Cheese Straws

1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
10 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Splash of Tabasco sauce
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cream butter. Mix in cheese, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce; stir to blend.

Slowly stir in flour until completely blended. Turn onto a lightly floured work surface and shape dough into a roll. Cover in plastic wrap and chill for several hours.

When chilled, slice dough in four pieces lengthwise. Roll each piece until it is as thin as a drinking straw. If the rolls become unwieldy cut them in half, crosswise.

Slice into straw lengths, and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 10 - 15 minutes, or until golden brown and semi-crisp.

Yield: About 4 dozen, depending on thickness of slices

Tips to make wonderful cheese straws:

Shred your own cheese; it’s stickier and blends better than pre-shredded cheese.

Refrigerate unbaked dough between batches to keep wafers from spreading too thin when baked.

Store baked cheese straws in an airtight container for 1 week. Store unbaked dough in the fridge for 1 week or in the freezer for 1 month.

Bake stored cheese straws in the oven at 350 degrees F for 3 to 4 minutes to make them crispy again.