Everyone just KNOWS that the best way to keep house guests….guesting…staying…whatever….is to ply them with cheese-laden carbs, so delicious, but they have no choice but to stay. Because they are too tired to move.

These popovers made my dinner party two weeks ago and kept things cheesy and wonderful this past weekend. Warning:  only serve these to people you like, as they will stick around.

I remember the first time I had these beautiful, fluffy, indulgent gems of carbohydrates. The bestie and I had booked a long weekend at the Ritz in San Juan. It was our last night, the concierge forbade me from attending a cock fight (there was an arena across the street) so we stayed in the hotel to give BLT Steak a go. We got all dolled up for our nice last dinner. Cara can’t tan and I can’t volumize my hair. Ever. 💁🏻Naturally, this needed commemorated in a date-like pose.

Yikes. And this is why I don’t take friend photos on vacation. 

So we headed to dinner, thinking we were all dressed up with somewhere to be. Turns out, there was a prom in BLT Steak that night. Not a wedding, a prom. Nothing like packs of rampant teenage hormones running shit to make you realise maybe your fancy vacation is just a  literal back drop to a few acne-ridden 17 year olds grinding sweatily nearby. Give me my cock fight.

So, we ordered a nice bottle of something red and immediately were served these clouds from heaven. French heaven. Because Gruyere. And tiny pots of butter. And a giant salt shaker. OMG. Check, please! No way our meal would live up to these. And as I recall, it did not.

Brown balls from heaven….errr…something. 

My own version, I bake less and add too much cheese. Always add too much cheese. 

Here’s the scoop:

Note: these were baked in an actual popover pan, but if you don’t have one, just use small ramekins or a muffin pan if the situation is dire. Watch the cooking time carefully and don’t open the door!

BLT Steak Gruyere Popovers

(Makes 12. Half the recipe. Your jeans will thank you. You have no will power with these. You’ve been warned).

• 3 c. milk
• 3 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 T kosher salt
• 6 eggs
• 6oz. (About 1.5 cups) shredded Gruyere

1. Place pan (or ramekins) in oven. Preheat to 400F.
2. Combine flour and salt. Set aside.
3. Whisk eggs in a large bowl until foamy.
4. Warm milk (I just microwave mine for about 1.5 min).
5. Slowly whisk milk into eggs, as not to cook the eggs.
6. Add flour mixture, stirring constantly, until smooth.
7. Remove pan from oven and spray with cooking spray. 
8. Fill pan about 3/4 full. 
9. Top batter with 1-2T of grated Gruyere.
10. Bake for 15 min.
11. Rotate pan 180 degrees. Cook another 25-30 minutes until popovers are browned.
12. Serve immediately.