Paula Deens Zesty Cheese Straws Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In large bowl, beat butter and cheese until well blended at medium speed.
• Add flour and cayenne pepper, and beat in well, for 5 minutes, or until VERY creamy.
• Put mixture into pastry bag or cookie press that is fitted with a star tip.
• Pipe 5-inch long strips about 1-inch apart from each other onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake ONE COOKIE SHEET AT A TIME, 18-20 minutes until lightly golden.
• Put the pastry bag/cookie press into the fridge or freezer while each tray is cooking. Otherwise, the butter and cheese gets too soft, and you get cheese "crackers" instead of straws!
• Cool each tray for 5 minutes, (I prepare the next tray while they are cooling) then move the cooled straws to a wire rack.
• Keeps well in air-tight containers.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Make sure cheese and butter are room temperature.
• In a mixing bowl, cream the butter until light and fluffy.
• Add the cheese and mix until blended.
• Add the flour, salt and red pepper (I used 1/2 tsp) this is when you would add dried herbs if using, mix to form a dough.
• Refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up the dough, then place it in a cookie press, fitted with a ridged tip.
• Pipe the dough in 2 inch strips onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.
• Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Remove to racks to cool.
• **Updated**.
• I've discovered these are very tastey using dried herbs also.
• I've made them with dill but can see me making them with thyme and sage before too long.

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.

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk.
• Beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
• Stir in 1/2 of whipped topping and almond extract; set aside.
• Tear angel food cake into 1 inch pieces.
• Place 1/3 of cake pieces in bottom of a trifle bowl.
• Spoon 1/3 of cream cheese filling over cake, and top with 1/3 of pie filling.
• Repeat layers twice more.
• Spread remaining whipped topping over top of trifle, sealing to edges.
• Garnish with additional pie filling and sliced almonds if desired.