what to do with philadelphia cream cheese?

[Aimee]

It was so cheap I grabbed a bar and now I'm not sure what to do with it. I prefer whipped for bagels and I don't want to make cheesecake. What else? Thanks.

[jmullen1251]

ok ok - i know you said no cheesecake but this isn't cheesecake per se and they're on my mind since i plan on making them this weekend - strawberries stuffed with cheesecake-like filling and dipped in chocolate

[lawkitty]

I don't think I saw these listed specifically:
*cream cheese wontons, if you like cranberries, mix in some fresh cranberries and sugar, serve with a sweet and sour sauce.
*cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches: spread cream cheese on pumpernickel bread, slice seedless cucumer into thin discs, layer atop cream cheese. These sound so simple, but are fantastic.
*midnight snack: saltine crackers spread with peanut butter and cream cheese. yes, I am guilty! :)

[laliria]

My mom makes an easy chip dip with cream cheese. Soften and layer at the bottom of a pyrex pie pan (thats just what she used). Cover with the canned chili of your choice, then some cheddar cheese, and bake until heated through.

Served with fritos, it's heaven!

[puddin head]

spread in a bowl, dump a can of lump crabmeat over, cover this in cocktail sauce. Quick and easy yummy cracker spread.

[kchurchill5]

Oldie, but still good. I'll be the first to dig in

[Emmmily]

I put it on toast with pesto or with salt on a matzoh cracker. Or sautee some zucchini in olive oil, when it gets soft add cream cheese, pesto, and chopped tomato. Delicious either over pasta or on its own.

[chef chicklet]

On Saturday, I took a large bun of clean fresh spinach, took the stems off. Sauteed it in some butter and two large cloves of garlic smooshed with salt and oil. Then squeezed all the juice out. Took a bar of cream cheese and tore it into pieces, dropped it into the food processor with regualar blade, then added a cup and 1/3 of mayonniase. Tobasco, sea salt, fresh cracked pepper. Quite a bit, I just tasted it until it was right for me.
Then I whipped it, mixing it well, the mixture was very fluffy and creamy. I added parmesean cheese, finely grated 1 cup, pulsed again, then I added the drained spinach and pulsed it a few times. Dumped it into a small ceramic baking loaf. Topped with parmesean cheese, and baked it uncovered til golden and bubbly for about 30 minutes.
I had some mini bagles that I split, I toasted them off in in a 350 degree oven.

Served the fresh spinach dip with the bagels... sooooo good!

[parnoss]

Cut a thick bread slice and make a slit in it (i.e. a pocket) Stuff the pocket with cream cheese and marmalade, and then use it to make french toast using any regular french toast recipe (I like to add vanilla and cinammon sugar to the egg/cream batter)

Hint: Go easy on the syrup to keep it lower calorie! <gg>

[umbushi plum]

wow, i think i;ll try this but withou the jam marmalade part so more of a savoury french toast (i always thought it was savoury until i turned 16 a year ago)

[cackalackie]

I include it in my black bean and sweet potato burrito filling. Adds some richness and body.

(I saute onions in spices, then add a can of drained black beans, maybe some drained tomatoes, then some diced cooked sweet potato. Stir in some cream cheese until it's melted and blended. Then wrap up in a tortilla.)

[Full tummy]

Throw a little into scrambled eggs--makes it v. creamy and delicious. Or, use it in a frittata or quiche.

[RVAwino]

God help me for posting this as I really don't like this woman....but, Giada has a really good recipe for penne in a spinch sauce with cream cheese that is sooooo good. I've also made it with fresh arugula and it's even better.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/gi...

I usually add some lemon zest. Go easy on the garlic though..since it's raw it will really overpower the dish if you use too much.

[jmckee]

I wonder if you could roast or saute or "sweat" the garlic first.....that would tame it.

[grant.cook]

Coeur de creme - a fun dessert.. or a shrimp mold, if you want to have nice appetizer..

[MazDee]

Soften and mix with mango chutney. Serve with your favorite crackers or pita chips. Delish.

[MazDee]

I forgot to say, add a little curry powder. This was my surprise hit this year and takes 5 minutes to make. There are many ingredients in the chutney, and no one can figure out how you got this complex flavor. But, everyone loves it and asks for the recipe. When I tell them, they can't believe it is so simple.

[phantomdoc]

Drop it in the food processor with 1/2 of a six ounce jar of marinated artichoke hearts. Great schmear on a bagel.

[umbushi plum]

LOVE that idea!

[Den]

Make rugelach, it uses cream cheese in the dough.

[Deenso]

Let it soften to room temp in a mixing bowl. While you're waiting, fry up a few strips of bacon, drain and let cool. While you're waiting for the bacon to cool, slice a bunch of pimento-stuffed olives. Then chop the bacon into small bits. Throw the sliced olives and the chopped bacon into the softened cream cheese and stir to combine. This makes a really good spread on toast.

[icey]

You could make Martha Stewart's version of her spinach dip. It is DIVINE!http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/h...

[Paula76]

I mix cream cheese with the beaten eggs to make a baked frittatta and it turns out nice and firm. I also make a date cake using a pot of cream cheese, one and a half of self-raising wholemeal flour, one pot of molasses or brown sugar, 2 or 3 eggs and some chopped dates. It's quite light but very tasty.

[LadyCook61]

How about Pickapeppa on top of the bar of cheese? You can spread it on crackers. Also I like to add about a tablespoon of cream cheese in my eggs.

[jmckee]

Or jalapeno jelly. Set it out with Wheat Thins and you've got a nice snack.

[lexpatti]

I love a great pepper jelly on top of a bar of cream cheese: Tyler's Revenge is awesome:
http://www.tylerssweetrevenge.com/

[kattyeyes]

Along the same lines, try Nip 'n Tang in place of Pickapeppa.
http://www.nipntang.com/

[kchurchill5]

I use herbed cheese which is basically the same thing in a sense if on hand, but cream cheese too with some fresh dill smoked salmon. That is great scrambeled eggs. I like to put those in a tomato sandwich wrap with some fresh arugula and thin sliced shallots. The hot eggs and warmed wrap slightly wilts the arugula and warms the onions. Perfect breakfast!!

[kubasd]

Mold in a bowl, top with chopped walnuts, parsley, and cocktail sauce, serve with chilled shrimp and crackers... had that today and it's my fave easy appetizer....

[Yukari]

We use cream cheese for small eggrolls or potstickers. Mix it with some smoked or cooked salmon, wrap in a potsticker or egg roll skin and fry.

[RLTRLDY]

I have spritzed my egg rolls with cooking spray and baked or broiled from a frozen state. Less fat and truly yummy! Also, I use spring roll wrappers instead of egg roll wrappers because they cook up crispier!

[kattyeyes]

What an excellent idea! I haven't made egg rolls or spring rolls in years, but I would be willing to give it a try again using this method. Nice!

[jpc8015]

What CAN'T you do with Philadelphia Cream Cheese?

[rednails]

Cream Cheese Cookies

1 stick butter, room temp
1 cup sugar
1 brick cream cheese, room temp
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract*
1/2 cup chopped walnuts*

Cream butter and sugar together, then add cream cheese and cream together til well blended. Add flour, vanilla and nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls on an ungreased cookie sheet or pan. Bake at 350F til just light brown, then let cool on a rack.

*I add more vanilla and nuts.

This recipe was created by Sid Caesar's personal chef over 50 years ago. It's my go-to recipe for easy cookies.

[bigfellow]

I buy the bars, whip the cream cheese and add chives. Goes great on my toasted bagel. ( yeah, I know...toasted)

[Val]

yep, cream cheese and herbs/chives go very well together!

[fern]

mix it up with lots of sliced pimento-stuffed olives and chopped walnuts. Add a bit of cream or milk to loosen it up if you like it softer and use as a sandwich or bagel spread.

[julesrules]

We used to make a yummy sandwich at a place I worked, called the "Greek spinach". It was cream cheese, feta, chopped fresh spinach (but frozen would probably work), and walnuts blended to a thick spread. Another good one was the "jardiniere" - cream cheese with a little dijon and whatever fresh herbs we had, plus S + P. You can also add minced onion, worcestershire sauce, etc - whatever appeals. Topped with grated carrot and thinly slice cucumber.

[kchurchill5]

On pumpernickle I mix cream cheese with dill, smoked salmon thin sliced shallots, arugula and sliced olives topped with thin cucumber slices and a layer of cream cheese on the other size.

Very very good. Chilled with a good light potato soup or cheese soup or tomato soup. It is a great lite dinner

[goodhealthgourmet]

and in case you need even more ideas...

http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/search/SearchResults.aspx?searchType=cat&searchtext=&ingredient=cream%20cheese

http://lovemyphilly.com/weeks-best-philly-recipes/

http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/Products/P-R/PHILADELPHIACreamCheese.aspx

http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Trusted...

[Val]

Carrot cupcakes with cream cheese frosting...someone brought these in to work a couple of weeks ago...they were SO light and delicious (it does entail grating the carrots on the smaller holes of a box grater)...she said the recipe was from Good Housekeeping and she printed the recipe for us. Not sure if you are looking for savory or sweet. I agree with kc that cream cheese makes a very nice cheesy herb sauce for meatballs, chicken, what have you. I have an old-school recipe for meatballs in herb-cheese sauce that calls for cream cheese.

[kchurchill5]

I make a great cheese sauce with peas and ham and pasta, some herbs, cream cheese and fontina and some broth. Decadent

Cream cheese with sauteed spinach, a little broth, fennel or onions and garlic. Excellent

Mixed with potatoes twice baked or make a scalloped cream dish, sliced with some broth herbs the cream cheese and topped with cheddar.

A spicy chipolte and cream cheese dip

Sun dried tomatoes and cream cheese and spices for a great dip with nachos or use as a spread on a tortilla ... top with chicken and avacados and pepper jack and grill. Dinner

Cream cheese balls with pecans, scallions, cranberries, apricots rolled in a nuts mixture and chilled and served as an appetizer or as a spread over sweet baquettes Even fill in celery for a snack which is great.

Mix with cheddar and fill inside a jalapeno, wrap with bacon and bake. Amazing appetizer.

Mix with scallions, sundried, olives, spinach and stuff in a chicken breast and roll. Dip in bread crumbs and pan sear. Bake until gooey and great. Thin slice and serve it is a great easy chicken dish.

Also good with some cream, white wine and fresh herbs as a light sauce over vegetables.

Mushrooms, cream cheese sauce, pasta with asparagus and roasted onions.

Let me know if you want any specific recipes.

[Aimee]

thanks - these sound great! I would love the chicken recipe. I think my husband would love it.

[kchurchill5]

It is so easy. And no exact measurements. I use as many of each ingredients and basically just make a cheese spread. Frozen spinach, scallions, sundried tomatoes (not in oil), olives, spinach and pound a boneless breast out and roll. I just dip in egg and then bread crumbs. A simple pan sear or pan fry until done. They don't take long. Gooey and great for me and pretty easy.

[ilikefood]

Crab Rangoon !! Not surprisingly Very Delish.

Slathered* on Snyder's Sourdough Hard Pretzels !!! Surprisingly Very Delish.

* You smear, or more accurately-shmear, cream cheese on a bagel. You slather cream cheese on SSHP.

[maplesugar]

Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos a la Pioneer Woman: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/20... :)

[BernalKC]

You could whip it if th's how you like it. Warm it up just enough to work it with the mixer, whip it up, and re-cool it.

If that's not interesting enough, there are tons of cheese spread and cheese ball recipies based on cream cheese. Any combination of herbs, nuts, sweets, other cheeses (bleu!), cured meats... whatever direction you might want to take it.

[weezycom]

Make it into a spread for crackers with thawed/chopped & squeezed frozen spinach, lemon juice, S&P, a little cayenne, chopped scallions and garlic .

Add some sherry and crabmeat to the above and heat it up a little until creamy hot if company's coming.

[kattyeyes]

How 'bout cheesecake brownies? I haven't made this particular recipe before, but I've made others and they're great. This one's from David Lebovitz, so am sure it rocks. If you have your own favorite brownie recipe, you could just sub in his cream cheese/cheesecake swirly part.

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives...