Tag Archives: cream cheese

7 Layer Fiesta Dip

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 2543b7f1ae6d7299_seven-layer-dip.xxxlarge
  • 1 can (16 ounces) refried beans
  • 1 container (16 ounces) sour cream
  • 1 package taco Seasoning Mix
  • 1 package (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese, (2 cups)
  • 1 cup prepared guacamole
  • 1 cup chopped tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup sliced green onions
  • 1/2 cup sliced black olives
  • Tortilla chips
  • Spread refried beans in shallow serving dish.
  • Mix sour cream and Seasoning Mix in small bowl until well blended. Spread over refried beans.
  • Top with layers of cheese, guacamole, tomatoes, onions and olives. Serve with tortilla chips.
Makes 8 cups or 64 (2-tablespoon) servings.

Smoked Oyster Pate from food52.com

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download1 8 oz tub cream cheese
3 tablespoons milk
4 tablespoons green onions, finely chopped white and some green parts
3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce, or to taste
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 4 oz can smoked oysters, drained and chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 baguette, sliced into thin rounds
Butter, to taste

  1. COMBINE: In a medium bowl, pour the cream cheese, milk, green onions, Worcestershire, Tabasco, garlic, and parsley. Stir to combine. If the mixture seems too thick, thin it with a teaspoon or two more milk. ( It should be thick but everything should be evenly blended.) Fold in the oysters. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  2. TOAST: Spread butter, to taste, on one side of each round of baguette. Place in a 400 degree oven until lightly toasted.
  3. SERVE: Place the oyster pate and the toast on a serving tray. Each guest can place a dollop of the pate onto a round of toast.

 

 

Curried Snowball from Stop and Smell the Rosemary-Houston Junior League

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3c133-dscn02988 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese (1 cup)
3 tablespoons dry sherry
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
4 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper
4 – 6 ounces mango chutney
1 cup minced green onion
1 cup finely chopped peanuts
1 cup grated coconut

Combine cheeses, sherry, Worcestershire, curry powder, garlic powder, white pepper and cayenne in a small bowl; blend well.

  • Line a 2 cup bowl with plastic wrap, leaving a 4-inch overhang.
  • Press cheese mixture into bowl.
  • Fold plastic overhang over top and cover with another piece of plastic wrap.
  • Refrigerate at least 4 hours (better if chilled a day or two) or freeze.
  • Before serving, unfold plastic wrap and invert on serving plate.
  • (If frozen, defrost before adding topping).
  • Spoon chutney over top.
  • Sprinkle with green onions, peanuts and coconut.
  • Serve chilled with crackers.

 

cinna-buns from king arthur

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1-R305Dough
1 cup (8 ounces) lukewarm milk
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup unsalted butter, cut up
4 3/4 cups (20 ounces) Mellow Pastry Blend OR 4 1/2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

Filling
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3 tablespoons  ground cinnamon

Icing
one 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups glazing or confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Manual/Mixer Method: Combine all of the dough ingredients in a large mixing bowl, stirring till the mixture becomes cohesive. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and knead it for 5 to 8 minutes, till it’s smooth. Or knead it in an electric mixer, using the dough hook, for 4 to 7 minutes at medium speed. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turn to grease all sides, cover the bowl with a proof cover or plastic wrap, and let it rise for 60 minutes, till it’s nearly doubled in bulk.

Assembly: Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface, and roll it into a 16 x 21-inch rectangle. Spread the dough with the 1/3 cup butter. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle it evenly over the dough.

Starting with a short end, roll the dough into a log, and cut it into 12 slices. Place the buns in a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch pan. Cover the pan with a proof cover or plastic wrap, and let the buns rise until they’re nearly doubled, about 30 minutes.

Bake the buns in a preheated 400°F oven until they’re golden brown, about 15 minutes. While the buns are baking, make the icing.

Icing: In a small bowl, beat together the cream cheese, butter, sugar, and vanilla. Spread the icing on the buns while they’re warm. Yield: 12 big buns.

 

Jane Grigson’s Celery Soup from food52

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  • 12308928433_46006b141a_b1/2 pound celery, chopped (4 large stalks about 2 cups)
  • 1/2 onion chopped 
  • 1-2 diced small potatos
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 4 cups veggie stock
  • 1/2 c. cream, half and half or milk
  • About 1 teaspoons dill weed * (2 teaspoons for fresh dill)
  1. Stew celery, onion, and potato gently in the butter in a covered pan for 10 minutes. Don’t let the vegetables brown. Add stock or water, s & p to taste and 1/2 teaspoon of dill weed. Simmer for 20 minutes.
  2. Blend or purée the soup.  Add cream. Bring slowly to just under the boil, and more dill weed if required.
  3.  Serves 4, 6 if the rest of the meal is fairly copious

Notes:  * I only used 1/2 tsp dill as I thought more would be overpowering.  I used an immersion blender.

 

Pancotto (Tuscan Bread Soup)

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pancotto_IMG_6138_food52

  • 1/2 pound (250 grams) stale white bread (Italian style loaf), crusts on
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
  • 1/2 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 small carrot, finely chopped
  • 1 celery stick, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp marjoram
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1 pinch salt
  • pinch chili flakes
  • 1 teaspoon dried chile (or chopped fresh chile)
  • 4 cups (1 liter) water or veggie stock 
  • 3/4 cup (80 grams) finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, divided
  • Handful of fresh parsley
  1. Roughly chop the bread into chunks, pass under some cold running water quickly to soften (but not soak), and crumble into pieces. Set aside.
  2. Add the olive oil to a large casserole or soup pot, and gently saute the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic with a pinch of salt until softened but not browned, about 10 minutes. Add the chile and water and bring to a boil. Add herbsLet simmer gently until the vegetables (in particular the carrot) are cooked through and the broth is fragrant, about 10 minutes.
  3. Add the bread and cook until the soup has become thick and creamy with the appearance of oatmeal, about 10 minutes. Stir through half the cheese and remove from the heat. Let sit a further 5 to 10 minutes, covered, before serving in shallow bowls with the rest of the cheese sprinkled on top, some herbs, and a drizzle of olive oil.  Serves 4

 

Crispy Baked Pasta with Mushrooms, Sausage, and Parmesan Cream Sauce

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from serious eats

    • 1 cup Panko-style 20140930-past-mushroom-sausage-cast-iron-baked-41bread crumbs
    • 6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
    • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
    • 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh chives
    • 2 small shallots, finely minced (about 1/2 cup)
    • 2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
    • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 8 ounces veggie sausage (mild or hot), removed from casings
    • 1 pound mixed mushrooms (such as portobello, shiitake, and oyster), cleaned and thinly sliced
    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon
    • 2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 2 cups homemade or store-bought veggie stock
    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • 12 ounces fresh or 8 ounces dried ridged pasta such as rotini or campanelle

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and keep at a bare simmer. Combine bread crumbs, 2 ounces cheese, half of parsley, half of chives, 1/4 of shallots, and 1/4 of garlic in a medium bowl and massage with hands until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper

Melt butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until foaming. Add sausage and cook, mashing it with a potato masher or a wooden spoon until broken up and well browned, about 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer sausage to a small bowl, leaving fat behind.

Increase heat to high, add mushrooms to skillet, and cook, stirring frequently, until moisture has evaporated and mushrooms are well-browned, about 10 minutes. Add shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add soy sauce and lemon juice and stir to combine.

Add flour and cook, stirring, until a thin film begins to form on the bottom of the pan, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in chicken broth followed by heavy cream. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in remaining grated cheese until melted. Stir in remaining parsley and chives. Stir in sausage. Season to taste with salt and lots of black pepper.

Adjust rack to 10 inches below broiler element and preheat broiler to high. Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions, removing it when still just shy of al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid. Return to pot. Add mushroom mixture and stir to combine, adding liquid to adjust consistency. Pasta should be very loose but not soupy. Return to cast iron skillet and top with bread crumbs. Broil until golden brown, rotating pan as necessary, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Tomato and Cream Cheese Turnovers from food52.com

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  • tomato_cheese_turnover_26 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 2 large eggs (one is for an egg wash)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 sheets of all-butter puff pastry dough, defrosted
  • 1 large tomato, sliced in 1/4-inch thick slices
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • Flour, for dusting
  1. Heat your oven to 375° F. In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and one egg plus a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Beat until smooth.
  2. On a floured surface, roll the first sheet of puff pastry out to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut it into 6 rectangles. Spread some cream cheese mixture on each rectangle and place a bit of tomato on top of the cream cheese. To make more reasonably sized pastries, fold each of the rectangles over their filling and press the edges well with a fork to seal them, then repeat with the next sheet of puff pastry. To make big pastries, put more filling on each of the rectangles, then roll out the next sheet of puff pastry, cut that into 6 rectangles and put one on top of each of the rectangles with filling, then press around the edges with a fork to seal. Transfer the pastries to two baking sheets.
  3. Whisk the second egg with a tiny splash of water, then brush each pastry with some of the egg wash and sprinkle them with sesame seeds.
  4. Bake each sheet of pastries in the oven until golden brown and puffed, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Allow to cool slightly before eating, but these guys are definitely best eaten fresh. Otherwise the puff pastry gets a little sad and the tomato gets soggy. Makes 6 very large or 12 more modest pastries

 

Brownie Puddle from: The Pie and Pastry Bible, Rose Levy Beranbaum

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1 cup pecan pieces or coarsely chopped pecans (I used 1.5 cups walnuts)
14 tbsps. unsalted butter
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate (I used 3.5 oz. bar of Lindt 70%)
1/2 cup + 2 teas. unsweetened cocoa, preferably fine-quality
Dutch-processed (I used Hershey’s, but it is Dutch-processed)
1 cup + 3 tbsp. sugar
3 large eggs
2 teas. pure vanilla extract
3 oz. cream cheese cut into pieces
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
pinch salt

Ganache Puddle
2/3 of a 3 oz. bar of bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup heavy cream, at room temperature

Equipment:
A 9.5 inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, bottom greased, lined with parchment, and then lightly sprayed with nonstick vegetable spray.

Preheat over to 325 degrees at least 15 minutes before bake. Set an oven
rack in the middle of the oven before preheating.

Please the pecans on a cookie sheet and toast them. stirring occasionally,
for about 10 minutes or just until the color deepens slightly. Cool
completely.

In a double boiler over hot water or in microwave-proof bowl, melt the
butter and chocolate, stirring two or three times. If using a double
boiler, transfer the mixture to a bowl.

Beat the cocoa, then the sugar, into the chocolate mixture, beating until
incorporated. (If you are doing this by hand, use a whisk.) Beat in the
eggs and vanilla. When incorporated, beat in the cream cheese until only
small bits remain. Add the flour and salt and mix only until the flour is
fully moistened. Stir in the nuts.

Place the prepared tart pan on a cookie sheet to catch any possible leaks.
Scrape the batter into the pan and spread it evenly. It will fill the pan
almost to the top.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the batter has set. A toothpick
inserted 1 inch from the side should come out clean. The mixture will puff
and rise a little above the sides but sinks on cooling.

Make the ganache puddle

While the brownie is baking, prepare the puddle. Melt the chocolate in a
double boiler over hot but not simmering water, stirring occasionally, or
in a microwave, using 15 second burst on high power and stirring several
times. Add the cream and stir gently until the mixture is smooth and dark.
If necessary (if the cream was too cold and the mixture is not entirely
smooth), return it to the heat and stir until totally fluid and uniform in
color.

As soon as the brownie is removed from the oven, grease the end of a wooden
spoon (1/2 inch diameter) and insert it into the brownie at 1 inch
intervals, all the way to the bottom, twisting slightly as your insert and
withdraw it to create 23 to 28 little holes. Using a small spoon or a
re-closable freezer bag with a small piece cut off one corner, fill the
holes with the ganache until slightly rounded on top (you will need at
least 1/2 teaspoon for each). Place the pan on a wire rack and cool
completely. The chocolate puddles will sink in as the brownie cools and
more ganache can be added to fill in any depressions as long as the brownie
is still warm enough to melt it. (If necessary, you can set the tart under
a lamp to heat the ganache puddles and make them smooth.)

Unmold the tart, and place it onto a serving plate. To serve, use a thin
sharp knife to cut into wedges. Oven temperature: 325 F
Baking time: 30 to 35 minutes
Serves: 8

Store:  Wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container room temperature, up to 1 week; refrigerated, up to 1 month; frozen, several
months. Try it frozen or chilled if you like a chewy brownies, at room temperature for a softer creamier texture.

CARAMEL VARIATION: Caramel blends perfectly with the chocolate and pecans and is wonderful both at room temperature and refrigerated, when it becomes more sticky and chewy. Make a half recipe of the Caramel Sauce and use it in place of the chocolate puddle glaze. It is easiest to pipe it into the holes. The caramel will pipe when warm or at room temperature.

blueberry cheesecake jars from www.chindeep.com/

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cheesecakejars

They’re easy to put together, cute, and they travel well too. If blueberries aren’t your thing, you can easily substitute cherries, lemon, chocolate pudding, or peaches for the blueberries. Just make sure you’re using ready-to-go pie filling, and not just canned fruit, or your cheesecakes will get soggy.

for the graham cracker crust layer:
1 heaping cup of graham cracker crumbs
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup melted butter

Combine all of the graham cracker crust ingredients and “tamp” about 3 Tablespoons into each of 6 half-pint canning jars.

for the cheesecake layer:
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon or orange zest

Place all of the cheesecake ingredients in the bowl of a counter top mixer. Whip until smooth and fluffy. Divide evenly among the 6  (half pint) jars… on top of the graham cracker crust layer.

for the blueberry layer:

TIP: a little almond extract will make canned pie filling taste fresh and wonderful!
1 (20 oz.) can blueberry pie filling
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract

Mix fruit filling with extract and divide evenly among the 6 jars. Place lids on jars an refrigerate until ready to eat.

Add a dollop of whipped cream to the tops of the jars and sprinkle with a little nutmeg if desired. ~ serves 6 ~