February 2024 – Cream Cheese

Ham Rolls

Dulce Fletcher, Ephrata

“Here’s the recipe my mother-in-law from Ohio served at any special gathering of family and friends. Two batches are better than one!”

• 1 jar kosher dill pickle spears
• 1 lb. deli or prepackaged rectangular ham, medium sliced
• 1 block cream cheese

Bring block of cream cheese to room temperature.

Drain pickles and lay out on paper towel or clean to and blot excess juice.

Lay out a rectangle of ham and spread thinly edge to edge with cream cheese. Lay a pickle on the short edge and roll up firmly. Use 6 to 8 toothpicks spaced along the length of the roll to hold in place.

Chill rolls in refrigerator for an hour or more.

Slice between toothpicks with a sharp knife, leaving picks in for easy serving.

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Cheese Dip

Elsie Reiff, Ephrata

• 3 egg yolks
• 3 teaspoons sugar
• 3 teaspoons vinegar
• 3 teaspoons milk
• (3) 8 oz. packages cream cheese
• 8 oz. Cheez Whiz
• parsley flakes, optional
• onion powder, optional

Combine egg yolks, sugar, vinegar and milk. Cook until thick. Add cream cheese, Cheez Whiz and seasonings.

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Veggi Dip

Hope Weaver, Ephrata

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 8 oz. package cream cheese
• 1 heaping tablespoon sour cream & onion powder
• 1.5 oz. package onion soup and dip mix

Mix eggs, vinegar and sugar well. Put in a double boiler and stir till thick.

Remove from stove and add cream cheese and seasonings.

Best when refrigerated for several hours.

Note: Seasonings can be adjusted to taste. Soup mix can be reduced or omitted if the taste is too strong.

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Cheese Ball

Damaris Zimmerman, East Earl

• 16 oz. cream cheese
• 4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped onions
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Mix all ingredients together with a fork. Form a ball, and roll in chopped nuts. Serve with any kind of cracker.

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Spinach Four Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Gloria Dougherty, Akron

• 9 oz. bag baby spinach, chopped, OR 10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 8 oz. package cream cheese, cut in chunks
• 2½ cups milk
• 1 cup diced onion
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 cups instant mashed potato flakes
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan-Romano cheese blend
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup diced ham (optional)
• 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Heat oven to 450°F.

Combine spinach, cream cheese, milk, onion, butter and garlic in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover and heat on high power, stirring once, until milk is hot, about 6 minutes. Stir to melt cream cheese.

Add potatoes, Parmesan-Romano cheese, salt and pepper to hot milk mixture. Stir. Pour into an 8”x8” or 9”x9” baking dish. Sprinkle ham and cheese over top.

Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

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Easy Party Chicken

Marilyn Bashore, Lititz

• 8 oz. package stuffing mix
• 4 whole chicken breasts, cooked, cut into pieces
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 can cream of celery soup
• 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Prepare stuffing mix as directed on package. Allow to cool slightly.

Place chicken in bottom of a 9”x13” baking dish. Mix soups and cream cheese. Put over chicken layer. Top with prepared stuffing.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 30 minutes.

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Mushroom Tidbits

Marilyn Bashore, Lititz

• 3 oz. package cream cheese, softened
• 4 oz. jar mushroom stems and pieces
• 2 tablespoons pimiento
• ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 8 oz. can refrigerated crescent rolls
• 1 egg, beaten
• poppy or sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Chop mushrooms and pimiento (can use a mini food processor).

Thoroughly blend cream cheese, Dijon mustard, mushrooms and pimiento.

Separate crescent rolls into four rectangles. Firmly press perforations to seal. Spread each rectangle with 1/4 of the mushroom mixture. Starting with the long side, roll up jellyroll style. Cut each roll into six pieces.

Place seam side down on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with seeds.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden.

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Mini Cherry Cheesecakes

Marilyn Bashore, Lititz

• 15 vanilla wafers
• (2) 8 oz. packages cream cheese (not fat free)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
• 1 can cherry pie filling

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Line muffin pans with 15 cupcake liners. Place one vanilla wafer in the bottom of each cup.

In a large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add the sugar, then beat again for 1 minute. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Add the extract.

Spoon cream cheese mixture into prepared pans, filling each 3/4 full.

Bake the cheesecakes until set, about 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool in pan. Place pan in refrigerator to cool completely.

When ready to serve, remove pan from refrigerator. Remove cups from pan and top with cherry pie filling.

Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 4 days.

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Banana Cream Cheesecake

Pat Roth, Ephrata

Crust:

• 1¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ cup butter, melted

Filling:

• 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup sugar
• 8 oz. carton frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided
• 3 to 4 medium firm bananas, sliced
• 1¾ cups cold milk
• 3.4 oz. package instant banana cream pudding mix

In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and sugar. Stir in the butter. Set aside 1/2 cup for the topping. Press the remaining crumb mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9” springform pan or a 9” square baking pan.

Bake at 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Fold in 2 cups of the whipped topping.

Arrange half of the banana slices in the crust. Top with half of the cream cheese mixture. Repeat layers.

In a small bowl, whisk the milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes until soft set. Fold in the rest of the whipped topping. Pour over the cream cheese layer. Sprinkle with crumb mixture.

Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours, until set.

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Chili Cheese Log

Pat Roth, Ephrata

• 3 oz. package cream cheese
• 8 oz. (2 cups) sharp processed American cheese, shredded
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• dash of red pepper
• ¼ cup finely chopped pecans
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika

Let the cheese stand until it is softened. Combine with lemon juice, garlic and red pepper. Beat until light and fluffy, then stir in the nuts. Shape into a roll 1½” across. Sprinkle with a mixture of the chili powder and paprika. Chill.

Let stand at room temperature about 10 minutes before serving with crackers.

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Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

Stephanie Trowbridge, Stevens

• 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup butter (no substitutes), softened
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ cup confectioners sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ¾ cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
• ¾ cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
• graham crackers, vanilla wafers, mini pretzels for serving

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add sugars and stir in chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Place the refrigerated mixture on a large sheet of plastic wrap and shape into a ball. Refrigerate for another hour.

Just before serving, roll the ball into chopped nuts.

Great for dipping graham crackers, vanilla wafers, mini pretzels, etc.

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Easy Fruit Dip

Stephanie Trowbridge, Stevens

• 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
• 7 oz. jar Jet Puffed Marshmallow Cream
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (or more to taste)

Combine all ingredients to a smooth consistency. Add cinnamon to taste.

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Chocoholics Chocolate Cheesecake

Mary Ann Dell, East Earl

Crumb Crust:

• 8½ oz. package chocolate wafers
• ¹/₃ cup butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Crush wafers in a blender till fine crumbs. Combine crumbs, melted butter, sugar and nutmeg. Press into a springform pan on bottom and sides to 1/2” from the top. Refrigerate.

Cheese Filling:

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
• 12 oz. package semisweet chocolate chips, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sour cream

Beat eggs with sugar on high speed till light. Beat in cream cheese till smooth. Add melted chocolate, vanilla, salt and sour cream. Beat till smooth. Pour mixture into crumb crust.

Bake 1 hour, or until cheesecake is just firm when pan is shaken. Don’t overbake. Cool on wire rack then refrigerate, covered, overnight.

Serve with whipped cream decorations.

Serves 16.

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Pineapple Cream Cheese Sandwiches

Mary Ann Dell, East Earl

• 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
• 6 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 15 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
• ½ to 1 cup chopped pecans
• thin sliced wheat and white bread

Mix all ingredients thoroughly.

Alternating white and wheat slices, make 3-layer sandwiches. Trim crusts and cut into 2, 3 or 4 sandwiches, depending on size desired.

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Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Mary Ann Dell, East Earl

• 3 sticks butter or margarine, softened
• 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups sugar
• 3 cups cake flour, sifted before measuring, divided
• 6 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
• 1 teaspoon coconut flavoring, optional
• 1 teaspoon pineapple flavoring, optional

Cream butter and cream cheese with sugar. Add 1 cup flour and 2 eggs, alternately, until all are blended. Add flavoring.

Cook in a well-greased tube pan at 350°F for 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Note: This cake needs no baking powder, salt or baking soda.

Serves 15 to 20.