Stephen & Evie Colbert present Patti McGee's Cheese Biscuits

Stephen and Evie Colbert share a family favorite cheddar biscuit recipe from their fabulous new cookbook, “Does This Taste Funny?” Stephen said those delicious little biscuits helped ease his nerves on their very first date!

Ingredients

• Makes about 50 biscuits

  8 tablespoons " stick margarine (see Note)

  8 tablespoons "1 stick salted butter (see Note)

  ½ pound extra sharp cheddar cheese (see Note)

  2 cups sifted self-rising flour, or as needed

  Several dashes or cayenne

  1 egg white

  About 50 pecan halves

• NOTE

  Evie’s mom found that this recipe was

  most successful with Land O Lakes margarine.

  (Imperial margarine will also do) and Cracker Barrel extra sharp cheddar cheese.

Pour 2 inches of water into the bottom of a double boiler. If you don t nave a double boiler, use a heavy 3- to 4-quart saucepan.

Melt the margarine and butter in the top of the double boiler; the water in the bottom of the double boiler shouldn't be too hot, definitely not boiling. Or, if using a saucepan, melt the margarine and butter over very low heat. When they are completely melted, remove the top of the double boiler (or the saucepan) from the heat.

Add the cheese slowly, stirring until it is combined with the margarine and butter. Add the sifted flour and as many dashes of cayenne as you like into the cheese all at once and stir until all the flour is mixed in. If the dough seems too soft, add a little more flour.

Set the dough aside until cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes. You can also refrigerate the dough for up to several hours, but be sure to bring the dough to room temperature for about <u minutes derore rolling it out.

While the dough is cooling, heat the oven to 325°F with one rack in the upper third position and one in the lower third. Or, if you'd rather just roll and bake one sheet of biscuits at a time, you'll only need one rack in the center position.

Whip the egg white in a small bowl with a fork until foamy.

Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls, setting them about 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet as you go. If the dough seems a little crumbly when you start to roll it into balls, just give it a second; the warmth from your hands will soften it up and make for smooth rolling.

One at a time, dip a pecan in the egg white and press it lightly onto the top of a dough ball.

Bake until the biscuits are puffy and lightly browned, about 1s to 2u minutes. (You ll know they re done when the kitchen smells wonderful!)

Cool the biscuits on the pans for 5 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Cheese biscuits can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Michele’s Kitchen Notes

I can’t wait to try these delicious biscuits this holiday season. Thanks Stephen & Evie for sharing this most cherished recipe with us. Happy Merry Everything!

P.S.
Stephen says serve with a bourbon and soda.

Recipe gifted by Stephen and Evie McGee Colbert and you can find it on their new cookbook, “Does this taste funny?”