HOMEMADE IS BEST MADE CREAM CHEESES

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        Bagelly Goodness!

I'm not a native New Yorker, I'm more of a displaced Michiganer. I've lived here for over twenty years now and the of the nicest New York traditions that my husband introduced me to was bagels and a smear of cream cheese. Now it's such a part of normal life it seems funny that once seemed so foreign. 












One of our Sunday rituals is to go to Bruegger's to get their Baker's Dozen special* includes 13 bagels of your choice and two cream cheeses. It's just such a nice way of "easing" into your Sunday with a nice warm bagel and a smear of wonderfully flavored cream cheese slow melting and merging with that warm bagelly goodness...

I need bagelly goodness. And cream cheese. Now.

Bruegger's gets $2.99 per 6.5oz of cream cheese. With all their flavors, that can really add up quick. Do you realize that is $.46 an ounce? Yikes!

Out to the herb garden for breakfast!

So, in an effort to curve our spending a bit, I thought, lets try our hand at making this at home and you know what? I think our little cream cheeses are actually as good as if not better than the famous bagel chain at a fraction of the cost. And, making it at home, I can choose what type of cream cheese I use. Full fat, whipped or Neufchatel (1/3 less fat cheese). You can make flavors that Brueggers doesn't have in their store and it's so easy!

So, if you've followed my post with any frequency, you see a lot of posts about the garden. Now is the time we begin pressing that into action. Herbs pack such a large amount of flavor in such a small amount of material. In an attempt to mimic Bruegger's delicious Herb & Garlic cream cheese, I use this recipe.:

HOMEMADE IS BEST MADE, HERB & GARLIC  
CREAM CHEESE

(Fresh Herbs)
2 parts  (about 2-3 Tbsps) Oregano
2 parts (about 2-3 Tbsps) Parsley
1 part (about 1- 1 1/2 Tbsp) Chives
1 part (about 1-1 1/2 Tbsp) Dill
2 cloves garlic, minced fine
(I use Aldi's pre-chopped, about
1-2 tsp)
Cream cheese of your choice


Wash and dry the herbs well. Chop finely and mix, with cream cheese with your mixer, until thoroughly blended. Refridgerate for at least 20 mins to 1 hour for flavor to develop.




HOMEMADE IS BEST MADE, Mixed Berry
CREAM CHEESE
1/4-1/2 c sliced strawberries
1/4-1/2c blueberries
1 Tbsp to 2 Tbsp sugar
(Depending on level of tartness)
1 tsp vanilla
Cream cheese of your choice

Mix together and put in the refridgerator for 20 mins.

YUM!





(If you ever wanted to know why a baker's dozen is 13, here is the answer: http://mentalfloss.com/article/32259/why-bakers-dozen-13) which