Vermont White Cheddar Jalapeño Pimento Cheese

South Carolina is a bit obsessed with pimento cheese.  It's on everything, I swear!  I'm not a huge cheese person, and pimento cheese hasn't been on top of the list of cheeses I do like.  But when we moved to Columbia, the hubs and I ate a local cafe, Di Pratos, that has four or five different pimento cheese dips, and you can taste each one.  We both tasted the white cheddar pimento cheese and I actually didn't mind it.  I think what sold me was the fried garlic pita chips they serve with the pimento cheese...yum!  So I've slowly come to acquire a tolerable taste for pimento cheese.  I can't eat a lot of it, but I've gotten to where I enjoy it.  Since I've never really eaten pimento cheese, I've never actually made it.  The hubs never really wanted to eat either (until we moved here).  So now that we live in South Carolina, I figured I better learn how to make a good one for parties, etc.

This pimento cheese dip is quite delicious.  You could even add a little more cheese than what it calls for. I used Vermont white cheddar cheese (that's the one I like from the restaurant best) instead of the regular sharp cheddar the recipe calls for.  The Vermont is a little creamier than the sharp cheddar.  And I decided to go with jalapeños because I knew I would like the dip even more if it had a little heat.  I absolutely love jalapeños.

Vermont White Cheddar Jalapeño Pimento Cheese:

• 2 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
• 8 oz low fat cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1 jalapeño, seeded & minced (optional)
• 1-4 oz jar of pimento, drained
• salt & black pepper to taste

1. Place all ingredients in the large bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat at medium speed, with paddle attachment if possible, until thoroughly combined.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Recipe: Queen Reyney via All Recipes