Pepperoni Cheddar Straws Food

CHEDDAR STRAWS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375.
• Combine flour and cayenne pepper in a small bowl; set aside.
• Combine cheese and butter in food processor/ mixer until smooth.
• Add flour mixture and mix until well combined.
• Make straws using a cookie press or roll dough to 1/8 inch and cut into small strips.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

PEPPERONI CHEDDAR STRAWS

Steps:

• In a food processor blend the flour, the salt, the Cheddar, and the butter until the mixture resembles meal. With the motor running add 5 tablespoons of the water and and blend the mixture, adding more water if necessary, until it just forms a dough. Do not overblend the dough. Transfer the dough to a sheet of wax paper and halve it.
• In the food processor grind fine the pepperoni with the cayenne, add half the dough, reserving the other half, chilled, and blend the mixture until the pepperoni is just distributed throughout the dough. On the sheet of wax paper halve the pepperoni dough and divide 1 of the halves into thirds, reserving the other half, wrapped and chilled. Roll each third into an 8-inch rope. Repeat the rolling procedure with half of the reserved plain cheese dough.
• On a new sheet of wax paper arrange the 6 ropes side by side, alternating the pepperoni with the plain, press them tightly together, and top them with another sheet of wax paper. With a rolling pin flatten the ropes between the sheets of wax paper and roll them into a 1/8-inch-thick rectangles (about 15 by 7 inches). Transfer the dough and the wax paper to a baking sheet and chill it for at least 1 hour or overnight. Repeat the entire procedure with the reserved plain cheese and pepperoni doughs. The sheets of dough may be made 1 week in advance and kept covered tightly and chilled.
• Cut the sheets of dough crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips, discarding the wax paper. Bake the strips in batches on greased baking sheets in the middle of a preheated 400°F. oven for 10 minutes, or until they are golden, transferring them as they are baked to racks, and let them cool. Serve the straws freshly baked.

LEE BROS' CHEESE STRAWS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• 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.
• 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 (or a pizza or pastry wheel; both worked great), cut the dough into thin 8-inch strips, each 1/4- to 1/3-inch wide (dipping the knife in flour after every few inches ensures a clean cut). Gently transfer the strips to an ungreased cookie sheet (though I lined mine with parchment), 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.
• 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.
• Serve at room temperature. Cheese straws will keep in the refrigerator, in a sealed container, for two days. They will not last an hour at a party.

LEMON PEPPER CHEESE STRAWS

Steps:

• Lightly flour a clean, flat surface and roll the sheet of puff pastry to an 1/8th of an inch in thickness. Try to keep it approximately the shape of a rectangle for smoother edges.
• Sprinkle the cheese, lemon zest, ground pepper, and salt evenly over the long top half. Fold the bottom half over, gently pressing the two sides together to seal. Use a very sharp knife to cut 1/2-3/4 inch wide strips.
• Handling one strip at a time, take one end in each hand and carefully twist them in opposite directions to form a tight spiral. Place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, pressing the ends down firmly to discourage them from uncurling. Repeat with the remaining dough, placing the twists about 1 inch apart. Move the entire batch into the freezer and let rest for 30 minutes before baking.
• Once the straws are nearly done chilling, begin preheating your oven to 425 degrees F.
• Move the frozen baking sheet immediately into the oven and bake until the straws are golden brown all over(13-16 minutes). Transfer to wire racks and let cool completely before eating.

SPICY CHEESE STRAWS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Melt butter in the microwave.
• Combine warm butter, salt, red pepper and room temperature cheese in a food processor.
• Add in flour and blend until mixed well.
• Press thru star shaped cookie press in a continuous ribbon onto a non-stick cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 12 - 20 minutes until slightly crusty(depending on oven).