Once when my mom was a little girl, she came inside from playing on a hot summer day. Sweaty and parched, she was happy to find a big glass of iced tea sitting on the kitchen counter.
Little Mama picked up the glass of iced tea and took several big gulps. Only… it wasn’t iced tea.
For reasons still unknown, someone had dissolved a bullion cube in a glass, and this was the “refreshment” that greeted Little Mama, much to her surprise (not to mention disgust).
I’m telling you this because today’s recipe looks like a cookie… but it is not. It is a spicy cheese wafer.
These savory, shortbread-like treats are deeelicious — Mama has made them for years as a wonderful party hors d’oeuvre to rave reviews — but they could definitely catch an unsuspecting customer by surprise.
Kind of like when you go to pick up a really heavy box, only to discover that it’s empty. You may want to make people aware of this before they bite in… just so they know what to expect. A label might be a good idea.
These, by the way, are the perfect antidote to the overwhelming barrage of holiday cookies, candies, and sweets. Don’t get me wrong — I plan to make Christmas cookies too — but when I need a little salty/savory to balance things out, I’ll whip up a quick batch of these cheese wafers.
SPICY CHEESE WAFERS (pdf)
Recipe from Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson
(I suspect this came from a Congressional Cookbook acquired during Papaw’s years in Congress? Maybe Mama can confirm in the comments section.)
2 sticks butter, softened
2 C all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper
8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 C Rice Krispies
Preheat oven to 350. Cut butter into flour, then add salt and cayenne pepper. Use your fingers to mix the cheese in (mixture should be somewhat crumbly, as with shortbread), then gently fold in Rice Krispies. Roll into small balls, flatten with a fork, and bake about 15 minutes or until slightly golden on top. Don’t let them get too brown, Mama says.
Due to the dry, crumbly, shortbread texture of these cheese wafers, you’ll want to serve them when the drinks are flowing. I think a generous pour of chardonnay or sauvignon blanc would be the perfect accompaniment. (Just not, however, a dissolved bullion cube.)
xoxo,
