Pimento Cheese

Pimento Cheese
from swampbear

Pimento Cheese is not an exact science. This is my basic recipe:

1 lb. extra sharp cheddar cheese grated.
2 small jars of diced pimentos
One smallish onion chopped fine (onion is optional)
3/4 cup mayo (I suggest startin' with 1/2 cup and adjustin' to taste)
Salt and Pepper to taste (Optional. I don't add salt cause the cheese is salty enough for my taste)
Cayenne Pepper to taste (Optional but it does give it a zing)

Mash or chop pimentos. Add all other ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy. One might also just dump it all in a food processor and have at it but mixin' by hand is therapeutic. What? It is! Try it! Chill for a couple of hours. Eat.

Other options include such things as addin' cream cheese, which is not a bad thing but I say it's guildin' the lily. Also one might add some chopped pecans (weird but different!), minced garlic (not a bad option!) and sometimes even *shudder* Velveeta (GAG!!!111).

We southerners use it as a sammich spread, a dip and also spread it on celery as an appetizer. Makes a killer grilled cheese sammich! As a wee cub, pimento cheese sammiches were always a part of any picnic. I think it was a law back then cause everybody always had pimento cheese sammiches at picnics.

Thus endeth the lesson on pimento cheese.

Until swampy encountered a new variation at an anniversary party, made by the couple's son:

Also turns out not to be pimento cheese. He told me he uses roasted red peppers instead of pimentos and throws in a finely chopped jalapeno and blackened cajun seasonin' along with extra sharp cheddar cheese and mayo.

Orange-Almond Scented Fruit Dip

From: gardentraveler

I improvised this to take to dinner. I served it with apple slices, grapes, strawberries and pineapple. Not really sure what to call this, because the flavors are subtle. So I came up with something pretentious-sounding. It was pounced on by everyone very unpretentiously and I ate the leftovers for breakfast with some of the leftover fruit. Measurements other than the cream cheese are total guesses. I'll be making it again because I'm thinking of serving it when my book group comes over and want to make sure I have the measurements down.

1/2 tub soft cream cheese
3 T. plain yogurt
Penzey's orange extract (1/8 t.? You could substitute orange zest; I was being lazy)
Penzey's almond extract (1/8 t.?)
Penzey's vanilla (1/8 t.?)
Dash Penzey's Baking Spice (similar to pumpkin pie spice)
Graftschafter Goldsaft Sirup (Here's another explanation.)(1 t.)Substitute a few drops of unsulphured molasses or use brown sugar instead of white sugar)
2 t. sugar (or to taste; might need more if using molasses)
1 T. sweetened coconut flakes
1 T. dried cranberries
1 T. blanched slivered almonds

Beat yogurt with cream cheese. Add sugar and flavorings and continue beating until smooth. Add mix-ins and beat until evenly distributed.