Pimento Cheese

Pimento cheese was one of those treats I always looked forward to growing up.

This recipe came from my grandmother, who got it from a Mennonite man on a trip to Virginia.  No clue where it came from before that, but it's my favorite...and today I'm going to share it with you!  A few weeks ago our friends Christian and Laci took a trip to North Carolina and had Pimento Cheese for the first time and loved it.  Her excitement re-inspired me to make it for an upcoming picnic - thanks Laci!  :)

Ingredients
1 pound Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 pound Colby Jack Cheese
1 pound Velveeta
8 ounce jar pimentos (chopped)
4 Tablespoons sugar
1.5 cups mayonnaise (or more if needed)



Directions

Grate all cheese.  The Velveeta is quite soft (and can be hard to grate), so it helps to put it in the freezer for a while so it stiffens up.  Be careful of fingers - don't go too fast...grating thumbs hurts.

Strain pimentos and chop them a little more.

Then combine the pimentos, sugar and mayo.

Refrigerate a few hours before enjoying.  Serve with crackers or on a sandwich, and it'll make your day.  We also like to make grilled pimento cheese sandwiches.  Just butter the outsides of your bread, fill with 1/4 cup of pimento cheese, and cook on low in  frying pan...just like you would a regular grilled cheese sandwich.  Creamy, melted goodness.

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7 Layer Dip

Last weekend, I went to a surprise party for our friend Bette's 88th birthday.  Bette loves Mexican food, so of course that was the theme of the night.  Ann fixed enchiladas, rice, and beans for dinner, so I decided to make a 7 layer dip to go along with it.  A 7 layer dip is basically a Pyrex dish full of everything delicious.  In one swoop of your chip, you'll have the best of the best of Mexican fare.  Not sure whether to have salsa or guac at your BBQ?  Easy! Make this instead and have both (and then some).

Ingredients
2 cups refried beans
2 Tablespoons taco seasoning
16 ounces sour cream
8 ounce cream cheese
16 ounce guacamole
16 ounce salsa
2.5 cups shredded lettuce
Large tomato, chopped
1 cup shredded cheese (4 Cheese Mexican Blend)

Directions
In a medium bowl, mix refried beans and taco seasoning.  The spread evenly on the bottom of a 13x9 Pyrex dish.

Cream together sour cream and cream cheese.  Spread on top of refried beans.

Then layer guacamole, salsa, lettuce, tomato, and cheese - in that order.  (Check out this yummy guacamole recipe!)

You can also add black olives to the top, but since I'm not a fan I left them off.

Enjoy with tortilla chips.  It's highly addictive, so be careful!  :)

Isn't it pretty from the side?  I just love it.

Making finger foods?  Buy some clear, 2 -4 ounce cups and layer a dollop of each ingredient in the cup so everyone will have their own serving!

Looking for a sweet Mexican main dish?  Try this Taco Salad.  Mmmm...

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Enjoy!

Baked Brie with Cranberry Sauce

Looking for an easy way to gussy up your cheese board this Christmas?  Give this baked brie recipe a try!  Chances are you'll have all (or most) of these ingredients on hand during the holidays, and it only takes 2 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes in the oven.

Ingredients

16 ounce round brie
Cranberry sauce (recipe below)
Walnuts (chopped)
Orange zest (optional)
Cinnamon (optional)

Directions

Unwrap your cheese and cut the top rind off with a serrated knife.  Place the cheese on a flat, oven-safe, surface.  (I used the bottom of a spring form pan.)

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and top with 1/2-3/4 cup cranberry sauce.  Then add chopped walnuts, orange zest, and cinnamon (all optional, depending on your taste).  Place back in the oven for another 5 minutes.

We served this with a smoked cheddar, Gruyere, and goat cheese.

While you can certainly use the cranberry sauce from a can for this, homemade cranberry sauce is even better (and really easy).  All you need is:

12 ounce bag fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup fresh squeezed OJ (2-3 oranges)

Put cranberries in pot and pour in sugar and OJ.

Cook on medium-low heat.  After a few minutes you'll start to hear the cranberries start to pop open!

Make sure to stir frequently as it's cooking so it doesn't stick.  Cook for another 8-10 minutes, as it starts to gel.

Then remove from heat.  Refrigerate (so it'll congeal) or serve warm.