Miss Mattie’s Pimento Cheese

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 cup mayonnaise (we use Duke’s)

1 (7-oz.) jar diced pimiento, drained (for the record we almost always end up with two 4-oz jars)

1/2 cup chopped jarred sweet-hot pickled jalapeno pepper slices

1 tablespoon liquid from sweet-hot pickled jalapeno pepper slices

4 cups freshly grated mild Cheddar cheese (1 lb.) (who are we kidding we buy the pre-grated stuff)

Directions

Bake 1/2 cup chopped pecans at 350° in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Cool 20 minutes. Stir together mayonnaise, diced pimiento, pickled jalapeño pepper slices, liquid from sweet-hot pickled jalapeño pepper slices, and toasted pecans. Stir in Cheddar cheese until well blended. Garnish, if desired.