Cheddar Spritz Crackers

For the holidays I like to make star-shaped buttery vanilla spritz cookies topped with Hershey's kisses aka "Nipple Cookies" but my current obsession with savoury cookies (they go better with booze!) led me to this recipe for savoury cheddar spritz crackers.
This recipe also gives me further justification for the cookie press that has been sitting in my pantry and comes out only at the holidays.
These are a spicy cheesy cookie, made with cheddar and a healthy dose of Worcestershire and Tabasco sauce. Spritz or cookie press cookies are a bit of a pain to make because you need to get into a bit of a rhythm with the cookie press. Too much pressure results in squished cookie blobs and too little the cookies will burn and the shape won't be perfect. I tried experimenting with a different design rather than delicate star shapes, because these shortbread don't taste dainty and I think the waffle pattern I chose is more fitting to a boldly flavoured spicy cookie.

Cheddar Spritz Crackers
Dairy
Makes: about 8 dozen cookies

• 1 lb sharp cheddar or aged swiss finely shredded
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
• dash of hot red pepper sauce
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium bowl, cream cheese, butter, Worcestershire sauce, and hot red pepper sauce until smooth.
   
2. In a separate bowl, mix flour and seasoning together.Gradually add in to cheese mixture. Mix until dough forms a smooth ball.
   
3. Shape dough into small logs and place in cookie press. Using desired shape, press shapes onto cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet on cooling rack. Remove from from sheet and continue to cool on rack.

Adapted from: Wilton Cookie Master Plus: Appetizers, Crackers and More! recipe and instruction booklet.

"Green Label" Cheese Straws

This recipe is from a vintage recipe booklet from a company called "Green Label," which I gleaned used to make some form of margarine or butter substitute. I liked the book because the recipes seemed reasonable by today's standards and because of this recipe for cheddar straws.
I also was intrigued because many of the recipes in the book have no butter or eggs and could be easily adapted for people with dietary restrictions. That being said this recipe is not one of those. It's main ingredient is cheese.
I substituted butter for the Green Label because I am not entirely sure just what Green Label is and because I like butter. Mmm butter.
The recipe is a basic pie pastry type preparation but with "nippy" cheese added to it to make things interesting. Mmm..."Nippy."
The only tricky part about this recipe is cutting the dough into thin strips and then transferring the strips to the baking sheet and once they were baked, transferring them to a rack to cool. Much breakage occurred. I ate the rejects.
Another tricky thing is that in vintage recipe fashion, the Green Label book was typically vague about the exact baking time of these straws. They are quite thin and bake at a high temperature so I settled on about 10 minutes when the straws began to brown at the edges. That being said depending on the size of your straws and your oven temperature, this is a recipe you have to watch.
You can't really go wrong inviting cheesy pastry to your cocktail party so I highly recommend trying these if only for nostalgia's sake.


Cheese Straws

makes: approximately 1 dozen straws

• 1 cup sifted flour
• 1 cup grated "nippy" cheese, i took this to mean cheddar
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• pinch of cayenne
• 6 tablespoons Green Label, I assumed Green Label was some kind of margarine. I used Butter
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• cold water

1. Blend flour, cheese, mustard, and cayenne. Cut in butter.
2. Mix Worcestershire sauce with 2 tablespoons cold water and work into Green Label mixture.
3. Work in just enough water to make a pastry.
4. Roll out to 1/4 -inch thick and cut into strips, approximately 5-inches long and 1/4 -inch wide.
5. Bake in 400 degree f oven until golden brown. This took me about 10 minutes. Leave the straws to firm up on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool as they will be less likely to crack that way.

Adapted From: Green Label Cookbook (date of publishing, unknown)

Parmesan Flan with Cherry Tomatoes

I am intrigued by the idea of savoury flans and custards (as well as shortbreads), because I think it's one of those things we expect to be sweet but using savoury elements like cheese and tomatoes and herbs as flavourings can create very interesting dishes...
I also just love eggs. they are kinda miraculous.
These custards are made by flavouring eggs and cream with parmesan cheese instead of sugar or vanilla and then poring the custard over sauteed cherry tomatoes. Sauteeing the tomatoes enhances their flavour and makes them sweet and juicy. Be careful when you eat them, however, as the tomatoes release water and can burst into like burning bubbles of delicious lava in your mouth, and itcan hurt if youre not prepared for that. I think they just need a few minutes to set when come out of the oven for the tomatoe juices to calm down. If I just came out of an oven I know I would.
These have so many delectable possibilities that I want to experiment with. I bet these would be amazing with sauteed mushrooms and thyme instead of tomatoes and basil...Think I'm on to something? ;)

Parmesan and Cherry Tomato Flan.

Makes 6

This is basically a quiche filling that gets poured into ramekins instead of into pastry and gets baked in a water bath to keep them super silky and fluffy.

I bet this would work really well with mushrooms, spinach, broccoli or different cheeses like asiago as well…The possibilities are endless.

• 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups whole milk
• 3 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• ¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons basil (garnish)

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Butter 6 6-oz ramekins and line the bottom of each with parchment paper (I skipped the parchment because who wants to cut out all those little circles?) Butter the paper. Have ready a baking dish that can accommodate a water bath and 6 ramekins.
2. In a frying pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the tomatoes and sauté stirring often until they soften and the liquid is reduced to about 2 tablespoons, about 6 minutes. Stir in the chopped basil and cook for 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the tomato mixture into the prepared ramekins, dividing it evenly among them.
3. In a bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, and egg yolk until blended. Stir the cheese into the custard, and then divide the custard evenly among the ramekins.
4. Place the ramekins in the pan, and pour hot water into the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until the custard is set, about 35 minutes. Carefully transfer the baking pan to wire rack, let custards cool slightly, then lift the ramekins out of the water bath.
5. To unmould, run a knife around the edge of the ramekins. Place a serving plate on top of each ramekin and invert. Lift off the ramekins and peel off the parchment if using. Serve topped with more tomatoes and garnish with basil. Serve warm.

Adapted from Williams Sonoma