my pimento cheese with pecans; salsa cream cheese

PIMENTO CHEESE:

For the main pimento cheese, add together cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheeses, red chopped pimentos (such as what you find inside a green olive, but without the olives. Some people chop up the entire green olives with the pimentos, but I buy just the pickled pimentos alone. Too salty imho otherwise. But do what you like).


The amounts are "eyed" approximates what looks right. About 4 parts cream cheese to 3 parts cheddar and other cheese, then a small jar of pickled pimentos (about a fourth of a cup before chopping, about an eighth cup after?). If you like, then add in some roughly chopped pecans, or finish making the cheese, then shape it and roll it into the pecans pieces so they are just on the outside.

Great on crackers, bread, crackerbread type rye crisps etc. A little goes a long way. The amount I usually makes only amounts to about a cup or 2, and freeze part of it or give it as a gift.

It is very good as a pimento cheese sandwich! That is usually why I make it.

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SALSA Cream Cheese:

Make your fave salsa, then serve it with your fave cream cheese. It´s really good with celery, other raw veggie sticks, and crackers, fresh thin blue corn tortilla chips, nachos etc. Super quick for parties, and very good.


My salsa is whatever I have around:

Canned crushed tomatoes
fresh herbs, cilantro, mint, chopped
sea salt, flaked salt
pepper, tabasco, splash vinegar sometimes
minced onion, shallot, garlic
fresh lime juice
more fresh cilantro, a bit courser

misc such as ripe mango, or cooked chilled tomatoes, fresh chopped tomatoes, black olives (not mangoes with black olives), etc.


Avocado, or guacamole on the side is good too, so you have all three.