Yummy Pimento Cheese Spread

Did you find yourself a peck of fresh red peppers at the farm market last weekend?    I hope you did!  Such a deal, I found a peck for five dollars, with each one more perfect than the next.  So, I'm betting that you roasted and marinated them when you got home, using last week's post.  Possibly by now, you are tired of eating them on bread with parmesan cheese, but have some leftover (is this really possible??).  But, if so, here is what you want to do now.....

Travel down south and you'll find that they love their pimento cheese spread, while  we in the north really know nothing of it.  But having been a southerner for one year of my life (grad school at N.C. State ), I'm in tune with southern cuisine.  My ears perk up when I hear favorite dishes being mentioned.  I have unusual cravings from time to time.  And quite often, my homemade iced tea gets an extra jolt of sugar for the "sweet tea" lover in me.  But, I have never had pimento cheese spread.  It was time for this to change.  And, my leftover marinated red peppers (after making and canning 7 jars this weekend), gave me a great idea!  They are  surprisingly pimento-like.  Actually, they are so much better.

The big bonus, and this really is a big bonus now that we are hitting soup season around here, is that the spread makes a lovely toasted cheese sandwich.  Imagine the joy of a piping hot pot of tomato soup alongside this vision of loveliness.  (While you're imagining, I'm going to run over to the stove, as it is rainy, gray, cold and windy here!)  And the spread recipe makes enough for quite a few sandwiches, so invite a few people over to help you enjoy it.  But, fair warning, you may want to wait for the tomato soup post next week.

Gussied-Up Southern-Style Pimento Cheese Spread


8 ounces extra sharp white cheddar cheese - grated
8 ounces sharp orange cheddar cheese - grated
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup marinated roasted red peppers (or pimentos)
1/2 tsp celery salt
1 or 2 dill pickles - chopped up


Pulse together in food processor lightly, to retain identity of ingredients.  Smear on your favorite sandwich bread for toasted cheese, or serve with crackers, raw veggies, baguette slices, etc.

P. S.  Want to know a great tip?  When making grilled cheese (or any other grilled sandwich), a light and quick coat of mayo on the surface of the side of the bread to be grilled will give you perfect results, and is MUCH easier than butter to handle.  Just be sure to be skimpy with it.