Beyond the Bagel: 8 ways to use our Fresh Cream Cheese

I know when we all think of cream cheese our minds immediately go to bagels, right?

Well, I’m here to tell you that if you have a few tubs of cream cheese in your fridge, you have an arsenal of options for tasty and easy recipes!

Here are a few of my favorites:

1.) Maple Cream Cheese Frosting-  Cream cheese frosting is perfect for pumpkin cake, carrot cake, graham cracker sandwiches like my mom used to make, cupcakes, dipping for apple or pear slices

4 oz Springdale Farm Fresh cream cheese, room temperature

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

⅔ cup confectioners sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons Maine maple syrup

Salt

Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter together.  Slow the mixer speed and add the sugar, maple syrup and salt.  Schmear on literally everything.

2.) Waffles with cream cheese and smashed berries.  Beef up your waffles with cream cheese for extra protein and major flavor.

Smear your waffle with several tablespoons of Springdale Farm Original fresh cream cheese.  Crush up your favorite berry or mixture of fresh summer berries and layer onto the bed of cream cheese.  Drizzle with honey or maple.  Or just try layering with your favorite fruit jam!

3.) Mashed potatoes will never be the same.  Add our cream cheese to your mashed potatoes and you will get a super creamy texture and unmatched flavor!

Along with your normal dose of butter and cream, add 4 oz of Original, Dill or Chive and Garlic cream cheese when blending. 

4.) Buffalo Chicken Dip. 

Take 2-3 cups shredded chicken, mix with 8 oz Sriracha Jalapeno Cream Cheese, ½ cup of sour cream (or your favorite ranch or blue cheese dressing), mix together, throw it in the crock pot and cover with 1 cup of shredded Queso Tencho.  Heat until cheese is melted.  Serve with chips or sliced baguettes.

5.) Pasta.  An easy, creamy, tasty pasta sauce can be made with any Springdale Farm Cream Cheese flavor.

Cook your favorite pasta, add a couple tablespoons of butter and gradually add in 4 to 8 oz of cream cheese until it melts into the past.  If you like it moister, add a little milk or cream.

6.) Mac and Cheese.  Zip up your mac and cheese recipe with a 4 oz tub of Everything cream cheese, the dried onion and minced garlic will give it texture and a tasty little kick.

7.) Add a kick to any sandwich with Springdale cream cheese.  Cranberry pecan goes great with chicken salad.  Dill or chive and garlic pair nicely with smoked salmon.  Everything on a roast beef Italian.  Horseradish smoked cheddar spread on a burger.  Veggie on a turkey sandwich.  

8.) Hors d’oeurves made simple:  fresh cream cheese with a spread of veggies like celery, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, radishes.  Veggie or chive and garlic makes an especially great pairing for dunking with veggies.