Quick dinner recipe with cream cheese

Consider cream cheese your new secret ingredient in everything from spaghetti to pastries. We understand if your favorite way to eat cream cheese is to spread it over a bagel. But! Cream cheese is much more than that. This versatile ingredient complements delicate tastes and adds a creamy richness to savory dishes, making it suitable for both desserts and breakfast bars. We suggest having a tub of this rock star ingredient in the home since you never know when you'll need a little extra something in an easy pantry recipe—or when you'll simply want to eat a bagel. Getting hungry? Once you've tried cream cheese in Alfredo, you may never go back. The finished sauce is smooth and won't break or curdle! It just envelops each noodle and pea, carrying the taste of the Parmesan.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins.

As if a pumpkin-flavored muffin wasn't enough, the sweet crumb topping on them cracks to expose a delicious cream center below. It's a muffin that's substantial enough to serve for breakfast or as a snack, yet feels as spectacular as cupcakes.

Ingredients

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• Creamy Cheese Filling:
• 8 ounces of cream cheese at room temperature.
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar.
• 2 tablespoons sour cream.
• One huge egg.

Crumb Topping:

• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar.
• 3/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
• Pinch of kosher salt.
• 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour.

Pumpkin Batter:

• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour (see Cook's Note).
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda.
• Half a teaspoon of crushed cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt.
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.
• 1 cup pure pumpkin puree.
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar.
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil.
• 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla essence.

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Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12-cup muffin tray with paper liners.
• Regarding the cream cheese filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and sour cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth and blended, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula as required (1 to 2 minutes). Add the egg and continue to beat for approximately 1 minute, or until well combined. Transfer to a resealable bag or tiny pastry bag, and put aside at room temperature.
• For the crumb topping, mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium basin. Drizzle in the melted butter and stir with a fork until barely incorporated. Add the flour and toss with a fork until equally distributed and little, pea-sized clumps form. Do not overmix, otherwise it will become a paste. Set aside at room temperature.
• To make the pumpkin batter, mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder in a medium basin.
  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, granulated sugar, oil, vanilla, and egg until smooth. Add the flour mixture and toss just until mixed.
• Divide the pumpkin batter equally among the prepared muffin cups, filling them approximately three-quarters of the way. Snip the end of the resealable bag or pastry bag, then put the tip about three-quarters of the way down into each cup. Squeeze approximately 2 teaspoons of the cream cheese filling into the middle of each muffin. After piping in the cream cheese filling, fill the muffin cups nearly to the top. Evenly sprinkle the crumb topping over the muffins, gently pushing it into the batter to adhere.

Cream Cheese Balls

Is it a party without a cheese ball? According to writer Michelle Buffardi's book Great Balls of Cheese, a cheese ball appetizer was served at the White House in 1801. However, the spreadable snack gained prominence in the Midwest in the midcentury. They are the entertainer's best friend—prepare ahead of time, refrigerate, and wait for the party to arrive!

Ingredients

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• One 8-ounce block of cream cheese at room temperature.
• 2 teaspoons Miss Brown's House Seasoning (recipe follows)
• 3/4 cup shredded smoked cheddar.
• 1/2 cup of chopped green olives.
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
• 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce.
• Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper.
• 3/4 cup finely chopped, toasted pecans
• 1/4 cup minced fresh chives.

Crackers for serving.

• Miss Brown’s House Seasoning:
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
• 1 teaspoon of onion powder.
• 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika.
• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.
• 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.

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Directions

• In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and House Seasoning and beat on medium speed until smooth. Mix in the cheddar, olives, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
• Place the pecans and chives in a small dish or platter. Form the cream cheese mixture into a ball using plastic wrap or parchment paper. Roll the cheese ball in the pecan mixture, pressing it until it is completely covered. Refrigerate for at least one hour, or up to overnight, before serving. Serve with crackers.
• Yield: 5 teaspoons.
  Combine the garlic and onion powders, paprika, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container.

Cherry Cream Cheese Galette.

Cream cheese offers a beautiful custardy layer to Valerie Bertinelli's free-form cherry pie, but it also serves another purpose. Though galettes are typically touted as being easier than pies, problems may arise when a hole in the dough forms, allowing fruit liquids to seep out and burn. The creamy filling creates an insulating barrier that keeps the fluids within.

Ingredients

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Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting.
• 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar.
• 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt.
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into half-inch pieces.
• 1 teaspoon of distilled white vinegar.
• 4–5 teaspoons of ice-cold water

Filling:

• 4 ounces of softened cream cheese.
• One huge egg, separated.
• 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar.
• 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla essence.
• 12 ounces frozen sour cherries, thawed and thoroughly drained
• 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.
• 2 tablespoons of Demerara sugar for dusting.

Directions

• For the crust, combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until it resembles coarse grain with pea-sized lumps. Drizzle in the vinegar and 4 tablespoons of water, then pulse until the dough comes together. If the mixture is too dry, add extra water, one teaspoon at a time.
• Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, shape into a disk, and wrap tightly. Refrigerate until hard, at least 1 hour.
• For the Filling: In a mixing dish, combine the cream cheese, egg yolk, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
• In a separate dish, combine the cherries with the cornstarch and the remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar.
• Finish the galette. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Dust a work area with flour and roll out the dough to a 12-inch circle. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.

Cream Cheese-stuffed French Toast

Stuffing French toast with a creamy, jammy, and nutty combination elevates this breakfast (and makes it full!). Almond extract, rather of vanilla, enhances the taste of the cherry jam and slivered almonds.

Ingredients

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• One 8-ounce container of softened cream cheese
• 1/3 cup of jam, such as sour cherry
• 1/4 cup of slivered almonds, extra for garnish.
• 1 loaf of challah bread
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon of almond extract.
• 1 tablespoon of light brown sugar.
• 1 cup milk.
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Maple syrup for serving.

Directions

• Preheat the cast-iron griddle over low heat and the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, jam, and slivered almonds. Beat with an electric mixer.
• Cut the challah into 2-inch thick slices. Make a 1/2-inch horizontal cut in the bottom crust of each slice to create a pocket.
• Using a butter knife, spread part of the cream cheese mixture over each piece. Set aside.
• In a large baking dish, whisk together the eggs, almond essence, brown sugar, and milk. Dip the packed challah slices into the egg mixture, rotating to completely coat each one.
• Increase the heat on the prepared griddle to medium, then add the butter and let it to melt before placing the filled and dipped challah on it. Cook until golden brown, approximately 4 minutes each side. Transfer to a baking sheet with a rack and place in the oven to keep warm. Serve with slivered almonds and maple syrup.

Read also: Make Ahead Butterhorn Dinner Rolls

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