Southern Cheese Spoon Bread

3 eggs
1 cup yellow or white cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup milk
Dash of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon baking powder

Separate whites and yolks from eggs and keep in separate bowls. Let stand to warm to room temperature.

In a medium-size bowl, combine cornmeal and salt; mix well.

Put water and butter in a medium-size saucepan. Bring mixture to boil over high heat; pour into corn meal mixture, stirring with a wire whisk. Add cheese and stir until melted. Add milk to corn meal-cheese mixture; beat with the wire whisk until smooth and no lumps of corn meal remain. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Using solid vegetable shortening, lightly grease the inside of a rectangular or oblong 2-quart casserole. By this time the egg whites should be at room temperature.

With electric mixer set at high speed, beat egg whites, just until stiff peaks hold when beaters are slowly lifted. Using the same beaters, beat egg yolks until thick and light. Using a rubber scraper, fold egg whites, yolks, cayenne and baking powder into cornmeal mixture until ingredients are just combined. Turn into prepared casserole. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until golden and puffed.

Serve hot with additional butter.

Makes 8 servings.