Mrs. K At Home This and that, and all the things I love!

Friday, July 19, 2013

Pimento Cheese Spread and Kitchen Towel Swap

I was over at the Facebook page for Sweet Tea & Cindy, reading her recipe for Pimento Cheese. Well, I do love Pimento Cheese, it's one of my favorite things to eat on celery sticks, cucumber slices, or crackers. In the south, according to Cindy, they eat it on a sandwich! Yes, I will have to try that. She calls it the caviar of the south, LOL. I was born and raised in New York state, but have lived in South Florida for more years than I lived in NY. And while you can't take the New York out of this girl, I have picked up a love for all things southern. Naturally, pimento cheese is on that list.

Cindy has a great recipe -http://cindyeckhart.com/pimento-cheese-caviar-of-the-south-mamas-secret-ingredient/ - and a couple a gals commented, one adds cream cheese, another, sweet pickle relish. I had to do a bit of grocery shopping today, running through the raindrops, so I picked up what was needed and decided to make a batch last night - we should have enough to get through the weekend, but I'm not sure! Here's my tweaked version:

YUM!

Pimento Cheese


8 oz block of cream cheese, softened

3 cups of mild cheddar cheese, shredded (I used a package of Sargento pre-shredded)
1 cup mayonaise (I like Duke's)
1  7oz jar of pimentos, drained
3 spoonfuls of sweet pickle relish (I didn't use a measuring spoon, just a dessert spoon)
2 - 3 teaspoons of sugar (or to taste) - trust me, this is the secret ingredient.

I just used a whisk and blended the cream cheese and mayo together, then added all the other ingredients - except the sugar, I didn't think I would need it with the relish. I blended it all up and tasted. Hmmm... something was missing, must be the sugar, so I added that. Wow, that sugar, just as Cindy says, makes the flavor pop. 


This was so easy to to whip up, and tastes so, so good, I will never buy the pre-made again. Give it a try and let me know what you think.



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On another Facebook page, SB Canning, I participated in a kitchen towel swap. The idea was to send... yes, a nice kitchen towel. It was suggested that you might add a kitchen magnate and/or a recipe. I found a really cute 100% cotton towel with an image of a bunch of carrots on it, green tops and all, added a pretty, ceramic kitchen magnate that said, "Housework won't kill you, but why take a chance?", and threw in a recipe for my very favorite Fresh Apple Cake, which I make all the time. It is really very good: buttery, spicy, and packed with unpeeled apples. I have tweaked that recipe a bit too because Mr. K. doesn't like nuts or raisins, which the original recipe calls for. 


Years ago, 1984 to be exact, I belonged to one of those book clubs that were so popular; you know, you get ten books for a dollar and agree to buy half a dozen more over the next year. One of the first books I bought was "The Fanny Farmer Baking Book" by Marion Cunningham. I was only married a few years and was delving into baking. I cannot tell you how much I use this cookbook! Well, the Fresh Apple Cake recipe is in that book and I have been making it ever since. I figured it would be a nice recipe to include with my swap, so off it went.


The same day I sent it off, my package arrived, and what a delight it is. It included a pretty towel, small wind chimes with a wooden cardinal (my favorite bird) on top, a little spatula/scrapper, the cutest scrubby, two recipes - one for Texas Hash, the other for Pumpkin Bars, a little notebook in the shape of a handbag, I just love little notebook, two containers of tea, and... a really nice sized tea strainer with stars, moons, and suns on the rim. Marla G. was very generous and I am very grateful for all the goodies. 




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Before I hit the grocery store, I made a stop at my local needlework shop, Cross Stitch Cupboard, in Fort Lauderdale. The Halloween Ornament issue of Just Cross Stitch had arrived and I had reserved a copy. It is the best issue they have done so far, filled with 51 wonderful Halloween designs. There are ten, yes, TEN, designs I want to stitch. Luckily, most are smalls. By the way, the fabric that I laid my swap stash on is from the Cupboard too, Blackbird Designs - just had to have that. Oh well, I will make a pot of one of Marla's special tea blends, put on some lovely music, and take up my needle! Perhaps a few celery sticks packed with Pimento cheese on the side would not be amiss?


Just in case you would like to check out the Facebook pages I mentioned above, here are the links:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/SB-Canning/130750240327122 - everything about canning and preserving.
SB Canning's website:  http://www.sbcanning.com/
My needlework shop: crossstitchcupboard.com

Deliciously yours and tangled in threads,
Mrs. K.  








5 comments:

  1. I had never heard of pimento cheese spread til I married my southern born and breed hubby. Now I make it at least once a w all have very high class ingredients compared to my basic little recipe.
    It's just Kraft Deluxe American Cheese slices, which I grate, some miracle whip to hold it all together and a good spoon full or two of diced pimentos with their juice.
    I have used cheddar cheese on a occasion but I try to stick to the way "Nana's' would taste to please hubby.
    I have discovered that a light spread of hummus over the pimento cheese on your slice of bread really gives it a nice kick.
    Happy Eating!

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  2. Sounds yummy with Miracle Whip, Paulette! Maybe that's why the sugar is needed. There must be thousands of recipe variations for this. This batch that I made is... gone! ; ) Thanks for sharing your recipe.

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  3. Hi Mrs. K!

    I must say, I got quite the kick out of this Pimento Cheese spread post because just last night I was looking through a vintage cookbook from Maine. (Main Then & Now) I was totally intrigued by a recipe it had for Pimento Coffee Cake. In a way it may sound strange and yet, intriguing. The ingredients include 4oz pimiento and 4oz. cream cheese. I may just have to make some your spread and then try that recipe!

    Thank you so much for sharing...

    P.S. Thank you so much for the kind words you left at my blog. I'm afraid I don't know anything about an article being in Susan's newsletter. Do you have a way of directing me? I would LOVE to see it. Thanks Mrs. K. I do hope you will visit again. Louise

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  4. Oh wow, a cake with pimentos!!! Why not - people use carrots, zucchini, mayonnaise - what the heck?

    Here is the link directly to the newsletter: http://www.abouthyme.com/dayletters/latest.html

    And yes, I will certainly be visiting your blog again.

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    1. Looks like you will have to copy and paste the link.

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