This recipe was featured in Holiday Bites.
Betsy Striegler | Bluebonnet EC
Cheese-wrapped olives, baked to perfection, are a wonderful pick-up appetizer. Striegler learned this recipe in a college food and nutrition class where the students prepared thousands for the dean’s reception. It’s a family favorite to this day.
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
48 pimiento-stuffed green olives, drained
Cook’s tip Once the prepared olives have been frozen one hour, they can be placed in a zip-close bag and stored. When you’re ready, simply place olives on a baking sheet and bake according to directions.
1. In a food processor, blend cheese with butter until smooth. Add flour, salt and cayenne and process into cheese mixture until well blended.
2. Pat dry the olives with a paper towel.
3. Wrap 1 teaspoon dough around each olive. Place each olive approximately 1 inch apart on a baking sheet. Freeze at least 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove olives from freezer and bake 15 minutes.
Makes 48.