Idea Alley

Sandwich cools it with pimento, ham

Recipes that appear in Idea Alley have not been tested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Pimento cheese sandwiches are a treat any time, but we're particularly fond of them on hot summer days when we don't feel like heating the house to cook.

Gerald Powell shares this one, which adds ham.

Powell describes the sandwich as a favorite, but prefers to skip the jalapeno in the pimento cheese.

The sandwich is from the website MasterCook and the pimento cheese recipe comes from allrecipes.com

Ozark Ham and Cheese Sandwich

2 slices sourdough bread

Southern Pimento Cheese (recipe follows)

Dijon-style or yellow mustard

4 thin slices ham

Leaf lettuce

Kosher dill, for serving

Toast bread and heavily spread both slices with pimento cheese. Add mustard to one slice of bread. Top with ham, lettuce and other piece of bread.

Cut sandwich in half, plate and serve with a kosher dill pickle.

Makes 1 sandwich.

Southern Pimento Cheese

2 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, optional

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced, optional

1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimento, drained

Salt and black pepper to taste

Place the cheddar cheese, cream cheese, mayonnaise, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, onion powder, minced jalapeno, and pimento into the large bowl of a mixer. Beat at medium speed, with paddle if possible, until thoroughly combined. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Makes about 3 cups.

Revisiting SaraLou's request for Tomato Betty, this recipe comes from Joan Bone.

Bone notes the recipe is from River Roads Cookbook II.

Breaded Tomatoes

Butter, for greasing

1 (29-ounce) can tomatoes

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar

1 medium onion, chopped and sauteed

3 tablespoons butter

3 slices bread, toasted and well buttered

Butter a 2-quart casserole dish. Put tomatoes in casserole. Cut tomatoes into bite-size pieces. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and sugar. Spread onion over tomatoes. Cut butter into small pieces and put over all. Cut toasted bread into small pieces and gently stir into mixture. Bake at 325 degrees for 11/2 hours or until most of the liquid is absorbed and the mixture is browned.

Makes 4 servings.

Send recipe requests, contributions and culinary questions to Kelly Brant, Idea Alley, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203; email:

kbrant@arkansasonline.com

Please include a daytime phone number.

Food on 08/20/2014

Upcoming Events