Kentucky Benedictine Spread Recipe: Pimento Cheese's Creamy Green Cousin Appetizers Snacks Sandwiches Lunch Vegetarian

Pimento cheese is the southern cream cheese spread made with grated cheese, pimentos and mayonnaise. But did you know that southern staple has a Kentucky cousin? Benedictine spread is a creamy cheese spread made with cucumbers and cream cheese. The cheese spread was invented at the beginning of the 20th century by Jennie C. Benedict (1860 - 1928), who was a caterer, restaurateur and cookbook author in Louisville, Kentucky. In addition to the green cheese spread, Benedict is known for her cookbook, Blue Ribbon Cook Book.

Benedictine was originally made for cucumber sandwiches, but now is often eaten as a dip or spread for crackers, bread, vegetables and chips. The easy appetizer, snack or lunch recipe is made with cucumbers, mayonnaise, sour cream, grated or minced cucumber, and green onion. The cream cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream are whipped with an electric mixer until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and add a shake of cayenne for heat, if desired, then fold in the cucumber and onion. Add a few drops of green food coloring if you want a greener spread.

Make this easy cheese spread as an appetizer or as a sandwich filing for lunch or as a vegetarian light dinner with a salad. 

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients 

• 1 box (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1/4 sour cream
• dash of ground cayenne (optional)
• 1/2 cup grated or finely chopped cucumber (remove the seeds before grating or chopping)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green onion
• 2 drops green food coloring (optional)

Here's how to make it: 

1. Beat the cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, salt and pepper, to taste, and cayenne, if using, with an electric mixer. 
2. Fold in the cucumber and green onion. Add the food coloring, if desired. 

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