TEXAS JALAPENO PIMENTO CHEESE

By MarieR

No need to preheat your oven. This recipe requires chilling, not baking.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces (that's a half pound) mild cheddar cheese,shredded
• 16 ounces (that's a whole pound) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 8-ounce package softened cream cheese (the brick
• kind, not the whipped kind) (I used Philadelphia
• Cream Cheese in the rectangular silver package.)
• two 7-ounce jars of diced pimento, drained
• 12-ounce jar roasted red bell peppers, drained
• 1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) mayonnaise
• 2 Tablespoons (1/8 cup) Worcestershire sauce
• l/2 cup pickled jalapeno pepper slices
• basket of assorted crackers, your choice

Preparation

Step 1

Making in three batches:
Place one-third of the shredded mild cheddar cheese, one-third of the shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and one-third of the softened cream cheese in the bowl of a food processor equipped with the steel blade. Process the cheeses for approximately 45 seconds, or until they are the same color and consistency.
Use a rubber spatula to remove the cheese from the bowl of the food processor and store it in a bowl on the counter. The bowl you choose should have a cover and hold about 5 cups.
Process the second batch of cheeses. When you're finished, use the rubber spatula to add it to the first batch you processed.
Process the third batch of cheese, and add it to the bowl on the counter.
Hannah's 3rd Note: Don't worry about washing out the food processor bowl. You're going to process the rest of the ingredients, but it's just fine if there's a little cheese in the bowl.
Drain the pimentos and place them in the bowl of the food processor.
Drain the roasted red peppers and place them in the bowl of the food processor.
Add the mayonnaise and the Worcestershire sauce.
Drain the pickled jalapeno pepper slices and place them in the bowl of the food processor.
With the steel blade in place, process the ingredients with an on-and-off motion 6 to 8 times, or until everything has been chopped into small pieces.
Use the rubber spatula to scrape the final ingredients from the bowl of the food processor. Stir them into the bowl with the cheeses, and mix until they're evenly distributed.
Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. This will keep in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, but no longer.
Serve in a pretty bowl with knives for each person to use for spreading it on crackers.
Yield: This recipe will serve at least 6 people as an appetizer.