Recipes/uses for cream cheese please.

I find myself with 1 and 1/2 packets of cream cheese . I bought it to make frosting for a carrot cake ( 1st time as I usually make butter icing). anyway I ended up only using 1/2 of one box (125gms) made a huge amount and was so yummy. so I now have 375gms left to use . any suggestions or recipes >>>it is the normal cream cheese Kraft i think . comes in blocks in tinfoil :)
Thanks in advance . I could make another carrot cake and make the frosting again . but that still leaves a whole unopened box!

Sammies: Apricot and cream cheese, red onion and cream cheese, salmon or tuna with cream cheese, the last two are quite nice done like asparagus rolls.
I also love cream cheese and smoked salmon in croissants.
Use in muffins, make your usual muffin mix, then half fill the muffin tins add a dollop of cream cheese then top with rest of muffin mix.
Cheesecake will use a block.
also I like dates stuffed with cream cheese and celery sticks as well.
Add it to mashed potatoes or kumara.
Probably have other ideas but they have gone west at present.

Oh and it will keep beyond its best before date if when opened and a clean utensil used, have had them last for at least a month. When it looks pink and/or furry then I throw out.

It freezes well, too.

Cream cheese makes an excellent base for quickly blended fish pastes/pate/moose/spread - however you prefer to refer to it. Salmon with capers added is one idea we like.

Thanks people . I did not think it would freeze . so great to know . and good to know I have a little more time than on the packet . maybe another carrot cake and a big cheese cake will do the trick . shame they are so fattening . will get the family around :-)

I love cream cheese & ginger sammies. Cream cheese smoked salmon & capers . all yummy.

A poster above has already suggested muffins and that reminded me of these yummy orange muffins I used to make which had big dollops of cream cheese/sugar in the centre (it was a recipe from that section in the old Foodtown magazine where readers asked for recipes from their favourite cafes/restaurants). Combining 3 T cream cheese with 3 T sugar would make enough for 12 muffins.

Cheesecake

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/greek-yogurt-cheesecake-123265.aspx

Cheese balls
Filled cob loaves
As mentioned earlier as a base with dips - (I like it mixed with gherkin relish)
Used instead of butter or margarine as a spread on bread, bagels, toast, filled rolls, asparagus rolls - (my fav is spread on vogels toast)
Like an earlier poster said in samdwiches, I've had cream cheese, chicken and apricot, cream cheese and pineapple, cream cheese date and walnut
Stirred through pasta with herbs to make a creamy pasta sauce
Salmon and cream cheese filo
Put a dollop in with the egg mix in devilled eggs
In quiches
As part of a filling in bread cases and vol u vents
I've seen somewhere a recipe for chocolate cream cheese brownies (could be one of Donna Hay's)

Mini cheeseballs or one big one, but use one pack of cream cheese, a third to a half packet of feta, a bit of pickle, salt, pepper, finely chopped spring onion and anything else you like. Roll small or one large, coat with toasted almonds or toasted chopped nuts. YUM. The mini ones can be served with a pretzel stick in them (like a cake pop). Have made them twice and got rave reviews. I also use cream cheese on top of soups instead of sour cream. esp if the soup is tangy or spicy.

cheese balls -
made one years ago but can't find recipe. From memory you choose the fruits you want. I have used cranberries, apricots, glacé cherries and walnuts. Individually put the fruit into processor and just pulse - enough to chop NOT mince. After you have done each fruit, put it into a medium bowl. Do same with next fruit. Mix the diced fruits so they combine. Do same with nuts of choice. In a large bowl add large punnet of ORDINARY cream cheese (don't use spreadable because it is too soft to cut) and mash with fork to get a good consistency. Fold the fruits and nuts into cream cheese. Get a large piece of tin foil and lightly oil with plain oil. Put cream cheese mix onto foil (can do large one or several smaller ones) and shape to log. Roll tin foil closed. Roll foiled log on bench to get perfect log roundness. Twist ends to close off. Put in fridge overnight to set. Unwrap and slice. You can unwrap log and leave to slightly soften and then roll in chopped nuts also, if desired. Just put log back on foil or flat dish and refrigerate again until firm enough to slice. If you use a really sharp knife and dip knife into a glass of boiling water between each slice you will get a very smooth slice. Hope this helps.

Edited by brenda007 at 7:17 am, Sat 6 Dec

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brenda007 (0 ) 7:17 am, Sat 6 Dec #6
I made this last Xmas. In issue 74 Food mag. retro Cheese Ball.250g cream cheese. 1 1/2 cups tasty cheese. 2 tbsn each tomato relish,finely chopped onion, finely chopped gherkin, chopped parsley ,1/2cup chopped walnuts. Few drops Tabasco sauce. Shape mixture into a ball and roll in chopped walnuts. Wrap the ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate until it is firm.

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patches151 (1988 1988 positive feedback) 2:02 pm, Sat 6 Dec #7
I have made the following recipe but cut the nuts to ½ cup and mixed them into the cheese mixture. Instead of making into a ball or log and rolling in the nuts, I put it into a bowl for serving, topped with the other ½ cup chopped nuts. For the fruit, I used a mixture of chopped apricots, crytalised ginger, cranberries & raisins or dates.
250g cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoons honey
100g package mild Cheddar cheese, shredded
150g dried mixed fruit, chopped
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Combine cream cheese and honey; beat until smooth. Stir in grated cheese and chopped fruit; mix well. Form into a ball or log and roll in chopped nuts. Chill for at least 3 hours.

Edited by nauru at 3:49 pm, Sat 6 Dec

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nauru (126 126 positive feedback) 3:48 pm, Sat 6 Dec #8
I make a cheese ball with cream cheese chopped ginger and chopped apricots then cover in finely chopped nuts you could add any thing else that you like

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flyingwitch (0 ) 2:49 pm, Sun 7 Dec #9
I make mine with both savoury and fruity titbits. The one I made this weekend had finally chopped gherkins, walnuts, pecans, spring onion green bits, capsicum (yellow this time) celery with finely chopped dried apricots. I also like to add chopped crystalised ginger but didn't have any this time to use. I made two longs and rolled them in liquidised mixed nuts (mostly almonds, pecans and hazelnuts. I used tomato relish as was suggested on here recently. I used cream cheese, tasty cheese and some cottage cheese.
The Moth says that this batch is really nice. I think I'd be keen to try dried cranberries next time.

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terraalba (575 575 positive feedback) 3:44 pm, Sun 7 Dec #10

Delicious in orange muffins, put a spoon of dough, a teaspoon of cream cheese, another spoon of dough, sprinkle a bit of sugar on top

if you want to make truffles for Christmas very easy recipe is 2packets of biscuits such as timtams, 1 packet (250g) cream cheese. Throw into mixer until all mixed. Roll into balls, roll in what ever coating you like eg coconut, choc hail nuts etc. They can be frozen until needed.

Spinach caneloni is a nice dinner recipe