Bec's Pimiento Cheese

A friend of mine just moved from New York to our southern city, Roanoke, Virginia. We took her out to lunch and explained the particular things that a lady must do to be a true southern lady. One was to say “Bless her heart” and “y’all” with a southern accent and to have a very good recipe for deviled eggs, cheese straws and pimiento cheese, preferably either your mother’s or grandmother’s.

It was then I realized that I had not posted my recipe for pimiento cheese on my blog. So here ’tis!

Bec’s Pepperoncini Pimiento Cheese

1 cup medium cheddar cheese, grated

1 cup Cream Havarti cheese, grated

1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 cup small curd cottage cheese

1/2 cup Pepperoncini, minced

1/4 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Duke’s mayonnaise for this recipe)

4 ounce jar pimientos, drained

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

Good grind black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 tablespoon bread and butter pickle juice

1/3 cup chopped bread and butter pickles

Place medium cheddar, cream havarti, sharp cheddar and cottage cheese in a mixing bowl. Stir with fork and mash down on the cottage cheese to blend it with the other cheeses.

Add pepperoncini, mayonnaise, pimientos, onion powder, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, pickle juice and pickles. Stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to combine all ingredients. Place in serving bowl and serve with crackers. My favorite crackers to serve with my pimiento cheese: Stacy’s Romano with Garlic and Pepper (find them in the deli section of most grocery stores).