroughly. Form into small balls onto an ungreased cookie sheet or onto parchment paper and flatten with a fork.
Sprinkle with paprika if desired. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Remove at let cool on before storing in an airtight container. Store the same at the cheese straws.
Pantry pies are simply pies that can be easily made with ingredients most folks have in their pantries. Homemade pie crusts are simple and use common ingredients too.
Caramel Pie
1 ½ cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 stick butter
3 tablespoon cornstarch – made into a slurry by mixing the starch with 3-4 tablespoons cold water
1 ½ cup water
2 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 baked pie crust
Place ½ cup sugar in a black iron skillet over medium high heat, stir constantly until the sugar melts and is lump free – it will be dark but don’t burn it. Carefully add in the water – it will sputter – and it will clump up – but keep stirring and it will melt back down. Add in the 1 cup of sugar and stir in to melt. Add in the butter and stir to melt. Keep stirring constantly – add in the cornstarch slurry and cook until thick. Remove from heat and cool to room temp. Add in beaten egg yolks and vanilla. Pour into crust. Make meringue with the 2 egg whites and the 1 T of sugar. Put on pie and bake in a 300 degree oven to lightly brown.
Fudge Pie with Crust
1 ½ cup sugar
¾ cup flour
1 cup butter – melted
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
7 tablespoons cocoa powder
½ cup chopped pecans – optional
1 pie crust
Mix the sugar, flour, butter, eggs, vanilla and cocoa. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Top with pecans if desired. Bake at 350 for 55 minutes.
Fudge Pie -- No Crust
2 cups sugar
½ cup flour
½ cup cocoa powder
4 eggs
1 cup butter – melted
½ cup chopped pecans if desired
Add flour, cocoa and sugar to melted butter. Add in eggs one at a time. Pour into a lightly greased 10 inch pie plate. Top with pecans. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes.
