46 WONDERFUL WAYS TO USE CREAM CHEESE (Part III of III) — From the COOKS.COM Culinary Archive.

FROSTINGS

29. CHOCOLATE PHILLY FROSTING

3-oz. cream cheese.
1 tablespoon milk.
2-1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar.
1 1-oz. square unsweetened chocolate, melted.
1 teaspoon vanilla.
Dash of salt.

  Blend the cream cheese and the milk. Add the sugar gradually, blending it in well. Add the melted chocolate, vanilla, and salt. Blend well.

  Enough to frost a 2-layer, 8-inch cake.

30. PEPPERMINT STICK PHILLY FROSTING

3-oz. cream cheese.
1 tablespoon milk.
2-1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar.
1 tablespoon crushed peppermint stick candy.

  Blend the cream cheese and the milk. Add the sugar gradually, blending it in well. Add the peppermint stick candy and mix again. Enough to frost a 2-layer, 8-inch cake.

MAIN DISHES

31. BAKED CHIVE CHEESE OMELET

1 teaspoon chopped chives.
4 oz. cream cheese.
4 eggs, separated.
2 tablespoons milk.
1/2 teaspoon salt.
Dash of pepper.
Parsley.

  Heat a 10-inch skillet in a moderate oven, 375 degrees, for 10 minutes.

  Blend the chives with the cream cheese. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well after each yolk is added. Add the milk and seasonings.  Fold into the stiffly beaten egg whites.

  Grease the hot skillet and pour in the omelet mixture. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the top is dry and the omelet firm. Fold and serve, garnished with parsley. 4 servings.

32. SAVORY SCRAMBLED EGGS

1/4 cup margarine.
6 eggs, beaten.
1/3 cup milk.
Salt, pepper.
4-oz. cream cheese.
Toast triangles.
6 broiled bacon slices.

  Melt the margarine in a skillet over low heat.  Combine the eggs, milk and seasonings and pour into the skillet. Cook very slowly, stirring constantly, until the eggs begin to thicken. Add the cream cheese, cut into pieces. Continue cooking very slowly, stirring occasionally, until the cheese ins blended in and the eggs are cooked. Serve each portion with toast triangles and top with a bacon slice.

SALADS

33. APRICOT RING MOLD

2 envelopes gelatin.
1 cup cold water.
2 cups apricot juice.
1/4 cup lemon juice.
Dash of salt.
1 cup drained canned crushed pineapple.
2 teaspoons gelatin.
1/4 cup cold water.
1/2 cup salad dressing.
1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese.
1 cup chopped celery.
1/2 cup chopped pecans.
Leaf lettuce.
7 canned apricot halves.
4 pineapple slices.

  Soften the 2 envelopes in 1 cup of cold water. Dissolve over hot water.  Combine the apricot juice, lemon juice and salt. Add the gelatin, mixing well, and chill until slightly thickened. Add the pineapple.  Pour half of this mixture into a 1-1/2 quart ring mold. Chill until firm.

  Soften the 2 teaspoons of gelatin in 1/4 cup of cold water. Dissolve over hot water.  Gradually add the salad dressing to the cream cheese, blending until smooth. Add the gelatin, celery and pecans, blend thoroughly and pour over the firm gelatin in the mold. Chill until firm. Add the remaining apricot gelatin and chill until firm.

  Unmold on a round chop plate. Fill the center with lettuce and cover it with a slice of pineapple. Surround the mold with lettuce and garnish it with pineapple slices, each cut in half and topped with an apricot half. 10 to 12 servings.

34. ASPIC RING SALAD

2 envelopes gelatin.
1 qt. tomato juice.
1/2 teaspoon onion juice.
Salt, pepper.
1/2 cup salad dressing.
1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese.
1 cup chopped celery.
1 tablespoon chopped pimiento.
1 tablespoon chopped green pepper.
1/2 cup chopped pecans.
1 teaspoon lemon juice.
2 teaspoons gelatin.
1/4 cup cold water.
Lettuce.
Salad dressing.

  Soften 2 envelopes of gelatin in 1 cup of cold tomato juice. Dissolve it over hot water, and add to the remaining cold tomato juice. Stir in the onion juice and seasonings. Pour half of it into a 2-quart ring mold and chill until firm.

  Blend the 1/2 cup of salad dressing into the cream cheese. Add the celery, pimiento, green pepper, pecans, lemon juice, and the 2 teaspoons of gelatin softened in the cold water and dissolved over hot water. Spread this mixture over the firm tomato aspic, and chill until it is firm. Pour the remaining aspic over the cream cheese layer, and chill again. When firm, unmold on crisp lettuce, and fill the center with tiny lettuce leaves. Serve with salad dressing. 12 servings.

35. BLUSHING PEAR SALAD

Milk.
Cream cheese.
Pear halves, well drained.
Red food coloring.
Watercress.
Salad dressing.

  Gradually add a small amount of milk to the cream cheese, blending until smooth. For each portion put 2 pear halves together with a filling of the softened cream cheese. Rub a drop of red coloring on each side of the pear to simulate fresh fruit. Place on crisp watercress on a salad plate. Garnish the stem end with a sprig of watercress. Serve with Salad dressing.

36. CACTUS PEAR SALAD

Milk.
4-oz. cream cheese.
4 pear halves, well drained.
Leaf lettuce.
Slivered blanched almonds, toasted.
8 maraschino cherries.

  Gradually add a small amount of milk to the cream cheese, blending until smooth.  Spread over the round surface of each pear half. Place the pears on lettuce on a serving plate and stick slivered almonds into each pear. Garnish with maraschino cherries.

37. CREAMY ORANGE SALAD

1 pkg. orange gelatin dessert.
1 cup hot water.
1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese.
1/4 cup orange juice.
2 tablespoons lemon juice.
1 tablespoon grated orange rind.
Lettuce.
Orange sections.

  Dissolve the gelatin dessert in the hot water.  Gradually add to the cream cheese, blending until smooth. Add the orange and lemon juice, mixing well. Chill until slightly thickened, then add the orange rind and blend well. Pour into 4 individual molds and chill until firm. Unmold each portion on a salad plate and surround with crisp lettuce. Garnish with orange sections.

38. GRAPE CLUSTER SALAD

Milk.
Cream cheese.
Pear halves, well drained.
Tokay grapes.
Bibb lettuce.
French dressing.

  Gradually add a small amount of milk to the cream cheese, blending until smooth.  Spread over the round surface of pear halves. Cut grapes in half, remove the seeds, and cover the pears with the grape halves to resemble bunches of grapes. Chill in the refrigerator. Arrange on lettuce and place a small piece of grape stem in the large end of each pear half. Serve with French dressing.

39. JELLIED CUCUMBER SALAD

1 envelope gelatin.
1/2 cup cold water.
1/2 cup boiling water.
2 cups well drained finely shredded cucumber.
1 tablespoon lemon juice.
1 tablespoon vinegar.
1 teaspoon salt.
3-oz. cream cheese
Milk.
Watercress.

  Soften gelatin in cold water; dissolve in boiling water. Add cucumber, lemon juice, vinegar and salt. Chill until slightly thickened. Pour into a fancy 1-quart mold and chill until firm. Unmold and garnish the cream cheese which has been softened with a small amount of milk and forced through a pastry tube. Surround with watercress. 8 servings.

40. PINEAPPLE SANDWICH SALAD

1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice.
1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese.
2 tablespoons chopped maraschino cherries.
10 pineapple slices.
Bibb lettuce.
Maraschino cherry wedges.

  Add the cherry juice to the cream cheese, blending until smooth. Add the chopped cherries and mix well.

  For each of 5 servings place a slice of pineapple on lettuce on a salad plate and spread with the cream cheese mixture.  Cover with a second slice of pineapple.  Place a spoonful of the cream cheese mixture in the center of the pineapple and garnish with cherry wedges.

41. TOMATO ROSE SALAD

Firm tomatoes.
Milk.
Cream cheese.
Hard-cooked egg yolk.
Watercress.
French dressing.

  Peel tomatoes and chill them. Blend a small amount of milk into the cream cheese. Form 2 rows of petals on each tomato by pressing level teaspoons of the softened cheese against the side of the tomato, then drawing the teaspoon down with a curving motion. Sprinkle the center of each tomato with hard-cooked egg yolk pressed through a strainer. Serve on crisp watercress with French dressing.

SANDWICHES

42. CREAM CHEESE, JELLY AND NUT SANDWICHES

Whole wheat bread.
Grape jelly.
Margarine.
Cream cheese.
Chopped nuts.

  For each sandwich trim the crusts from 3 slices of bread. Spread 1 slice with jelly, another with margarine and the third with cream cheese softened at room temperature.  Sprinkle the cream cheese with chopped nuts. Complete the sandwich and cut it into quarters diagonally.

  Arrange the quarter-sandwiches on a chop plate, points up.

43. FROSTED SANDWICH LOAF

White bread, day-old, unsliced.
Mayonnaise.
Tomatoes, peeled and sliced.
Relish cheese spread.
Lettuce.
Milk.
1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese.
Pickles.
Watercress.

  Remove the crusts from a loaf of bread.  Cut 4 lengthwise slices. Place a slice on a platter, spread with mayonnaise and cover with sliced tomatoes. Spread another slice with mayonnaise and pace with the dressing side on the tomatoes. Spread the top of this slice with cheese spread; cover with a third slice of bread. Spread it with mayonnaise and cover with lettuce. Spread the fourth slice of bread with mayonnaise; place on the lettuce.

  Gradually add a small amount of milk to the cream cheese, blending until smooth.  Frost the outside of the loaf. Chill. Garnish with small pickles and watercress, and cut into inch-thick slices. 6 to 8 servings.

44. DATE-NUT BREAD WITH CREAM CHEESE

Date-nut bread.
Cream Cheese.

  Slice your favorite date-nut bread.  Make sandwiches with a generous filling of cream cheese. Cut each sandwich in half diagonally, and arrange on a plate.

VEGETABLES

45. BAKED POTATOES (with chive sauce)

1/3 cup cream.
1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese.
1 tablespoon chopped chives.
1-1/2 teaspoon lemon juice.
1/2 teaspoon garlic.
Salt.
4 to 6 hot baked potatoes.
Parsley.

  Gradually add the cream to the cream cheese, blending until smooth. Add the chives, lemon juice and garlic salt and mix well. Serve over baked potatoes which have been slashed across the top and pressed open. Garnish with parsley. For a thinner sauce, add a little more cream.

46. PHILLY HOLLANDAISE ON BROCCOLI

2 eggs.
1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese.
2-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice.
Dash of salt.
Hot cooked broccoli.

  Add the eggs, one at a time, to the cream cheese, blending thoroughly after each addition.  Add the lemon juice and salt. Place in the top of a double boiler over hot water (not boiling). Cook, stirring constantly until the sauce is thick and fluffy. Serve on broccoli.