Aunt Flora's Shoepeg Corn Salad

We had this salad at a family reunion this summer and thought it was one of the best summer side dishes we'd come across. It's adapted from one served at a famous steakhouse near Snyder, TX. The dressing in this version is a little less sweet, but that certainly can be adjusted to individual tastes. The salad calls specifically for shoepeg corn. This is a common ingredient in southern cooking, but may be difficult to find elsewhere. [We found it in Nevada in Walmart and another local grocery store. In one store it was in with regular canned corn, in the other it was with black-eyed peas and other "specialty" canned vegetables, so look over the whole department before you give up.]

Shoepeg corn kernels are smaller, crisper, sweeter than most corn, but if you can't locate it use frozen or good quality whole kernel petite white corn and the results will be similar. The original recipe called for canned corn peas and French green beans, so that's what I started with, but I've tried using frozen and I think you get a fresher texture and better color, so those amounts are included in parentheses in the recipe. I undercooked the frozen veggies by just a smidge so they wouldn't get too soft. I cooked each separately as they all required different times by a minute or two, but used the same liquid to preserve some of the flavors.

1 can French style green beans (1 1/2 c. frozen, cooked according to package directions)
1 can LeSure English peas (1 1/2 c. frozen, cooked according to package directions)
1 can shoepeg corn (1 1/2 c. frozen shoepeg or petite white whole kernel)
1 c. celery (diced small)
 2 oz. canned pimiento (chopped)
1/2 c. green pepper (chopped)
1/2 c.  red or yellow pepper (chopped)
1 bunch green. onions (chopped - use white and green parts)

Dressing:
1/3 c. cider vinegar
1/2 c. sugar
2/3 c. salad oil (or half salad and half olive)
1 tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper

Drain canned vegetables, or prepare frozen and cool, then combine in large bowl. Add diced fresh vegetables. Bring dressing ingredients to a rolling boil. Cook 2 minutes, cool. Pour over vegetable mixture, store covered in refrigerator overnight before serving so the flavors mingle. This salad keeps well. It's a great salad by itself, or used as a garnish on a mixed green salad.

Pimento Cheese

When my dear husband said, "There's a great recipe for pimento cheese in the electric co-op magazine that I want to try",  I have to admit I looked at him cross-eyed. My childhood memories of pimento cheese involved a disagreeable paste one scooped out of little glass pots that later turned into juice glasses. This is not even vaguely related to that stuff. Pimento cheese is a classic in the South, and you'll find a wide variety of approaches, using all kinds of cheese and varying spices.

The original recipe from an article in the PerdernalesEC Edition of the Teas Co-op Power magazine (March 2010), by Juddi Morris:
Juddi's Pimento Cheese
1 pound grated longhorn or mild or sharp Cheddar cheese
6 ounces chopped pimento
1/2 c. minced onion
1/2 c. chopped green olives
3 T. capers
2/3 c. mayonnaise

I increased the amounts slightly, and thought it needed a bit more mayonnaise than the original proportions, so here's the final version.
1 1/2 pounds grated cheddar cheese (fine or coarse grate, your choice) this is about 5 c.
8 oz. chopped pimento
3/4 c. minced onion
3/4 c. chopped green olives (pimento stuffed type)
4 T. capers (chopped)
1 1/4 c. mayonnaise

Combine all ingredients, then to meet your own tastes, add any of the following:
Tabasco, fresh lime juice, minced jalapeno peppers or other peppers of choice, chili powder, or anything else that appeals to you! My taste testers insisted it didn't need any of the additional ingredients suggested, so we continue to make it this way. It's great as a dip or sandwich filling, and goes well with sliced ham or roast beef. Good also on sourdough bread or plain crackers.