I am always looking for good snacks to serve during baseball season. Easy to eat (and make) and fantastic with beer! Our household is as Red Sox a household as they get. My husband is such a Red Sox fan, they actually played at our wedding. Well, on TV in the bar at our reception anyway – they so happened to be in the world series that year 🙂
So, when challenged with making a delicious game day appetizer using Nellie’s Free Range eggs (the official egg of the Boston Red Sox -and the egg most often found in my own refrigerator) I jumped at the chance to combine these two favorite things! Nellie’s eggs are certified humane, which is important to me. Their hens are not simply cage-free, they’re truly range-free, with lots of room to frolic in their grassy fields. And they have a more varied diet than the average hen, so their eggs are powerhouses of nutrition.
In my mind, any self respecting baseball snack needs to include pepperoni, so here’s my ode to the Green Monster with a beer friendly, cheesy snack to power you through the big game!
*this post is part of a paid collaboration
Pepperoni, Basil and Cheddar Cheese Puffs
1 stick butter
1 cup 2% milk
1 cup all purpose flour
5 Nellie’s Free-range, organic eggs
1 cup grated cheddar cheese, sharp (reserve 2 tablespoons cheese for topping puffs)
1/4 cup sliced pepperoni, chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a tall-sided saucepan over medium high, heat the butter and milk until the butter is melted and milk is just bubbling on the edges. Dump the flour in all at once and stir well. Reduce heat to low, and continue stirring rapidly until a film covers the bottom of the pan and the mixture is well combined.
Scrape the mixture into a food processor and add 4 eggs, cheddar cheese, pepperoni, basil, chipotle chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Process for a few seconds until the mixture is smooth.
Using a small ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, scoop the mixture onto a cookie sheet, spacing the puffs about 2 inches apart.
In a small bowl, whisk remaining egg with a splash of water. Brush the top of each puff with egg wash, sprinkle a bit of cheddar cheese on top.
Bake for about 13-15 minutes, until puffs are golden and firm.
Yield: about 28 – 32 puffs, depending on the size of your scoop.
