Cheesy Tomato Basil Souffle

Preheat oven to 325F. Spray a souffle dish or straight sided casserole dish (about 2 quart size) with cooking spray.

Make a bechamel sauce: Melt the butter over low heat in a saucepan then add in flour. Stir for 30 seconds then whisk in the milk. Cook over medium heat until the sauce has thickened and comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for a couple of minutes and then stir in the cheddar and parmesan cheese, salt and cayenne pepper. Stir until cheese has melted then remove from heat.

In a bowl beat egg yolks lightly. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of the cheese sauce. Gradually whisk the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Mix in tomato and basil, transfer to bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fold a third of the egg whites into the cheese mix. Fold in the rest of the egg whites.

Pour mixture into the prepared souffle dish. Run your thumb around the inside edge of the dish to create an indention. (This will give you the top-hat look). Bake in the preheated oven until souffle is puffy and golden, about 55 minutes. Do not open the door until it is done!

Serve and enjoy!