Pimento Cheese

It's one of the most perfect foods.  What could be better than cheese and mayonaise?  This was always home-made when I was growing up, and I never really thought to make my own.  I'd buy some every once in the while at the deli, or from the meat department that came pre-made but it was never as good as we had at home.

We visited an "Amish" store this weekend, and they had home made Pimento Cheese... so I bought a small tub, 1/4 pound, I believe it was, for nearly 5 bucks.  It was good, really good, but at that rate, I figured I could make my own.

I had a jar of roasted red peppers, but no pimentos, so when I googled to see if I could substitute, I found that  the south lays claim to this food.  I guess they think that no one above the mason dixon knew how to cook anything until the "War of Yankee Aggression" Merged the North and the South into one big happy nation?  (All of this said totally tongue in cheek folks) kinda....

This "totally southern" dish has been in my Southern Ohio family for I know more than 100 years. My great Grandma, who, if she were alive today would be 113 years old, often told me of eating this treat that her Grandmother made for her when she was a small child. 

So since Ohio is "by no stretch of the imagination" "southern" I guess the South doesn't have total claim to this recipe.  :)  I've adjusted it to suit my taste, and probably to try to reclaim a little of the taste from my childhood. I don't measure much, I 'eyeball' it most of the time, so if it looks too dry for your taste, add a little more mayo, salad dressing or sour cream.Too runny?  Just grate some more cheese.  Colby and Cheddar mixed together is fabulous!


8oz block of Mild or Sharp Cheddar Cheese grated
1/3 cup Mayonaise (Hellman's is my choice)
1/4 cup Miracle Whip (Spin Blend if you can find it)
1/4 cup Sour Cream
roasted red peppers finely chopped, or 4 oz jar of pimentos  Amount to use here is at your discretion.  I don't like a lot of pepper in mine, so I used a strip of roasted red pepper that was about an inch wide and about 3 inches long.  For what it's worth, there's not much taste difference in Pimentos and Roasted Red Peppers.

Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. sugar