Pimento Cheese

Ok y'all, it's about to get a little Southern here at Elmwood Eats! My awesome friend Marilyn is a born and raised Southern girl, and she's been filling me in about all kinds of Southern food that I had no idea existed. For example, boiled peanuts?! The internet assures me it's a big deal though, so I believe her. Another thing rarely available in the West is pimento cheese, so we decided to whip up a batch. We halved the recipe, but I'm pretty sure I could have eaten a whole bowl all by myself. It's delicious by the spoonful, but would also be good with crackers, as a dip for vegetables, or spread on toasted bread for a sandwich.

Also...this might be the first Paula Deen recipe I've ever made. I'm not sure whether I should be proud or ashamed but hey, Paula knows her Southern cooking.

Pimento Cheese (original recipe here)
16 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 4 ounce jar of pimentos
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper (or a little cayenne pepper if you like a kick!)
1/4 cup green olives, chopped (optional but highly recommended)

I didn't even take any step by step pictures for this one because it's so simple. Just mix all ingredients in a bowl until they're well combined. Really, that's all!

You can add more mayonnaise if it feels too dry, or more cheese if it feels too wet. It should be about the consistency of cream cheese.

And since there was a little guest influence on the recipe today, I have some guest kitty pictures for you! Here's Cobalt...

And Amelie, who looooves to hang out on peoples' shoulders. Pretty cute, right?