HELP - ISO Cream Cheese Recipes

[RUSTYSMOM]

How is this for an odd request? I bought several packages of Lowfat and fat free cream cheeses at the beginning of the summer when they were on sale (this is what get). Now I have 3 LF and 1 FF left...any ideas - other than cheesecake0 of ways I can use these up???

Thanks:confused:

[Holly in KC]

Check out the recipe for roasted pepper-cheese dip in LynnSC's post: Dinner Group Reviews of Asst. Recipes. Looks really good!!

[munchies]

mmm....make something with cream cheese icing! YUMMY! One of our favorites is the applesauce spice cake (or cupcakes). We usually make them in the fall/winter b/c of the spice, but they are wonderful any time.

For some reason, I seem to think that the CL fettucine alfredo recipe called for cream cheese. Maybe not....:confused:

[munchies]

mmm....make something with cream cheese icing! YUMMY! One of our favorites is the applesauce spice cake (or cupcakes). We usually make them in the fall/winter b/c of the spice, but they are wonderful any time.

For some reason, I seem to think that the CL fettucine alfredo recipe called for cream cheese. Maybe not....:confused:

How about a cream cheese fruit dip? Combine cream cheese with marshmallow creme and dip fresh fruit in it! I'm sure this isn't very lowfat, but --- at least you're getting in your fruit servings!

Let us know what you decide to make!

Heather

[munchies]

sorry about the double post!

[mightyh]

http://www.cookinglight.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7924&highlight=rigatoni+chunky+tomato

This link has a recipe we really liked.... I forget the exact name, but it's something like creamy pesto rigatoni with chunky tomato salsa.... A really nice summertime pasta dish a little out of the ordinary. And it uses cream cheese!

[Holly in KC]

Another great idea from Munchies! I've got a yummy recipe for a light carrot cake with a cream cheese frosting if you are interested.

-h

[ama47369]

How about Alysha's Easy Chicken Santa Fe? It is so yummy!!!

[AZLorena]

There is a terrific recipe on this site for Chile Con Queso. It uses FF cream cheese. My husband and I just loved it. I think we added a can of beans to the recipe.

[katygirl]

I just went to the Kraft website and typed in Cream Cheese. I am sure most of these recipes are not low fat but I bet you could play around with them. It gave me 435 recipes. Check it out :D


http://www.kraftfoods.com/templates/template3.jhtml?main=/recipe/recipeGrid&nav=/nav/recipeNav&returnURI=/templates/template2.jhtml&wf=8&returnMain=/recipe/ingredientSearch&returnNav=/nav/recipeNav&returnSubnav=/nav/recipe_search&_requestid=168562

Or just go the the kraft home page.

Hope this helps

Katy

[catharine]

I vote for the banana cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Yum!

[Jewel]

CL's Fettucine Alfredo is the first thing that came to my mind!! I also have a really good Cheesecake Bar Cookie recipe that I don't have with me, but it's made with lowfat Bisquick. Their website might have the recipe. Wherever I take that recipe, I'm mobbed. Bisquick, walnuts, brownsugar and melted butter pressed into the bottom of a 13 x 9 pan, a cheesecake-type mixture of cream cheese, sugar, milk and lemon juice spread over the Bisquick mixture, then more of the Bisquick mixture sprinkled on top and baked. YUM! Sorry to tease and not have the recipe, but it's somewhere! (blush...) If Bisquick has a site, I'm sure it's on there. I got it about 10 or 11 years ago. :D

[mightyh]

Back to the dessert theme, what about those yummy lemon bars from earlier this year? Or maybe they were in Dec 2000?

[Curleytop]

Here is a recipe for frosting that I got out of the ONE-POT CAKES
Book!

* Exported from MasterCook *

CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM ICINGS

Recipe By :ONE-POT CAKES, by Andew Schloss with Ken Bookman, pg 96 2001
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cakes Desserts
Frostings One Bowl Cakes


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
6 Ounces Semisweet chocolate chips -- Melted
1/2 Cup Sour Cream -- Regular or Reduced Fat

Melt the chocolate chips in a bowl set over boiling water or in a microwave at full power for 45 second. Stir until smooth. Mix in the sour cream until smooth.



Yield:
"1 Single Layer Cake"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

NOTES : Makes about 1 1/2 cups, or enough to generously ice a single cake layer!
Nut

[KLynn]

Here's what I like to do with cream cheese:

1. Mix the block of cheese with olive oil, basil, oregano, garlic, salt and cracked pepper for a great spread on crackers or french bread. Sometimes I mix in some feta as well.

2. This one sounds strange...but I promise it is great. Spread prepared horseradish over the entire block of cream cheese. Heat a jar of raspberry preserves in the microwave for about 15 seconds to soften it a bit. Stir it, and then spread it over the horseradish. Serve with wheat thins - I promise it is wonderful!

[guavagirl]

tiramisu!

[beejayw1]

Klynn's post made me think of this one, which is also odd-sounding but delicious:

take 1/2 C sesame seeds and toast them in a dry fry pan, stirring constantly till they are nutty brown in color

Press the sesame seeds into all sides of the block of cream cheese. (If your cream cheese is not in a block, turn it out of the container and, using a cold spatula, form it into a flat, block-like form. This is important0

Mix 1 c soy sauce with a couple dashes of hot sauce, whether oriental (preferable) or not. You can also use 1/4 tsp cayenne.

Pour soy over cream cheese and sesame seeds. Let it sit for 2 hours in the refrigerator. (You can also chill the block well before you pour the soy over it, put it in a zip-loc, and pour the soy over it) Let it marinate well.

Serve with wheat thins. You eat it by cutting slices from the block and spreading them on the crackers. Yummy!

You can also pour any sort of spicy, chutney-type relish over it and slice it.

[KimberlyE]

This weekend, I made those No Pudge Brownies with Cream Cheese from a former thread. They were pretty good and moist.

For an appetizer, we sometimes serve cream cheese topped with green jalapeno jelly with wheat thin crackers.

[KristaMB]

I have a recipe for Strawberry Cheesecake Squares With Gingersnap Crust that I cut out of the newspaper awhile ago. I made these and thought they were really good. They're not low fat, (they use 3 blocks of cream cheese!) but if you want me to post the recipe, I'd be happy to oblige.

[RUSTYSMOM]

Thanks for all of the great ideas. I am going to have to restock cream cheese to try them all!! :D

[TamiK]

A couple of ideas come to mind. You could do tortilla roll-ups. Mix green onion, green chilis, olives, and grated low-fat cheddar into softened cream cheese, spread on low-fat tortillas and roll up.

Another favorite here that I hadn't thought about in a while (too many new recipes to try) sounds strange, but is very good.

In a saucepan over low heat, mix one block of LF cream cheese with a packet of dry Italian salad dressing mix. Add 2 cups white wine. Cook until cream cheese is melted and sauce is smooth, stirring, stirring, stirring. :)

Meantime, brown some chicken breasts (as many as you need--this recipe will handle up to 8 easily). Put the chicken breasts in a baking dish, top with sauce, bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes, depending on how much you already cooked the chicken breasts.

[Jewel]

TamiK, that recipe sounds really good! Do you ever find the sauce to be extra salty? Seems like anytime I use dry salad dressing mix in a sauce or as a seasoning for roasted potatoes (like dry Ranch mix) the finished product tastes WAY too salty! I'd like to know if you've experienced this, since we're really sensitive to sodium in my house! I gave up making a lot of boxed rice and noodle mixes partly due to the sodium content, and partly because I felt better making my own!

Also, I use primarily fat free cream cheese. Ever had a problem with it clotting as it's heated?? Thanks for the help! :D

[TamiK]

Jewel, I'm pretty sodium sensitive, too, and it hasn't bothered me. I don't add any salt to the chicken or anything either. Maybe the cream cheese balances it out. I'm sure you could always cut back on the dry dressing mix and add a little at a time to taste, or just use half and supplement with some extra fresh or dried herbs.

I've done this with FF cream cheese and it's fine. The sauce seems to stay a little thinner, but that's okay. I watch the cooking time on mine to be sure the sauce doesn't all soak up and thicken so much that there's none left to spoon over rice or pasta.

If you try it with less dressing mix, let me know how it works. Now that I'm thinking about, cutting that back and adding other herbs to taste (I'm thinking tarragon would be yummy) could open new avenues of culinary delight! :D

[AndreaU]

May I add another suggestion?? One of my favorite cream cheese recipes is Veggie Bars (sometimes referred to as Veggie Pizza. I make it for parties and gatherings, but I'm sure it would make a great summer family treat to just have around. Though it usually doesn't last long- beware!

2 cans reduced-fat crescent rolls
2 8-ounce pkg. fat-free cream cheese or Neufchatel
1/4 cup fat-free or light mayonnaise
1 1-ounce pkg. ranch dressing mix
Assorted Veggies: shredded carrots, chopped peppers of various colors, broccoli florets, sliced mushrooms, sliced olives, etc.
Shredded cheddar or monteray jack cheese

Spread crescent dough to fill bottom of 11x15" pan, sealing seams together to make bottom crust. Bake according to package directions. Let cool completely.

Meanwhile, combine cream cheese, mayo & ranch dressing mix. Set aside. Spread over cooled crust.

Top with assorted veggies. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator at least 2 hours or overnight. Top with shredded cheese. Cut into squares and serve.

[Leanne]

I've got an easy chicken & spinach casserole that uses a block of cream cheese if you want it.

Actually - here it is - it's so easy.

1 block cream cheese, softened
1 can cream of chicken soup (or cream or mushroom)
1/2 to 1 lb cooked, chopped chicken (I'm sometimes not a huge meat eater)
1 8 oz thing of sour cream
1 block frozen spinach, thawed

Mix it all togther. Put it in a casserole dish & bake on 350 for 20-30 minutes (or until brown & bubbly).

Other things you can add - garlic, chopped onion, crumbled Ritz crackers on top...

[lorilei]

Or try out this outrageously good spinach artichoke dip :)

1 package cream cheese
2 T milk
2 eggs
1 green onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
pepper (to taste)
1 package (10 oz) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove moisture
4 oz artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 cup parmesan or romano cheese, grated
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375.

Whip cream cheese with milk until smooth. Blend in eggs. Add onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix in remaining ingredients until blended.

Pour into small, greased baking dish. Bake 30 minutes or until bubbly and slightly browned.
Garnish with a pinch of paprika. Serve with french bread, wheat crackers or tortilla chips.

[56grapeape]

Originally posted by KLynn
Here's what I like to do with cream cheese:

1. Mix the block of cheese with olive oil, basil, oregano, garlic, salt and cracked pepper for a great spread on crackers or french bread. Sometimes I mix in some feta as well.


KLynn....this sounds good! I may try this tonight. Does it seem sreally ricj on french bread? I was going to have it with out chicken/shrimp scampi, maybe taost the french bread, then spread the crm cheese on so it melts a little.

sounds yummy!