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Spicy Cheese Buttons

(These are wonderful with champagne or red wine!)

1/4 pound butter
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 pound sharp cheddar, grated
salt to taste (big pinch)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream butter until light and fluffy; slowly add flour, cayenne, cheese and salt.

Dough will be loose and crumbly. Roll about a tablespoon full in your had to form a button and place on greased or no stick cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes, until golden brown.

Chocolate Mint Truffles

48 oz (4 bags) Ghirardilli Double Chocolate Chips
1 cup butter softened
4 egg yolks
1 pint whipping cream
1/2 cup mint schnapps (or 2 tsp. mint extract)*
Sweet Cocoa powder
crushed candy canes (optional)
cookie sheets
wax paper
shortening (optional)

Space in the freezer for a cookie sheet.
In large bowl, beat egg yolks at medium speed until they are a thickened and lemon colored.

Melt 2 bags of chips in microwave or in a double boiler. Be sure to watch carefully so it doesn't burn. Remove from heat and add butter one table spoon at a time, blend thoroughly. Gradually add chocolate mixture to beaten egg yolk, adding about 1/4 of chocolate at a time.

Stir in whipping cream and schnapps or mint extract.

Return to heat and cook about 1 minute stirring constantly.

Chill, covered, for at least 8 hours or until firm.

Shape into balls (this is a messy process!) and roll in cocoa powder. Return to freezer.

(You can stop here if you like or you can continue to the last step.)

While balls are chilling, melt the remaining chocolate for coating. You may add a little shortening to keep it smooth and make the chocolate shinier.

Dip balls in chocolate and sprinkle with crushed candy cane.

Makes about 3 dozen. Serve at room temperature.

Store in air tight container. These will l keep for about one month in the refrigerator, or 2 months in the freezer.

* I have always used the Schnapps.