BLUE CHEESE PUFFS

1/4 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
2/3 cup crumbled blue-veined cheese such as Roquefort, Stilton, or Maytag Blue

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 15x12-inch baking sheet.

In a 2 to 3 quart pan over high heat, bring 3/4 cup water and butter to a full rolling boil. Remove from heat, add flour all at once, and stir until mixture is a smooth think paste with no lumps. Add eggs, 1 at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition until dough is no longer slippery. Stir in cheese, then let stand for 15 minutes.

Evenly space 24 equal mounds of dough (about 1 rounded tablespoon each) on a buttered 12 by 15 inch baking sheet.

Bake in a 400 degree oven until puffs are dry and richly browned; about 30 minutes.

Loosen puffs from pan.

TO MAKE AHEAD:
If making ahead, let puffs cool on a rack, then wrap airtight up to 1 day or freeze up to 2 weeks. Reheat thawed puffs on baking sheet at 350 degrees F until warm, about 3 minutes.

Makes: 24 puffs, about 8 servings
Source: Sunset 1997 Recipe Annual, Sunset magazine, November 1996