Melle's Low Carb "Cheatos Cheese Puffs"

[Sugar Free Sweet Pea]

I had another thread, entitled "[COLOR="DarkSlateBlue"]Anyone make Meringues[/COLOR]". With the help of Zer, that thread quickly evolved into this "Cheatos Cheese Puffs" recipe. It was suggested that I have the title of the thread changed, but I wasn't sure how to do that, so I just took the pertinent quotes from that thread, and started another one. I hope it's okay, to do it this way.

Originally Posted by Melle

Final recipe (barring any further experimentation).

3 egg whites
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
A pinch of salt
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (frozen)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Put the frozen cheese in a food processor/blender and chop, until it's in tiny little pieces.

In a mixing bowl, blend first three ingredients, at high speed, until whites form stiff peaks. Sprinkle the chopped cheese, on top of the egg whites. Then, with a teaspoon or a rubber spatula, fold the cheese into the egg whites, VERY CAREFULLY, being careful not to disturb the fluffy whites, but thoroughly spread the cheese, throughout.

Then, using the tip of a teaspoon handle (not the spoon part), dip tiny little clouds of the mixture, and place on a cookie sheet. I would suggest using a sheet of parchment or a silicon baking sheet, but if you don't...spray the sheet, very well.

Then, lightly spray the tops of the puffs, with butter flavored cooking spray. Then, sprinkle grated parmesan cheese, on top of each puff. Then, put another coat of buttery spray, on top of that.

Bake at 300 degrees, for about 20-minutes. For crispier puffs, turn off the oven, and leave them in the oven for at least an hour. I have a gas oven, and left my last batch in the oven, overnight. The pilot light in the oven, kept it warm enough, that the "Cheatos" were VERY crispy. I then put them in an air-tight ziplock, and two days later, they were still crispy.

The finished product:


In the pan, before they go in the oven:

Originally Posted by Melle

The recipe is posted, as "Melle's Low Carb Cheatos Cheese Puffs". Pictures are waiting approval...don't know how long that takes, but they're the same pictures I posted, here.

LowCarbFriends Recipes - Melle's Low Carb Cheatos Cheese Puffs - Powered by ReviewPost

Originally Posted by retroworx

Melle:

If you could get the administrators to change the title of this thread to "Low Carb Cheatos" or something, I'd bet you'd get more hits and suggestions

[Zer]

I'm here. Just in case you need a taster. *me...me...ME!...waving madly*

[jenna...]

I want some!

[crazywoman-n-wy]

Those sound really good till ya get to the part about sprinkling on the parm cheesh. Yuck sputter sputter! But I will probably just have to try them one of these days sans the Parm cheese. Seems I used to have some pwd cheddar cheese. Bet that would be good sprinkled on it (tho I can't remember the ingredients and don't know the carb count, so providing it is "legal").

[Cats for Texas]

These sound yummy. I remember the cheddar shake on stuff; believe it was for popcorn. Will look at market and see what the carbs are.

[Sugar Free Sweet Pea]

Originally Posted by crazywoman-n-wy

Those sound really good till ya get to the part about sprinkling on the parm cheesh. Yuck sputter sputter! But I will probably just have to try them one of these days sans the Parm cheese. Seems I used to have some pwd cheddar cheese. Bet that would be good sprinkled on it (tho I can't remember the ingredients and don't know the carb count, so providing it is "legal").

Originally, I tried the powdered cheddar. It was so salty, I couldn't eat them, BUT I put the powder in the egg whites AND sprinkled it on top. So, if you use the shredded cheddar in the egg whites, and then sprinkled the powdered cheddar on top, it would probably not be as salty. Let us know how it turns out!

[ollamo]

Thanks for posting this. Looks really satisfying!!!

[Sugar Free Sweet Pea]

New variation:

I am making my "Cheatos" for our camping trip...and I am out of cheddar and jack blend.

I don't feel like running to the store, right now. So, I decided to use Pepper Jack Cheese. Actually, I love Pepper Jack...much more than cheddar. Also, when I was putting the Pepper Jack in the little bag (to freeze it), I ground some McCormick Grinders "Italian Seasoning" (just a tad). So, I'm thinking this batch will be more of a spicy, Italian flavor. We'll see!

[Cocapelle]

I haven't made these, yet, but, posted the recipe, with Melle's name, twice, on the camping recipe question, in this section, and the main low carb section. Hope ya don't mind, Melle.

[crazywoman-n-wy]

I looked & I don't have any of the cheddar pwd now. Don't remember having seen any of it in a long time either. So probably won't have any of that to put on top (which is what I was thinking of - cheddar/jack in the puffs, and cheddar pwd on top). So if/when I make them, I guess I won't have anything on top unless I get a box of mac & cheese, and just use the cheese pwd from that. As I said, I DON'T DO Parm cheese!

[soon]

why does the cheese have to be frozen I love the grated cheese in the bags?

[Barbara690]

I made these the other night and while they were good they tasted a lot like cheezits crackers and nothing like cheetos.So I get to thinking that it needed some cheddar powder on top(which I had) and that really gave them a cheeto flavor.
Another tip,I put the mix in a quart size baggie and sniped the corner.I then could squeeze it out to make them look more like the real thing.

[Strawberry]

why does the cheese have to be frozen I love the grated cheese in the bags?

Since fat tends to make whipped egg whites collapse, I have a feeling the frozen cheese is to keep the fat frozen and not let it cause the egg whites to get runny. But it might work ok with just refrigerated cold cheese. Souffles generally work ok with cheese like this as long as you just barely mix the cheese with the egg whites.

[Sugar Free Sweet Pea]

The reason we decided to freeze the cheese, is because I wanted the shreds of cheese to be smaller. I was afraid if I put it in the food processor, it would be so soft, it would just "mash it up", instead of chopping it. So, I froze it, making it harder...so the blades of the food processor would chop it...not mash it up.

You could use the shredded cheese, right out of the bag. I like it just like that, too. It's just that I was making tiny little cheatos, and wanted tiny little shredded cheese, too.

BTW, I did NOT like the cheatos I made this afternoon, with the pepper jack. They just didn't have as much taste, as the ones with cheddar. So, I'm getting up early in the morning, and making some cheddar ones, to take camping with us. I just got home from work, and am too tired to start them, tonight.

COCAPELLE, I do not mind at all. Share the recipe with everyone!

[Zer]

Wonderfully informative post on beating eggwhites stiff, folding in eggwhites for anyone who thinks there's nothing to making meringue or working with eggwhites.

[soon]

another ? please. Can I buy powdered cheese with out buying macaroni and cheese???? no kids at home no one to eat it.

[pepperette]

[COLOR="DarkGreen"]I found mine at a health food store, except they are not carrying the bright orance colored cheddar powder, just a pale yellow one. [/COLOR]

[Bella9]

I made these today and they came out great! For the powdered cheese, I used MollyMcButter, natural cheese flavor sprinkles.

[skg]

I made these yesterday with the parm cheese I wanted the orange color ones . I found 2 different season's, Popcorn seasoning White Cheddar found it with the popcorn and Molly McButter Natural Cheese Flavor Sprinkles with the spices. I can't wait to try them with these.

[Zer]

Originally Posted by skg

I made these yesterday with the parm cheese I wanted the orange color ones . I found 2 different season's, Popcorn seasoning White Cheddar found it with the popcorn and Molly McButter Natural Cheese Flavor Sprinkles with the spices. I can't wait to try them with these.

See carbs/calories for Molly McButter and in one brand (not sure of what brand skg is using) of White Cheddar seasoning. Some of the ingredient lists are really off-putting, as good as the cheesy taste might be. Amazing, what stuff is listed as edible.

[skg]

The white cheddar is made by Kernel Season's, says it is all natural and no MSG and made with real cheese, the calories is 2 and the carbs are 0 for 1/4 tsp. the sodium is 125. The Molly McButter Natural Cheese flavor is 5 calories and 1 carb for a tsp. Sodium is 75. Won't use a lot or eat it all the time will just be for a treat every now and then. Off to the kitchen to make my week worth of foods that can be made ahead of time.

[Zer]

Originally Posted by skg

The white cheddar is made by Kernel Season's, says it is all natural and no MSG and made with real cheese, the calories is 2 and the carbs are 0 for 1/4 tsp. the sodium is 125. The Molly McButter Natural Cheese flavor is 5 calories and 1 carb for a tsp. Sodium is 75. Won't use a lot or eat it all the time will just be for a treat every now and then. Off to the kitchen to make my week worth of foods that can be made ahead of time.

Oh, the "no MSG" label can be misleading:

If you want to find out if there is processed free glutamic acid (MSG) in a product, you must ask the manufacturer for information about "free glutamic acid." Don't ask about "MSG." Manufacturers find it convenient, when speaking to consumers, to tell them that there is no "MSG" in their product, meaning that there is no ingredient called "monosodium glutamate." Even if a manufacturer tells you there is no MSG in a product, there may be autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed pea protein, carrageenan, sodium caseinate, enzymes, and a whole slew of other ingredients that contain or create processed free glutamic acid (MSG) during manufacture.

I've read that the ingredient "natural flavors" is a way of hiding MSG in a product. Scary? I'll say.

[Teresa123]

Melle---I'm cracking up at how much these do taste like cheetos! Not the fried kind, but the puffy baked kind. I used sharp cheddar cheese and sprinkled with the Molly McButter cheese sprinkles and they are really good! Thanks for sharing these with us!

[Sugar Free Sweet Pea]

Originally Posted by Teresa123

Melle---I'm cracking up at how much these do taste like cheetos! Not the fried kind, but the puffy baked kind. I used sharp cheddar cheese and sprinkled with the Molly McButter cheese sprinkles and they are really good! Thanks for sharing these with us!

They really do taste like them, don't they? I was getting too "wrapped-up" in trying to make them LOOK like Cheetos, when WHO CARES? As long as they taste like them, and crunch like them, who cares what they look like. We'll just close our eyes, when we eat them. I am really going to have to try some of those cheese toppings. They would be so good.

[jenna...]

Originally Posted by Teresa123

Melle---I'm cracking up at how much these do taste like cheetos! Not the fried kind, but the puffy baked kind. I used sharp cheddar cheese and sprinkled with the Molly McButter cheese sprinkles and they are really good! Thanks for sharing these with us!

Did you use Molly McButter (butter) or (cheese) flavor?

[skg]

Molly McButter makes a cheese flavor

[Teresa123]

Originally Posted by jenna...

Did you use Molly McButter (butter) or (cheese) flavor?

I used the cheese sprinkles and just a little bit was perfect!

Another idea for these--maybe some kind of herb or italian seasoning and then use them for croutons--yum!

[Sugar Free Sweet Pea]

Originally Posted by Teresa123

Another idea for these--maybe some kind of herb or italian seasoning and then use them for croutons--yum!

OH WOW! What a great idea!

[wifezilla]

ZOMG!!!! You invented low carb CHEESY POOFS!!!

[pooticus]

Originally Posted by wifezilla

ZOMG!!!! You invented low carb CHEESY POOFS!!!

bwahahahahahahaha! no kitty! that's MAH pot pie!