BellaOnline Forums Food and Wine Quick Cooking Cream Cheese?

Got alot of cream cheese in the house. I have about 5 bricks and 2 tubs. Already made a cheesecake. Need help using it because I can't eat THAT many bagels . What quick cooking ideas do you have? I'm not that great of a cook so easy stuff would be great.

2 recipes that are very similar but cook in very different ways (depending on when you have time)

Slow cooker cream cheese chicken:
6-8 boneless chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom soup
6 - 8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup sherry
1 Tbsp minced garlic
salt and pepper

1. put chicken in slow cooker
2. sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper
3. sprinkle with miced garlic
4. mix mushroom soup & sherry together, pour over chicken
5. cut cream cheese into pieces and spread over soup mixture
6. cook on low 6-8 hours
7. serve with rice or pasta


Chicken w/ cream cheese pan sauce
4-6 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 Cup plain flour
salt pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tvsp butter
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp minced shallot
1/2 Tbsp chopped rosemary
1/2 Tbsp chopped thyme
1/2 Cup chicken broth
4 oz cream cheese - cut up

1. in lage ziploc bag, mix flour, salt, and pepper - coat chicken pieces
2. heat olive oil & butter in large skillet over medium heat, add garlic, shallots, rosemary, and thyme - until garlic turns golden.
3. add chicken pieces to pan - cook 5 minutes on each side - remove to plate and keep warm.
4. add chicken broth and stir to release all the flavorful pieces that might be stuck to the pan.
5. add cream cheese a bit at a time, whisking until smooth - about 5 minutes.
6. add chicken back to cream cheese pan sauce, turn to coat.
7. serve with egg noodles

Thanks for the recipes. I can handle these

There is a new product launch for cream cheese. Two guys named Adam and Tyler are going to serve breakfast on a bunch of JetBlue flights around the country.

Nice Recipes, I will try 'em . Thanks for it.

You can always pour salsa on top of a block of cream cheese and eat it as a dip. Very simple and always a crowd pleaser. This works fine with the low fat variety of cream cheese as well.

A really good and quick dessert is Coeur 'a la Creme:

8 ozs cream cheese
1/2 pint sour cream
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp sugar

Blend thouroughly and put in a mold or wine glass (half full), chill and just before serving, top with fresh or thawed frozen berries.

Phyllis, that sounds delicious, almost like a cheesecake flavor without the eggs and crust. Super easy and elegant too. I would use the less fat cream cheese and light sour cream in mine and no one would know the difference. Fresh berries, yum!
Thanks for sharing!

It really is delicious and you are right - you can use the less fat varieties and it still tastes good! When people see this dessert, served in long stem wine glasses, they think I spent hours making it.

Roast a head of garlic and mix it with the cream cheese and a little softened butter. If desired, some fresh chives add some great flavor.

Serve with a crusty bread, crackers or fresh cut veggies.

Allison, that sounds really good! I will try that for my next family get together. Thanks.

Wow, cream cheese- i just love it.

another good and easy one....

From Jewish Holiday Feasts

1 lb thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 oz. goat cheese
4 oz cream cheese
2 T fresh tarragon or 1 tsp dried
2 T chopped chives
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
8 sheets phyllo dough at room temp
1/4 cup melted butter

cook asparagus about 3 minutes in boiling salted water. drain and rinse under cold water. set aside to cool on a rack lined with paper towels.

preheat oven to 375. grease a baking sheet. combine cheeses, tarragon, chives, salt and pepper until smooth. stir in cooked asparagus pieces.

place a sheet of phyllo dough horizontally in front of you. brush with butter. continue until you have 4 sheets stacked. do not brush top sheet with butter.
using half the filling, spread an even 3-inch wide strip about one inch from bottom and 2 inches from sides. fold up the bottom and fold the sides of the dough and roll up like a jelly roll. place strudel, seam side down, on baking sheet. brush with butter - tops and sides. with a sharp knife, cut several slits on top of strudel. repeat with remaining phyllo sheets and mixture.

bake until golden brown and crispy, about 30 minutes. let cool for 15 minutes before serving. cut 3-inch thick slices with serrated knife.

Green Chili Chicken Enchilladas

1-2 Bricks (depending on how "creamy" you want it to be) cream cheese (low fat or no fat) diced
1 mini can diced green chili
1 pack taco seasoning (low salt, no msg)
1-2 pounds chicken parts (the chicken trimmings sold at most butcher) Substitution: cut up chicken thighs and breasts (it is key you have a mixture)
2 medium or 1 large spanish onion sliced into slivers
2-3 cloves of diced garlic
1-2 packs CORN tortillas (prefer vegetarian ones)
1-2 cans/jar good salsa verde (enchillada sauce)
1 small wheel Chihuahua Cheese grated.

Brown chicken in pan with a small amount of olive oil. When almost brown add can of chilis, taco seasoning and onions and about 1/4 cup of water. Let soften. Mix in cubed brick of cream cheese. When incorporated, remove from heat and let cool.

When chicken mixture is cool, warm tortillas in oil, a dry pan, or microwave wrapped in damp paper towel. Dip in sauce to coat tortilla. Add chicken mixture and roll. Layer in a greesed baking dish. When full, cover with remaining sauce. Top with grated cheese. Bake at 300 until cooked through (roughly 30 minutes) covered in foil. Remove foil and brown cheese if you wish.

Serve with sour cream, fresh guacamole, and lime.

Jase,

These sound decadent. Thanks so much for your post. I'll definitely be trying them shortly.