Mmmmm. Cream cheese. (Just imagine Homer Simpson's eyes rolling back in his head while rhapsodizing about doughnuts.)
My love of cream cheese rivals Homer's for doughnuts, and it started with a recipe my father came up with. All it required were two ingredients. He put a block of cream cheese and a can of Ro-Tel in a blender, and a few seconds later he had a cool and spicy dip.
We used chips, crackers, carrots or celery sticks as dippers. Over the years, salsa replaced the Ro-Tel, but the end result was still worthy of Homer's respect. (This concoction also makes a great salad dressing or sauce.)
A LITTLE HISTORY
According to Mary Bellis of thoughtco.com, "cream cheese was invented by American dairyman William Lawrence of Chester, N.Y., in 1872, when he accidentally developed a method of producing cream cheese while trying to reproduce a French cheese called Neufchatel. Lawrence distributed his brand in foil wrappers from 1880 under the name of the Empire Co.
"... He called his cheese Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese. Empire, of South Edmeston, N.Y., manufactured the cream cheese. ...
"James L. Kraft invented pasteurized cheese in 1912, and that led to the development of pasteurized Philadelphia Brand cream cheese. ..."
Kraft Foods still owns and produces it.
In most cases cream cheese and American Neufchatel cheese, which has one-third less fat and a quarter fewer calories, can be used interchangably. (French Neufchatel is quite different. It is similar to camembert or brie, with a rind and saltier flavor, and should not be used in place of cream cheese.)
I must now confess that I am a Lifetime Weight Watchers member and the recipes herein are not necessarily "on program."
I served this poundcake at a family gathering recently and there were no leftovers. That is a good sign.
Cream Cheese Poundcake
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
Confectioners' sugar, whipped cream and/or fresh berries for garnish, optional
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube or Bundt pan.
In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar gradually and beat until fluffy.
Add eggs two at a time, beating well with each addition. Add vanilla and almond extracts. Add the flour all at once and mix in.
Pour into prepared pan. Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes, checking for doneness after 1 hour. A wooden pick inserted near the center should come out clean when done. Let cake cool in pan 5 minutes, then invert onto a rack to cool 5 minutes more before removing pan. Cool completely. Serve topped with confectioners' sugar, whipped cream and/or berries, if desired.
Makes 14 servings.
Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com
This main course was the hit of a recent dinner party.
Chicken Alfredo Pesto Pasta
1/2 pound angel hair pasta
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 large red bell pepper, cut into strips
2 cups milk
4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons prepared pesto
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add chicken and peppers; cook and stir 7 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken and peppers to a plate.
In the same skillet, stir together milk and cream cheese; cook, whisking frequently, until cream cheese is completely melted and sauce is well blended. Return chicken and peppers to skillet, add parmesan and pesto; stir. Cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until thickened.
Drain pasta. Add to cooked chicken and cream cheese sauce; toss to coat.
Makes 4 servings.
Recipe adapted from Kraft Foods
This casserole is from a longtime co-worker and was also a winner with recent dinner guests.
Green Chile Corn Casserole
4 tablespoons butter
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
¼ cup milk
2 (11-ounce) cans shoepeg corn, drained
1 (4-ounce) can green chiles, drained
2 teaspoons dried parsley
Heat oven to 300 degrees.
In a heavy saucepan, melt butter, cream cheese and milk over medium heat. Stir until smooth.
Add corn and chiles and stir to combine.
Place into a greased 8-inch-square baking dish, sprinkle with dried parsley and bake 30 minutes.
Makes 6 servings.
Recipe adapted from Denise Dorton
A college friend gave me this recipe when strawberries came into season. It is delicious and makes an impressive presentation on your dinner table. And it's OK if your eyes roll back in your head.
Strawberry Pizza
Crust:
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioners' sugar
Filling:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 (8-ounce) containers whipped topping OR 2 cups whipping cream
Glaze:
3 to 4 pounds fresh strawberries, divided use
1 (12-ounce) can lemon-lime soda such as 7Up or Sprite
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup granulated sugar
Red food coloring, optional
Whipped topping or whipped cream, for serving
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine butter, flour and sugar; press in 14-inch pizza pan. Bake 15 minutes or until golden. Let cool.
In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, vanilla, confectioners' sugar and whipped topping or whipping cream until fluffy. Set aside.
Hull the strawberries. Cut each berry in half or slice lengthwise. Crush enough of the berries to make 1 cup. Set aside the remaining berries.
In a saucepan, whisk together the soda, cornstarch, sugar, a few drops of red food coloring (if desired) and 1 cup crushed strawberries; bring to a boil, whisking or stirring for 2 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat and cool.
Spread cream cheese filling over cooled crust. Arrange remaining halved or sliced berries over filling and brush or pour glaze over berries. Chill well before serving. Serve with a dollop of whipped topping or whipped cream, if desired.
Makes 12 to 16 servings.
Recipe adapted from Susan Turnbo
Sausage and Spinach Bake
1 pound bulk pork sausage
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup half-and-half
2 refrigerated pie crusts OR 1 (8-ounce) can refrigerated crescent rolls
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large skillet, cook sausage, mushrooms, onion and garlic over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink, breaking up sausage into crumbles. Drain. Add spinach, mozzarella cheese, cream cheese and half-and-half to sausage mixture; cook and stir until blended. Transfer to a greased 13-by-9-inch baking dish.
Unroll pie crusts and place on flat surface. Cut away pieces to form 2 small rectangles. (You will have some leftover dough.) Press each part together and carefully place crust on top of mixture in baking dish. Or, if using crescent rolls, separate crescent roll dough into individual portions. Place on flat surface and press together to form rectangle. Use rolling pin to flatten. Carefully place on top of mixture in baking dish. Bake 25 minutes or until heated through and crust is golden brown.
Makes 10 servings.
Recipe adapted from tasteofhome.com
Cream Cheese Grits
4 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup quick-cooking grits
3 ounces cream cheese
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons butter
Fresh snipped chives, optional garnish
Bring water and salt to boil on medium-high heat.
Add grits slowly, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until desired tenderness and consistency.
Cut cream cheese into chunks and add to grits with garlic powder, cheddar cheese and butter. Stir until well blended. Top with chives, if desired, just before serving.
Makes 8 servings.
Recipe adapted from southernbite.com
This gelatin-based recipe is one that I substituted for my mom's holiday-only Hanover salad. None of the grandkids or great-grandkids will touch the Hanover salad so I tried to find a recipe they would eat. I guess it was a success because they ate it.
Cream Cheese Lemon-Lime Dessert
1 (3-ounce) package lime gelatin
1 (3-ounce) package lemon gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened and cubed
2 cups whipping or heavy cream
1 (20-ounce) can pineapple tidbits, drained
2 cups chopped nuts
Stir gelatin into saucepan of boiling water. When dissolved, transfer to large bowl. Mix in cubed cream cheese with electric mixer. Leave in refrigerator until the mixture starts to gel but has not fully set (at least an hour).
Whip cream until soft peaks form. Fold cream into gelatin; add pineapple and nuts and stir until mixed completely. Pour mixture into a 13-by-9-inch dish and return to refrigerator for at least 2 hours to set.
Makes 12 servings.
Recipe from cooks.com
The original version of this recipe comes from Heloise. I tweaked the flavor a bit because I like it spicy.
Olive Nut Spread
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup sliced green olives or salad olives
2 tablespoons olive juice, from olive jar
Black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/4 cup jalapenos, chopped
Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate an hour or longer. Serve with raw vegetables, crackers or spread on sandwiches.
Recipe adapted from Heloise.com
Food on 08/16/2017