Vegan Pimento Cheese (oil free; dairy free; gluten free)

Servings:10 servings Yield: makes about 1¾ cups
Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

My sweet grandmother, MeMe, used to make homemade pimento cheese using an old crank grinder.  I took countless pimento cheese sandwiches to school in my lunchbox.  Here’s a delicious vegan version that surprised me with how much it tasted like the “real thing.”  This also makes a nice dip for crackers or veggies.  Toast up some whole grain sourdough bread and spread this on it and then top it with some sprouts or lettuces and a homegrown tomato for a great lunch!

Ingredients
1 cup cooked rice - such as jasmine, basmati, arborio or brown (I used basmati.)
1 cup raw cashews or 1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds (I used cashews.)
½ cup water
2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoon hot sauce 
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Pinch cayenne, optional
¼ cup chopped pimentos, drained and lightly squeezed 

Optional smoky version: (I’ve not tested the smoky version, but it sounds fantastic.)
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
1½ teaspoon liquid smoke

Instructions
Combine the cashews, water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, rice vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, hot sauce, salt, and cayenne in a blender (this is everything except the rice and pimentos). Gradually increase to high speed, and blend for about 30 seconds or until mostly smooth. Add half of the pimentos, and blend until velvety smooth.
Pour the cheese mixture into a bowl. Use a spoon or silicone spatula to remove as much of the cheese as possible from the blender. Stir in the rice and remaining pimentos. Lightly press a piece of plastic wrap or waxed paper onto the surface of the cheese to protect it from air. For the best flavor, refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours before serving. This allows the rice to absorb the cheese sauce and for all of the flavors to mingle. It tastes even better the next day. The vegan pimento cheese will firm up in the refrigerator. Serve cool.

Notes
• Don't have a high-speed blender? Place raw cashews in a bowl, and cover with hot water. Let soak for about two hours (or soak seeds for 30 minutes). Then, drain very well, and proceed with steps below using a food processor or a standard blender.
• It’s recommended one of the white rice options for the best results, but if brown rice is what you have on hand, or you just prefer to eat whole-grains, definitely go for it! The pimento cheese flavor and texture are still great.
• Storage: Lightly press a piece of plastic wrap onto the pimento cheese to protect from air. Cover fully, and refrigerate.
• Best consumed within 3 to 4 days.

Nutrition
Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 490mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 305IU | Vitamin C: 11.7mg | Calcium: 12.5mg | Iron: 2mg

Pimento Cheese Biscuits

Here is a Pimento Cheese Biscuit served along side Chicken and Zucchini Salad.

By TheRunawaySpoon via Food52.com

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 8

I have such fond memories of eating sandwiches made with homemade pimento cheese by my grandmother when I was a girl.  My favorite brown-bag school lunch was a pimento cheese sandwich made with pimento cheese that Mother bought at Dalton’s Grocery Store on the neighborhood corner. So, when I found this recipe for Pimento Cheese Biscuits, I had to give it a try.  They are fantastic!  These came together quickly because I used my food processor, but they can also be made using a mixer (original recipe.)  (I’ll put those directions at the bottom**.)  Serve these with your favorite soup or salad.  With a little sliced ham or chicken, they’d also make great little sandwiches for a party.  All the ingredients can be found at our local community-owned grocery store, Lost River Market & Deli.

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon sweet paprika

½ teaspoon garlic powder (optional)

¾ cups cold butter

½ cup well shaken, cold buttermilk, plus a little for brushing

1 egg

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

4 ounces jar diced pimentos, drained and patted dry

1 cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese

Sea salt for sprinkling (I added a sprinkling of freshly ground pepper too.)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Toss the cheese with a little flour, and do the same to the pimentos. This step keeps the cheese and pimentos from clumping together so they blend throughout the dough.  Set aside.

Put the flour, baking powder, salt, paprika and garlic powder in the bowl (with blade) of a food processor. Pulse a couple of times to mix the dry ingredients.  Cut the butter into small cubes and drop them in the flour. Pulse several times to blend the butter and flour until the butter is the size of small peas. You want some butter blended in, but the visible small pieces of butter help make the biscuits fluffy.  Measure the buttermilk in a measuring jug, crack in the egg, add the Worcestershire sauce, and beat it with a fork until the egg is well blended. While the food processor is running, slowly add the buttermilk and blend just until everything is moist. Add the pimentos and cheese and pulse just until everything just starts to come together.  Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and gently bring it all together, kneading just a few times. Handle with care and don’t overwork the dough, or the biscuits will get tough. A few pimentos may stick to the board or fall out, just stick ‘em back in. Pat the dough into a rectangle about 6 by 10 inches, using the back of a large knife or bench scraper to square off the ends. Flour the knife or scraper and cut the dough into eight squares. (Do not twist the knife, bench scraper or biscuit cutter!!) Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet, lightly brush the tops with a little buttermilk and sprinkle with sea salt.  Bake the biscuits for 15 – 20 minutes, until lightly browned and cooked through. Serve warm, or wrap tightly and store in an airtight container, gently reheat before serving.

**Directions for Mixer:  Put the flour, baking powder, salt, paprika and garlic powder in the bowl of a stand mixer and stir together with a fork. Cut the butter into small cubes and drop them in the flour. Using the paddle attachment, blend the butter and flour on low speed until the butter is the size of small BBs. You want some butter blended in, but the visible small pieces of butter help make the biscuits fluffy.

Measure the buttermilk in a measuring jug, crack in the egg, add the Worcestershire sauce, and beat it with a fork until the egg is well blended. Keep the mixer on low, dump in the buttermilk and blend just until everything is moist. Toss the cheese with a little flour, and do the same to the pimentos. This step keeps the cheese and pimentos from clumping together so they blend throughout the dough. Drop them both in the mixer and, still on low, beat until everything just starts to come together.

Jim’s Favorite Potato Salad

Recipe from Miriam B. Loo’s Family Favorites Cookbook

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

This recipe is from a cookbook I received as a gift the year I got married. (1977) My husband thinks this is the best potato salad ever. I agree. It’s the creamy kind and it has just the right balance of salty, sweet & mustard flavors without any of the flavors overwhelming each other in the salad. I usually double this so that we can have it for guests or a pitch-in and then have enough for lunch. 
Lost River Market & Deli has everything you need to make this delicious salad.

4 cups cubed cooked potatoes

1 cup chopped celery

½ cup chopped onion

¼ cup chopped sweet pickles (not relish)

4 hard boiled eggs, sliced or chopped

2/3 cup mayonnaise (I use Hellmann’s Mayonnaise.)

2 teaspoons mustard (I use Dijon mustard.)

1 teaspoon Kosher salt (If doubling the recipe, start with 1 teaspoon of salt and then add more to taste.)

3 Tablespoons chopped pimento (Look for these in a jar in the olive, pickle section of the store)  (If pimentos are not available, you can substitute one roasted red pepper, chopped.)

2 teaspoons celery seed

Combine potatoes, celery, onion, sweet pickle and eggs. Blend mayo with mustard; Stir in the remaining ingredients. Mix mayo mixture lightly with the potato mixture until potatoes are well coated.  Keep chilled.