Improving Store Bought Pimento Cheese

My aunt Janie Leigh makes great pimento cheese. She taught me her secret which is powdered sugar. Then the Pawleys Island Palmetto Pimento cheese came out. It was decent but not half as good as my Aunt Janie’s.

For these church dinners I am hosting the Campaign Chairman John Graham asked me if I could make some hors d’oeuvre like the blt’s he had eaten at another members house. I knew exactly what he wanted and made up a batch. Now he wants the recipe so I thought I’d share it with everyone, especially if it might get good pledges to our campaign.

Doctored Pimento Cheese

1 12 oz. container of jalapeño Palmetto pimento cheese

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 T. Powdered sugar

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese.

3 T. Sweet pickle relish

Mix together and try and not eat it in one setting.

Candied Bacon

Cover a cookie sheet with foil and put a cooling rack on top. Lay bacon on the rack and sprinkle it with brown sugar and a lot of freshly cracked black pepper.

Place in a 400° oven and cook about 15 minutes until done.

Cut each slice of bacon into five squares.

Bread, with crusts cut off, cut into small squares and lightly toasted. I lay all of it on a cookie sheet under the broiler for a few minutes and then flip the brad over and do the same on the other side.

Thinly cut small Campari tomatoes into four or five slices per tomato.

Small basil leaves or large ones cut into thirds.

Spread a little pimento cheese on the toast. Place a square of bacon on top, then a tomato slice and the basil leaf on top.

Pure southern happiness