Pimiento Cheese Spread
By
Cheryl Miller
@traflet
5
It's been several years since I moved from Kansas to the Pacific Northwest. There are some distinct differences in the foods here, and I have adapted pretty well. But when I have a craving for a Pimiento Cheese sandwich, it's really frustrating to realize that no stores in my area sell the spread, which is as common as potato salad back home in Kansas! I finally found an online recipe that adapted well to match my memory of home.
Ingredients
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8 ozsharp cheddar cheese
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2/3 cchopped roasted pimiento (or a 4-oz jar, drained -reserve the juice)
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1/4 cgreek yogurt (plain)
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2 Tbspmayonnaise
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1 Tbsppimiento juice
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1/2 tspgarlic powder
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1/2 tsponion powder
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1/2 tspdry mustard
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1/2 tsppaprika
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1/2 tsphoney
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1/4 tspsalt
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1/8 tspblack pepper
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1 pinchcayenne (optional)
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1 lbbacon (optional)
How to Make Pimiento Cheese Spread
- If you plan to add bacon to your sandwich, get it started first, and fry it up crisp. After draining on paper towels, crumble coarsely and set aside.
- Shred the cheese into a large-ish bowl; drain the roasted pimientos, saving the juice on the side. Combine cheese and drained pimientos.
- In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, mayo, honey, spices and 1 Tbsp of the reserved pimiento juice. Mix well and add to the cheese bowl.
- Spread on white bread and add a handful of bacon; place another bread slice on top and your sandwich is ready! If you want to make it fancy, cut off the crusts and slice sandwich into "finger" portions. Or stick a pimiento-stuffed olive on top with a toothpick. Or butter the breads and brown on a griddle before adding the filling.
- This stuff is also great spread onto celery stalks. Very "Fifties."
