Pimento Cheese AKA Southern Pâté

Pimento Cheese is a southern classic.  This cheese has been showing up in our homes and grocery stores since the early 1900's.  It's simply delicious.  Cheap and easy to make and so much better homemade!  You will find this cheese everywhere from b-b-ques to weddings.  We serve it up on celery, stuffed in tomatoes, on crackers, as a sandwich (with crustless soft white bread of course), as finger sandwiches for swanky affairs, on hamburgers, and hot dogs.  I've never heard a cheese pronounced so many ways!  Around the south you'll hear it pronounced pi-men-toe, pi-men-ah, men-ah, menta, and some just say PC.  No matter the pronunciation it's always divine!  

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Pimento Cheese AKA Southern Pâté

Here's what you'll need:

2 ounce jar of chopped pimentos

8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese

4 ounces cream cheese

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 medium thick slice of sweet onion

1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

pinch of salt 

sprinkling of black pepper

dash of cayenne pepper 

**DISCLAIMER - my ADD kicked in and I forgot to put out the cream cheese and cayenne pepper, oops.  Please just pretend they are in the photo - thanks.**

In a food processor chop the onion.  

Add in the pimentos and give the food processor a whirl.

Add in the mayonnaise, cream cheese,  and worcestershire sauce and give it another whirl.

**DISCLAIMER... the cream cheese is not in the photo.  I'm busted!  When I tasted the pimento cheese to adjust the seasonings I realized I forgot the cream cheese and cayenne pepper.  So I just mixed them in at the end.  Pimento cheese is very forgiving like that!

Dump in the shredded cheddar cheese, pinch of salt, sprinkling of black pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper.  Pulse the food processor until you get to the consistency you like.  I like mine really processed but many people prefer to keep larger shreds of cheese.  Taste.  Add more seasoning if need.

                            

REFRIGERATE FOR AT LEAST 1 HOUR BEFORE SERVING.  It is very important to give the mixture time to come together and party.  Pimento cheese is best at room temperature.  So follow the recommendation and pull it out of the fridge for about 15 to 20 minutes before serving guests.  However, it doesn't bother me to eat it straight out of the fridge. I think it's yummy either way!

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Enjoy,

Shannon