Meat is not always my first choice for the protein portion of a meal. Eggs and cheese are high in protein and good for you. One of my favorite ways to incorporate them into dinner as opposed to serving them at breakfast, is to make a puffy cheese souffle that they will ask for again. A souffle is easy to make if steps for making it are followed exactly.
To make my favorite souffle I start by making a white sauce. I melt 1/4-cup of butter in a double boiler. To that I add 1/4-cup of flour and 1/2-teaspoon of salt. When that is blended together I gradually add 1-cup of cold milk and stir the mixture until it is thick and smooth. Stirring is important to prevent lumps. When the mixture is thick and smooth add 1/2-pound of sharp shredded cheddar cheese. Stir it in well.
Next I separate 6 eggs. I beat the egg yolks well and temper them with a little of the hot sauce and then add them all to the rest of the sauce. Put the mixture back on the hot water to keep it hot. I beat the 6 egg whites until they are stiff but not dry. Then I fold the egg whites into the cheese sauce with a spatula. Last I pour the mixture into an UN-GREASED 2-quart casserole dish. I take my spatula and trace a circle through the mixture 1-inch from the edge to make a perfect crown.
I bake the souffle in a 325-degree oven for exactly 1-hour and 15-minutes. DO NOT OPEN the oven door while the souffle is baking. Leave it alone for the entire baking time. If the oven door is opened before the end of baking time, the souffle will fall flat. Serve the souffle while it is still puffy and warm from the oven. I serve it with steamed asparagus and fresh sliced tomatoes. What a delicious change of pace.
