On Sun 01 Jan 2006 04:44:15p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it jmcquown?

> jmcquown wrote:
>> Nancy Young wrote:
>>> I would like to make them thusly:
>>>
>>> phyllo, a couple three layers, sprinkle with whatever
>>> grated cheese and cayenne, then baked until crisp.
>>>
>>> Is there something *massively* wrong with this plan?
>>> Never had or made them before.
>>>
>>> nancy (or is it "thus"?)
>>
>> Forget the phyllo!
>>
>> 1 stick butter, softened
>> 8 oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
>> 1/2 tsp. salt
>> 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
>> 1-1/2 c. plus 1 Tbs. sifted flour
>>
>> Preheat oven to 350F. Mix the butter with the cheese and seasonings
>> in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour and knead into a smooth dough.
>> Pack the dough in batches into a cookie press. Press the dough
>> through the flat ridged opening onto an ungreased cookie sheet for
>> form straws about 3 inches long. Bake until golden but don't let
>> them brown, 15-20 minutes. Remove and let cool. Store in an
>> airtight container.
>>
>> Recipe from 'Southern Sideboards'
>>
>> Jill
>
> I first tasted these while attending a Civil War reenactment dressed in
> full regalia, from the corset to the hoop skirt, carrying a Battenburg
> lace black parasol and sporting a lovely hat with a veil. The only good
> thing about that day was the cheese straws and the artichoke/lemon
> "pesto", both of which I immediately had to recreate at home.
>
> Ridiculous to pay $7 for a tiny jar of pureed artichoke hearts with
> lemon to spread on crackers. Ridiculous to spend $5 on a small box of
> what amount to cheese crackers that look like crinkle-cut french fries,
> tasty though they were. It was even more ridiculous to drive a 5-speed
> to Collierville wearing a hoop skirt! Ever try working a clutch with
> one of those things on? No wonder they had horse-drawn carriages. LOL

You needed one of those new-fangled collapsible hoop skirts they were
selling in the best Atlanta shops. Don't know if you could have gotten one
in Memphis. :-) Driving would have been no problem.

> Artichoke Lemon "Pesto"
>
> 2 cans artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed
> 5 cloves garlic
> 3 Tbs. capers
> 1 Tbs. pine nuts (pigolis) or chopped walnuts
> 2 green onions, diced
> the zest and juice of one fresh lemon
> 1 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
> 1/4 to 1/2 c. olive oil, as needed
>
> Blend all ingredients except oil in a food processor or blender until
> smooth. Add the oil to desired texture. Store in tightly covered jars,
> refrigerated. Makes about 4 cups.

Sounds delicious!

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
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And if we enter a room full of manure, may we believe in the pony.