Individual Cheese Soufflés

Served with a fruit course and toast, this simple dish makes a great brunch. Served with a salad and vegetables, it also makes a tasty main course or first course. When I wrote this recipe, I thought: “Why not use a prepackaged grated cheese mix to make things faster?” That turned out to be a very good idea, making these mini-soufflés ultra-easy and quick to prepare.

Individual Cheese Soufflés:

3 eggs, yolks separated from whites

1 c. milk (I used skim)

2 tbsp. butter or margarine

2 tbsp. flour

¼ tsp. dry mustard

Salt and coarsely ground pepper, to taste

¾ c. prepackaged grated cheese mix

Preheat oven to 400 deg. F. In a blender, combine egg yolks, milk, butter, flour, mustard, seasonings, and grated cheese. Blenderize until smooth, at least 2 min. In medium bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Gently fold yolk-cheese mixture into whites. Divide mixture evenly among six ungreased ½-cup ramekins filled ¾ full. Bake soufflés on shallow-sided pan 15 min., until soufflés are golden and rise above tops of ramekin dishes. Assemble everyone to the table 5 min. before soufflés are due from the oven. Serve immediately. Mini-soufflés deflate fast! Serves 6. 

Separate yolks from whites

To blender, add egg yolks ...

And milk. Buzz to combine, adding ...

Butter, flour, mustard, seasonings, cheese ...

A little salt is a good thing; a lot of salt carries health risks

Blend on high until cheese mixture is smooth 

Beat chilled egg whites until ...

Whites increase in volume and become stiff

Gently fold cheese mixture into egg whites

Use an "up and over" motion to fold

Pour into six 1/2-cup ramekins

Bake 15 min., until soufflé browns, rising above ramekin

This makes a small but very delicious brunch