Pimento Cheese

Hey, remember how a couple of weeks ago I said I was really busy? Yup, still busy. So is Kirsten, but somehow we managed to make some amazing food together during this crazy time (she also managed to already blog about it). It was so good that we are going to try another version of it. When we have free time. If we ever have free time again.

Anyway, this stuff is ridiculous and it is based on a story. Once upon a time, Kirst and I were classmates only and not friends (yet). And then one night out after class, we started talking about food. A lot. And then we started working together and then we started going to this place after working for pimento cheese dip and cocktails. It is a tradition that sadly we cannot participate in much anymore, but a good one regardless. Shortly after we started this, we thought that we should try to make our own. So this dip, ladies and gents, was a long time in the making. And we finally did it. And it is so good and you should make it too.

Pimento Cheese modified from Like Mother Like Daughters:

Makes enough to share

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 c. cheddar cheese, grated (we went for sharp. Tillamook, ya heard?)
2 Tb. mayonnaise
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
4 oz. canned pimentos, drained
1 small onion, grated (we had to sub in rehydrated dried onion due to a complete lack of onion in my house, which is weird)
4 cloves of garlic, worked into a paste with kosher salt (kind of like what I did way back when)
½ tsp. smoked paprika
Hot sauce, to taste (Frank's Red Hot  was our choice)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Crackers for the snacking

Mix the red wine vinegar and the pimentos together. Mix remaining ingredients together and add red pepper mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning. Cover and refrigerate before serving to blend flavors. We managed to wait all of maybe 45 minutes before digging in and it was wonderful. The next day, though, I got a text from Kirst and she had eaten some of her portion and it was even better. I was already snacking away and it really is. So if you can help it, make this the night before or early in the day and go do something else and then eat it. It's worth the wait.