I am continuing my series on Southern classic sides featuring pimento cheese spread, a spread ingrained in Southern American culture. Traditionally stuffed peppers are made with green peppers stuffed with rice, ground beef, onion and tomato sauce topped with melted cheese. We could change the ground beef to pork, chicken, shrimp or lamb or leave the meat out completely to make a vegetarian version. We could use broccoli, cauliflower, beets, carrots, okra, corn or almost any other vegetable. Instead of rice we could use bread or bread crumbs, a pasta like orzo or potato. For my version I not going to stray too far away and use rice, ground meat, corn and of course pimento cheese but make your own version using something your family likes. Maybe you can start your own new family tradition.

Ingredients:

 2 large firm red peppers

 1/2 cup cooked rice

 1/2 cup cooked ground beef

 1/2 small diced onion

 1/2 cup pimento cheese (home made or store bought)

 1/2 cup creamed corn

 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

 pinch onion powder

 pinch dried mustard powder

 salt and pepper to taste

 6 Tbsp. crushed Ritz crackers (or toasted bread crumbs)

 6 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Procedure:

 1. Cut the red peppers lengthwise in half and clean out seeds and ribs to make a nice cavity.

 2. Saute the rice, ground beef and onion until the onions start to soften. Mix in the creamed corn, the pimento cheese, rice and then the remaining ingredients minus the parmesan cheese and toasted bread crumbs. Stuff this mixture into the hollowed out peppers. Mix the cheese and cracker (or bread) crumbs and sprinkle over the tops of the peppers. Bake at 375 degrees until the tops are browned and the peppers are starting to soften. Keep warm and serve. Serves 4.

Summer to many people invokes  pictures of backyard BBQs with ears of fresh roasted corn and melted butter running down your chin. As good as that sounds sometimes I prefer creamed corn especially when you bump up the flavor with Pimento Cheese. Make your own and it will be that much sweeter.

Ingredients:

 4 Cobs sweet corn

 1 cup Pimento Cheese

 1 small diced onion

 1 tbsp. butter

 salt and pepper

 1/2 tsp. onion powder

 1/2 tsp. mustard powder

 1/2 tsp. thyme

Procedure:

 1. Cut the kernel off the cobs. Process half of the kernels to creamed corn consistency. Saute the whole kernels and the diced onion in the butter over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper and add the rest of the spices. Add the rest of the corn and continue to cook for 5 minutes.

 2. Remove the mixture to a bowl and add the pimento cheese and mix in. Taste and correct the seasoning. Keep warn and serve.

My daughter is gluten intolerant so I wanted to make a quiche with a shredded potato crust. To make the crust brown properly I added butter and parmesan cheese which also added taste. I filled  the crust with gruyer cheese and bacon making a quiche Lorraine. Take care to watch the thickness of the crust so it is not too thick. This will make it easier to make a crisp bottom.

Potato Crust

Ingredients:

 3 cups shredded potato hash browns

 1/2 stick melted butter

 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Procedure:

 1. Spray a pie plate with cooking spray.  In a mixing bowl add all the ingredients and mix together. Press half of the mixture evenly into the pie plate and press firmly with a measuring cup. Cover with a sheet of parchment paper, add pie weights (or dry beans) and bake in a 400 degree oven until browned. Repeat with a second pie plate, for a second quiche or to freeze for later.

Quiche Lorraine

Ingredients:

 3 large eggs

 5 thick slices of bacon

 1 cup grated Swiss cheese
 
 1 cup whole milk or half and half

 1/2 tsp. Herbes de Provence

 salt and pepper

Procedure

 1. Dice the bacon and fry in a skillet until crispy. Remove, drain and reserve.

 2. In a 2 cup measuring cup, break the eggs, season with salt and pepper. Add the milk or half and half to 1/2 cup for each egg (1 1/2 cups total). Beat the eggs and add the Herbes de Provence. Pour into the prepared pie shell and stir in the bacon and grated Swiss cheese. Bake in a 275 degree oven for 1 hour until just set. Let cool and serve while still warm.

Here in the south it's hot in the summer and sometimes I want a side dish that is both satisfying and cooling. Although I love Mac and Cheese I don't always want to turn on the oven and heat up the house so why not make a macaroni salad that has nice crisp vegetables and a southern twist, pimento cheese. So I came up with this idea for a Mac N Cheese salad, a dish even kids will like. I had bought some Velveta cheese for a hot Mac N Cheese I was planning to make so I added some diced pieces which put it over the top. Of course you can make your own version using whatever cheese you like and you can add diced ham, bacon, chicken, shrimp or even lobster if you have deep pockets. Its up to you.

Ingredients:

 1 lb. pasta (I like to use Cavatappi)

 2 carrot peeled and diced

 2 stalks celery diced

 1/2 large red pepper diced

 1/2 small Vidalia onion diced

 6 - 8 sweet gherkins diced

 2 tsp. ground mustard

 1 Tbsp. Thyme

 2 tsp. garlic powder

 1 cup mayonnaise (I used Blue Plate)

 1 cup pimento cheese

 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese

 1/2 - 3/4 lb. diced Velveta

Optional: any diced meat, shrimp or lobster

 salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

 1. Heat a large pot of water and add enough salt so the water taste salty like the ocean. Add the pasta to the boiling salted water and cook until 95% done. We want the pasta to absorb the mayo. If you want you can cool the pasta in cold water to stop the cooking if the sauce will be done later.

 2. Mix the pimento cheese and the mayonnaise together until creamy. Add more mayonnaise if necessary and then mix in the ground mustard, thyme and garlic powder. Fold in the cold pasta.

 3. Dice the vegetables, optional meat and cheeses then fold into the pasta mixture. Season with salt and pepper then store in the refrigerator to let the flavors mingle.