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Pimento Cheese Spread and Creamy Pasta & Pesto
~ Summer delights ~
NOTE: Pimento Cheese is a favorite of Southerners, and Phil Bratcher has one of the best recipes ever.
Enjoy this and the Creamy Pasta and Pesto recipe that follows! – Ye Editor
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Pimento Cheese Spread
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz med cheddar cheese
8 oz Monterrey Jack
1/2 c mayonnaise
1/2 c sour cream
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper (I use white because I prefer the flavor)
medium jar (about 1/2 c) chopped pimentos and do not drain
1 jalapeno pepper, minced fine (optional)
dash Tobasco
dash Worchestershire (optional)
pinch cayenne
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Grate Jack and cheddar, pull cream cheese into little lumps. I think having cheese and all ingredients at room temp makes a better tasting spread because cheese, of course, is better at room temp. Put all ingredients into a mixing bowl, and if it is a little dry, you can add extra mayo. The more you stir it, the creamier it will be. Some people add about 1/2 tsp prepared or dry mustard, but I do not like it. Sometimes I add a pinch of sugar – depends on the mood I’m in.
My taste varies from French to down home cooking and it is all good with its own body of knowledge and deserves our respect. I am particular about my sandwich bread, and I use Pepperidge Farm Sandwich loaf. For this and tomato sandwiches (which I make and allow to sit and get soggy for lunch), spread a good amount of pimento spread on your bread and brown lightly buttered on a griddle on the stove top.
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Creamy Pasta with Pesto
Cook regular spaghetti (or any favorite pasta) al dente and return to cook pot with 2 or 3 oz pasta water. Add 1/2 c of a good homemade pesto that has a high content of cheese. Then add 1 c heavy cream and 1 Tbl butter. Heat to warm while stirring and blending. This is an amazing dish I discovered by accident for my vegetarian friends, and everybody is crazy about it. If you want to be more unusual yet, add the grated zest of a lemon. Pesto
(This is my recipe and it is the best pesto I have ever tasted.)
1 1/2 c fresh basil torn into leaves
1 heaping c Gruyere cheese grated
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 c walnuts
3/4 c extra virgin olive oil
grated zest of a lemon
1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
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Put everything into a food processor and chop finely. Allow the food processor to keep running while you add the olive oil in a stream as in making mayo. Store in a jar for a week to 10 days. Try this in your pasta and cream dish or anything that calls for pesto. Sometimes I increase the grated lemon zest and use one can artichoke hearts, drained, and one jar marinated artichoke hearts instead of the basil. Lemon-Artichoke Pesto is a very good thing.
Bon appetite!
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Reverend Phil Bratcher has been a counselor in private practice for over 10 years. Now in his 25th year of ministry, Reverend Bratcher has worked mostly as a therapist and spiritual counselor specializing in spiritual direction, the relief of depression, life strategies and career planning, long-term illness and relationship issues for couples. He is also trained in The Work of Byron Katie, teaching individuals and facilitating groups in the faith community and his community at large.
Often a featured speaker, Reverend Bratcher is a volunteer chaplain for the South Carolina Department of Corrections, Upstate Coordinator for the South Carolina Global Warming Campaign for the Christian Action Council in Columbia, South Carolina, and is past Secretary to the Executive Board for Greenville Faith Communities United which seeks social justice and interfaith understanding.
Reverend Bratcher makes his home in Greenville, SC, where he is a member of the Metropolitan Community Church and is their interfaith representative to GFCU and past chair of their outreach and singles committees. E-mail Phil at Peacefulstar@msn.com.
To read Phil's poetry, click here:
A Sampling
Bratcher - II
Bratcher - III
Bratcher - IV
And here are several of his excellent recipes:
Lace cookies
Southern Breakfasts
Sweet Potato Soup
Lemon Meringue Pie & more
Want to leave a comment about Phil’s poems and recipes?
Please visit our Message Board
or write Ye Editor at bethjacks@hotmail.com.
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