2 cups white cheddar cheese grated

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese grated

1 small onion grated

1 small jar of pimento's - drained (add more if desired)

1 cup toasted pecans, chopped

1 3 oz. pack cream cheese softened

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Mix cheeses, grated onion, pimento's, pecans in mixing bowl and toss. Add softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder and blend well. Add to cheese mixture and mix well. Add more mayo if desired.

Courtesy Polly Hood,
local Gainesville caterer

Lella's Mayonnaise

1 egg

1 cup oil (add 1/4 in the beginning, reserve 3/4 cup)

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

dash cayenne

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

onion powder to taste

Place all ingredients in food processor (or blender), reserving 3/4 cup oil. Add remaining oil slowly while processing. (We use the metal blade on the processor.) As I have said, my processor is old, but the tool to push food in the processor has a tiny hole to allow air in. (I don't know if they all do.) If you put the pusher in the opening and pour your oil in the pusher--it allows a tiny constant stream of oil to be added to the mayonnaise while you are processing. Using this method, we never have the mayonnaise separate.

Note: Makes about 1 cup of mayonnaise, we usually double it to have enough to also spread on the bread.

Courtesy Southern Foodways Alliance

Lella's Pimento Cheese

Cheddar cheese, grated, about 1/2 a food processor full

1 small jar whole pimentos

dash onion powder

dash red pepper

dash Worcestershire sauce

pinch sugar (less than 1/4 teaspoon)

Homemade mayonnaise

Blend grated cheese and pimento in food processor until well blended. Add mayonnaise as needed, blend again, add other ingredients, blend. (The pimento cheese is a solid color and you cannot see the pimentos once blended.)

Note: Lella loved Pepperidge Farms very thinly sliced bread, both white and wheat. She would cut the edges off the bread (of course!) and spread just a dab of mayonnaise on one slice of bread, and then thinly spread the pimento cheese on the other side, put the slices together and add the sandwiches to the platter. Cover them with a dampened tea towel (again, of course!) until all were made. When it came time to take the sandwiches to the event, she would leave them out a few minutes to return to room temperature.

Courtesy Southern Foodways Alliance