Pimento Cheddar Spread

When I moved to Virginia, I was introduced to my business partner’s mother, Miss Lola. Miss Lola was extremely important in my life as I learned the ways of the South. From teaching me how to can foods to introducing me to southern cooking. She was a treasure to me in so many ways. She introduced me to this creamy, peppery Homemade Pimento Cheese dish, perfect for any occasion. With its blend of shredded cheddar cheese, mayo, and diced pimentos, this versatile spread is not only a delicious sandwich filling but also a crowd-pleasing dip for crackers and veggies or a flavorful topping for burgers.

Pimento Cheese spread is such a delicious appetizer – I used to serve it alongside crack pretzels, Chex party mix, cheese straws, or deviled eggs at nearly every gathering.

Ingredients

2 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

½ cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated, not the powdered stuff

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

⅓ cup mayonnaise, use Duke's or Hellman’s

8 ounces jarred pimiento peppers, drained and rinsed

¼ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon black pepper

For Serving

Crackers

mini pretzel twists

tortilla chips

Instructions

Grate the cheddar cheese using a food processor or box grater, and finely grate the parmesan cheese using a hand grater or zester.

Next, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine all of the ingredients. Mix for about 2 minutes until it's nice and creamy.

Refrigerate for at least two hours to allow the flavors to develop, then serve at room temperature.

Serve with your favorite chips, crackers, or pretzels.

Elizabeth Kilbride is a Writer and Editor with 40 years of experience in writing, 12 of which are in the online content sphere. Author of 5 books and a Graduate with an Associate of Arts degree in Business Management, a bachelor’s in mass communication and cyber-analysis, a master’s in criminology with emphasis on Cybercrime and Identity Theft, and is currently studying for her Ph.D. degree in Criminology. Her work portfolio includes coverage of politics, current affairs, elections, history, and true crime. Elizabeth is also a gourmet cook, life coach, and avid artist in her spare time, proficient in watercolor, acrylic, oil, pen and ink, gouache, and pastels. As a political operative who has worked on over 300 campaigns during her career, Elizabeth has turned many life events into books and movie scripts while using history to weave interesting storylines. She also runs 7 blogs ranging from art to life coaching, food, writing, Gardening, and opinion or history pieces each week.

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