Hannah’s Note: If you’re not going to serve these right away, you can mix up the cream cheese part and refrigerate it until it’s time to spread it on the crackers.

8-ounce package cream cheese (the firm kind, not the whipped)

2 Tablespoons (1/8 cup) mayonnaise (We used Helmann’s***)

3 Tablespoons minced green onion

OR 3 Tablespoons minced dried onion

OR 3 Tablespoons minced shallots

1 beaten egg

A box of salted crackers (We used Ritz Crackers and they were great!)

***Helmann’s Mayonnaise is also known as Best Foods Mayonnaise in some parts of the country.)

Unwrap the cream cheese and put it in a microwave-safe bowl. Nuke it on HIGH for 30 seconds, or until it begins to soften.

Mix in the mayonnaise and stir until the mixture is smooth.

Mix in the onion. (If you use green onion instead of shallots or dried onion, you can use up to one inch of the stem.)

Mix in the beaten egg.

Lay out the crackers on a broiler pan, salt side up. (We used a disposable broiler pan so we could trash it at Granny’s Attic and we wouldn’t have to carry it back to The Cookie Jar.)

Spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the cracker in a circle that reaches the edges. Mound it slightly in the center. Use about two teaspoons of cheese mixture per cracker.

Position the rack approximately three inches below the coil of the broiler and turn it on HIGH. Broil the crackers (with the oven door open to the first latch so the broiler doesn’t kick on and off) until the cream cheese puffs up and is just starting to turn golden. This should take about 90 seconds if the rack is correctly positioned.

Let cool for a minute or two, so your guests won’t burn their tongues. Transfer the Cream Cheese Puffs to a platter and serve.

Yield: Approximately 2 dozen hot and yummy hors d’oeuvres.

Another Note From Hannah: I haven’t actually tried this, but I’m willing to bet a dozen of my best cookies that you could also add a quarter cup chopped smoked salmon to the cream cheese mixture.

Chapter

Chapter

Eighteen

Hannah had just finished giving instructions to Luanne Hanks, who’d offered to broil the Cream Cheese Puffs. “Michelle will cue Mother and she’ll beep you on the intercom when we need a batch. But are you really sure you want to be stuck up here while they shoot the fancy cocktail scene?”

“I’m positive. I don’t want to have anything to do with some of those movie people.”

Luanne wore a very determined look on her pretty face, and Hannah sensed a story. One of those movie people had caused some sort of problem for Luanne.

“Are you talking about any one movie person in particular?” Hannah asked, doing a little fishing.

“Mr. Lawrence. He’s a dirty old man, Hannah!”