Christa B Davis: Fa La La and Cheese "Straws"

Take a look at the places I have found empty little candy wrappers:

Outside in the grass
Under my desk
In the kitchen sink
In between the sofa cushions
On the trampoline
In the shower

Occasionally, I've found them in my own hands (and the candy in my own mouth).

:) I've just quietly picked them up and disposed of them, fighting the urge to nag my kids about it. I have thrown a few, "Now kids, you do know that the trash can is the proper spot for your empty candy wrappers, right?" Champ came home with about 20 pounds of candy, so I think that I'm going to help myself to about a pound or two at a time and give it away until slowly, slowly... it's all gone.

Right now, I am sitting here at my desk listening to.... oh yes, CHRISTMAS music and I am filled with the spirit, folks - the spirit of Christmas!! I flipped to my Comcast channel, the Sounds of the Seasons (channel number 933), in hopes that I would hear holiday music, and I was not disappointed today. I love it so much as it makes me really really happy to my core. In fact, I think when I get older, much older, when being a little quirky is just par for the course, I'm going to invest in a Mrs. Clause costume and wear it during the holiday season - in part to delight others and in part to humor myself. My true dream is to buy a little shiny red VW bug and have "Mrs. Clause" written on the back of it in white... and I'll tootle around town buying and wrapping gifts for those who hire me - oh, I would LOVE it! Just give me a list and a little leeway to be creative and I'll take care of all your holiday shopping needs...

Okay, back to reality.

I made some cheese medallions on Friday - think cheese straws but in a circular shape instead of a "straw shape." I love these and have never tried to make my own. They were easy and oh so delicious! Not only will I serve these as an appetizer throughout the holiday season (& beyond), but I may even wrap them up and give them to neighbors and friends for Christmas!

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Freshly grate 2 cups (8 ounces) sharp Cheddar cheese.

Combine the shredded cheese with butter, flour, salt, dry mustard and cayenne pepper until incorporated into dough. I had to add a few TBS of water, a little at a time, to help the dough come together.

Take the big ball of dough and lay it on a piece of wax paper. Roll it out into a 16 inch log, wrap it up and stick it in the freezer for half an hour (this will make it much easier to slice it).

Using a serrated knife, slice the log into 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick rounds. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. If you want to, sprinkle a little paprika (for looks) on the top. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until just beginning to brown.

Let them cool completely before covering and storing. I served mine with a little dollop of jelly and I thought - gosh, how beautiful would these be on a platter with a dollop of jelly - green or red or both -on each of them for the holidays?

The savory little cheese medallion with the sweet jelly on top was the yummiest and easiest little thing to eat. I couldn't resist so I didn't stop at one...

Click here for this super simple recipe (thank you, Sally!!).

I found these little Christmas tins at Michael's over the weekend, and you can fill them about 10-12 high with these cheese medallions. Paired with a nice jar of jelly, wouldn't this make a nice holiday gift for your neighbors and friends?

You can wrap it up (tin on the bottom, jelly on the top) with clear cellophane and tie it up with a big red or green bow. What's nice is that it's just a taste of something really good - you could even attach the recipe.