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My Mama's Cheese Straws
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Southern Recipe Restoration Project
The contributor: Sue Landa, a mother of three and grandmother of one who is raising her ninth puppy for La Grange Canine Companions for Independence.
The story: "My mama is Claire Rowe Newman, the epitome of a Southern hostess, with charm and graciousness from whom we can take lessons. There was never a gathering without Mama's cheese straws. She made them for birthdays, Christmas festivities, family Sunday night suppers, ladies' luncheons, wine parties, church potluck suppers, bridge clubs, baby and bridal showers, christenings and funerals."
-- Susan Puckett
Hands on time: 40 minutes Total time: 1 hour Serves: Makes about 100 (4-inch) straws
Ingredients:
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8 ounces Kraft Cracker Barrel extra sharp cheddar cheese (orange, not white), shredded, room temperature
8 ounces Kraft Cracker Barrel sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, room temperature
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, very soft
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or powder
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, mix both cheeses, flour, butter, salt and red pepper flakes by hand (not mixer or food processor). When the dough is soft and pliable, put through a cookie press using the star tip attachment. Make long rows of straws on a cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until just starting to turn golden.
Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
Notes:
Cracker Barrel cheese is packaged in 10-ounce logs, so you can either cut off 2 ounces (one-fifth) of the logs, or you can use all 10 ounces and increase the quantities of the other ingredients by 25 percent (10 ounces of each variety of cheese; 2 1/2 cups flour; 1 scant teaspoon salt; 3/4 to 1 scant teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons butter).
Be sure to knead this dough thoroughly before attempting to force it through a cookie press. It should be very pliant and warmed from the heat of your hands. Says Sue Landa: "Sometimes, I get my husband to manipulate this dough. ... Even my children used to help knead this dough really well. ... Think of it as part of a workout."
Share your own heirloom recipe
You, too, can share an old family recipe and honor a loved one: Go to ajc.com/food, and under Recipe Restoration Project click on Submit Yours and fill out the form. Or e-mail it to savingsouthernfood@ajc.com. Or mail it to Southern Recipe Restoration Project, c/o the Food Editor, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 72 Marietta St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30303.
Be sure to knead this dough thoroughly before attempting to force it through a cookie press. It should be very pliant and warmed from the heat of your hands. Says Sue Landa: "Sometimes, I get my husband to manipulate this dough. ... Even my children used to help knead this dough really well. ... Think of it as part of a workout."
Share your own heirloom recipe
You, too, can share an old family recipe and honor a loved one: Go to ajc.com/food, and under Recipe Restoration Project click on Submit Yours and fill out the form. Or e-mail it to savingsouthernfood@ajc.com. Or mail it to Southern Recipe Restoration Project, c/o the Food Editor, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 72 Marietta St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30303.
Nutrition:
Per serving: 30 calories (percent of calories from fat, 62), 1 gram protein, 2 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 2 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 7 milligrams cholesterol, 54 milligrams sodium.
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