Name: homemade garden vegetable cream cheese
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 cup Cream Cheese; 2 tbsp Red Pepper (finely diced); 2 tbsp Chives (chopped); 2 tbsp Spring Onions Bulbs -White Part (finely diced); 2 tbsp Carrots (finely diced); 2 cloves Garlic (finely diced); 2 tbsp Onions/Leeks/Celery (finely diced); Pinch of Salt & Pepper (to taste)

This is another Back to College recipe, coming from the Bagel House of Penn State, Irvings. For a couple of semesters at Penn State, me and my friends, we used to grab our breakfast at Irvings before classes. And I always used to get a Bagel Sandwich!

While, I used to change the type of Bagel or the type of Sandwich (the filling inside), I used to make it point, that my cream cheese remains the same - this. delectable garden vegetable cream cheese.

Why do I like Veggie Cream Cheese ? Also known as Garden Vegetable Cream Cheese

If you know me you know I am not the biggest fan of veggies, or even carrots for that matter. But there is something distinct about the flavour of this cream cheese, which makes my bagel sandwiches or even my bagels more appetising. I kid you not, if you find it weird - give it a try.

Ingredients:

1. Cream Cheese

The main ingredient for this recipe is Cream Cheese. Honestly, you can use any cream cheese you have available at your nearby stores. Some brand which I like and can be used are Dlecta, Flanders, and Philadelphia. The latter will cost a bomb though, so just a heads up.

2. Veggies

The veggies I used are Spring Onions, Onions, Red Bell Peppers, Garlic, Carrots and Chives. If you want to substitute Onions, both Leeks and Celery are an excellent option to be added in the cream cheese. If you don't have Chives, don't sweat it - it can be made easily without it.

3. Seasoning

This only includes Salt & Pepper and just a bit - as we do not want to overpower the taste.

Method:

Chop vs Blend

So there a couple of ways you can make the Cream Cheese. You may either finely chop your ingredients and mix with the Cream Cheese. This would lead to noticeable diced pieces of the veggies in the cream cheese. The second method would be blending all the veggies and then folding into the cream cheese, this would give the dressing more of pinkish hue (as pictured above).

I have tried both the methods and they deliver the same flavour- it's completely up-to you and your choice.

Getting on to the easiest recipe on the blog now:

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Prep Time 10 mins

Total Time 10 mins

Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Brunch, Evening

Cuisine American

Yields 1 Cup

Ingredients

1 cup Cream Cheese
2 tbsp Red Pepper finely diced
2 tbsp Chives chopped
2 tbsp Spring Onions Bulbs -White Part finely diced
2 tbsp Carrots finely diced
2 cloves Garlic finely diced
2 tbsp Onions/Leeks/Celery finely diced
Pinch of Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions

Start by softening the cream cheese. There are a couple ways to do this, you may leave the required quantity out for say 20 minutes, or you may generate heat using an Electric Whisk or a Stand Mixer to soften it out.
Once your cream cheese is softened, please choose between the two methods mentioned above, dice vs blend.
If you are going for the dice method, simply add all the finely chopped ingredients in the cream cheese and give it a good mix using a Spatula.
If you are opting for the blend method, add all the listed ingredients to a Food Processor or a Blender and fold the somewhat liquidy mixture into the cream cheese until well combined, using a spatula.
Once done, feel free to cool the Cream Cheese. It should ideally be consumed within the first 10 days. And if you have it the next day, you'll find it to be better -as the veggies would blend further more during that time period.