Pimento cheese and scallion dip

This is a sponsored post by Challenge, but the text and opinions are all mine. Thank you for supporting brands that make Kylee's Kitchen possible! 

I love snacking on chips and dip while watching a big sporting event. And the NCAA tournament is definitely my favorite sporting event each year. That’s why I thought it would be fun to make my chip dip look like a basketball. My first thought was to make a pimento cheese dip because it’s already orange like a basketball, and anything with cheddar cheese and cream cheese will obviously be delicious.

Pimento cheese is a staple in the south. At its simplest form, it consists of cheddar cheese, pimento peppers, and either cream cheese or mayo or a combination of the two. It’s creamy, tangy, a little sweet, and obviously, cheesy. It’s often used as a dip or a sandwich spread.

Many people in the south have very strong opinions on what ingredients should go into “authentic” pimento cheese spread. But the reality is the best pimento cheese dip is what you think is tastiest. That’s why I encourage everyone to continuously taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

This recipe uses a lot of cheese. It is cheese dip, after all. It is very important to only use block cheese that you shred yourself. Shredded cheese is certainly convenient, but most shredded cheese contains additives like potato starch, natamycin, and powdered cellulose. The additives prevent shredded cheese from clumping in bags, but they can also affect the taste and texture. You can easily shred cheese with a box grater or the grater attachment on a food processor.

When choosing the cheese for this dip, make sure to buy extra sharp cheddar cheese because we want the cheddar flavor to shine above everything else.

Not every pimento cheese dip has cream cheese, but I prefer the texture of the dip with cream cheese. Also, I think it enhances the flavor of the cheddar along with providing an additional tangy element. I only use Challenge cream cheese when I’m cooking and baking. Challenge cream cheese is made with real milk, cream, and other natural ingredients. You can definitely taste a difference.

The last thing I want to address is the pimento peppers. They are not the same as red bell peppers. Pimentos are small, heart-shaped peppers with subtle sweetness. You can buy them  diced in jars at your local grocery store. I’ve typically found them near the olives or in the canned vegetable section.

Pimento cheese and scallion dip

Yield: 4 cups

Time: About 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 16 ounces extra sharp yellow cheddar cheese, shredded (reserve 4 ounces)
• 8 ounces Challenge cream cheese
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 7 ounces pimentos, small dice
• 4 green onions, green and white parts, small dice
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar 
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup blue corn tortilla chips, crushed

Directions

1. Combine 12 ounces cheddar, cream cheese, mayonnaise, pimentos, green onions, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and black pepper in large mixing bowl and use stand mix or electric hand mixer to beat until combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary
2. Spread mixture in pie dish or other circular pan.
3. Spread reserved extra sharp cheddar cheese over surface.
4. Sprinkle blue corn tortilla chip crumbs over top of dip in basketball design.
5. Serve with crackers or chips.