Guest blog post! My friend Erin brought this tasty Pimento dip to a friends get together, and it was an instant hit! Thanks for sharing Erin!
I LOVE pimento cheese dip. Did you know that pimiento is a type of Spanish red pepper? I had no idea! I did not grow up in the deep south and I did not grow up eating pimento cheese, but every time I would find myself in a Southern state—from Charleston, Savannah, to Charlotte—I would always find myself looking for this cheesy, decadent treat. After the last trip to Charlotte, NC I knew I needed to go home and find a way to make this recipe. I searched Pinterest, looking at pin after pin and finally decided to consult my friend at my local yoga studio: “How DO you make this, so it tastes just right?!” She told me so simply: “It’s cream cheese, cheddar cheese, a jar of roasted peppers, and spices to taste.” WOW. I love having a recipe that I can make my own and one that is so simple to make. So, I went to the grocery store that day and I picked out what I think to be the best ingredients to make this dip.
For the ingredients listed below, I chose a smoky cheddar and a buffalo sauce block of cheddar because I love smoky flavors in my food dishes, and I wanted an extra kick of spice with the buffalo. Spices are another area where creativity can kick in, but those written below are some of my favorites. It is truly a crowd pleaser and your friends are guaranteed to ask you for more. This dip is perfect when it comes to munching on some appetizers at a party, putting it on a deli sandwich for lunch, or on snacks like toast, crackers, or anything you might want these amazing flavors on. Bon appetite, y’all!
Ingredients:
1 jar of roasted peppers (red peppers or other colors)
1 8 oz container of whipped cream cheese – chive flavored
1 small block of apple smoked cheddar cheese
1 small block of buffalo wing flavored cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (or Chili powder)
1 teaspoon of Cajun spice (Penzey’s is my favorite)
Preparation:
1. Starting with the jarred roasted peppers, drain the liquid from the jar and pat each slice of pepper dry enough that it is not dripping with oil putting each slice into a food processor. Once all the peppers are in the food processor, pulse it gently until they are slightly diced into half inch slices (you will continue to pulse ingredients in later steps, so it does not need to be diced smaller at this point).
2. Cut each block of cheese into 1-inch pieces so you can then easily place them into the food processor with the peppers. Continue to pulse the food processor so that the ingredients are combining, and the cheese can be chopped into smaller chunks throughout. I like to pulse it with one block of cheese at a time, so I know it is all being chopped well, but this is pimento dip which is supposed to have noticeable chunks so pulse to your liking.
3. Next, add the container of cream cheese (the entire container or to your taste) and all 3 spices to the food processor. Some ingredients may have gotten stuck to the side and need to be stirred into the middle of the food processor to ensure it is all combined.
4. Pulse until all ingredients are combined and chopped to the size of your liking. Once that is complete, use a rubber spatula to scrape out all the dip from the food processor and serve in your favorite bowl or platter!
I LOVE pimento cheese dip. Did you know that pimiento is a type of Spanish red pepper? I had no idea! I did not grow up in the deep south and I did not grow up eating pimento cheese, but every time I would find myself in a Southern state—from Charleston, Savannah, to Charlotte—I would always find myself looking for this cheesy, decadent treat. After the last trip to Charlotte, NC I knew I needed to go home and find a way to make this recipe. I searched Pinterest, looking at pin after pin and finally decided to consult my friend at my local yoga studio: “How DO you make this, so it tastes just right?!” She told me so simply: “It’s cream cheese, cheddar cheese, a jar of roasted peppers, and spices to taste.” WOW. I love having a recipe that I can make my own and one that is so simple to make. So, I went to the grocery store that day and I picked out what I think to be the best ingredients to make this dip.
For the ingredients listed below, I chose a smoky cheddar and a buffalo sauce block of cheddar because I love smoky flavors in my food dishes, and I wanted an extra kick of spice with the buffalo. Spices are another area where creativity can kick in, but those written below are some of my favorites. It is truly a crowd pleaser and your friends are guaranteed to ask you for more. This dip is perfect when it comes to munching on some appetizers at a party, putting it on a deli sandwich for lunch, or on snacks like toast, crackers, or anything you might want these amazing flavors on. Bon appetite, y’all!
Ingredients:
1 jar of roasted peppers (red peppers or other colors)
1 8 oz container of whipped cream cheese – chive flavored
1 small block of apple smoked cheddar cheese
1 small block of buffalo wing flavored cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (or Chili powder)
1 teaspoon of Cajun spice (Penzey’s is my favorite)
Preparation:
1. Starting with the jarred roasted peppers, drain the liquid from the jar and pat each slice of pepper dry enough that it is not dripping with oil putting each slice into a food processor. Once all the peppers are in the food processor, pulse it gently until they are slightly diced into half inch slices (you will continue to pulse ingredients in later steps, so it does not need to be diced smaller at this point).
2. Cut each block of cheese into 1-inch pieces so you can then easily place them into the food processor with the peppers. Continue to pulse the food processor so that the ingredients are combining, and the cheese can be chopped into smaller chunks throughout. I like to pulse it with one block of cheese at a time, so I know it is all being chopped well, but this is pimento dip which is supposed to have noticeable chunks so pulse to your liking.
3. Next, add the container of cream cheese (the entire container or to your taste) and all 3 spices to the food processor. Some ingredients may have gotten stuck to the side and need to be stirred into the middle of the food processor to ensure it is all combined.
4. Pulse until all ingredients are combined and chopped to the size of your liking. Once that is complete, use a rubber spatula to scrape out all the dip from the food processor and serve in your favorite bowl or platter!