Let Her Cook … for a funeral

My mother died two weeks ago. I write for a living, but I still have no idea how to convey my heartache. I’m going to share more details about the past few weeks, little glimmers of heaven peeking through the clouds of sadness, because despite all this, there were some slivers of hope.

One such moment was the flood of support that poured into our family from our small town in South Carolina. On the day my mother died, the women of Florence County swarmed us like a swarm of friendly worker bees, bringing us food the old-fashioned way.

I could barely eat and still don’t feel hungry, but here is one recipe that kept our spirits strong and our household full while we made it through the worst time of our lives. I A huge thank you to whoever brought this to me – if you know someone who’s experienced a tragedy, this no-mess sandwich platter will help.

Pimento Cheese and Chicken Salad Croissant

Ingredients for Pimento Cheese

• 2 cups freshly grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese

• 8 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes, softened at room temperature*

• 4 ounces pimento peppers**, well drained and chopped

• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (Duke’s is traditional, but I also like Sir Kensington)

• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (reduce or omit if you don’t like spicy food)

• 1/2 medium jalapeno pepper, veins and seeds removed, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon, omit if you don’t like spicy food)

• Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

How to make pimento cheese

1. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cheddar cheese, cream cheese, pimento pepper, mayonnaise, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, jalapeño (if using), and a few grinds of black pepper.

2. Mix using a hand mixer, stand mixer, or a sturdy wooden spoon or spatula until thoroughly combined.

3. Taste and add more black pepper or salt if you want more overall flavor (I usually add 2 pinches each), or another pinch of cayenne pepper if you want your pimento cheese to be more spicy. Blend again.

4. Transfer mixture to a small bowl. Serve the pimento cheese immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 week. The pimento cheese will harden when chilled, so let it soften at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Chicken Salad Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked chicken breasts (shredded or cubed). (You can use rotisserie chicken, cooked chicken, or chicken breasts that you roast yourself)

• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped

• 1/2 cup chopped onion (add more if needed or adjust to taste)

• 1/2 cup pickle relish (I used sweet relish, use whatever you like)

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

How to make chicken salad

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix. Taste and adjust spice levels to suit your taste.

Sandwich Ingredients

• 1 dozen croissants (Costco’s croissants are the best)

• Pimento cheese (store-bought is good, but I love the Palmetto Cheese brand from Pawley’s Island Specialty Foods, especially since it’s where I’m from)

• Chicken Salad (If you don’t have time to make the recipe listed, Costco has a great recipe too; one box will suffice)

How to make a sandwich

1. Cut the croissants in half lengthwise

2. Spread pimento cheese on both sides of the inside

3. Spoon a generous amount of chicken salad into the center.

4. These should be delivered in disposable aluminum containers with lids or on plates covered with saran wrap, along with a condolence note so your grieving friend remembers who to thank.