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Tag Archive: Cream Cheese

Homemade Honey Walnut Cream Cheese

Written on November 12, 2014 by Wannabe Chef in Sauce

People tend to think that when you’re gluten-free you spend your life missing all carbs. That’s certainly not true, but I definitely miss certain carbs like cinnamon crunch Panera bagels smothered in sweet hazelnut cream cheese.

Some things are hard to make at home(like bagels, unless you’re looking to give away an afternoon for amorphous doughballs). Other things are super easy; you can make this cream cheese in 5 minutes and actually be excited about a weekend breakfast at home.

Adding salt and vanilla might seem a little strange, but it helps round out the flavors of the honey to be salty-sweet and a little savory. Toasting the walnuts is well worth the effort for the overall flavor. This recipe works perfectly with full-fat cream cheese, low-fat cream cheese, or non-dairy alternatives.

If you’re not a fan of honey you can also use an equal amount of maple syrup. Try using peanuts instead of walnuts for a different flavor or just leave them out completely for a nut-free recipe and you’ll still have a delicious spread.

Homemade Honey Walnut Cream Cheese

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 12 squares):

1 block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup walnuts
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

In a large bowl, beat together the honey and cream cheese until well-mixed.
Heat up a small pan over a low burner. Add in the walnuts and toss until they’re toasted.
Add the walnuts, salt, and vanilla to the honey cream cheese and fold the ingredients in.
Serve immediately or store refrigerated in an air-tight container.

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Buffalo Cream Cheese Chex Dip + Giveaway

Written on March 3, 2014 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

I love being challenged to make recipes with a few ingredients(a la Chopped). I think it’s easier than starting with a blank canvas. Chex & General Mills challenged me to make something with Chex cereal and Frank’s hot sauce—an odd combination for sure. But immediately I had an idea and I’m happy it turned out so well.

This recipe’s a twist on a savory cheese ball and my vegetarian buffalo chicken dip. The last time I had that dip was for the Super Bowl; I think this one’s going to be the winner for college basketball and any other party I go to this month. It’s just as tasty but a little simpler because there’s no baking involved—perfect for bringing to a party where you won’t be able to heat anything up.

I debated which Chex cereal to suggest making this with. Using rice or corn makes it gluten-free, but some people might prefer wheat. I would recommend matching it to whatever cracker you’re serving with this. If they’re corn-based, go with corn, wheat-based go with wheat, etc.

Buffalo Cream Cheese Chex Dip

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Serves about 8-10 people):

1 8oz block of cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup cannellini beans
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
1/4 cup Frank’s RedHot buffalo wing hot sauce
2/3 cup crushed rice, corn, or wheat Chex cereal
Chips and vegetables for dipping

Method:

Combine the cream cheese, cannellini beans, shredded cheese, hot sauce, and 1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon crushed Chex cereal in a large bowl.
Using a potato masher, forcefully mix all of the ingredients until it forms a smooth, even-colored dip.
Using your hands and a clean, non-stick surface, form the dip into a ball.
Lightly bread the outside of the cheese ball with with the remaining Chex cereal.
Serve at room temperature with tortilla chips and vegetables to dip.

Giveaway:

Want to make your own? You can get the same inspiration I did to make this pictured above. Just do one or multiple entries as listed below and I’ll pick a winner at 11:59pm on Sunday, March 9th.

Who would you make this for and/or for what occasion?
Follow me on Twitter or mention that you already do
Follow me on Facebook or mention that you already do

Good luck!

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Strawberry Cheesecake Frozen Yogurt + Giveaway

Written on June 20, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert, Giveaway

There are some foods that just taste better in the Summer: Trifles, anything with fresh berries, and—of course—ice cream. Stonyfield recently asked their Clean Plate Club bloggers to come up with recipes to kick off Summer. What’s a better way to kick off Summer with Greek yogurt than to make frozen yogurt?

This quickly became one of my favorite frozen yogurts I’ve had. It’s smooth, creamy, and refreshing. I’m sure the block of cream cheese took away some of the health benefits of frozen yogurt, but there’s still a good cup of protein-packed Greek yogurt in there to encourage you to have another scoop.

Strawberry Cheesecake Frozen Yogurt Stack

The ice cream maker I use is a 1 1/2-quart Cuisinart. I got it a few years ago and have used it every Summer, so I highly recommend adding one to your kitchen collection. Make sure to read the manual for whatever ice cream maker you have and follow their instructions for freezing it correctly.

Strawberry Cheesecake Frozen Yogurt

Prep time: 15 minutes

Freeze time: 2 1/2 hours

Ingredients:

1 cup Stonyfield plain Greek yogurt*
1 8oz block Neufchatel cream cheese*
3/4 cup strawberry jam*
1 1/2 cup 0% or 1% milk
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

*These ingredients will be easiest to mix if they’re at room temperature.

Method:

In a large bowl, beat together the yogurt, cream cheese, and jam until there are no clumps in the mix.
Add in the milk, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon and beat until fully mixed.
Pour the base into an ice cream maker and freeze using the manufacturer’s directions.
Let the frozen ice cream sit out for 5 minutes before scooping and serving to soften.

Giveaway

Stonyfield wants to give away coupons equal to a free case of Stonyfield Greek and a Stonyfield cookbook to help kick off the Summer for a reader. There are 5 ways to enter the giveaway; I’ll keep it open through next Thursday, June 27th.

Leave a comment with your favorite frozen yogurt flavor.
Follow @Stonyfield on Twitter and comment saying that you did.
Follow @WannabeChefEvan on Twitter and comment saying that you did.
Like Stonyfield Organic on Facebook and comment saying that you did.
Like The Wannabe Chef on Facebook and comment saying that you did.

Good luck!

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Red, White and Blue Stuffed Strawberries

Written on May 24, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

When you’re a food blogger, you constantly have to choose between making and blogging a holiday recipe a week in advanced and looking crazy celebrating all by yourself or making a recipe for the actual holiday and posting it a few days later late to the game. Usually I choose the latter but this time I happen to be early to the party; here’s a red, white, and blue recipe a month and a half before July 4th for you.

The Nutella cheesecake strawberries I made last month were a huge hit with my friends. I got asked to make them again but I always like trying something new. Instead of Nutella, these strawberries are filled with white chocolate cream cheese. At times I think I like white chocolate more than dark, and this is one of those times. It goes perfectly with the sweet berries.

Every time I make these stuffed strawberries, the first half come out looking sloppy and the second half look fine. You just have to get into a rhythm and figure out how to do it best. Getting the filling to the right consistency will also make it easier.

Red, White and Blue Stuffed Strawberries

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients:

1lb fresh strawberries
3/4 cup(6oz) white chocolate chips
5 Tablespoons cream cheese, room temperature
2 Tablespoons milk, room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup blueberries

Method:

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the white chocolate.
Beat together the melted white chocolate, milk, and cream cheese until smooth.
Beat in the powdered sugar until it’s fully incorporated.
Move the cream cheese mixture into a pastry bag or Ziploc bag with a corner cut off. If the mixture is still runny, put it in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes to thicken.
Cut the strawberries twice perpendicularly almost all the way through.
Squeeze the filling into the strawberries starting from the bottom and moving the tip up.
Garnish with a blueberry on top.
Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. These won’t last long even in a refrigerator so eat relatively quickly.

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Nutella Cheesecake Strawberries

Written on April 26, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

A jar of Nutella never lasts very long in our kitchen. One of my favorite snacks is to take a spoon and just dig in. That’s probably reason enough to stop keeping a jar of Nutella around all the time.

I’ve seen cheesecake-stuffed strawberries online for years now and never tried them before these. I think they’re originally a Paula Dean invention. It’s incredibly convenient if you’re looking for a gluten-free dessert because the strawberries take care of the crust for you; besides, you can convince yourself that a little bit of fruit makes it all healthier.

Filling these can be frustrating; a lot of the first ones came out lopsided and a couple of them even got thrown away. But don’t worry! It’s an easy skill to pick up as you do more and more.

Nutella Cheesecake Strawberries

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 24 servings):

1lb strawberries
3/4 cup Nutella
1/2 cup cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Method:

In a large bowl, beat together the Nutella, cream cheese, and powdered sugar until smooth. Move the filling to a pastry bag or Ziploc with a corner cut off.
Using a sharp knife, slice each strawberry twice perpendicularly along the tip almost all the way through, leaving a little bit uncut.
Separate the 4 tips of the strawberry and gently push the filling in until it reaches the top.
Repeat with all of the strawberries.
Store in a refrigerator until ready to serve; leave at room temperature for 30 minutes before eating.

If you’re scared off by filling them or get too frustrated you can always cut up the strawberries and serve the filling as a dip. That was how I used up the leftover filling and it was just as good.

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Vegetarian Buffalo Chicken Dip

Written on January 30, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Miscellaneous, Side Dish

I’ve never been a vegetarian who claims he doesn’t miss certain food. I used to love buffalo chicken dip; what’s a Superbowl party without it? This year I finally got fed up with being dip-less and decided to make my own.

Too often the impulse for making meat-free dishes is to reach for something with tofu or the name “fak’n” in front of it. Beans are a great substitute that are also cheap, tasty, and something everyone can recognize.

To lighten this dip up slightly you can use a reduced fat cream cheese instead of full-fat. I would avoid fat-free because the taste and texture would be off. Similarly you can swap in reduced fat cheese as well.

Vegetarian Buffalo Chicken Dip

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients(Serves 8-12 people):

8oz cream cheese
1/2 cup hot sauce
8oz shredded cheddar or Mexican-blend cheese, divided
1 15oz can white beans, rinsed and drained

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, beat together the hot sauce, cream cheese, and 6 ounces(about 1 1/2 cups) of shredded until mixed.
Fold in the beans, adding a little bit of water if necessary until fully incorporated.
Scoop the dip into an oven-safe bowl and spread out the remaining cheese on top to cover it.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese begins to brown and the center is hot.
Remove from the oven and serve hot with crudité and nachos.

You will not miss the chicken; I swear it.

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Dessert Cream Cheese Ball

Written on November 30, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

Most people who love cooking have their “signature recipes” that they get asked to make all the time. At the holidays my mom always makes a savory cream cheese ball with onion, green pepper, pineapple and walnuts. As good as that is, if you follow this blog you’ll know I’m much more into sweet than savory. What could really be better than sweet cream cheese?

Another thing that prompted me to make this was a bag of Food Should Taste Good chocolate tortillas and wondering what in the world you serve chocolate tortillas with. The crunchy and lightly-sweetened tortillas went perfectly with the smooth cream cheese and powdered sugar. I couldn’t imagine eating this any other way but I’m sure sliced apples or graham crackers would match well, too.

I used honey glazed roasted pecans from Oh Nuts for the coating. If you don’t have pecans you can use any number of things as a coating. Try sliced almonds or crushed green and red M&Ms, or even holiday-themed sprinkles.

Dessert Cream Cheese Ball

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 12 servings):

1 8oz block cream cheese
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon half & half
pinch of salt
1/2 cup glazed pecans, crushed

Method:

In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, half & half and salt.
Scrape the cream cheese mixture onto a sheet of clear plastic wrap. Form the cream cheese mixture into a ball using the wrap to cover your hands and keep it together. Stick the ball in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to set.
Unwrap the cream cheese ball and coat it with the pecans, pressing them in lightly to make sure they stay.
Transfer the cold cream cheese ball to a serving plate. Serve with chocolate nachos, graham crackers, or sliced fruit.

We can save worrying about eating healthy for after New Years.

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Homemade Pumpkin Cream Cheese

Written on October 17, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Sauce

I used to be obsessed with Panera Bread and their cinnamon crunch bagels and fancy cream cheeses; it’s not nearly as much fun to go to when you can’t have gluten so it’s been a while. But this week I had extra cream cheese to use up and a hankering for gluten-free bagels and knew exactly what to make.

This cream cheese is simple and delicious. It has just the right amount of spice to make a plain bagel really taste special. I always catch myself licking the knife clean after I’m done spreading it on because it’s too good not to.

You don’t need to use particularly fancy ingredients for this recipe. If you don’t have maple syrup you can substitute honey or molasses. Use just as much sweetener as you prefer for the flavor.

Homemade Pumpkin Cream Cheese

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 8 servings):

1/2 cup cream cheese
3 Tablespoons pumpkin puree
~2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Method:

In a small bowl, beat together all of the ingredients until there are no lumps left.
Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks after making.

It almost makes you wonder how something so simple can be so good.

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Maple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Dip

Written on October 8, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Miscellaneous

Greek yogurt is one of those foods I always keep on hand. I was so excited when Stonyfield asked me to be a part of their Clean Plate Club to make and submit recipes using their yogurts. Substituting yogurt in dips or baked goods for fattier dairy products is a great and easy way to make recipes healthier.

When I’m busy I’d much rather have a meal or snack that I can eat with my hands and don’t have to worry about it getting cold. Dips and spread are great for that. I made this dip and it lasted me over a few days of snacking and went with just about everything.

You can serve this with chopped up fruit or cut up french toast and waffles for breakfast or with some gingersnaps and snickerdoodle cookies for a fun dessert. It keeps well in the refrigerator so it’s easy to

Maple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Dip

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 1/2 cup):

2 Tablespoons cream cheese, softened
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup plain Oikos greek yogurt

Method:

In a small bowl, beat together all of the ingredients until there aren’t any clumps(you may want to use a whisk or hand mixer).
Serve with fruit, waffles, french toast, or any other dippable breakfasts.

And in case you were wondering, Van’s gluten-free french toast sticks are excellent, especially when you’re sure the last time you had french toast sticks was at least 10 years ago.

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Peanut Butter Cream Cheese

Written on August 31, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Miscellaneous

Last week I made another loaf of almond flour banana bread. It didn’t have any chocolate chips or walnuts or Nutella swirls so it definitely needed something to make it more decadent.

I was reminded of when I made a chubby hubby cheesecake last month and finally shared the recipe with the people I served it to: “You mean my whole family has been fighting over peanut butter and cream cheese?” Hey,what can I say? It’s a winning combination.

You can easily adjust the sweetness by adding more or less honey. I like it when it’s not too sweet so that you still taste the slight tartness of the cream cheese. Add a sprinkling of raw sugar for a little bit of crunch.

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup peanut butter*
2 Tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon(optional)

*If you’re using no-stir peanut butter, be sure to soften it in the microwave quickly before mixing.

Method:

Mix together all of the ingredients.
Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator when not using. Let it soften at room temperature briefly before spreading because the cream cheese will harden when chilled.

I think I need to stock up on gluten-free bagels because this is too good not to eat every morning. It’s creamy and nutty—the perfect combination of the best two breakfast spreads.

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