Smitten Kitchen's Cheese Straws (with a rosemary twist)

Long time, no see…

Things are pretty slow around here, because, unfortunately, I had to be put on a diet.  The sad reality is I found out the hard way I’m not a kid anymore, and there are things like high cholesterol and blood pressure in the world. So uncool.

It’s been tough to stay away from sugar, so I had to give my oven a break. But I missed it, my dear old tiny oven, so when hubs said some friends might stop by, I had the perfect excuse to make a little something.

I had this recipe bookmarked for a long time, and it’s savory, so not that bad, right? And boy, these are DELISH – cheesy, buttery, flavorful. I’m glad the guests liked them too – they disappeared before I could wreck the diet completely.

Cheese Rosemary Straws (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

The original recipe is made with sharp cheddar cheese and pepper, but I used what I had in hand – provolone and rosemary – and it was just as delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup grated cheese (sharp  cheddar, provolone, or any variety you like)
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup plain flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp fresh or dried rosemary (or pepper)
• 1 tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a food processor, combine the cheese, butter, flour, salt and rosemary (or pepper) in five 5-second pulses until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the MILK and process until the dough forms a ball.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into an 8- by 10-inch rectangle. With a pastry wheel or a large knife, cut the dough into strips. Dust the dough with more flour if needed.

Transfer the strips to the baking sheets, leaving at least 1/4-inch between them.

Bake 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.

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