What can I make with cream cheese?

Question

I accidentally bought one too many packages of cream cheese for a recipe I made last night, so now I have an extra package of cream cheese sitting around. I could just spread it on bagels, but I'd love to find something more interesting to do with it. Do you have any suggestions for what to make with cream cheese?

Answer 1

If you're in the mood for trying out something new, then check out BonAppetit.com's recipe for trout roe and turnip toast. On the other hand, if you want to do something for the holidays, consider cream cheese Christmas cookies!

BBCGoodFood has a list of 10 ideas for using up leftover cream cheese if neither of those ideas appeal to you. They do recommend using the cream cheese sooner rather than later. It only lasts a week or possibly two after the seal is broken, and freezing is not recommended. Besides, why freeze it? If you don't have any inclination to use it now, you probably wouldn't later anyway.

Four signs of spoilage to look out for are mold, sour smells, watery or slimy texture, and tinges of gray or yellow colors.

Finally, a great website to use anytime you have leftover ingredients or excess foods of any kind is AllRecipes.com. You can type it one or multiple items together and it will pull up recipes that use those ingredients so you have ideas on what to do with leftovers. Just use the ingredient search at the top of the page.

[1]http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/trout-roe-and-turnip-toast

[2]http://www.cooks.com/recipe/za1vk8t8/christmas-cream-cheese-cookies.html

[3]http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/top-10-ways-use-leftover-cream-cheese

[4]http://allrecipes.com/recipes/16115/ingredients/dairy/cheese/cream-cheese/

Answer 2

 

One of my favorite things to do with cream cheese is to mix it with a few chopped green olives. You basically add olives to taste; put the cream cheese in a bowl, add a little of the juice from the olive jar and then throw in some chopped olives. Mix it all up and then determine if you need more olives and more olive juice.

 

In my family, we like to spread the cream cheese mixture on crackers, celery, etc to make little appetizers. It's perfect for a holiday gathering! You can also put it on bagels to mix things up a bit.

 

Or, what about a little spinach artichoke dip? This recipe (http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/spinach-artichoke-dip) looks great; you just need spinach, salt, vegetable oil, a shallot, a garlic clove, black pepper, cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, artichoke hearts, and grated Parmesan.

 

Finally, this site is a great resource with a lot of different options: 

 

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/ingredients/cheese-recipes/cream-cheese-recipes

Answer 3

You can actually freeze your cream cheese, but the texture of thawed cream cheese will not be creamy and smooth like fresh cream cheese. So, you would not want to use pre-frozen cream cheese for spreads. However, you can use it in casseroles, soups and recipes that require cooking with it with great results. [1]

How about trying some Cream Cheese Cookies?




Or you can try this Cream Cheese Potato Soup:




Here are some healthy recipe ideas. [2]


[1] http://thekrazycouponlady.com/at-home/how-to-freeze-cream-cheese/


[2] http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/recipe_slideshows/healthy_recipes_with_cream_cheese

Answer 4

 

There are so many things you can do with a package of cream cheese. You can use cream cheese to make a delicious cream cheese frosting for you cakes and pies or some delicious buffalo chicken dip.

 

To make cream cheese frosting, allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature. Place your block of cream cheese in a mixing bowl along with 1/4 cup of softened butter, a dash of salt and a teaspoon of vanilla.

Beat the ingredients until soft and fluffy. Then, gradually add 2 to 3 cups of confectioners' sugar to the cream cheese until it is spreading consistency. 

 

Buffalo chicken dip is a delicious spicy dip that can be spread on crackers, vegetables and chips. This hot dish yields approximately 2 cups of warm, gooey dip.

Spread one block of cream cheese in the bottom of a 1 quart baking dish.  Top with 10 ounces of cooked white chicken, 1/2 cup of buffalo sauce, 1/2 cup ranch dressing and 2 cups of Colby Jack cheese.

Bake the dip in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes until the cheese is melted. Serve with French baguette slices, crackers, and vegetables.