The Hirshon Homemade “Cheetoz”

Let’s just face the harsh fact, shall we – from a strictly flavor standpoint, junk food is kind of awesome.

There’s a reason we are all addicted to the stuff – huge amounts of salt and fat, plus enough unpronounceable chemicals to cause even the most eloquent tongue to become twisted into a Gordian knot of syllabic horror.

That said – it tastes good. Really good.

So, what if you could actually make a healthier form of junk food where you know EXACTLY what went into it?

This recipe and others like it make that possible. My recipe is based on one from the outstanding book “Classic Snacks Made from Scratch” by Casey Barber, published by Ulysses Press and available on Amazon.

These ‘Cheetoz’ are clones of a very popular snack with a cool spokescat – I’ll avoid the name to keep their legal lapdogs at bay.

This recipe is flavored with Monterey Jack cheese in the dough and use dehydrated cheddar cheese powder for the infamous “dust”. I’ve added a bit of Romano cheese sprinkle with herbs to liven things up, but feel free to go all cheddar if you’re a purist.

I also went with white cheddar simply because the orange is a bit garish for my taste. It’s actually dyed with annatto, which is a natural food coloring that is perfectly fine for you. Go orange if you do prefer.

For the ‘Cheetoz’ ingredients, you will need Cheddar cheese powder – I prefer King Arthur Vermont White Cheddar Powder as well as Penzey’s Brady Street Cheese Sprinkle and buttermilk powder which can be obtained through their respective links.

Your kids will love these ‘Cheetoz’ – and frankly YOU will love them too. They’re delicious, without compromise junk food that isn’t really bad for you or your children. What’s not to like, Citizens? 🙂

Battle on – The Generalissimo

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