Cheese Souffle'

This is one of my favorite foods in the world. It is so versatile, you can use any meat and cheese combination you like, use cheese only and serve it for breakfast, lunch, brunch or a light dinner! My husband is the master of this dish, I don't know how to make it and I have no desire to learn! I just want to eat it!

4 tbl = 1/2 stick butter plus 1 teaspoon

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 cups milk, warmed until hot to the touch

6 eggs separated

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

dash Cayenne or 1/2 tsp dry mustard (we use both)

1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan (do not use the stuff in the canister)

1/2 cup grated or crumbled cheddar, jack or whatever kind of cheese you like

pinch cream of tartar (we do not add this)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use the teaspoon of butter to grease a 2 quart souffle dish or other baking dish

Place a saucepan over medium heat and add the remaining butter. When it foams, add the flour and turn the heat to medium low. Cook, stirring the mixture until it darkens a bit, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk a little at a time to avoid lumps. Cook till mixture is thick, about a minute more.

Turn off the heat and stir in the egg yolks, salt, pepper, Cayenne and/or mustard and cheeses. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt or cream of tartar, just until they hold soft peaks. Stir a couple of spoonfuls of the beaten whites into the batter, and then very gently and not overly thoroughly fold in the remaining whites. Using a rubber spatula or your hand. Be gentle.

Turn the batter into a prepared dish and bake until it has risen and browned on top, about 15 to 40 minutes (the lower timing is for individual ramekins), a single will take 30 minutes or more.

Use a thin skewer to determine doneness, if wet, continue to bake, if just moist it is done.

Serve immediately, it will start to fall in about 1 minute.