Cheddar Jalapeno Squares

Show up with a pan of these at your next holiday pot luck dinner and smile when your dish is the first to empty!

I grew up in the tiny Vermont village of Marshfield, one town over from even smaller Cabot. The Cabot Creamery has made the best tasting Cheddar for many years and I am forever brand loyal! If you can't find this delicious 'supermarket' brand of cheese, use another yellow cheddar.

While we are chatting about cheese, a couple of tips.

Please do not buy cheese that is already shredded.

1. It takes a 90 seconds to grate a block in your own kitchen.

2. Freshly grated cheese melts better

3. Pre shredded packaged cheese has chemical additives to keep the strands separate.

4. A chunk of cheese is less expensive than pre shredded.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar, freshly shredded (Cabot makes 75% lower fat cheddar that works very well in this dish, but do not use fat free)
• 2 medium jalapenos, seeds ribs stems removed, minced
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha or Tabasco sauce

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray an 8 inch square baking dish with non-stick vegetable spray.
• Arrange the shredded cheese in the baking dish. Scatter with minced jalapenos.
• Blend the milk, flour, egg, salt, pepper and Sriracha in a blender until well combined and slowly pour the batter over the cheese and jalapenos in a thin stream so it does not disturb the arrangement.
• Bake 20 to 22 minutes, until slightly puffed and lightly browned.
• Cool 15 minutes and cut square pan into 5 x 5, so you will have twenty five 2 bite squares.