cheese straws

Last night I had some people over for a game night. I haven't been very social lately, so I got excited about it. I went to K Mart and got a new board game (Apples to Apples) and then headed over to the grocery store for some cheese straw and pizza dip fixins.

I'd already had the pizza dip a few years ago when Sarah had visited and she made it for a party. Just thinking about it made me drool, so I figured it was a good time to make it again. And it was again awesome. There are no pictures of this, as it was quickly eaten.

The cheese straws were also awesome. They tasted like a spicy Cheez-It. I'd had this recipe in my 'Things To Make' favorites folder for a while now and am so happy to have finally tried them.


Cheese Straws
from Smitten Kitchen, Adapted from The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook

1 1/2 cups (about 6 ounces) grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick or 2 ounces) unsalted butter, softened and cut into 4 pieces
3/4 cup flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon half-and-half

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a food processor, combine the cheese, butter, flour, salt and red pepper in five 5-second pulses until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the half-and-half and process until the dough forms a ball, about 10 seconds.

3. On a lightly floured surface, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough into an 8- by 10-inch rectangle that is 1/8-inch thick. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into thin 8-inch strips, each 1/4- to 1/3-inch wide. Gently transfer the strips to an ungreased cookie sheet, leaving at least 1/4-inch between them. The dough may sag or may break occasionally in the transfer, but don’t be concerned — just do your best. The straws can be any length, from 2 to 10 inches.

4. Bake the straws on the middle rack for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the ends are barely browned. Remove from the oven and set the cookie sheet on a rack to cool.

5. Serve at room temperature.