Crab Pimento Cheese

Last month while I was visiting Greenville, South Carolina, I had the luxury of dinner at Rick Erwins Nantucket. Truly some of the best oysters I've ever had. But even the best oysters I've ever had didn't come close to one of the greatest things I've ever eaten.

You see, in the south we pride ourselves on our Pimento Cheese. My friend Beeve calls it "Minna Chee" and he likes the simple cheddar variety. My mom likes hers with extra black pepper.

My dad and I like the kind my grandfather, Ubon, used to make...velveta pimento cheese with pickle relish. If I'm fancy I'll mix several kinds of sharp cheeses for my Uncle Steve to take to his in laws in Tupelo. (They like the velveta kind too.)

I once worked with a woman who told me that she made "the world's best pimento cheese." Meh, it wasn't bad but world's best? She did point out that if she proclaimed it the world's best, I wouldn't forget her, even if it was just normal. (Obviously she's right.)

I've made Pimento Cheese with chilies, with strawberry preserves and with pecans. Today I think I've found the magic recipe I've been looking for.

In case you're wondering why I started this post with .">The Nantucket, well it was there that I had the greatest pimento cheese ever. If you're there...get the Spicy Crab and Pimento Cheese Dip. Then call me and tell me thank you. If you're not headed to Greenville, SC...try this. It's pretty dang good.

2 bags of shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese go into a bowl, 1 wedge of brie with the rind removed and smooshed into the cheddar. Add a large jar of pimentos, a teaspoon of whole grain mustard, a half cup of mayo (don't go with the whip...and DO NOT go with the low fat, promise me!), salt, lots of black pepper, a table spoon of your favorite all purpose seasoning (like seazn'tup) and a few tablespoons of your favorite hot sauce. (I used texas pete wing sauce tonight). Add 8oz of lump crab. Mix everything together with your hands. Taste and adjust your seasoning. Serve with crackers, bagel chips.

And again, you can call to thank me when you give this a try.

Seafood Crepes with a Lemon Dill Sauce

Could it be? My grand return to the blog? Let's talk about my dinner and then I'll fill you in on my absence.


I can't pretend that I made those beautiful crepes. I found them in the produce department at Kroger. This recipe would be much more impressive had I made crepes myself. But given my eminent birth to an 8lb baby...I think you'll give me a pass. Here's what I did with the store bought crepes.

filling: (this will sound familiar)
1 lb ground sausage, browned *1 block of cream cheese * 1 cup of lump crab meat * 2 teaspoons of season it up. mixed well.

spread filling along with 3 steamed asparagus spears over the crepe, roll up and cook over the griddle at 350.

For topping/sauce:
melt 1/2 stick of butter together with a 1/2 cup of olive oil. Season peeled shrimp (1 lb) and drop into oil/butter mixture. When shrimp begins to pink, add 2 tsp of flour and use whisk to make sure everything gets mixed well. Once the butter/flour mixture begins to thicken, add 1 cup of chicken stock and continue to whisk. incorporate 1/2 cup of half and half. Add chopped dill, lemon zest and about 2 tbsp lemon juice.

top the browned crepes with shrimp and sauce.

This took less than 20 minutes to cook and we loved it. My daddy said "I don't like crepes. Well, I never had any." He's a convert!!


Thanks for putting up with my absence. As many of you know I'm very pregnant. I have a section scheduled for next tuesday September 1. One of the pregnancy symptoms I've had has been a strong craving for foods I don't always eat....fresh fruit, vegetables (I mean who craves celery??) I've found myself eating probably 80% vegetarian. What kind of princess of bbq does that???

I planned a grand return to the blog a few weeks ago and gave up when my caramelized endive and riddicho was NASTY. I hope that I'm getting back to what we all like. But please be patient. I've got to get this baby here! I plan to be cookin in Cleveland at Octoberfest...well, I'll be there!