Good evening, ya'll. Come on in for a cup of coffee and warm up for it is cold, cold outside. It was a beautiful day with lots of sunshine and it warmed up to 52 degrees which right now seems like a heat wave. It has been below freezing every morning for several days and that is unusual for South Georgia. The weather man says it is going to be even colder next week and I don't like it at all. Cold weather is not something I enjoy for I don't like to have to wear coats or jackets and I tend to hibernate. The only consolation is that the peach crop needs some cold weather to make peaches and I think we have reached it this year.
Finally it is beginning to feel like Christmas. I attended an annual "Hen Party" this afternoon and had a great time. Several ladies here in Adel have a Christmas party each year and serve wonderful and many kinds of delicious finger foods and great punch or spiced tea. It is a wonderful time to see friends you don't often see and catch up on all the news and eat and eat. It is an event I look forward to each year and Jeanmarie's house is always decorated beautifully which inspires me to begin getting my house ready.
While I was enjoying the very tasty refreshments, it brought back memories of the food mama used to make and the wonderful parties we had and attended. The one food mama and all hostesses in Camden would have was cheese straws. They would be sharp, crispy and delicious and mama would always use the very best and sharpest cheese the grocery store had. Margerine or oleo as we called it back then was not ever used but real butter to give them that good buttery taste and flakiness that only it can give pastry. We would pack them in tins, put waxed paper over the tin and place the lid on it and they would keep fresh and flaky for several weeks if you kept them in a cool place.
I plan to make some next week and thought you might enjoy making some also so I included mine and mama's recipe for you to enjoy.
Cheese Straws
5 dozen
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Mix the butter and cheese with mixer until well mixed. Add flour, salt and cayenne and beat until a smooth dough is formed.
Scoop it into a cookie press, fitted with a flat ridged tip. Pipe the dough in 2-inch strips onto a lightly greased cookie sheet or refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes and roll on a lightly floured surface into a 1/4-inch thick rectangle. Cut into smaller rectangles, about 2 by 3-inches, with a pizza wheel or sharp knife. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to racks to cool.
Store in a tightly closed containers.
This is not a unique recipe for it is the same one many good Southern cooks use but it's the tender, loving care that makes them special and being served with Southern Hospitality.
Ya'll be careful going home and come back to see me soon. Going Christmas shopping tomorrow and hope to finish up or at least almost.
Stay warm,
Nuff Said,
The Georgia Peach
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