Carolina Kitchen
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Warm Pimento Cheese Dip
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With Pretzels
Unless otherwise noted, recipes on these pages are from Wendy Perry, a culinary adventurist and blogger, who chats about goodness around NC on her blog at WendysHomeEconomics.com.
Ms. Velma’s ‘It’s Just Soup’
Long ago, I lived in the basement apartment of the dearest older couple. Mr. Thomas loved his garden, and Ms. Velma was always cooking up something good — like this simple, yet amazing soup! I told her how mouthwatering it was and she said, “Oh, it’s just soup.” Measurements need not be exact. Freezes well to pull out on busy nights! 1 whole chicken plus several additional leg quarters, drumsticks or thighs 2 cans (28-ounce) crushed tomatoes 2 large onions (we used yellow and sweet) 2 cups white corn 2 cups tiny butterbeans 1 medium head of cabbage, shredded Salt and pepper to taste Optional additions 2 cans (15-ounce) creamed corn 3–4 large celery stalks, diced 2 tablespoons sugar (to cut acidity of tomatoes) In a large pot, bring chicken to boil in 3–4 quarts of salted water. Once boiling, cover and reduce to a low boil, cooking until tender. Be sure to cover, as you do not want the broth to cook out. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and cool. Once cool to the touch, remove skin, debone and shred. Add chicken and remaining ingredients except sugar to broth. Let simmer at low boil an hour or longer until nice and rich, and flavors marry. Taste for acidity and add in small amounts of sugar until flavors seem balanced. If too thick, add a bit of broth or water for preferred consistency. Yield: 2 gallons
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Whether served alongside Ms. Velma’s Soup, or as a quick, throw-together appetizer, this melty cheese dip will please just about everybody. Cut amounts in half and make in a smaller skillet for a few or a larger one for a crowd. We kept this simple to be kid-friendly, but you can heat things up a bit with crushed red pepper and a few shakes of hot sauce. 1 pound box Velveeta cheese, cubed 1 block (8-ounce) Swiss cheese, cubed 1 block (8-ounce) Monterey Jack Cheese, cubed 3 teaspoons onion powder 2 teaspoons garlic powder Fresh black pepper Dried or fresh herbs of choice, optional (we used fresh thyme) 2 jars (4-ounce) diced pimento, drained 1 small red bell pepper, cut into slivers ¾ cup crispy fried onions 2 boxes (6-count each) frozen heat-and-serve pretzels Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 10- to 12-inch skillet and scatter with the cubes of cheese. Dust with the onion and garlic powders. Bake for about 25 minutes until just melted. Add black pepper, herbs if using and half the diced pimento. Swirl gently with a knife to blend a bit. Scatter with the remaining pimento, slivers of red pepper and crispy onions. Serve with pretzels for dipping while warm. Yield: About 8 servings
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