Cheese Souffle

Do you ever feel daring in the kitchen? Ever want to try something you've heard is difficult and see how you handle it? Well, that was me last week (ok, most weeks, but bear with me). So, I scoured my cookbooks (I have way too many, but I can't stop buying them....Cookbooks Anonymous...sign me up!). I found this cheese souffle recipe in my Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook.

Of course, I didn't feel like running to the store for the reduced-fat cheese (besides, ick...) so I used "real, regular fat" cheese. This came together really easy. Also, the folding of egg whites always makes me nervous, but I figure the more I do it the better I'll become at it (the little egg-white folder that could!).

Folding Egg-Whites In

Though I didn't have a 3-quart dish either, the 2.5 quart one had to do, I think I did ok. While it was baking in the oven I was standing proud....it was fluffing beautifully! "Who said souffles were hard!?" I thought as I pulled it out of the oven.

Straight from the Oven

After snapping the beautiful picture above, the souffle instantly started to sink....and sink....and, well you get the idea. I was left with a souffle that was about an inch tall. Certainly not the proud success I had hoped for. BUT! the good news is that it tasted really good! I love cheese...and if eggs were the delivery method, I was game. SO, give it a try...if all else fails (like with mine!) you'll still have a yummy meal.

The Recipe:
Cheese Souffle
Makes 4 servings (or more if you have other stuff to serve with it)

1 cup low-fat (1%) milk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 eggs, separated
2 egg whites

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat, whisk the milk and flour; cook, stirring, until thickened and no longer floury, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in the cheese, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and the cayenne pepper.

In a small bowl, stir a small amount of the cheese mixture into the egg yolks, then stir the egg yolk mixture into the cheese mixture.

In a large bowl, beat all 4 egg whites until foamy; add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and beat until stiff but not dry. Stir one-fourth of the egg whites into the cheese mixture; with a rubber spatula, fold in the remaining egg whites. Scrape into a 3-quart ungreased souffle dish. Bake until puffed and cooked through, 35 minutes. Serve at once.

Enjoy with Love,
Christina