'Tis the season...

Cake, cookies, roasts, nuts and nibbles. Time to create, time to slob, people to feed, new tastes to try. Whatever you celebrate at this time of year I'm sure food plays a big part of it. Already this year we've had the first of the vanilla biscuits - simple to make and great to share - dusted with cinnamon sugar they just scream "warm and happy."

Vanilla biscuits dusted with cinnamon sugar - mmmm

At the same time the first cheese and onion biscuits have been baked, packed up and delivered to Js colleagues. Of course you have to make sure your bakes are edible so a few were tested by the chief taster before I boxed up the rest.  He approved them - as did Mum who is here visiting so below is a recipe to share, bake, tinker with and enjoy.

Cheese and Onion bites 

Gas Mark 6/ Lightly greased and floured oven tray. Makes about 18.

Cheese and Onion bites ready for the oven

I used...
6oz plain flour
3oz margarine
approx 1/2 tablespoon dried onion powder
approx 2oz strong cheddar grated
black pepper
soya milk to mix (obviously water or other milk would do)





Rub fat into flour as for shortcrust pastry. Stir in onion, cheese and pepper. Bring together with enough milk to create a firm dough. Refrigerate for an hour or so and then roll to about the same thickness as a commercial digestive biscuit. Cut out using 2inch round cutter and bake for approx. 20 minutes until lightly golden.Leave to cool on a rack and then store in airtight container - not sure on the shelf life as the spares didn't last 5 minutes!

Please play with the ingredients to find flavours that suit you - I've made variations of these with other types of cheese  or even without cheese at all, and with onion, black pepper and herbs for a great vegan savoury munch. This is also a great way to use up any odds and ends of cheese that may be past their best which given The Observer article that raised lots of people's blood pressure on Sunday should be a good and useful thing to have at your disposal.

May your kitchen be warm and your house be bathed in the scent of baking for the rest of the month!