Cheddar Olives

an 8 to 10 ounce jar of pitted green olives, either pimento stuffed or plain.
1 cup sharp Cheddar, shredded
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup AP flour
1/8 teaspoon cayenne OR 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika or freshly grated black pepper to taste *

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Drain the olives well, and dry them completely with paper towels. Set aside.

Combine the other ingredients in a bowl and mix well until a dough forms. You can kneed it with your hands, if necessary, until it has the consistency of playdough.

Pinch off a small amount of dough, flatten it, and wrap it around a dry olive. Being careful not to squeeze the olive, pinch off any excess, then roll it in your hands until smooth. Continue until all the olives are covered.



Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. OR freeze, wrapped tightly, for up to a week. Bake straight from the freezer for 20 minutes.

Serve immediately.

*We prefer the cayenne, but in a pinch we've made it with the paprika and it was good as well! You just want a little something in there to cut the richness.