Skip to content

Robert St. John

Restaurateur, author, enthusiastic traveler, & world-class eater.

Baked Cheese Puffs

Ingredients

1 /2 pound Old English Cheese

1 /2  cup solid vegetable shortening

1 /2 cup butter, softened

2 1 /2 cups serf rising flour

1 Tbsp hot sauce

1 tsp Creole seasoning

1 cup chopped toasted almonds

1 Tbsp chopped parsley

Instructions

Using and electric mixer, blend together Old English Cheese, shortening, and butter until well blended. Add remaining ingredients and mix well until all ingredients are incorporated.

Refrigerate dough for one hour.

Using a small (1 ½-2 ounce) ice-cream scoop, form small balls and place onto baking sheet. Freeze raw dough balls in zip-lock bags until ready to use.

Remove cheese balls from freezer. Sprinkle with paprika and bake 20-30 minutes, until golden brown.

Yield: 40 puffs

Recent Recipes

Grilled Tripletail with Lump Crab and Chive Beurre Blanc

Tripletail has always been my favorite Gulf fish. The old-timers used to say, "If you can see a tripletail, you can catch a tripletail." They have this peculiar habit of floating near the surface around buoys, crab traps, and other floating objects, often lying on their sides and appearing almost lifeless. This behavior makes them easy to spot and, if you're quick with your cast, easy to hook. The meat is mild, white, and flaky—perfect for grilling. Pairing it with lump crab and a chive beurre blanc elevates this dish to something truly special.

Read more

Potato Gratin

Potatoes are the one vegetable I could never give up. Fried, roasted, mashed, or scalloped—doesn’t matter, they’re always on the table in one form or another. This gratin is my favorite way to make them feel a little more special. It’s rich, creamy, and just decadent enough to make it feel like you’re putting in some extra effort. There’s a good bit of cheese in this recipe, but that’s exactly how it should be. The combination of sharp white Cheddar, gruyere, and Parmesan gives it the perfect balance of nuttiness, creaminess, and tang. And using Yukon gold potatoes instead of russets makes a big difference. They have just the right amount of starch to get creamy without getting mushy. This dish is a showstopper on the holiday table, but I’d eat it on a random Tuesday without hesitation.

Read more

Orange Cranberry Muffins

These muffins are like Christmas morning in a bite—bright, citrusy orange paired with tart, bursting cranberries. The combination feels like something you'd find in a festive basket dropped off by a thoughtful neighbor. Perfect for Christmas gift giving or to have on hand for guests throughout the holiday.

Read more