Super Bowl Perfection-Mediterranean Style Cheese Puffs

Most recipes for Super Bowl or Playoff parties are pretty standard.  This appetizer from sunny Spain in the Mediterranean is not standard.  It features creamy Manchego cheese which comes from sheep's' milk.  Genuine Manchego cheese comes only from the whole milk of manchega sheep bred and reared in the La Mancha region near Madrid. . If La Mancha sounds familiar, think , Don Quixote of La Mancha.  This cheese was mentioned in the novel.

This recipe, which comes from one of my favorite and most beautiful cookbooks, Mediterranean, also suggests using Gruyere cheese or another well-flavored cheese.  Be aware; these tasty little gems will get eaten up in a jiffy.  Give yourself time to make a few batches.  You'll need them.

Cheese Puffs

1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup water
2 whole eggs, plus one yolk
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup finely grated well-flavord cheese, 
         such as Manchego or Gruyère


Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. (About 218 degrees F.)  Bring the butter, salt and water to a boil in a pan.  Sift the flour onto a sheet of  waxed paper, then pour the flour into the boiling liquid and stir it in very quickly.


Beat the mixture with a wooden spoon into a thick paste that leaves the side of the pan clean.  Remove the pan from the heat.


Beat in the eggs and yolk, one at a time, then add the mustard, cayenne pepper and grated cheese.


Place teaspoonfuls of the mixture on a non-stick baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.  Lower the oven temperature to 350F (176.6C) and cook for another 15 minutes, until well browned. Serve these hot or cold.


Make sure to have lots of olives.  They are a great accompaniment to the cheese puffs.

Get other deliciously impressive appetizer recipes and  bites from the very  popular America's Secret Recipes cookbooks.  Your family and friends will keep coming back for more. Click image at left.

My Version of Buffalo Chicken Wings

Here is one of my favorites for my version of Buffalo chicken wings. You can use a deep fryer if you have one. I don't, so I use a heavy sauce pan or my trusty cast-iron skillet, because it gets nice and hot. A Dutch oven also works. Anything you can put a quantity of oil in. Please note that I also don't use flour to coat the wings, so make sure to pat dry the wings and drop them carefully in the oil.

Ingredients:                                              

Peanut oil for deep frying
12-24 wing pieces (Whole wings cut in half or buy frozen "wingettes")

4 Tbs margarine
1 Tbs vinegar
* 5 Tbs hot sauce (I use Louisiana, Uncle Brutha's or whatever I have. You can use Tabasco also)
Garlic salt and pepper to taste
Blue cheese dressing
Celery sticks

Directions:

Heat oil in skillet to about 375 degrees F. (190.5 degrees C.) Add enough to cover wings-about an inch or two deep. Sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper if you like. Drop thawed chicken wings gently into the hot oil, one batch at time. Do not crowd. Fry until golden brown. About 10-15 minutes depending on wing size. Remove the wings from the oil and drain on a rack or paper towels.

While wings are cooking, melt margarine in a saucepan, add hot sauce and vinegar. Stir and put in a large mixing bowl. Add the Buffalo chicken wings and toss in the sauce to coat each wing. Place in a bowl or platter.
Serve with blue cheese dressing, celery sticks and lot of napkins.

*If the wings are for children, start with a Tbs hot sauce. Serve the kids first, and then add more hot sauce to the bowl.

Find chicken wing recipes from Applebee's, TGI Fridays and Chili's you can cook at home.