It's a rainy gloomy day...

I need something to make me smile and feel a little better, still kind'a sick.  My strep test came back positive, but we caught it early, been taking an antibiotic since last Wednesday and my throat doesn't hurt anymore, but I am still coughing and wheezing, but not as bad as Friday and Saturday, when  Mari Ann said that, I sounded like a smoker with emphysema.  

Here's a recipe that I've been tweaking for years, in fact you could say I'm still tweaking it cause every time I make it, it's a little bit different, but at the same time everyone is still loving it.  People have told me "I don't like pimento cheese." and I tell them I don't like any of the store bought "pimento cheeses" and very few of the restaurants know how to make it either.   But after they try mine they say " Pass the Frito's!"  I think one restaurant variety came close but, it had way to much chili powder in it.  Had the chili flavor not been so strong it probably would have been one of the better pimento cheeses.  Hope you like "My Pimento".

My Pimento Cheese

• 1  lge bag  shredded Co-Jack cheese
•  1  lb  Very Sharp cheddar cheese shredded
•  1  lb   Rat Cheese shredded
•  8 oz  cream cheese at room temp               
•  12 oz  Rotel Tomatoes  chopped drained (maybe 2 if you like the heat)
•  1- 4 oz  Green chilies chopped drained
•  Garlic cloves 1-4 finely chopped/grated (How much do you like garlic?)
• 1 or 2  4 oz jars  Pimentos' chopped drained
•  Mayonnaise lots, buy a qt. jar just for this.
•  Green onion finely chopped optional
•  Scotch bonnet peppers (be careful  with  these, use just a little and wear gloves to seed and devine) optional

1. I always start with a large bag of the shredded cheddar/Jack cheese, after that stroll the cheese isle looking for what sound good. All cheeses should be cold when you grate them, then allow to come to room temp before making the pimento cheese.
2. Mix all the ingredients together adding the mayo as you stir.  Use a little more mayo than you think is necessary, cause the cheese soaks it up and it will stiffen,  making it difficult to spread to spread after sitting in the fridge.  I think this is one of those recipes that "ripens" with  a little age, but anytime your ready, get out the Fritos and start dippin'.  Try it on a Ham sandwich or make a grill cheese or Panini....

NOTES :

•  I just though of the green onions I wouldn't use alot because their flavor is usually pretty strong but a few should be good, I'll bet there is other stuff that would be good in it too, as I mentally stroll the produce isle........
•  Remember not only do cheese have different flavors they have different textures.  I have used left over cheeses,  I need to get rid of, as well as the ones listed above.  I have put Mozzarella, Parmesan, ricotta, Italian blend, port wine cheese, pepper jack, you name it, in my pimento cheese and everyone loves it.